Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 4.

The final part. After I have tried to save more of the painting, I painted the details and gave the whole model a layer of gloss varnish to give it a hard sturdy protective layer. Next I applied the decals. The decals may not be the correct ones for a JU 87D Stuka but these are the ones I got with my model. After applying and drying a thin layer of diluted gloss varnish was painted over the decals. Last thing to do was to give the Stuka a layer of matt varnish (I use a spray can for that).
The end result is not good. If you look from a distance it looks pretty OK. The stuka does look as it has been fighting in the desert for a longer time and not for just 2 or 3 days. But if you take a closer look you can see the mistakes and even much more the disaster that happened, as you can see on the pictures. For now it has to do. Maybe in the future, if I have the desire, I will repaint the model.

This is one of the worst painted models I ever painted!

The end.

Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 1.
Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 2.
Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 3.

Thanks for looking.

Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 3.

DISASTER!!!

It is time to aply a thin layer of wash. For this I am using Vallejo Game Color Smoke.
After taking a drop of the wash I deluted it with water to get the right mix. And everything went wrong. When I applyed the wash I noticed that something was wrong. The was didn't run out smoothly and looked very grainy. With a dry brush and tissue I tried to get rid of the more thick layers on the model hoping to save the painting. After letting it all dry I tried to "repair" it by using the proper colours. The results can be seen below.





Before painting the details and applying the decals I am going to try to save more of the primary colours.

End of part 3.

Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 1.
Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 2.

Thanks for looking.

Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 2.

Time to paint the bottom and top of the Stuka. As said for the bottom I am using Vallejo IraQuian Sand. I hoped that 1 layer would be enough but it isn't. I had to paint 2 layers.



As you can see at the picture above even 2 layers isn't enough. But I don't want to paint a third layer to afraid that details of the model will be lost. Besides the model will get a wash layer over it later on.

Next is the top of the plane. For this I used Vallejo Yellow Ochre. Again I have to paint 2 layers and again 2 layers is not enough as you can see at the picture below. As I don't want to loose too much of the details I didn't paint a 3rd layer. But as with the bottom part the top will also get a wash layer over it later on.



After all paint has dried time to paint the Camo on the top of the Stuka. For this I used Vallejo German Camo Orange Ochre. I wanted a camo of vertical irregular lines. I didn't want clean neat lines but lines that give some sort of dirty look. The end result can be seen on the picture below.



End of part 2.

Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 1.

Thanks for looking.

Painting the JU 87D Stuka (MW) part 1.

This model has been waiting on my painting-desk to get painted for a long time. I wasn't sure what colours to use to paint this Stuka. As you can see at the picture it is a second hand model.



First thing I had to do was to remove all the old paint. The former owner hadn't given the model a proper treatment before painting with as result that the paint chipped of the model. I placed the plane in a little container which was filled with a cleaning product named "Blue Wonder" and left it in there for a full 24 hours. After that I scrubbed the model with a thoothbrush. All paint came of the plane very easily. Next I sanded the plane a little using fine waterproof sandpaper. Then the only thing left to do was to clean the plane with warm water and a little soap and glue it all together. (Sorry forgot to take a picture how it looked after cleaning).

Next thing to do was to prime the model and here I may have made a mistake. At the time I primed my models (most of the time I prime all my models in 1 go) I didn't know what colours to use to paint the Stuka. So the model is primed black as I usually do with all FoW models.



Now that I know which colours I want to use to paint the Stuka (more about this later) I realise that it was maybe better to prime the Stuka white or grey.

The main colours I am going to use to paint the Stuka. These are Vallejo Model Color.
Base colour: Desert Yellow. Going to paint the whole plane using this colour mainly to "hide" the black primer so I don't need 3 or more layers of the main colours because the main visible colours are bright.



As you can see on the picture one layer of Desert Yellow isn't enough to cover the black primer. I hope that one layer of the following colours will be enough to cover it all.

Bottom of the Stuka will be painted using IraQuian Sand.
Top and sides of the Stuka will be painted using Yellow Ochre.
Next step is to paint Camo on the top and sides of the Stuka using probably German Camo Orange Ochre. The Camo will be painted on the Stuka in irregular patterns and stripes.

End of part 1.

Finally the long wait is over!

Although it was still cold outside and the wind was blowing the garage was, because the sun was shining through the windows, at a suitable temperature to prime my miniatures. So with no moment to loose I grabbed my black spray-can and my miniatures and went to the garage and started to spray. Finally after a long wait.


At the back we see from left to right, A staff team for my Canadian Artillery. This one was never painted because I didn't need it. Now with the new rules it may come in handy. Then in the middle there is a M18 Hellcat tank-destroyer and a scout car. These are the last models for my tank-destroyer platoon. The rest of the platoon I already painted about 5 years ago but because I never were going to use them I never painted the last models. Now this platoon can be used with my 101st Airborne Division from the NUTS book which give me reason to paint these models. At the right is a Stuka D for my Mid War 90. Leichte Afrika Division DAK army.
Next row we have 3 25mm SA-34 guns + Command team for a 25mm Anti-tank gun platoon. An addition for my Early War French Escadron de Reconnaissance Compagnie. These were a gift. Thanks Les.
In front of those we have a Rocket Battery, RCA with 4 Land Mattress and 2 Command teams and 2 Observers. For my Market Garden Canadian Infantry Company.
And last in the front row, Easy Company. An addition for my 101st Airborne Division. Also from the NUTS book.

The plan was to paint the M18 Hellcat and a scout car first but because the weather put me behind schedule and I am going to play in a small tournament in June using my Canadian Company, I have no choice then to paint the Rocket Battery, RCA first.

Happy New Year

For 2013 I have no specific plans made or goals set. I just take it as it comes. There will be no New Year's Resolutions. But as usual that doesn't mean that there is always something that must be done before a certain date. And this certain date is getting closer rapidly.

On the above picture we see a Hellcat, a Scout Car and an US Glider Field Artillery Battery. As I have a great tourney on the 23 February, more about this later this year, and there is big possibility that I need this platoon and models, these models must be painted before that date. This is the first must of the year.
On the background there is a Stuka D for my 90. Leichte Afrika Division gladly this one can be painted later on in the year.

Next we have a blister containing Easy Company. There is a possibility that a few teams are needed from this blister for the tourney but it looks that I can paint all models in this blister sometime this year without any pressure on me that it must be painted soon.

Home made Barbedwire and Minefields. I made these about 31/2 years ago but because of bad handling it is time to repair and improve these. Probably going to make complete new barbedwire. This is also a must do because I need these for the tourney. I already know for sure that I will take 1 platoon with a supply vehicle.

For the rest I will just see what this year will bring me. One thing is certain I am going to enjoy it as much as possible because life is too beautiful to just let go by.

Thanks for reading.

Two Aircraft.

Now that I finally get some more time on my hands because it ain't that crazy at my work any-more I can start posting again and also start on several of my FoW projects.
But first I have pictures of two aircraft that I got my hands on a couple of weeks ago.
First there is the P-40 Warhawk. This aircraft can be used with my US Airborne when I use them for Mid War. The aircraft is already painted and as it is painted at a nice level I see no reason to repaint it.

P-40 Warhawk

The second aircraft is a JU87 Stuka. This aircraft can be used in my Mid War DAK army. It can be assembled as a Stuka D (bombs) or Stuka G (Cannons). I probably go for the Stuka G option.
This aircraft isn't painted, it only has a base colour of SP04 German Armour (mid/late) or SP06 German Armour (desert) both spray-cans. I am not sure which one it is but I think it is the latter. Now I hope I can find a Vallejo colour that matches the base colour because some parts aren't painted. And of course find a nice camo colour and pattern.

JU87 Stuka

Thank for reading.

Fall Blau Mid War tournament after action reports.

On 16 June I was finally able to go to a tourney again. A Mid War tourney which meant that I could try out my DAK army for the very first time.
It was a 3 games tourney and each table had it's own mission. There were 7 tables.
Time for each game was set on 2.15 hours that is including army set up.
The army that I brought with me was:

90. Lichte Afrikadivision Schützenkompanie
288. sonderverband

Headquarters
-CC en 2iC SMG teams
-Machine gun section 2 HMG's
Combat platoons
-Afrika Schützen platoon 1: HQ section (Command Panzerknacker SMG team), 3 Schürtzen sections (MG teams), Mortar squad (8cm GW34 mortar), Anti-tank rifle
-Afrika Schützen platoon 2: HQ section (Command MG team), 3 Schürtzen sections (MG teams, Mortar squad (8cm GW34 mortar), Anti-tank rifle
Divisional Support Platoons
-Pioneer platoon: HQ section (Command pioneer Rifle/MG team), 3 Pioneer sections (Rifle/MG teams), 2.8cm sPzB41 Anti tank rifle
-Light Panzerspäh platoon: 1 Light Light Panzerspäh patrol (Command Sd Kfz 223 (Radio), 2 Sd Kfz 222 (2cm) )
-Assault gun platoon: 2 StuG D
-Anti-tank gun platoon: 4 5cm PaK38
-Motorised Artillery Battery: 4 10.5cm leFH18

First game.
Mission: Hasty Assault.
Being the: Defender.
Opponent: Russians.
Opponents army-list:
Strelkovy Red Army
-Headquarters
CiC rifle + 2iC rifle + battalon commisar
Sapperplatoon (5 pioneer rifle teams)
Supplywagon
-Strelkovy company 2x 9 rifle teams, command SMG, commissar
-Strelkovy company 2x 9 rifle teams, command SMG, commissar
-Strelkovy Scout platoon 2 squads SMG + SMG command + commissar
-Strelkovy Artillery batalon
4 zis 3 fieldguns
4 122mm obr38 howitsers
-Support Tankdestruction company
4x Zis 2
-Heavy Tankovy company
2 KV1-e + 1 KV2

After deployment just before I place my Immediate Ambush (Pak38 platoon). Left the Russians. Right my waiting DAK.
In the first round the opponent already got his first reserve on the table (the rest followed in the second round). Even with his numerical majority the troops moved towards me in their normal speed. With his tanks he tried to kill my PaK 38 platoon.
With my artillery I tried several bombardments but it had hardly any effect

After several rounds. There are still no platoons of my delayed reserves on the table. The Russians are starting to close in but they are still far enough away to get worried. The tanks have managed to kill two of my PaK38 and almost contesting the objective. His artillery ranged in on 1 of my artillery guns but with no effect.

On the other side there was not much activity. The Russians even went into hiding into the houses later on in the game.

Finally 2 platoons of my delayed reserves arrive. Stug D and Light Panzerspäh platoon (almost at the end of the game the other 2 platoons arrived but these had hardly any effect on the game). After the scattered reserve roll they both came up at the less desired middle of the table edge between the bocage and houses. They rushed forward to help their fellow troops. After some shooting only a few of the Russian infantry died.

The Russians are closing in fast now the tanks killed an other of my PaK38 and contest the objective. The infantry killed the last PaK38. His artillery finally managed to kill a piece of my artillery. But by now time is running out. Can the Germans hold long enough?

End. The Russians wiped out the PaK 38 platoon and killed 2 of the Artillery guns. His tanks are contesting the objective.
The Russians lost some infantry stands.
Because both of us couldn't reach their goals the defender wins. It is a 5-1 Victory for the defending Germans.

Click on the "Read Or See More" link to see the other two reports.

Two quick and simple built DAK objectives.

Coming Saturday I go to a Mid War tournament and just in time I realized that I didn't have any objectives for my DAK army. Because I only had a few hours yesterday and today I had to come up with something that was easy and quick to built.
The result is this:


Sometime after the tournament when I have more time I probably will replace the yellow patch with a better looking copy.
Now all I have to do is writing a background. Piece of cake...Yeah right. :)

Thanks for looking.

90. Leichte Afrika Division Schützen Kompanie part 9: The Company

A slide-show of my 90. Leichte Afrika Division Schützen Kompanie.


With all options added the total of this Company is now 1530 points.
As said in an earlier post I will add trucks to the Afrika Schützen platoons and Pioneer platoon somewhere in the future. Also will I build some objectives.
Side note. Just saw that I started with this Company in March 2010. Never thought that it would take almost 2 years to complete it.

Thanks for looking!

90. Leichte Afrika Division Schützen Kompanie part 8: Light Artillery Battery

Finally a post of a new painted platoon. The DAK Light Artillery Battery.It took me weeks to get this platoon painted but now it is finally done.
The Battery contains: four 10.5cm le FH18 Howitzers, one Staff-team, one Command SMG team and two Observer Rifle teams.
With this platoon painted my 1500 points DAK Kompanie is now completed. In a later stage I will add trucks to the force. How my force looks on paper can be seen here: 90. Leichte Afrika Division Schützen Kompanie part 1: The List. Later on I will post a slide-show containing all the painted platoons.
One different thing about this platoon compared to the others is the base-edge. Where the other platoons had the base-edge painted the same colour as the whole base, for this platoon I used a different colour compared to the base itself, Vallejo Desert Yellow (977). This means that I have to repaint all the base-edges of the other platoons.
Now on to some pictures.

DAK Light Artillery Battery

About the DAK Light Artillery Battery

The latest purchase for my DAK army, is the new DAK Light Artillery Battery box (GBX51).

Box cover

The box contains the following teams: 1 Staff team, 1 Command SMG team, 2 Observer teams and 4 10.5cm leFH18 howitzers.

Box contents

About the box contents.
There are 2 things I like to tell about. First, the less important one, what I miss is a diagram how to build the Howitzers. After laying out all the parts there was one thing left and I absolutely have no clue what to do with it. See picture.

????

Then second and the important part, the minis.
The first thing that I noticed was the look of the minis. They are, compared to the older models, not so bulky. They are thinner and finer. The height is the same although that is not how it looks but the new models have a much thinner tab and thus look smaller. This would be not such big problem if it wasn't that a few minis in the box are the older ones so you can see the difference. Take a look at the picture below to see the difference.
Further the minis have lots of flash and some are even not nicely cast.
It is not that I dislike the minis it is just that you can see the difference compared with the other older minis of my DAK army.

The difference

Thanks for reading.

90. Leichte Afrika Division Schützen Kompanie part 7: 5cm PaK38 Platoon

The completed PaK38 platoon with 4 gun teams and a Command SMG team.
None of the teams are sealed yet because I still haven't bought a new spray-can of varnish.
I am not too happy how the bases turned out but they will do, maybe in the far future I will change them.
With this platoon finished I only have to paint 1 more platoon: The Artillery.
Hopefully I can go and pick up the box this weekend.

The 5cm PaK38 Platoon

PAK38 Update.

First pictures of my almost painted DAK PAK38 platoon.
Painting is almost done. The crew need some minor painting, not much, and then of-course the base.
I also have to figure out what color the ammo had for the PAK38 guns.
Sorry for the somewhat bad pictures.

DAK PAK38 platoon

The Command team

One of the guns plus crew

Thanks for looking.

On the painting table.

Finally I can do some more work on my MW DAK company.
On my painting table is the MW PAK38 platoon.
The first problem that I faced with this platoon is that everything from the gun that could be bend was bend. So the first thing I had to do was to get it all straight again.

PAK38 platoon primed black

It seemed that there was a curse on my DAK company. It was a project that I started on March 2010 and the planning was that it would be all done at least by the end of that year. But because of all kind of problems, like the lack of Stug D's and PAK 38 because they weren't available for order, the end date that the company would be finished was replaced more and more into the future.
Now finally it seems that things come to an end. After the PAK38 platoon I only have to paint an artillery platoon. For this I ordered the brand new GBX51 DAK Light Artillery Battery box with the 10.5cm leFH18 howitzers. I can even already go and pick up the box. So with almost a years delay the company will finally be finished in several weeks.

Thanks for reading.

90. Leichte Afrika Division Schützen Kompanie part 6: StuG III D Platoon

Here they are 2 DAK StuG D.
Not completely finished because they miss the decals. As soon as I have these they will applied just followed by a second layer of varnish to get a good protection.
Both driver minis are lighter then the the pictures show. I hoped to give both StuGs a dusty look, because of the driving through the fine desert sand. Not sure if I managed to catch that look.
Anyway here are the pictures.



Click on the Read More link to see more pictures

Finally new models to paint

After months the time is finally there, I have new BF models to paint.
I ordered them several months ago at my game store but because of circumstance never could go to the store and pick them up. But today I finally managed to go.
Now what did I pick up from the store.

First there are 2 blisters for my Armored field Artillery Battery.
Left you see a M4 Sherman which will be the platoons Sherman OP and at the right the M2 Half-track which will be the staff team transport.



Then there are 2 blisters for my Mid War Schützen kompanie.
It are 2 StuG D models. I am most happy with these because I have been looking for these for a year 2. If I ordered them they were never available.



And last a blister with a Panhard AMD-35. Yep an Early War mini, my first one.



I will start with the Sherman and half-track so my Armored field Artillery Battery with 1 section is complete. This also mean that when finished I will stop buying new stuff for my US Airborne for a while.
Next will be the 2 StuG's. I am now going to concentrate me on finishing my Afrika Schützen kompanie. It is about time after more then 2 years.
The Panhard AMD-35 is more of a side project. I will be working on this one between the other painting projects.

Thanks for reading.

A quick one.

This is an Opel Blitz 3 ton truck and will be 1 of the many transport trucks for my Schützen kompanie. It was a leftover from a blister containing 2 trucks. The other is used to be the supply vehicle for the pioneer platoon. It was my intention to include the "canvas" but it didn't fit to well, not, on the truck so i left it off. The truck isn't sealed yet and missing the proper decals which will be added later when i find some.





Thanks for looking.

The last.......

These are the last unpainted FoW models i have. When these are painted there is nothing left to paint. And it will probably take to 2011 before there will be something new to paint.

What do we see on the photo.
From left to right. A Opel Blitz 3 ton truck. This is just 1 of the many more i need for my MW Schützen Company from North-Africa. This is a company that i am building up slowly. Next is a T-26. Next to that is a T-34/85. Both these tanks are for a Finish tank company i had planned to built but this company has become something for the far future, maybe i will even cancel it completely.
With the new D-Day books coming out i have decided to focus more on my favorite army: The US Airborne.
Because i need 2 new paint colors to buy for the Finnish tanks i think i will start with the 3 ton truck.

Thanks for reading.

90. Leichte Afrika Division Schützen Kompanie part 5: Schützen Pioneer Platoon

Finally after Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 there is Part 5. The Schützen Pioneer Platoon.
These were a nightmare to paint. I have never seen such badly cast models. Problem is probably that the mold has worn out and needs to be replaced. So if you need a Mid War Pioneer Platoon don't buy these (GE726 Pioneer Platoon).
The Flamethrower teams can also be used as normal pioneer teams when necessary. I don't want to buy a whole new blister for just 2 extra teams.

On to the Pictures.

Pioneer Platoon picture 1

Click on the Read More link to see the rest of the pictures.