British Army

British Army Vehicles and Troops

AB Figures British Infantry PIAT Teams

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 4 Comments

I am continuing to finish my British Company, it’s taking a while, but I am slowly getting there. I have another two squads half finished and another one primed. Also a bunch of commanders, HMGs and observers. My painting speed is so slow I may be done by Christmas. These guys are the anti tank PIAT teams from AB Figures. They are attached at platoon level so I needed three of them. They only come in one pose from AB so I have done three teams the same. They will rarely appear together so I was not too concerned. Maybe I will boost their numbers with an alternative supplier to have more options of figures. As always I love AB figures and they are great fun to paint up. MDF bases and a few tufties and we are ready to stalk some panzers……..

On another note we are having renovations done soon so my blogging time may be severely limited. It will slow down my painting even more……….erghhhhhh

Hasegawa M3 Stuart Light Tank

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 5 Comments

Boxart M3 Stuart Mk.I 31103 Hasegawa

 

Another great little kit from Hasegawa in Japan. They are pretty old kits I think but Hasegawa models are always really fun to put together. I have yet to find one that I did not enjoy. I have two later Stuarts from S-Model almost finished to make up a trio of light tanks. So even though I think this older model was mainly used by US forces I have added him into by British just because I felt like it and found him on eBay for a bargain price from someone.

The kit comes in the usual grey softish plastic and is a nice easy build. Usual average rubber type tracks, once they are painted and based they are decent enough. I switched out the awful crew man for an excellent AB figure. You can model hatches open so that’s a good thing. I also added an aerial I think in the right spot, well it looks like a base for an antenna. The turret MG I changed for a much better one from a Trumpeter kit spare, and I added some Cullen hedgerow cutters onto the front as they fitted so nicely. I am not sure cutters were ever placed on the front of these tanks but it looks to me as if they should have been.

A nice olive drab paint job, British decals and some dirt and dust finishes him off ready for a patrol in the bocage. Although armed with a pop gun and paper thin armour not sure what use he is going to be if things get hot……..

Humbrol HK 72205 3/4 TON TRUCK in 1/72 scale

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 4 Comments

HUMBROL HK 72205 3/4 TON TRUCK KIT CONTENTS SEALED

This was another eBay find. Its actually just an old Esci kit that was reboxed as Humbrol. It’s a kit I first built in the early 1980’s as a young lad. I would have twisted most of the parts off the sprue and glued it all together and got him into the action without a drop of paint. How I was easily pleased in the 1980’s, which is probably why I liked the music back then too…….  It’s amazing how a smell can teleport you back in time, and the smell of this kit gave me such vivid recall. It must be something about the cardboard box and maybe the plastic, anyway call me weird, but it took me back in time.

I remember this truck being my favourite vehicle for my Allied forces. Originally I built him with the canvas tilt on. This time I left the back open, mainly so I can fit in some passengers or cargo sometime. The kit really stands the test of time and puts together very easily. Something about trucks that I really enjoy building. I tried to put some cable using wire around the front winch, but could not quite manage it. I did add some clear plastic as a windshield as that is not included in the model. The original decals had long since perished so I added some of my own. I like the Allied star on the bonnet,  which I think came from a Unimodel kit.

A man from my reliable supply of AB Figures British drivers is at the wheel, I cant remember if the kit came with a crew man. If it did it was probably rubbish so I threw him in the spares box. I love this kit. I think it’s the only Dodge truck available in this scale in plastic, so you better go and find one on eBay.

I seem to find eBay a great source of old Esci kits if you are looking around! I have a bunch at home now gathering dust that I need to get cracking on.

 

“Objective Falaise” by George Bernage

~ Colonel Mustard ~ Leave a comment

falaise

Another excellent publication from my friends at Pen and Sword. I have read a couple of books before by Mr Bernage and they are always very interesting.

“Objective Falaise” is jam packed with maps, photos and first hand stories from a couple of Allied offensives after the Normandy invasion. They revolve around the attempt by the Allies to surround the Germans near Caen in the Falaise Pocket. As an avid wargamer the book gives plenty of scope to adapt many of the stories and situations into a scenario for the table top. For someone interested in World War Two military history its also a very well written and invaluable resource for an important post D-Day confrontation.

The maps and photos are particularly good, some of them copies of original combat maps, from larger scale maps of the terrain down to more small scale maps with individual tanks marked. The photos also show some “then and now” type comparisons. Also very cool photos of actual wrecks in situ and even bits of tanks that a farmer salvaged and kept on his farm.

My favourite part of the book is the story behind the demise of the famous Tiger Tank commander Michael Wittman. It gives a full run down of his last fight and images and maps of how the situation unfolded. Excellent stuff. This part will definitely be used by me in a table top scenario some time in the future.

My only real criticism, which is common for this kind of book, is the lack of one main map with a step by step chronological guide that links all the text and stories together. Without this type of easy to follow reference I did get a bit lost in the story and how each day progressed. Too many small maps that were hard to read in relation to the overall tactics and movement. So I did get a bit lost from a geographic perspective. Overall its a good read and very useful and interesting for historians and wargamers alike.

 

 

 

 

Stonewall Figures Combat Miniatures WW2 British Infantry 20mm

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 3 Comments

Continuing on with painting up my British Infantry company for battles in Normandy here are a group of eighteen figures I recently finished. They were part of an amazing eBay purchase I made from a lady in the UK which had included a bunch of AB figures plus some unidentified British soldiers. After hunting around on the net for a while I figured out that they were from Stonewall Figures Combat Miniatures range in 20mm.

Stonewall Figures – British

They are much chunkier than AB and CP models and have a little less detail. While the detail is not as refined they are still really nice figures. The faces are full of personality and the poses are all really natural. The detail is very clear which makes these guys very easy to paint, and I had a blast painting this group. There are some really different poses, including squaddies carrying stuff, one with a benson and hedges stuffed in his gob, and another bloke waving his hands around shouting “Cor blimey guvnor!” I have plenty of rifles plus some SMGs and officers.

They mix in very well with all my other metal figures from AB, CP and SHQ. I think in the remaining eBay stash i have some heavy weapons and even a stretcher bearing group. Also a while stack of German Panzergrenadiers who are in the painting queue with a million others. Anyway if you need some extra squaddies to bulk up your forces I would definitely check them out. Here they are in one big group and then smaller bunch of 4 -5 men.

CP Models British Tank Crew

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 4 Comments

Just another quick blog while I am on a major mission of painting up my remaining pile of British figures. Another favourite figure maker of mine in the UK is CP Models. They do an awesome range of World War Two in 20mm – check them out at CP Models

This little trio of figures will be required when any of my British tank crews bail out and need to fight on foot. An officer with a revolver and the gunner and driver clutching SMGs make up the trio. Blurry photos sorry but my phone camera is useless and needs to be upgraded for taking tiny pictures.

CP Models really give AB Figures a run for their money. I have a whole stack of German panzergrenadiers all primed and ready to go. It’s only my laziness in front of painting endless German camo schemes that is holding me back. CP figures are really nice to paint as their detail is so clear and defined, it makes it easy. Great faces and great poses, you really cannot fault them.

These guys have just jumped out of their Sherman tank. I cant see any damage maybe its just run out of gas and ammo……….

AB Figures British Infantry on patrol

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 6 Comments

Happy Christmas everyone from down here in sunny Australia. A Boxing Day post while watching the cricket, who could wish for a better day! I am feverishly trying to finish off my company of British infantry so I can replace all my plastic figures, which I am not so keen on, with far better metal ones.

Here are another ten British infantry from my favourite AB Figures. I actually picked these up in an eBay bundle of all sorts of metal figures. It turned out to be a total treasure trove of figures from a lady in the UK who labelled them Anthony Barton figures and I think the naming bypassed all the other modellers like me who would have jumped all over them. The cache also included some Stonewall Figures which i had never heard of, and will be detailed in my next blog or so.

These AB Figures are a squad of ten, including one sterling MG and one Bren gunner, who will be my CO and NCO respectively. They are all in marching, patrolling stances with guns slung over shoulders or carried. As usual with AB the poses are natural and look great, plus the sculpting and detail is second to none. These guys really do paint themselves. The faces are so good that one wash of a red brown over base flesh pretty much looks good enough. Unfortunately my phone camera and photo skills really do not do them justice. Although the faded background does make the photos look like a hazy sunrise patrol. Taking photos of small soldiers really does require extra light and a good camera. Neither of which I have.

I tend to repeat myself a bit, but AB Figures really are the top shelf of wargaming figures, if you did not get any for Christmas, make sure you go out and grab some for a New Year’s present to yourself! Check them out at AB Figures

Airfix Bofors 40mm gun and tractor

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 9 Comments

Another trip down memory lane with this Airfix kit. I had this as a teenager and was built and played with unpainted and I am sure ended up significantly damaged probably to the point of total destruction. The kit is advertised as 1/76 but seems to fit in perfectly well with all my other stuff and certainly does not seem small.

It’s an Airfix kit that still stands the test of time and was really fun to build. I love the tractor as its quite a unique vehicle that you cannot find anywhere else but this kit. It’s a nice easy build and there were no issues whatsoever, something you cannot always say about old Airfix kits. The only thing i can really criticise is the crew and driver supplied which are all poor figures and need to be replaced. So i turned as usual to AB figures who produce an excellent Bofors crew, plus an extra driver. These guys fit very nicely and are a great improvement on the original plastic rubbish.

I found this kit on eBay for pennies, which is a great place for finding old Airfix kits, often for under $10 a pop. My copy looked like it was from the 1980s so i was surprised that the decals actually worked. My personal favourite is the RAF circular symbol that you can slap on the tractor roof to avoid any untoward friendly fire.

I added plenty of muddy weathering powders to everything creating quite a dusty looking combo. I also modelled the gun in firing position but also kind of towing still so it looks OK either way in a game. I didn’t feel like building two kits, one for towing and one for firing. I also picked up an old Esci 25 per to go with a box of Plastic Soldier Company 25 pars to make up an artillery regiment. Might do that next!

Plastic Soldier Company 1/72nd British 6 pdr anti tank gun and Loyd carrier tow

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 4 Comments

I finished off my Plastic Soldier Company 6 pounder anti tank guns to go with the Loyd carriers I completed a couple of posts ago. This really is an excellent box of models. You get two carriers, two guns and a total of twelve crew and plenty of shells, boxes and shell casings. The guns are simple but detailed little kits so go together very quickly. There are enough different poses of crew that you can use some or all of them and make up your own group.

I painted the crew and the gun separately with my usual British colours and mounted them on a square of 3mm MDF. The base was covered in modelling clay and then given a coating of find sand for texture. I painted the 6 pdr shells separately too before gluing them into the hands of the crew. This was much easier than trying to paint them already glued on. Once the gun was painted and glued to the base I added the crew men and some other bits and pieces to add a bit of variety. Some dusty powders were added to the gun wheels and the base in general. To finish off the base I added some flock and tufts of grass.

I can highly recommend these kits from PSC and they are an essential part of any British unit. I took a few pictures of the guns plus added in their Loyd carriers for one more picture too. Colonel M.

 

More AB Figures British Infantry in 1/72 scale

~ Colonel Mustard ~ 4 Comments

Some more finished British Infantry for my Northumbrian division. It takes me so long to paint the little fellas, I have to write myself a step by step list to work through slowly. So this group of fifteen good men must have taken me two weeks to finish off.

First off is a group of six from my ever expanding AB figures range. These are my favourite to paint, the detail and sculpting makes it easier at this scale. I particularly like the officer, his sten gun thrown over his shoulder, pulling a pin out of a pineapple grenade. Great stuff.  Next up are four guys from CP Models in the UK. Another great figure maker and also nice and clear to paint. One soldier is carrying a fuel can and another has pinched a panzerfaust from somewhere. I have a few more excellent British from CP which will be in my next painting batch.

The other figures are from SHQ Miniatures and a company i can’t remember the name of. SHQ are a bit smaller, but still fit fine with everyone else. Their faces are brilliant, but the rest of the figure does not quite match AB and CP. Still nice figures and good for padding out your platoons with some other poses. The figure that I cannot remember where i got him from does not measure up to the others standards. So you don’t need to worry about that then!

If you are looking for metal figures in 1/72 scale then AB Figures (i get mine from Eureka Miniatures in Melbourne) and CP models in the UK, are the best for you!