1S12 Long Track radar

Bit of a cheek this - a whole post just for one 1/285 scale model!  But it is a big ‘un. The 1S12 (NATO reporting name ‘Long Track’) was the target acquisition radar for the SA-4 Krug AA missile system. But far more importantly it looks pretty damn cool. This is a C in C model and came in five parts. If it looks a bit squint that’s because I dropped the damned thing on the floor during painting. The (acrylic) paint is Humbrol Grass Green over a black undercoat, painted over with a wash of water with a tiny bit of black in it, a drybush of Vallejo light mud and finally a scoosh of matt spray varnish. 

Soviet Independent Tank Brigade, 1980s

A bit of a change of scale now - and the first 6mm toys I’ve completed for about 8 years!
Having taken new interest in my NATO Brigade Commander (NBC hereafter) game of late, I’ve been revisiting some drawers full of bits and pieces to see if I could assemble any complete units. There was actually more than I thought so I’m currently focussed on the Cold War units. This means that we have French and West German (remember them?) units coming soon, but for now here is a ‘quick win’ in the shape of an Independent Tank Brigade. These models have actually been painted and part based for some years so I only had to finish off the basing and do some touching in of the paint.
In NBC, most stands represent NATO-style companies so Warpact tank battalions usually merit only two stands. The three tank battalions of the ITB, however, each have five 10-tank companies so I’ve represented them by three stands each. Other Brigade assets are companies of AA, engineers, recce and HQ.  The tanks are T-80U by GHQ, with other models by Heroics & Ros, Scotia, and ISM. The stands are 30x40mm cut from artists mounting board. The little squares  in the rear of the bases are bits of magnetic strip to allow the attachment of strength point markers if the toys are used in my Megablitz game.

Pioneers to the front!

More lockdown painting to report now, in the form of these WW2 Germans. These beautiful plastic  figures are by TSSD. There are some lovely poses - I especially like the guy running with the flamethrower (don’t try this at home!) whose bare left arm reveals a wristwatch! Unfortunately one of the chaps has already checked out - possibly in protest at my painting. These will go well with the TSSD infantry I finished back in February. 

Romanian Emil - part 3

 Here is the completed Bf-109E resplendent in Romanian markings and hastily posed ‘in flight’.

Goings on at the garage

I acquired this mdf kit a couple of years ago and built it over the weekend. I think it’s designed to accompany 28mm toys, so 1/56 scale or thereabouts.  It arrived in my possession without instructions so I blundered my way through assembly. In spite of this it turned out OK and I gave it a basic paint job using emulsion and cheap acrylic paints.
It looks like a lot of old village garages used to - and not just here in the UK. It’s pictured here with a couple of 1/43 scale diecast cars. A side project of mine is an attempt to amass a collection of models of all the cars I’ve owned. At the petrol pumps is a Volvo 850 in more or less the same colour as my 1992 2.0 20V GLT (owned 1998-2000) while lurking inside is a Saab 9-5 standing in for my 2004 Aero (owned 2009-2013).

Tatty twin Tigers - part 1

In a batch of stuff from eBay a few months ago were three battered 1/48 Tiger B. From at least two maker, some of the bits came in this old Nitto box. I amalgamated the various bits to make two (more or less complete) tanks. Both already had a base coat of dark sand so I leafed through Panzer Colours for inspiration. 

 Completed models coming soon but for a preview check out my post on the Analogue Hobbies Quarantine Challenge blog.