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

Raucherpause, 1941

Here we go again! I managed to find another spare figure in the scrap box to cobble this together. The base figure is from  Tamiya's German Soldiers at Rest with a new head taken from the Wehrmacht Tank Crew set. The helmet and Kar98 are from Tamiya's German Infantry Set (Mid-WWII). The wooden barrels and bags are from Miniart Models. 

Cheers,

Calvin

A Watched Pot Never Boils - Sturmartillerie, Ostfront 1942

All done for this quick project. 

Cheers,

Calvin

A Watched Pot Never Boils , Sturmartillerie, Ostfront 1942

Admittedly this is another spur of the moment project conjured some weeks ago which I finally found time to paint. The figure is from Tamiya's Wehrmacht Tank Crew Set (35354). I swapped the right arm with the figure holding the binoculars from the same kit and replaced a new hand holding a spoon from Royal Models. The field stove is taken from Royal Models, German SS Soldier Eating - WWII (876). I upgraded the collar insignia and shoulder tabs with Rado Miniatures Wehrmacht Soldier's Insignia  (RDM35PE03). This project is turning out to be quite enjoyable due to it's simplicity and I do encourage some of you folks out there to give something like this a go. 

A glimpse of the figure at the initial phase of the project. I decided halfway through the painting to swap the head for another with a more stoic expression - perhaps a person who takes his cooking seriously....

Cheers,

Calvin

Unteroffizier, Großdeutschland 1942 - Underpainting

The timing could not be more perfect as I commence on the painting of this figure using my signature set of colours composed for painting WWII German Uniforms by AK Interactive. 

The figure is primed using Mr Mahogany Surfacer 1000 from Mr Hobby as I wanted to work with a warmer tone as a ground colour. 

The darker areas are airbrushed with black to simulate the cool tone of the shadows.

A light mist of AK 11003 White Grey was applied to simulate the lightfall. This process allows the areas for highlighting to be identified and more importantly improves the luminosity of the base colours.

AK 11003 White Grey was thinned with water to a milk-like consistency and successively applied in thin layers to strengthen the highlights. In traditional painting, this technique is referred to as underpainting and it has been pioneered by Titian during the High Renaissance.  

In my next post, I will briefly cover the painting of the face so stay tuned!

Cheers,

Calvin

Diptych - Ich hatt' einen Kameraden

Ich hatt' einen Kameraden, 

Einen bessern findst du nit.

 Die Trommel schlug zum Streite, 

Er ging an meiner Seite 

In gleichem Schritt und Tritt.

 Eine Kugel kam geflogen: 

Gilt's mir oder gilt es dir? 

Ihn hat es weggerissen, 

Er liegt zu meinen Füßen 

Als wär's ein Stück von mir. 

 Will mir die Hand noch reichen, 

Derweil ich eben lad. 

Kann dir die Hand nicht geben, 

Bleib du im ew'gen Leben 

Mein guter Kamerad! 

Ludwig Uhland

Ich hatt' einen Kameraden, Falaise Pocket 1944

Finally completed this poignant scene from the battle of the Falaise pocket. 

Here are some of the colors used to render the black tunic. From the left, Violet AC-23 from Andrea Color, AK Interactive  AK11017 Reddish Grey, AK11146 Dark Green and Pure Black from AK Interactive's 502 Abteilung range.

Cheers,

Calvin

Ich hatt' einen Kameraden, Falaise Pocket 1944

 A brief update on the progress of the vignette. I added the photo etched insignia from Rado Miniatures onto the Feldwebel and the buttons ( fashioned from epoxy putty) onto the zeltbahn. Only the modelling of the fingers on the hand holding the zeltbahn remains before I add in the crowning touches to the painting. 

Cheers,

Calvin

Ich hatt' einen Kameraden, Falaise Pocket 1944

It has been a slow week touching up the Splinter pattern on the Zeltbahn .

Cheers,

Calvin

Ich hatt' einen Kameraden, Falaise Pocket 1944

 This is a work on progress on a vignette utilising figures from Tamiya's Marder III (Kit number 35364) and Werhmacht Tank Crew Set (Kit number 35354) and heads from Hornet Models. The Zeltbahn is made from epoxy putty using the photo print transfer technique.

Some work in progress shots of the vignette.

Cheers,

Calvin

502 Schwere Panzerabteilung - Lake Ladoga, Summer 1943

Finally touched up some of the imperfections this evening. Calling this spur of the moment project done and back on track to the Landser on the brick wall.

Cheers,

Calvin

502 Schwere Panzerabteilung - Lake Ladoga, Summer 1943

 A 1/35 scale bust using the Wehrmacht Tank Crew Set from Tamiya modelled over the weekend and painted over two evenings. There are still some areas on the sleeve that needs some attention but generally I am pleased on how this project has shaped up. I am fortunate to have Hilary Louis Doyle provide me the additional picture on this elusive Tiger I with this particular graffiti on its muzzle break.

Cheers,

Calvin