Airfix 8th Army

Not really painting with any specific goal at the moment, just doing various bits and pieces for fun.  The latest completions are a handful of Airfix Eighth Army, which I've had around since I was a little nipper, and which had originally had received a bit of paint from my Grandad.  Back then of course they had to settle for fighting against WWI germans or japanese infantry, now I actually have some Afrika Korps I can paint up!

The quality of some of the airfix sets is pretty variable, but these are still outstanding, even compared to many more modern releases.

Main uniform was Vallejo Iraqi Sand.  I used khaki for the helmets and green grey for the webbing, not strictly accurate, but I wanted them to stand out.

The rubble of Liverpool

Getting back into the painting saddle, so stuff to come soon, but bit of an aside for this post.  A few weeks back Mel and I went up to the Sefton coast, north of Liverpool.  It was a pretty good trip, saw the Gormley Statues on Crosby beach, (which are amazingly effective at sunset), and got a bit of wildlife and bird watching in (saw red squirrels, which are getting rarer and rarer here, and my first Whitethroat, in case that means anything to anyone!).

However the main reason for posting was what I saw amongst the sea defences at Hightown.  Post WWII, to protect the sand dunes from erosion, the local council decided to dump rubble on the beach to break up the waves.  The source of this rubble?  The bombed out terraces of Liverpool.

Most of it has broken down to unrecognisable pebbles now, but every now and then there is something recognisable, a whole section of wall here, a carved stone plinth or a chimney there.

It was a very strange and sobering experience walking along the seafront and still being able to see the ruins of the everyday lives of the many civilians affected by a war that ended nearly 70 years ago.

Oh, and just for completeness, here's one of those Gormley statues...

Fallschirmjäger Test

First tests on attempting splinter/marsh pattern camo (I'll say it was whichever one it turns out closest to!) for the Caesar Fallschirmjäger I picked up recently.

I'm favouring the Officer on the right at the moment.  As ever with camo I struggle to get that balance between too little and too much contrast.

Keep on Trucking

This fortnight's 'Military Vehicles' collection comes with the venerable GMC truck, a staple of any allied, and especially US force.  There was only one in the shop, but I may have to hunt around for some more.

Not a bad little model.  The .50cal on this one was broken, but should be easily replaced from the spares box (or just assumed 're-purposed').  It's a little plasticy, so might get a repaint when I can get around to it.

What I did on my trip to Sheffield (or a plug for Wargames Emporium)

Not many posts, but been getting a bit of painting and modelling underway in one form or another (here's my rather confused painting space, on the dining room table).

Imaginary and totally irrelevant points on offer for spotting what's going on there!

Work also took me up to Sheffield last week for a seminar.  Knowing I'd have a bit of time at lunch in the city centre I thought I'd check out Wargames Emporium, which was nearby.  Since my local model shop in Chesterfield town centre closed, and Modelzone went under, pickings have been pretty slim. The opening of a Hobbycraft helped, but it's pretty much limited to Airfix kits and doesn't have any vallejo paints.

Although small and tucked away on the upper floor of some small craft units at the back of a shopping mall, it was a great little shop, well stocked with paints and all sorts of models: through GW, Copplestone and on to the likes of Plastic Soldier Company plus the obligatory collectible card games (not for me, bit whatever floats your boat...).  I'd intended to just pick up some paint, but somehow ended up coming out with box of Caesar Fallschirmjäger.  Nice models, showing Caesar's usual quality of sculpting and production.  I'll post some WIP photos as I go on, but here's some pretty poor pics to be going with.

Ruined Corner

Bit of a diversion, putting together the diorama that came with the Matchbox/Revell Morris Truck and 17 pounder gun. 

Thought it might come in handy for a bit of variety in photographs. 

A few test shots (Caesar british infantry and a Hasegawa Humber).

DUKW and Cover

I've resisted most of the 'Military Vehicles Collection' magazines published recently (although it wasn't easy), but couldn't help pick up the last couple, which had a Flak38 on Sd.Kfz.7 half track and a DUKW.  These are both the kind of models that I'd probably never get around to buying and making a proper model of, but could happily use on the table, so I thought, 'what the hell'.

Not bad little models, if a little basic in places (the Flak 38 is a pretty simple version).  The Flak's in early war grey though, so do I give it a repaint (and try and find some crew from somewhere)?