Tamiya 1/35 scale M24 Chaffee Tank Crews

I reckon I should also include the tank driver. Fortunately, I was able to find a spare crew from Tamiya 35347 US Tank Crew Set (ETO). 

Cheers,

Calvin

All Engines Go for the 2023 Shizuoka Hobby Show

 Compact travelling for this weekend's show.

Cheers,

Calvin

A Line Up from my Personal Collection

Just thought I would share two thematic line-up of 1/35 scale figures from my personal collection.

The first is a selection of World War Two US Army figures. All are injection molded plastic with some minor conversions and enhancements to the details. With the exception of the photographer from AK Interactive on the extreme left, the rest are from Tamiya.

This assortment of WW2 German figures consist of variations based on Tamiya's German Soldiers at Rest. It is an  old kit dating back to 1984 and despite the age it still manages to hold up pretty well.

Cheers,

Calvin

US 704th TD Battalion, NW Europe 1944-45

Another figure completed for the month of August. All painted using colours from AK Interactive's signature paint set by Adam Wilder.

3D printed pine cones from HD Models to "spruce" up the scene.

For scale comparison.

A colour guide for painting the tanker's jacket and HBT suit.

Cheers,

Calvin

US 704th TD Battalion, NW Europe 1944-45

Added in the goggles for today. 

Cheers,

Calvin

US 704th TD Battalion, NW Europe 1944-45

I have been busy this month with this minor conversion based off the figure from Tamiya;s M-18 Hellcat. The head is taken from Tamiya's Wehrmacht Tank Crew Set (35354). The helmet together with the M3 sub machine gun are from the US Tank Crew Set - ETO (35347). The left arm is left detachable to facilitate the painting of the trousers. The shoelaces are rebuilt with black Milliput in tandem with the painting.  Progress has been rather slow due to work but here's hoping I could get this completed this weekend. 

Cheers,

Calvin

Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 232, Solomon Islands, 1943

 A short update on the progress of the US Marine pilot. 

Cheers,

Calvin

Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 232, Solomon Islands, 1943

This is a conversion using the Tamiya tank crew set (ETO) that I have been intermittently working on for the month of February. Some might recognise that the pose is based off a famous photo of Lieutenant Colonel Harold "Indian Joe" Bauer.

The head is an offering from Hornet Models and the arms are donated from Tamiya's Wehrmacht tank crew set. The creases and minor details of the figure are modelled with thinly rolled out epoxy putty - as with the gloves, flying cap and goggles. The groundwork is built up from a base of epoxy putty overlaid with some acrylic texture paste and a sprinkle of fine dust and gravel. The stem of the coconut tree is made from plastic rods and the bark texture is sculpted from Milliput. The bulletin board is made from sheet styrene and the squadron scoreboard was designed in Photoshop and printed out on my Canon Selphy printer. 

The photo that sparked the inspiration and reference for this figure.

Cheers,

Calvin

Roll Call!

 A small selection of works done between 2008 to 2019....

as well as a recent contribution to Armour Modelling magazine and a collaboration with Model Art Magazine for my third DVD on converting and painting figures. 

Cheers,

Calvin

US 2nd Armored Div., (Hell On Wheels) Germany, 1945

On the Tonight Show.....

This is a snapshot of the color palette I used to paint the tanker's jacket snd overalls. I created two tones; greenish for the jacket and brownish for the overalls to distinguish them apart. The basic tone is created by mixing Japanese Uniform, Deep Sky Blue and Gunship Green. A brownish tone is created by adding SS Middle Brown to the basic mix. Alternating the ratios of each component paint will yield varying tones and thus I tinkered around until I reached the desired tone. Toying in this fashion helps to generate many subtle variations of tones identical to that of classical oil painting. 

Cheers,

Calvin

US 2nd Armored Div., (Hell On Wheels) Germany, 1945

Moving on nicely this evening....

Cheers,

Calvin

US 2nd Armored Div., (Hell On Wheels) Germany, 1945

 A little progress on the details during Monday's painting session.

Cheers,

Calvin

US 2nd Armored Div., (Hell On Wheels) Germany, 1945

The outcome of a productive Sunday afternoon. Painted with Vallejo acrylics and Andrea Color.

Cheers,

Calvin

US 2nd Armored Div., (Hell On Wheels) Germany 1945

Created a simple groundwork to compliment the figure. Going for the cliche triumphant American standing over a half-burnt Nazi flag amidst some debris look here. 

Cheers,

Calvin

US 2nd Armored Div., (Hell On Wheels) Germany 1945

A simple conversion based off Tamiya's US Tankcrew Set (ETO)(35347) inspired by a Young Miniatures bust. The head is taken from Tamiya's Wehrmacht Tankcrew Set(35354) whereas part of the lower arm holding the grease gun is taken from Tamiya's Pioneer Team and Goliath Set (35357).

Cheers,

Calvin