Monday 28 February 2011

TRUCK MONTH,AIRFIX/JB MODELS BEDFORD TACTICAL REFUELLING TRUCK 1/72.

Hello all,

Sorry I have not been around for this week, I had a lot on at work and home so I have not be able to reply to every ones blogs.
This is my last ditch post for truck month.Its an older work (again) and yes its THAT base again.
To make up for the fact its an older work I have shoved in a new figure, a RLC (Royal logistical corp) driver in green cover alls.Its not surprising that he is having a brew,must be thirsty work behind that wheel all day.Saying that I have been watching "Road warriors Afghanistan" and they do look like they  more than earn there money now.

The face turned out a lot better than I hoped,so another big thanks to Vallejo flesh tone wash for that one.
The green coveralls were a bit of a cop out.I was caught between desert fatigues and European DPM.Being a bone idle git I went with coveralls.
You will have to forgive the join lines all over this model and the rather heavy handed brown dirt wash but I think it was better than putting it on EBay like a few others that have gone that way in my quest for funds for an airbrush and compressor.

I have another of these kits and a NATO version is on the cards to go with my twin seater "TYPHOON" from Revell.To be fair I would like to try another desert kit and a good go at it.
 I have masked up some new base's so I think this will be the last outing for this base  even I am bored with this one.
The model kit is the same as the Bedford truck so there is not a lot I can say to add to it so I wont bore you with that.

I am happy with this revisit to an older kit so it is worth doing.PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS OR TIPS WELCOME.
Cheers for looking Rich.


Sunday 20 February 2011

My weekend,good & bad!!!!!!

Hello all,

This is my weekend,good AND bad!
This weekend I went to the Fleet air arm museum model show which is one of the largest in the south west of England.Its HUGE!!!And the best thing is it is around my birthday.
So the car is loaded up with the wife,west1871 junior and the in-laws and 1hour and 20 minute trip west and I was in heaven!
As you can see I made out like a bandit,Paul I now have my fancy pants T-55.My in-laws rather generously got me the Revell Lancaster and the Zvezda 20mm Flak for my birthday pressy.I now have a paint mask for my Italeri CH-47 and now I have to buy a new Airfix sea Harrier because I picked up the wrong mask model(no real hardship,you can never have enough Harriers I say).
The main reason I wanted to go to this show was to visit one stand in particular,one by the name of "Just bases".They do a deal on off cuts 10 base for £1.Yes that's right 1 base for 10p F&#KING brilliant!So I got sixty for £6.I would have got more but I cleared them out of the best ones and there was a load of other stuff to buy.

This was a mistaken purchase and done in a rush.I thought it was a filter not a wash but I will see how it works and you never know it might do the same job.
I also managed to get my hands on one of the last pieces that I needed for a dio I have been planning so watch this space!
This stuff is amazing, I really mean it.If you build planes or tanks with panel lines this is the best thing since canned beer served by a naked Kylie Minogue.I would never have bought this stuff if I had not seen AND had the chance to try it out.You just brush a load on,even over decals.Let it dry a bit, then with a damp tissue(still thinking of Kylie) wipe over the model a be amazed.The wash sits in the panel lines giving an effect like a pro!


The next thing I am into is airbrushing.The wife got me a Revell blunderbuss starter kit for my birthday.I tried it out on an old armour fast T-34/85 and the finish was cracking.So I am now saving up for a compressor powered job that does camo.
This should have been the start to the perfect weekend I hear you electronically say,BUT NO!!!!I decided to re  pay MrsWest1871 by finishing the last few bits of DIY in the newly decorated hallway.You know the one that has kept me from blogging,painting and enjoying beer to the fullest for 3 weeks now.
One of the jobs was to screw down the loose floor boards that have been squeaking,a simple job now the carpet is up waiting for the new one to go down.Feeling plush with manly success from painting the hall on Friday, I thought nothing of manning up with a power drill and flexing a few muscles.About eight screws in we reach one little bugger that was putting a bit of a fight.No this floor board was no match for a man with an ego.A nail and a bloody big hammer was called for.Just has I am twatting the arse out of this nail,the wife Say's are you sure about this,and with one Almighty strike the sound of hissing follows.I managed to go clean through a copper water pipe,right above my newly decorated hall!!!!!!!
A flurry of swear words and running down stairs to the mains ensued.Its amazing how many swear words you remember when something goes tits up.My only hope was my mate "Big Darren".6ft5inches of DIY knowledge wrapped up in a David Schwimmer look alike.In an out like the SAS the pipe was fixed,replaced  the floor boards now not daring to squeak and the light switches changed for good measure,"Big Darren" is owed a F#$K OFF BIG BEER!!!!
Well that's my weekend, GOOD & BAD.I am now getting slowly pissed in front of the telly staying well away from any tools of any kind for 24HRS.

Cheers Rich.

PS Sorry for the rant.

Thursday 17 February 2011

REVELL MODERN BRITISH INFANTRY 1/72.

Hello all,

I am back blogging again,nearly finished decorating the hall.It would have been quicker to have got Michelangelo when he did the Sistine chapel.
Anyway this is another older work  (just to show you I am still alive) from Revell Modern British infantry, a bloody brilliant set that I have converted to bits.
The set is a more 1/76 than 1/72 but most of the best tanks and trucks are that scale anyway.Or you could use them for Gurkha's, borrow some kukri's from the Airfix World War II Gurkha's, put it on the webbing job done.
The Bergen cover is just a blob of GW green stuff pushed on the back of the figure,a bit unsteady but if I glue on a dio not a problem.
As you can see I was missing mold lines back then as well, so nothing has change there!
I think I used Vallejo Iraqi sand and saddle brown for the camo and Russian green for the webbing.
A good wash of GW mud brown finished him off.
I tried to paint some insignia on him on the sleeves,to keep Al happy he is meant to be a Royal marine.
Due to the lack of body armour he will have to be from the first gulf war.
Why no other company has made a set of modern Brits in plastic I will never know.It looks increasingly likely that Caesar has binned there planned set,BBBBOOOO HHHHIIISSSS!!!!


PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW & ANY COMMENTS OR TIPS WELCOME.

Cheers for looking    Rich.

Sunday 6 February 2011

AIRFIX/JB MODELS BEDFORD MK.4 TONNE TRUCK 1/76 TRUCK MONTH.

 Hello all,

Well this is my "truck month" contribution.It's another older work re-visited but what with the six nation's rugby,decorating, and Mrs West1871 I am a bit short on time.
Yes,yes,yes I know it's another JB models and yes it's in a desert on the same base but I love the JB range.
I have fond memories of the 4 toner, bouncing around the Welsh countryside and watching it disappearing over the horizon just as we came up to the end of a TAB with the cry of "only another 3 more miles you lazy b@#tards".
This is another brilliantly simple kit to build,the only down side is the trap is a bit rubbish.It just doesn't look right, a bit of filler or putty might sort it out.
 I have a conversion set from CMSC (now kingfisher miniatures) for an open back version.but I managed to cut off the hinge brackets we trying to clean it up.It was the first time I had tried resin and it put me off for a long time.I feel I could bodge something now so maybe before the month is out you might get to see it.


The decals are also a pain in the arse.They just curl up an do not want to stick to anything.Paul of Paul's bods fame suggested wood glue so I will give that a try.You do however get several options including a UN version.Judging by when this kit was released I would say it was for the Balkans conflict.
 The cab is made out of clear plastic and looks good.A good idea for the lazier of us modellers.It's a shame they do not come with wing mirrors but I could and have made them out of plasti card and Staples before.

In the conversion kit it comes with a roof ring that could be also made out of plasti card.You also get a template for bending wire for the oped body version.

I will do the next 4 toner in European colours and at a pinch if I am a good boy, get one for my birthday and do a UN truck.
I would recommend this kit to anyone interested in modern era models or the  British army.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS OR TIPS WELCOME.


Cheers for looking   Rich.

Saturday 5 February 2011

RNLI LIFE BOAT CREWMAN 1/76.

Hello all,

This is an idea I had a while a go.I wanted to paint a Royal national lifeboat institute crewman because I think they do a cracking job and I live in the town on the south coast where they have there HQ.
They are a voluntary organisation and are funded solely by the public so if you want to donate follow the link RNLI,.
 I used an Airfix NATO ground crew, pilot because it was the closest match I could find.
I did a bit of research on the net to find the right colours and after 8 pints of larger(accounts for the rubbish face) during the rugby last night I decided to finish him.I am now paying the price for it.The wife got me sugar soaping the walls today,no respite!!!!
The base is from Willis and the background is off the net a very simple dio and nod and wink to some very brave men and women.
PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS WELCOME!

Cheers for looking   Rich.

Thursday 3 February 2011

ITALERI DESERT TENTS AND WELL TUTORIAL.

 Hello all,

As promised I have taken some pictures of how I do my bases or the infamous PVA and sand method I keep moaning on about.
I start off by masking off the frame with some magi tape,it is waterproof so and paint does not seep through like the masking tape I used to use.
I learnt to lay thing out first to the scale and positions sorted out first.I just realised that I have omitted a picture where I place the foam packing in the corners for different heights and undulating ground,that's a great word isn't it!
I use a sharp retractable knife to cut the foam leaving the pre-cut pieces to butt up to the corners.
Once I am happy with the lay out I cover the whole area in PVA glue, right up to the edges of the frame because the glue will shrink when drying.The shrinkage came be used to create that dried, cracked desert floor look.This came be done before the glue has dried,paint it and let it crack.
I now start to sprinkle small rocks,then larger rocks over the whole area.






This is the rocks that I got in a sale from Gale force9,They are great for desert scene's but to be honest any rocks or gravel from out side or railway model shops will do.Just be sure to mix it up a bit.

A closer look of the mess,this is the first stage of layering the gravel.I tried to go over the edges of the Italeri base to make it blend in to the whole diorama.Next comes a large amount of sand.I did have a bag I picked up from the local beach but when that ran out I bought a bag from the local aquarium/fish shop and has lasted me for a year or so now.
I have again I forgot the sand picture but I pack the sand  up to the level of the rocks and add more rocks of both sizes and pat it down to firm it.This helps the drying  time as well so I try to do it on every project.
I lied I did take a picture of the sand at the final level.I placed the tents so as to bed them in so they do not look like they are floating on top of the rocks.I now leave over night to dry unless I am trying to get the crackle look.Let it dry or otherwise you will be picking sand out of your brush forever,not that this has ever happened to me......much.
12 hours later and I was ready to painting.I put the whole frame in a plastic carrier bag to shake off the loose sand and rocks.Not to waste this ready mix I have a small plastic box that I tip the contents in to use on smaller dio's.I used Vallejo brown sand for a change to Iraqi sand.I also painted the water in the well at this point and thought it was a bit "blue".since I have posted this in Benno's I have been told that as well.I watered down the brown sand 50/50 to cover more and and to get into the knocks and crannies.
I could not leave out the Iraqi sand so gave the whole base a dry brushing to take the edge off the brown sand.
This took forever tyring to cover the base and I should have used a bigger brush!To be honest this could be used for any theatre of battle just add grass for Europe and snow for colder climates.I hope this has been of some help if not a least you know what I am on about when I prattle on about PVA glue and sand.
PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS OR TIPS WELCOME.

Cheers for looking    Rich.