tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81474810144619357992024-02-19T16:38:45.772-06:00Very Tiny WarsWargaming in Microscales (3mm, 6mm, 1/2400) and sometimes 15mmHistory PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.comBlogger218125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-77358411824342762892015-10-21T20:00:00.001-05:002015-10-21T20:24:06.099-05:00Yes, France had an aircraft carrierWell, sort of. The Béarn was laid down in 1914 as a Normandie class battleship, but WWI interrupted her construction. By the time work recommenced in 1922, the French Navy had decided to complete her as an aircraft carrier (having first cast a covetous eye on Britain's HMS Argus). Béarn was designed to carry 40 aircraft, but she remained a battleship at heart and had a maximum speed of just 21.5 kts. By the beginning of WWII, she had to strain every sinew to manage 20 kts and 18 was more realistic. From the beginning of the war until the Fall of France, the Béarn aided in the Anglo-French effort to hunt down German commerce raiders in the Atlantic. It was intended that she be equipped with two squadrons of American-built Vought Vindicator dive bombers, but instead, these were committed to the Battle of France and rapidly decimated by German Bf-109s. Béarn then sat idle at Martinique until 1944. Obviously too slow to be a fleet carrier, she served in the Free French Navy as an aircraft transport. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgqHp6fReHDEkdVD_cc64RmUBmqb8e70LLVyxcSUAnmGbamRXvl_7ES8TN4YF_zzJsqJ5wwQag2l5rLdfPmtn1Z4gVA1ULaRFxmJu7K55Xm-VOhnu2_XY9bS_bU3AyCsH131eB-LjjSEG/s640/blogger-image--1246987693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgqHp6fReHDEkdVD_cc64RmUBmqb8e70LLVyxcSUAnmGbamRXvl_7ES8TN4YF_zzJsqJ5wwQag2l5rLdfPmtn1Z4gVA1ULaRFxmJu7K55Xm-VOhnu2_XY9bS_bU3AyCsH131eB-LjjSEG/s640/blogger-image--1246987693.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgf_ynFbf2rip__YsOxODZBVU9OCjMA3H_dBfRln4HMvJ90nX-ibQRhvctB1-laXGyPE7nyGrh3rXjsmenHALnBGIll96aXpASEerfnsNFisn4FhqnWZjeNV1aFmPfhtn4Jn8KNiCYGvu/s640/blogger-image--577590028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgf_ynFbf2rip__YsOxODZBVU9OCjMA3H_dBfRln4HMvJ90nX-ibQRhvctB1-laXGyPE7nyGrh3rXjsmenHALnBGIll96aXpASEerfnsNFisn4FhqnWZjeNV1aFmPfhtn4Jn8KNiCYGvu/s640/blogger-image--577590028.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9CX1am3ZaoM/Vig6tGpMs7I/AAAAAAAAGgo/8YFXM6IXtZg/s640/blogger-image--772665056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9CX1am3ZaoM/Vig6tGpMs7I/AAAAAAAAGgo/8YFXM6IXtZg/s640/blogger-image--772665056.jpg"></a></div></div></div>She continued as a transport after the war, moving men and landing craft to Vietnam. Béarn was scrapped in 1967 having never once launched aircraft in combat. </div><div><br></div><div>Here's my effort, complete with deck decal:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wZmWgN6vGFA/Vig5CpFb_GI/AAAAAAAAGgc/1K7JJs72osk/s640/blogger-image--1864168956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wZmWgN6vGFA/Vig5CpFb_GI/AAAAAAAAGgc/1K7JJs72osk/s640/blogger-image--1864168956.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pHpGSF12nQU/Vig49WCXRqI/AAAAAAAAGgM/vbVKErOsu78/s640/blogger-image-1325050359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pHpGSF12nQU/Vig49WCXRqI/AAAAAAAAGgM/vbVKErOsu78/s640/blogger-image-1325050359.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nNg87mHlJ9Q/Vig5ANiPIdI/AAAAAAAAGgU/0txUYJPFqWI/s640/blogger-image--1594639338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nNg87mHlJ9Q/Vig5ANiPIdI/AAAAAAAAGgU/0txUYJPFqWI/s640/blogger-image--1594639338.jpg"></a></div>I think she turned out quite well. In reality, Béarn would've been painted the medium grey color of the French Atlantic fleet, but I've gone with the light grey used by the Mediterranean fleet instead. It makes her more useful for "what if" scenarios. GHQ has recently released an aircraft pack that includes Vindicators, so she'll soon have her intended air group. </div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-79125379521111261022015-10-18T10:00:00.001-05:002015-10-18T21:40:55.483-05:00The treasure hiding in my closetYesterday, Mrs. History PhD was doing some cleaning and reorganizing of our closets and she found a small box at the bottom of the "assorted crap" cupboard. Inside were some Plaster of Paris buildings that I bought around 1990, which were too small for the 15mm figures I used at the time. I remember being fascinated by how great the sculpts were, so I bought them on a whim, then just stuck them away and forgot about them. The last time I saw them was seven years ago, during our last home move. <div><br></div><div>Now that I'm happily toiling away with 3mm, these little gems will take on a new life. They are by Battlefield Terrain Concepts, which morphed into a couple of different companies (Campaign Architecture, among others) and then went belly-up. I recall that they were in a very odd scale; 1/450 or 1/500, I believe. So, I've dusted them off and mounted them on steel bases and begun the process of texturing and painting them. They seem to fit with 1/600 well enough to not look horribly out of place. So, here are the finds: a boarding house or small hotel</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9_iqtGwKE6A/ViQxou74LSI/AAAAAAAAGew/M4Vjv9hXPw8/s640/blogger-image--1283961171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9_iqtGwKE6A/ViQxou74LSI/AAAAAAAAGew/M4Vjv9hXPw8/s640/blogger-image--1283961171.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZdJ1RdU_SDE/ViQxQlLbF7I/AAAAAAAAGd4/99-0e3YT0Xk/s640/blogger-image--1084419146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZdJ1RdU_SDE/ViQxQlLbF7I/AAAAAAAAGd4/99-0e3YT0Xk/s640/blogger-image--1084419146.jpg"></a></div>A manor house</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jyJar5rUEpI/ViQxNYePLjI/AAAAAAAAGdw/eyVBc7Zn4Q0/s640/blogger-image--1843112080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jyJar5rUEpI/ViQxNYePLjI/AAAAAAAAGdw/eyVBc7Zn4Q0/s640/blogger-image--1843112080.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RbtT9hzqIA8/ViQxC5XS_qI/AAAAAAAAGdY/i3MxxWqsefg/s640/blogger-image-1693489203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RbtT9hzqIA8/ViQxC5XS_qI/AAAAAAAAGdY/i3MxxWqsefg/s640/blogger-image-1693489203.jpg"></a></div>Another hotel or inn</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LR4jvcQyOJ4/ViQxrwhhOXI/AAAAAAAAGe4/mkqrZaAZb00/s640/blogger-image--1375979443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LR4jvcQyOJ4/ViQxrwhhOXI/AAAAAAAAGe4/mkqrZaAZb00/s640/blogger-image--1375979443.jpg"></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_Eo5NtDPYWI/ViQxh56ZOxI/AAAAAAAAGeg/hQ5InaGmCuw/s640/blogger-image--322101952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_Eo5NtDPYWI/ViQxh56ZOxI/AAAAAAAAGeg/hQ5InaGmCuw/s640/blogger-image--322101952.jpg"></a></div>A small church</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4ItB68TWESI/ViQxXi1wndI/AAAAAAAAGeI/XAvZKLYvWzA/s640/blogger-image--2047667338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4ItB68TWESI/ViQxXi1wndI/AAAAAAAAGeI/XAvZKLYvWzA/s640/blogger-image--2047667338.jpg"></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I7sea8NHLMc/ViQxa1XSvqI/AAAAAAAAGeQ/_0j8RtcuOx4/s640/blogger-image-461099498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I7sea8NHLMc/ViQxa1XSvqI/AAAAAAAAGeQ/_0j8RtcuOx4/s640/blogger-image-461099498.jpg"></a></div>A small village inn</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfaIjXbnqA6s7sTFkx7aCNIetx_1NW7ByhMA1rJS4tRXnJXEa3HLx7SzRKx7RgKrm4cBDw7ej8HJf5u_bAvnXB9Dk04B67G4sorsJ5iPRv-kPZ7yVzIvIogdKVMZl54tqDXatRECmHZ-l/s640/blogger-image--11137106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfaIjXbnqA6s7sTFkx7aCNIetx_1NW7ByhMA1rJS4tRXnJXEa3HLx7SzRKx7RgKrm4cBDw7ej8HJf5u_bAvnXB9Dk04B67G4sorsJ5iPRv-kPZ7yVzIvIogdKVMZl54tqDXatRECmHZ-l/s640/blogger-image--11137106.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rIkYwK_Zmsg/ViQxlJPN-6I/AAAAAAAAGeo/l0M3ooUSz3Q/s640/blogger-image-1250906477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rIkYwK_Zmsg/ViQxlJPN-6I/AAAAAAAAGeo/l0M3ooUSz3Q/s640/blogger-image-1250906477.jpg"></a></div>A well-to-do farmhouse</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LW1eYRX0rlA/ViQxUCQNLRI/AAAAAAAAGeA/u4SiL1EhGuo/s640/blogger-image--2072306801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LW1eYRX0rlA/ViQxUCQNLRI/AAAAAAAAGeA/u4SiL1EhGuo/s640/blogger-image--2072306801.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q0fNg2GD5LA/ViQw_OBok-I/AAAAAAAAGdQ/VO6-ZmVjnEE/s640/blogger-image-402278261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q0fNg2GD5LA/ViQw_OBok-I/AAAAAAAAGdQ/VO6-ZmVjnEE/s640/blogger-image-402278261.jpg"></a></div>And a mill</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKyql6D5MhARnuxIlGMef3epOfswY0BimXN4OBYld8XKkyRt1c5EGz0bxgS4NrLzsqKeqoGdaJRziq4VVl51RVGy9j7RO1IoLzwIegde_qaBY9OqMZrUgmhBB-a8uSwNEa_ONc4zfjAkh/s640/blogger-image--586660720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKyql6D5MhARnuxIlGMef3epOfswY0BimXN4OBYld8XKkyRt1c5EGz0bxgS4NrLzsqKeqoGdaJRziq4VVl51RVGy9j7RO1IoLzwIegde_qaBY9OqMZrUgmhBB-a8uSwNEa_ONc4zfjAkh/s640/blogger-image--586660720.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIY7sr8f5a-QUZGuCn-ig_TdtIYmFWG9FAdiEQtvvKU_S8nejMnYpel5sja8jYwyPrOZPWVDKLCtenAgXTgPILsIbn_NC6e9d_ryOLEsObnL4RwUdnBxZ3mPuwPJzWSSi2Ea5jhpk0AZb/s640/blogger-image-1883708311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIY7sr8f5a-QUZGuCn-ig_TdtIYmFWG9FAdiEQtvvKU_S8nejMnYpel5sja8jYwyPrOZPWVDKLCtenAgXTgPILsIbn_NC6e9d_ryOLEsObnL4RwUdnBxZ3mPuwPJzWSSi2Ea5jhpk0AZb/s640/blogger-image-1883708311.jpg"></a></div>They are mostly German half-timbered buildings, except for the thatch-roofed mill and the stone manor house, both of which look distinctly British. The stone church could be anywhere in Northern Europe. These will all easily serve as any time period from Napoleonic to modern. </div><div><br></div><div>Here's the church beside a 1/600 scale church from Picoarmor:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOighH9MUq-FjpS0-VZ8MFQ_OceK-3psI2eSwEytNRdrm_WSgSdegDJPhLZCWpvbUUFxwluaqKi5wu4Kd8dz83mV5PBSjxut8Hf4-KYnLXbMiHEm-iRHyfWv_cS9XPAP1d8DrMPJXoaIRb/s640/blogger-image--1127395082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOighH9MUq-FjpS0-VZ8MFQ_OceK-3psI2eSwEytNRdrm_WSgSdegDJPhLZCWpvbUUFxwluaqKi5wu4Kd8dz83mV5PBSjxut8Hf4-KYnLXbMiHEm-iRHyfWv_cS9XPAP1d8DrMPJXoaIRb/s640/blogger-image--1127395082.jpg"></a></div>As you can see, there is a definite size discrepancy, but it's not horrendous, so I can easily live with it. All in all, I'm extremely pleased with Mrs. History PhD's find!!</div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-81409832822234676312015-10-12T20:18:00.001-05:002015-10-20T11:02:00.394-05:00Now that's an aircraft carrier!!I've just finished applying the flight deck decal by WW2Central.com to the Japanese carrier Akagi. Even in 1/2400, this thing is one BIG ship!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9kznhgEoEu0/Vhxbsb1yldI/AAAAAAAAGcU/qxeMaHAv3rM/s640/blogger-image-1776515838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9kznhgEoEu0/Vhxbsb1yldI/AAAAAAAAGcU/qxeMaHAv3rM/s640/blogger-image-1776515838.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jj70fe8aaYg/ViWgDJpz2nI/AAAAAAAAGfc/xLeUrXVoAjQ/s640/blogger-image-605641494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jj70fe8aaYg/ViWgDJpz2nI/AAAAAAAAGfc/xLeUrXVoAjQ/s640/blogger-image-605641494.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zouNQrKoXwE/VhxbvMqWttI/AAAAAAAAGcc/aJra1dUGKcI/s640/blogger-image-1871199698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zouNQrKoXwE/VhxbvMqWttI/AAAAAAAAGcc/aJra1dUGKcI/s640/blogger-image-1871199698.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LFjjrS5rFSQ/VhxbnQ_f95I/AAAAAAAAGcE/9xgbCVEA8yw/s640/blogger-image-978353606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LFjjrS5rFSQ/VhxbnQ_f95I/AAAAAAAAGcE/9xgbCVEA8yw/s640/blogger-image-978353606.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div>And here's what I've finished, still sans aircraft for the moment:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-37pC049PjqQ/Vhxbx0Ob6mI/AAAAAAAAGck/GooEw8d-lxM/s640/blogger-image--369129111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-37pC049PjqQ/Vhxbx0Ob6mI/AAAAAAAAGck/GooEw8d-lxM/s640/blogger-image--369129111.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-43TX03hFBUU/Vhxb0ZbE3hI/AAAAAAAAGcs/OFtBdedkgaY/s640/blogger-image-1052757682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-43TX03hFBUU/Vhxb0ZbE3hI/AAAAAAAAGcs/OFtBdedkgaY/s640/blogger-image-1052757682.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gd1f0kVXtzg/VhxbkkzvNVI/AAAAAAAAGb8/iPTHSi-7mFM/s640/blogger-image--793652238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gd1f0kVXtzg/VhxbkkzvNVI/AAAAAAAAGb8/iPTHSi-7mFM/s640/blogger-image--793652238.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>If the model is this impressively large, imagine what those US Dauntless pilots thought as they dove on this thing and it rapidly mushroomed into their canopies!!</div><div><br></div><div>As an aside, WW2Central makes deck decals for the six main Japanese fleet carriers (Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku, and Zuikaku) that reflect the very early period of the Pacific War (which I've used), as well as decals for their decks as they looked during the Battle of Midway. For the two survivors, they also make late war camouflaged deck decals. I don't have any association with WW2Central. I just think they have a fantastic product!</div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-33725713976760357862015-10-10T15:44:00.001-05:002015-10-11T08:32:26.628-05:00A well stocked naval wargaming library, part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This second post (see the first part in my Oct. 5, 2015 post) finishes off the list of reference books that I find useful for naval modeling. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">First, the Ian Allan series published in Britain from the mid-1960s through the early 1970s:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sohhACfNPEU/Vhl5tHlw0gI/AAAAAAAAGa4/P99JHD699IE/s640/blogger-image--555254657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sohhACfNPEU/Vhl5tHlw0gI/AAAAAAAAGa4/P99JHD699IE/s640/blogger-image--555254657.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As it was the first in the series, it doesn't actually say "Commonwealth Warships", but that's what it covers. The rest are pretty self-explanatory:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kn7UJpaspE0/Vhl572ROoDI/AAAAAAAAGbg/3PJDfBKdpQs/s640/blogger-image--648245767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kn7UJpaspE0/Vhl572ROoDI/AAAAAAAAGbg/3PJDfBKdpQs/s640/blogger-image--648245767.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d1--fW46fPU/Vhl5_G5nIJI/AAAAAAAAGbo/55Qj0ztvQMQ/s640/blogger-image-422213930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d1--fW46fPU/Vhl5_G5nIJI/AAAAAAAAGbo/55Qj0ztvQMQ/s640/blogger-image-422213930.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NUDJilZvG5g/Vhl5lkT_nXI/AAAAAAAAGao/xf-cBPjT0yw/s640/blogger-image-27495625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NUDJilZvG5g/Vhl5lkT_nXI/AAAAAAAAGao/xf-cBPjT0yw/s640/blogger-image-27495625.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--DfAEKEQdZ0/Vhl5ysPXKEI/AAAAAAAAGbI/7NVcp03uvfI/s640/blogger-image-53690061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--DfAEKEQdZ0/Vhl5ysPXKEI/AAAAAAAAGbI/7NVcp03uvfI/s640/blogger-image-53690061.jpg"></a></div>The Japanese volume didn't have a dust jacket when I bought it, so the outer cover is plain fabric. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cNPims33aSU/Vhl5o0Pp_YI/AAAAAAAAGaw/99WEaT3r4CQ/s640/blogger-image-365420621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cNPims33aSU/Vhl5o0Pp_YI/AAAAAAAAGaw/99WEaT3r4CQ/s640/blogger-image-365420621.jpg"></a></div>This is the only one of my set that isn't an original edition. It's a 1982 reprint that I bought in the Ft. McPherson PX in 1984.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">To cover the Soviet Navy, that the Ian Allan series didn't touch on, I use the following two volumes:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2zQFp4AO4Nk/Vhl51TnvE4I/AAAAAAAAGbQ/5DKJTQBIRkU/s640/blogger-image--1982351406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2zQFp4AO4Nk/Vhl51TnvE4I/AAAAAAAAGbQ/5DKJTQBIRkU/s640/blogger-image--1982351406.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4OUDoxpqIQU/Vhl5vrfxq0I/AAAAAAAAGbA/CDH3Hnhxmx0/s640/blogger-image-1377891322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4OUDoxpqIQU/Vhl5vrfxq0I/AAAAAAAAGbA/CDH3Hnhxmx0/s640/blogger-image-1377891322.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And finally, this is an excellent overview of every navy in the world during 1939-45:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E7tWWG49vi4/Vhl54OWT9WI/AAAAAAAAGbY/EY976IyGIOo/s640/blogger-image-858388083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E7tWWG49vi4/Vhl54OWT9WI/AAAAAAAAGbY/EY976IyGIOo/s640/blogger-image-858388083.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Most of the volumes that I've covered in both parts of this post are still easily available through rare book dealers, websites such as Bookfinder.com, and even eBay. Depending on condition, they can vary from quite reasonable to totally outrageous. However, a bit of patience and continued checking will turn up affordable copies. I hope this helps you expand your library!</div></div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-5324188502778488012015-10-10T10:31:00.001-05:002015-10-10T10:36:32.514-05:00Mrs. History PhD's new FOW projectHaving said that she was ready to begin a new Vietnam War vehicle, Mrs. History PhD has chosen to recreate her 1/285 South Vietnamese National Police Field Force M8 Greyhound (see my post of April 13, 2015) in 15mm. She's set to begin, as it arrived in the mail yesterday:<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l4u2WBuYv6s/VhkvSdNcFLI/AAAAAAAAGaY/-v7f_80pNGI/s640/blogger-image-2016111871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l4u2WBuYv6s/VhkvSdNcFLI/AAAAAAAAGaY/-v7f_80pNGI/s640/blogger-image-2016111871.jpg"></a></div>She's tinkering with it as we speak. Stand by for a follow-up post in due course when she finishes!</div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-13388361655136277422015-10-09T12:27:00.003-05:002015-10-19T21:00:03.382-05:00To carrier or not to carrier<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
That is the question. For many years, I've had a deep, yet off and on, interest in 1/2400 WWII naval wargaming. My specific love has always been cruiser actions in the Mediterranean and SW Pacific (ABDA, Guadalcanal, and the New Georgia campaign). Those were generally close in dog fights. Battleship actions, with a few notable exceptions were long-range exercises in shell lobbing. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I've never really had much interest in aircraft carriers. Aircraft, yes, but the carriers themselves just don't fit into shorter range battles. Carriers sat off at a distance and sent in aircraft to do the work. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">So I never had much desire to buy carrier models. However, over the years, I've occasionally seen eBay bargains that were just too good to pass up and I've built up a stock of unopened GHQ carriers. <a href="http://ww2central.com/home.html">WW2Central</a> now makes fantastic carrier deck decals and despite having no use for carriers, I've just go to do some!! So, as a test platform, I chose the Japanese light carrier Ryujo:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6G7dqekgtXr0VacJbpeE8aejoBYRv1nSpoGZxN-iaAAXCxTkFkoCLS2oJt9Wj1ooXz8IQH1FTV_3ykVR6jvnrN3K4W7ilqAGToSJ5wpR-WsNM101JEaHVsGWeX6Mqx89miF62_03tA6Q/s640/blogger-image--256410559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6G7dqekgtXr0VacJbpeE8aejoBYRv1nSpoGZxN-iaAAXCxTkFkoCLS2oJt9Wj1ooXz8IQH1FTV_3ykVR6jvnrN3K4W7ilqAGToSJ5wpR-WsNM101JEaHVsGWeX6Mqx89miF62_03tA6Q/s640/blogger-image--256410559.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sUN1DBX1q28/Vhf6t4eUuBI/AAAAAAAAGZQ/-iFHqOggHuI/s640/blogger-image--1882474094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sUN1DBX1q28/Vhf6t4eUuBI/AAAAAAAAGZQ/-iFHqOggHuI/s640/blogger-image--1882474094.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S8eYSC_639o/ViWc_X9fh8I/AAAAAAAAGfQ/Lkxt-WOGK00/s640/blogger-image-1559060585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S8eYSC_639o/ViWc_X9fh8I/AAAAAAAAGfQ/Lkxt-WOGK00/s640/blogger-image-1559060585.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzuDaje34qmkWxAGQj_AeKEzO7BKJZ3bLUYsK7SUA7tvUP-KxYBBzUNYn0TMADFpVxLWJ-br0-2P9Z928SZ8v8434bL1HrbK9DE3h5716_FDeFk98LWqUblOET75Xe9WN97coRzOpskV5/s640/blogger-image--81008006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzuDaje34qmkWxAGQj_AeKEzO7BKJZ3bLUYsK7SUA7tvUP-KxYBBzUNYn0TMADFpVxLWJ-br0-2P9Z928SZ8v8434bL1HrbK9DE3h5716_FDeFk98LWqUblOET75Xe9WN97coRzOpskV5/s640/blogger-image--81008006.jpg"></a></div>which had quite an active career before being sunk by US aircraft during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">So, here's what I've managed to do:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqH52w4lqXDIjASApQYObHoD_jPTCPA3Xp6hjDVeqN63Wus4pcJbKrraKW243qptab2aGmFtK9KNBColpgBDvC4QJPg8WXYvLDhuVTah4E07XtdKIi7EFHdQUFZSbCDxHoXIOKsIbFBkHq/s640/blogger-image-1771233988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqH52w4lqXDIjASApQYObHoD_jPTCPA3Xp6hjDVeqN63Wus4pcJbKrraKW243qptab2aGmFtK9KNBColpgBDvC4QJPg8WXYvLDhuVTah4E07XtdKIi7EFHdQUFZSbCDxHoXIOKsIbFBkHq/s640/blogger-image-1771233988.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gZYQ8Ylr7ok/Vhf6ygVrhFI/AAAAAAAAGZg/HJwE5QXN6KI/s640/blogger-image--1506481358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gZYQ8Ylr7ok/Vhf6ygVrhFI/AAAAAAAAGZg/HJwE5QXN6KI/s640/blogger-image--1506481358.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-jTchpFqJiyezrhSrE38CYazvuKfVEuc2-ozvbb3UERbIx9V2TOM92M-0uQAsxLtrLOZpFCvypturWeokUd3rNAakBpLPFAJa0_i8aByyEcVTdAT94E5FtRD8NlJz07Z2H1XNnHGp7UL/s640/blogger-image-344844582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-jTchpFqJiyezrhSrE38CYazvuKfVEuc2-ozvbb3UERbIx9V2TOM92M-0uQAsxLtrLOZpFCvypturWeokUd3rNAakBpLPFAJa0_i8aByyEcVTdAT94E5FtRD8NlJz07Z2H1XNnHGp7UL/s640/blogger-image-344844582.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v9MybD0Kahw/Vhf65xYM1ZI/AAAAAAAAGZ4/LzO0Kuy-jIk/s640/blogger-image--1993339417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v9MybD0Kahw/Vhf65xYM1ZI/AAAAAAAAGZ4/LzO0Kuy-jIk/s640/blogger-image--1993339417.jpg"></a></div>Obviously, I haven't yet gotten the aircraft painted and mounted on the deck, but the ship itself is finished. I think the deck decal is incredible!! Imagine having to try to paint all that detail!! That's the majority of what's put me off doing this for so many years (decades actually). Let's do another!!</span></div>
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History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-64590058003467673712015-10-05T21:03:00.001-05:002015-10-10T20:40:36.209-05:00A well stocked naval wargaming library, part 1In an effort to help new WWII naval wargamers, I think it might be useful to give a look at the titles that I've collected over the years which I refer to when researching and painting naval vessels and aircraft. <div><br></div><div>Let's begin and in no particular order:<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRdxZSo6uBIT2XWFnwDXcRJnZ_xTp4T6_pIr7c1id37ijoWKmpigxFc2z6lxnVnMBXvIb5qQPnMI1eFfYmICTZ-1GPh4EBIntKJRM_8HTPP3Xnoa6oUTo0E-eWkW6S1ROhZ7oVVv3EhHw/s640/blogger-image-65421550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRdxZSo6uBIT2XWFnwDXcRJnZ_xTp4T6_pIr7c1id37ijoWKmpigxFc2z6lxnVnMBXvIb5qQPnMI1eFfYmICTZ-1GPh4EBIntKJRM_8HTPP3Xnoa6oUTo0E-eWkW6S1ROhZ7oVVv3EhHw/s640/blogger-image-65421550.jpg"></a></div>Alan Raven's outstanding 4-part work on the camouflage schemes of British ships. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qdiip9DShPc/VhMri-hVNzI/AAAAAAAAGX0/6jCWuVHYE1c/s640/blogger-image-2037033926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qdiip9DShPc/VhMri-hVNzI/AAAAAAAAGX0/6jCWuVHYE1c/s640/blogger-image-2037033926.jpg"></a></div>Terribly useful for which grey when and on which ship. Not exhaustive, but most warships and some merchants are contained. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4mPYTXn1fyE/VhMrwKXeN-I/AAAAAAAAGYU/7pQdB8ayfEc/s640/blogger-image--1714012062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4mPYTXn1fyE/VhMrwKXeN-I/AAAAAAAAGYU/7pQdB8ayfEc/s640/blogger-image--1714012062.jpg"></a></div>An excellent work, but only up through 1941. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3fqAFj5Ce3w/VhMrqsjNuyI/AAAAAAAAGYM/IZ9I8ZfWaMI/s640/blogger-image-665524080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3fqAFj5Ce3w/VhMrqsjNuyI/AAAAAAAAGYM/IZ9I8ZfWaMI/s640/blogger-image-665524080.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YiZ19CfVI0o/VhMry2LJnvI/AAAAAAAAGYc/60DW3VVtJh4/s640/blogger-image-2018536065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YiZ19CfVI0o/VhMry2LJnvI/AAAAAAAAGYc/60DW3VVtJh4/s640/blogger-image-2018536065.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9DqK1b3BHbo/VhMroJwTXVI/AAAAAAAAGYE/wWSaKwV27tY/s640/blogger-image--461071776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9DqK1b3BHbo/VhMroJwTXVI/AAAAAAAAGYE/wWSaKwV27tY/s640/blogger-image--461071776.jpg"></a></div>And these next two I bought used without dust jackets, so no illustrations on the outside covers:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T1KjVaRDGo8/VhMr1fLOP1I/AAAAAAAAGYk/nof920Dkr0A/s640/blogger-image-1465313130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T1KjVaRDGo8/VhMr1fLOP1I/AAAAAAAAGYk/nof920Dkr0A/s640/blogger-image-1465313130.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GeMZyAGODLk/VhMr39xKQ0I/AAAAAAAAGYs/9CxLY9IIidQ/s640/blogger-image--1727545854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GeMZyAGODLk/VhMr39xKQ0I/AAAAAAAAGYs/9CxLY9IIidQ/s640/blogger-image--1727545854.jpg"></a></div></div>An endlessly useful set of books!</div><div><br></div><div>And:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9jk3U9d54d4/VhMsiuftnzI/AAAAAAAAGY0/UVcrUxKfl0I/s640/blogger-image-1270145208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9jk3U9d54d4/VhMsiuftnzI/AAAAAAAAGY0/UVcrUxKfl0I/s640/blogger-image-1270145208.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>I have too many for a single post, so I'll do it in two parts. Gives me something to post about during the week!</div></div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-87752881835676530622015-10-04T08:57:00.001-05:002015-10-07T19:34:11.405-05:00The Japanese and the East GermansNot exactly two groups that go together, but that's what I've been working on this weekend. <div><br></div><div>First, I finished off the Japanese light cruiser Tatsuta,</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPQ4IcdHWKVpM8_r7Ob-O0hwOKcoYIdZ5QVuYueCJZLIqIiHkUlvYQIDB9qwXW3Id-N6Lo6EFoLuFtAHAzlMDvvsv8HDQ-vOpjgSdiFbQNxzhNZ1dnLx2k0hyU7TMjr6QZnKvu2zKwHp1/s640/blogger-image--1876588008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPQ4IcdHWKVpM8_r7Ob-O0hwOKcoYIdZ5QVuYueCJZLIqIiHkUlvYQIDB9qwXW3Id-N6Lo6EFoLuFtAHAzlMDvvsv8HDQ-vOpjgSdiFbQNxzhNZ1dnLx2k0hyU7TMjr6QZnKvu2zKwHp1/s640/blogger-image--1876588008.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QvPn__DnHLg/VhEwQyW3p6I/AAAAAAAAGWA/e7zASXI9xaA/s640/blogger-image--752923373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QvPn__DnHLg/VhEwQyW3p6I/AAAAAAAAGWA/e7zASXI9xaA/s640/blogger-image--752923373.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7z3qXnzR4Lg/VhEwVyj3XmI/AAAAAAAAGWQ/czMSDVircXg/s640/blogger-image-2110633273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7z3qXnzR4Lg/VhEwVyj3XmI/AAAAAAAAGWQ/czMSDVircXg/s640/blogger-image-2110633273.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">sister ship of last weekend's Tenryu, as well as the Kamikaze class destroyer Yunagi:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mhRgPyTCVSI/VhEwObCIDlI/AAAAAAAAGV4/6p0GCbn25Ao/s640/blogger-image--1985517932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mhRgPyTCVSI/VhEwObCIDlI/AAAAAAAAGV4/6p0GCbn25Ao/s640/blogger-image--1985517932.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bPpfDmJiyqw/VhE9XIoWHPI/AAAAAAAAGXM/x9IK2jsHy1I/s640/blogger-image-172454308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bPpfDmJiyqw/VhE9XIoWHPI/AAAAAAAAGXM/x9IK2jsHy1I/s640/blogger-image-172454308.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5iJ26qLXqbA/VhE9SD-9atI/AAAAAAAAGW8/K1XAwCNSMoU/s640/blogger-image--1320240269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5iJ26qLXqbA/VhE9SD-9atI/AAAAAAAAGW8/K1XAwCNSMoU/s640/blogger-image--1320240269.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NT5JL_Le9T4/VhE9Uo-iDSI/AAAAAAAAGXE/7ZSAxCYqaq0/s640/blogger-image--1473030344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NT5JL_Le9T4/VhE9Uo-iDSI/AAAAAAAAGXE/7ZSAxCYqaq0/s640/blogger-image--1473030344.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u38kj9OScr8/VhE9PpvLJHI/AAAAAAAAGW0/8sM6NuvvZkY/s640/blogger-image--845367735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u38kj9OScr8/VhE9PpvLJHI/AAAAAAAAGW0/8sM6NuvvZkY/s640/blogger-image--845367735.jpg"></a></div></div>Recently on TheMiniaturesPage.com, when I mentioned having completed Yubari and Tenryu, someone said I'd soon have the entire line-up for the Battle of Savo Island. While I'm not specifically trying to do that, it seems as good a target to work toward as any, hence doing Yunagi. As you can see from my photos, I've run out of appropriate-sized ship bases, so an order went off to Bay Area Yards on Thursday. I really cannot recommend their bases highly enough!</div><div><br></div><div>And now the East Germans. In any WarPac division, regardless of nationality, there was always a radio/radar intercept and direction finding company as part of the reconnaissance battalion. The company's platoons would break down into sections and roam along the division's frontline, attempting to intercept and decode NATO radio transmissions. </div><div><br></div><div>The vehicles used varied quite a bit, not only by decade, but also by unit. Each section was normally two vehicles; an intercept vehicle loaded with radios etc. and a data processing vehicle full of computers and intelligence analysts. In 1981 (my scenario date), one commonly seen combination was a UAZ-452 for the intercept:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m94FC-LKLMY/VhE0PW_xmZI/AAAAAAAAGWc/VhypgYr67lQ/s640/blogger-image-876191785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m94FC-LKLMY/VhE0PW_xmZI/AAAAAAAAGWc/VhypgYr67lQ/s640/blogger-image-876191785.jpg"></a></div>And an office-body GAZ-66 for processing:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VfCJhCtLBJo/VhE0R3dvbsI/AAAAAAAAGWk/KCBEjAh-WjU/s640/blogger-image-235910316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VfCJhCtLBJo/VhE0R3dvbsI/AAAAAAAAGWk/KCBEjAh-WjU/s640/blogger-image-235910316.jpg"></a></div>(but with a lot more antennae than that one). Once NATO transmission sites had been located and the traffic decoded, the information was passed to division HQ for analysis and then immediately on to artillery units for targeting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Here's my version:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4oKLmuzBIXU/VhF682eLsXI/AAAAAAAAGXk/QAv37Iqzizs/s640/blogger-image--700293541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4oKLmuzBIXU/VhF682eLsXI/AAAAAAAAGXk/QAv37Iqzizs/s640/blogger-image--700293541.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jr2ScgoU04g/VhF66bDkuJI/AAAAAAAAGXc/Hf7QX5NCUtU/s640/blogger-image-826838025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jr2ScgoU04g/VhF66bDkuJI/AAAAAAAAGXc/Hf7QX5NCUtU/s640/blogger-image-826838025.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">O8 doesn't make a box-body truck, except as part of the Ganef pack, so I'll just have to use a regular GAZ-66. I<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> really ought to do 2-3 more stands of these guys. Just another thing to put onto the already burgeoning "to do" list. More next weekend!</span></div><br></div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-32705805678413011822015-09-28T19:14:00.001-05:002015-09-28T22:42:20.678-05:00Japanese light cruisersIn an uncharacteristic flurry of activity, I've finished two Japanese light cruisers! First, the Yubari:<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0ksYoMtYskA/VgnXufGI_xI/AAAAAAAAGT4/cex-g-RPeHo/s640/blogger-image--1788031684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0ksYoMtYskA/VgnXufGI_xI/AAAAAAAAGT4/cex-g-RPeHo/s640/blogger-image--1788031684.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lw84PNvFvPA/VgnX4STJpGI/AAAAAAAAGUY/fgfMgutkepY/s640/blogger-image-973515840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lw84PNvFvPA/VgnX4STJpGI/AAAAAAAAGUY/fgfMgutkepY/s640/blogger-image-973515840.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xlkHhlWiweg/VgnX6_phmjI/AAAAAAAAGUg/bDonjme9_Gw/s640/blogger-image--652956010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xlkHhlWiweg/VgnX6_phmjI/AAAAAAAAGUg/bDonjme9_Gw/s640/blogger-image--652956010.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rdybiIPhZAE/VgnXw5S1tHI/AAAAAAAAGUA/AG0BLo6hJqY/s640/blogger-image-102860494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rdybiIPhZAE/VgnXw5S1tHI/AAAAAAAAGUA/AG0BLo6hJqY/s640/blogger-image-102860494.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YAGy4zfCWZ8/VgnXzk-o4pI/AAAAAAAAGUI/_WTksYDxNtE/s640/blogger-image--1233252854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YAGy4zfCWZ8/VgnXzk-o4pI/AAAAAAAAGUI/_WTksYDxNtE/s640/blogger-image--1233252854.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VsCoTw8R6Wo/VgnX13v4auI/AAAAAAAAGUQ/0mz9sYq3cHM/s640/blogger-image-356738568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VsCoTw8R6Wo/VgnX13v4auI/AAAAAAAAGUQ/0mz9sYq3cHM/s640/blogger-image-356738568.jpg"></a></div>Launched in 1923 and sole member of her class, the Yubari was very active during the Pacific war, including the Battle of Savo Island, and was finally torpedoed by the US submarine Bluegill in April 1944. </div><div><br></div><div>I've also completed the Tenryu:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bHtZ4kzz4u0/VgnZ30QVN6I/AAAAAAAAGU8/IHzhSciPEIg/s640/blogger-image--709024582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bHtZ4kzz4u0/VgnZ30QVN6I/AAAAAAAAGU8/IHzhSciPEIg/s640/blogger-image--709024582.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sbMHqoXlr5c/VgnZ1US1dEI/AAAAAAAAGU0/rWHWLdBGT2s/s640/blogger-image--819046818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sbMHqoXlr5c/VgnZ1US1dEI/AAAAAAAAGU0/rWHWLdBGT2s/s640/blogger-image--819046818.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DffHAHNJI1s/VgnZ_BC84qI/AAAAAAAAGVU/ECieoYXvUrU/s640/blogger-image--858680494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DffHAHNJI1s/VgnZ_BC84qI/AAAAAAAAGVU/ECieoYXvUrU/s640/blogger-image--858680494.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pOxqvsz2Kjw/VgnZ8_3ANrI/AAAAAAAAGVM/VHE2MAKUqmg/s640/blogger-image--421488256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pOxqvsz2Kjw/VgnZ8_3ANrI/AAAAAAAAGVM/VHE2MAKUqmg/s640/blogger-image--421488256.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xjA5RmNdJWE/VgnZzK3vg7I/AAAAAAAAGUs/kWhRhUrtAb0/s640/blogger-image-1704968514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xjA5RmNdJWE/VgnZzK3vg7I/AAAAAAAAGUs/kWhRhUrtAb0/s640/blogger-image-1704968514.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pHV065iM9AE/VgnZ6Vsiv4I/AAAAAAAAGVE/5VArlNg1LsM/s640/blogger-image-1498045276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pHV065iM9AE/VgnZ6Vsiv4I/AAAAAAAAGVE/5VArlNg1LsM/s640/blogger-image-1498045276.jpg"></a></div>Likewise a victim of a US submarine (the Albacore in December 1942) and a veteran of Savo Island, where her torpedoes sank USS Quincy, Tenryu was the lead ship of her class of two (I have her sister, Tatsuta, in my painting queue) and was launched in 1919. She was also the oldest Japanese cruiser to fight in WWII.</div><div><br></div><div>Not a bad night's work!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c7Yu0a4QyR8/VgneQu1IX-I/AAAAAAAAGVg/1xUIAx7wBDQ/s640/blogger-image--1380563381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c7Yu0a4QyR8/VgneQu1IX-I/AAAAAAAAGVg/1xUIAx7wBDQ/s640/blogger-image--1380563381.jpg"></a></div>Only about 600 more to go! Once I run out of my small stock of White Ensign's now defunct line of WWII naval paints, I'm going to be in a hard way!!</div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-85130602638033170692015-09-27T11:35:00.001-05:002015-09-27T18:22:49.164-05:00T-80s!!Never fear! Naval miniatures haven't totally supplanted 1/600 Cold War and I've finished off a company of Soviet T-80Bs to prove it:<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sIQhzZ5bKjs/VggarjHeHxI/AAAAAAAAGSw/3QyxsbOT6f8/s640/blogger-image--1544347329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sIQhzZ5bKjs/VggarjHeHxI/AAAAAAAAGSw/3QyxsbOT6f8/s640/blogger-image--1544347329.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9qEO5nGHgNc/VggauSIOGUI/AAAAAAAAGS4/fQxeYPAf1fo/s640/blogger-image-1124187271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9qEO5nGHgNc/VggauSIOGUI/AAAAAAAAGS4/fQxeYPAf1fo/s640/blogger-image-1124187271.jpg"></a></div><br></div>In 1981, these beasts would've been a rarity, especially in LANDJUT, where the toughest opposition would have been West German Leopard 1A4s (the few Leopard 2s produced by then would have been held considerably further south). The very small number of T-80Bs available were mostly with Central Group of Forces (CGF) in Czechoslovakia or in the western military districts just inside the Soviet Union. A precious few T-80s were in Group of Soviet Forces Germany (GSFG), facing the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) specifically to oppose the Chieftain tanks.</div><div><br></div><div>No matter which front you look at, T-80s were supplied at the rate of just one company per armored division. Therefore, my addition of a company for a LANDJUT campaign is entirely fanciful and purely a "what if", but they're just too cool not to have a few. So, here they are:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WKj_2S5f_EQ/VghZbOA89YI/AAAAAAAAGTg/Gvq536kwzMU/s640/blogger-image-1906552944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WKj_2S5f_EQ/VghZbOA89YI/AAAAAAAAGTg/Gvq536kwzMU/s640/blogger-image-1906552944.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BezzpZ_kcQQ/VghZYi9rE_I/AAAAAAAAGTY/9D-laVB0A0I/s640/blogger-image-1806833019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BezzpZ_kcQQ/VghZYi9rE_I/AAAAAAAAGTY/9D-laVB0A0I/s640/blogger-image-1806833019.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gjSMce_zxxU/VghZTa2VwpI/AAAAAAAAGTI/I0fp1eNjnVA/s640/blogger-image-1642199235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gjSMce_zxxU/VghZTa2VwpI/AAAAAAAAGTI/I0fp1eNjnVA/s640/blogger-image-1642199235.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9UysIBe7J4E/VghZWBeo2wI/AAAAAAAAGTQ/oFHeXzpPJFg/s640/blogger-image-1733716851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9UysIBe7J4E/VghZWBeo2wI/AAAAAAAAGTQ/oFHeXzpPJFg/s640/blogger-image-1733716851.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FnlV4CVl0cg/VghZdkFMKjI/AAAAAAAAGTo/iNxnEac_ZJM/s640/blogger-image-818692315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FnlV4CVl0cg/VghZdkFMKjI/AAAAAAAAGTo/iNxnEac_ZJM/s640/blogger-image-818692315.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Like all O8 minis of second and third generation Soviet MBTs (T-64, T-72, T-80), these don't give a good impression of the squat, ground-hugging appearance of the real thing, but otherwise, it's quite a good looking model.</div><div><br></div><div>A productive weekend! Lots of half-finished projects polished off. And that's with Mrs. History PhD's "honey do" list thrown into the bargain! </div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-74034336089032420132015-09-27T08:45:00.002-05:002015-10-09T16:47:42.476-05:00A shipment from Litko!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday, a small naval-themed shipment arrived from <a href="http://www.litko.net/categories/Tokens-%26-Markers/Naval-Combat/">Litko</a>. I've never ordered anything from them before, but they have an excellent section of naval accessories for the tabletop, so I got a few things as a test run.<br>
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Some small (as I'm using them for 1/2400) "burning" markers:</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gZ_KZ5pqnqU/Vgfx3l7ntAI/AAAAAAAAGSQ/NUSqt0Z-mWc/s640/blogger-image-30914454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gZ_KZ5pqnqU/Vgfx3l7ntAI/AAAAAAAAGSQ/NUSqt0Z-mWc/s640/blogger-image-30914454.jpg"></a></div><div>Is it just me or do they look like Marge Simpson's hair?</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ab5s5ulZi34/Vhg1_F2X4pI/AAAAAAAAGaI/kzo9Gw3Z0tI/s640/blogger-image--1768958500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ab5s5ulZi34/Vhg1_F2X4pI/AAAAAAAAGaI/kzo9Gw3Z0tI/s640/blogger-image--1768958500.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Some medium-sized "make smoke" markers, which would also be nice for "low-lying clouds":</span></div>
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And my absolute favorite, "rain squalls":<br>
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Those are really outstanding!!</div><div><br></div><div>Everything is acrylic and in 2-4 pieces, but very easily glued together. I'm extremely pleased with Litko's stuff and I'll definitely be ordering from them again (and again)!<br>
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History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-76574744918890445712015-09-26T21:22:00.001-05:002015-09-29T11:40:33.330-05:001/2400 scale flight standsAs my urge to paint 1/2400 WWII naval miniatures has resurfaced after 3 years in hiding, I've decided that I had better get more aircraft stands ready, so I can represent air strikes. <div><br></div><div>I'm starting off with GHQ's Japanese B5N Kate torpedo bombers:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-evOSQME9aRo/VgdaGjTJglI/AAAAAAAAGRw/IjqIYlWzNHo/s640/blogger-image-1846273827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-evOSQME9aRo/VgdaGjTJglI/AAAAAAAAGRw/IjqIYlWzNHo/s640/blogger-image-1846273827.jpg"></a></div></div><div>for no other reason than that I have to start somewhere. I cut a 1"x1" (25mm x 25mm) styrene square and drilled three holes in it. Then I superglued three bits of wire (all approx. 1" tall) into the holes:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mNuNcOb58WA/VgdS9PD-krI/AAAAAAAAGRI/ryo2TaVwUBs/s640/blogger-image--198518957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mNuNcOb58WA/VgdS9PD-krI/AAAAAAAAGRI/ryo2TaVwUBs/s640/blogger-image--198518957.jpg"></a></div>I tried using quite thin wire at first (.015), but it was far too flexible and springy. After substituting wire thick enough to be rigid (.047), I put a tiny dot of Gorilla Super Glue Gel on the tip of each wire and added the aircraft. After they were dry, the whole thing got a light coat of black spray primer. </div><div><br></div><div>After painting the base my usual "sea" color (see my post of Sep. 13, 2015), I left the wires black and painted the Kates:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gLb4arKM0Vc/VgdXuRFg7vI/AAAAAAAAGRU/8Aq-Llrr6pQ/s640/blogger-image--674690509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gLb4arKM0Vc/VgdXuRFg7vI/AAAAAAAAGRU/8Aq-Llrr6pQ/s640/blogger-image--674690509.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--oezjQ01C7s/VgdXwyQsaPI/AAAAAAAAGRc/zLS1467DlFQ/s640/blogger-image--132488561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--oezjQ01C7s/VgdXwyQsaPI/AAAAAAAAGRc/zLS1467DlFQ/s640/blogger-image--132488561.jpg"></a></div>Tough to get the tiny devils in focus.</div><div><br></div><div>I won't get into the thorny topic of what color early war Japanese aircraft were painted. Suffice to say that as B5N Kates were built by Nakajima, I went with the same color that the plant painted the A6M Zekes that it produced, a slightly greenish light tan. No, Zekes were never pale grey. Anyway, I have a largish bottle of Floquil Aged Concrete that was the exact shade. A coat of gloss and my Kates are ready for their first torpedo run! The hardest part of the whole process was getting those microscopic hinomaru on the wings and fuselage!</div><div><br></div><div>Having masses of aircraft stands cluttering the gaming table is highly annoying, so I don't try to model aircraft 1:1 (except for reconnaissance aircraft). Each stand can represent anything from a flight of three aircraft to a full squadron of eighteen. So, as I do with my ships, I mark the stand's edge with nationality and a stand number:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cTn2xZRpvKE/VgdZLmqIN6I/AAAAAAAAGRo/fsF-YWFSIHc/s640/blogger-image--898630198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cTn2xZRpvKE/VgdZLmqIN6I/AAAAAAAAGRo/fsF-YWFSIHc/s640/blogger-image--898630198.jpg"></a></div>I keep track separately of how many aircraft each stand represents. Now I need to add steel paper to the bottom of the stand, so it can be stored in my magnetic-bottomed Bunker Boxes. </div><div><br></div><div>Not a bad evening's work. Just a few dozen more to go. Ugh!!!</div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-19885851138947423992015-09-19T16:20:00.001-05:002015-09-19T20:20:25.811-05:00Back in the USSRI've been feeling distinctly unwell this weekend.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gtBJK_Rc3WQ/Vf3RbL4CU2I/AAAAAAAAGPc/LRviaZylUwE/s640/blogger-image-1725932789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gtBJK_Rc3WQ/Vf3RbL4CU2I/AAAAAAAAGPc/LRviaZylUwE/s640/blogger-image-1725932789.jpg"></a></div>Thank heaven for Mrs. History PhD (and Teddy)!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HBFG9ad2Ydg/Vf3RhX8M0vI/AAAAAAAAGPs/al990Ho5OMc/s640/blogger-image-1328301255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HBFG9ad2Ydg/Vf3RhX8M0vI/AAAAAAAAGPs/al990Ho5OMc/s640/blogger-image-1328301255.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Anyway, after a couple of weeks of fiddling with other things, I'm back to 3mm Cold War and it's Soviet tanks. We're back in the USSR ("You don't know lucky you are"). Despite my misery (mild food poisoning, not brought on by my wife's Thai cooking!), I've managed to finish the battalion command stand that I was lacking for a T-64A battalion which I had been working on earlier in the week (before I was cruelly struck down):</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VMELXmbjTCY/Vf3RXxX-rdI/AAAAAAAAGPU/TjoNL1GufB8/s640/blogger-image--925201409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VMELXmbjTCY/Vf3RXxX-rdI/AAAAAAAAGPU/TjoNL1GufB8/s640/blogger-image--925201409.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6HDegt9gHdE/Vf4H3v_6ENI/AAAAAAAAGP8/Ej37LDn3F6A/s640/blogger-image--1786010306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6HDegt9gHdE/Vf4H3v_6ENI/AAAAAAAAGP8/Ej37LDn3F6A/s640/blogger-image--1786010306.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xKlqcmQroEE/Vf4ICqHlnpI/AAAAAAAAGQc/N4nfTBpEPI8/s640/blogger-image-1758712889.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xKlqcmQroEE/Vf4ICqHlnpI/AAAAAAAAGQc/N4nfTBpEPI8/s640/blogger-image-1758712889.jpg"></a></div>And the whole thing:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_KSb3Xmh9XPxbyVYTKU0SMgPYJH9bABNmmVSO4iOFX_6Tny9U_DatX5ljp9_dVEDwj-pCFVuUGXNaKkOIRRMdivzpCIKMFWUNL51RcZh439ZmfSjScby1FeDwDTh2tN2880dcRALh6-y/s640/blogger-image--699131957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_KSb3Xmh9XPxbyVYTKU0SMgPYJH9bABNmmVSO4iOFX_6Tny9U_DatX5ljp9_dVEDwj-pCFVuUGXNaKkOIRRMdivzpCIKMFWUNL51RcZh439ZmfSjScby1FeDwDTh2tN2880dcRALh6-y/s640/blogger-image--699131957.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CK6iiQU1RGs/Vf4H6IyJ-GI/AAAAAAAAGQE/t3gNfVEhweo/s640/blogger-image--648428574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CK6iiQU1RGs/Vf4H6IyJ-GI/AAAAAAAAGQE/t3gNfVEhweo/s640/blogger-image--648428574.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXnPfQiPop1mIC6Y4qbZ4ZWIaAlzDckNakoM63bi4onn9OPec4PlQYN5qvg7GCI4IygKoanE_8GqkOFlGXEdYq-W_CjshR8R6AgEln_sRhaHfqopxoc_tu9yuWcvOYHYTQEqHb5w-OAtI/s640/blogger-image--607331440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXnPfQiPop1mIC6Y4qbZ4ZWIaAlzDckNakoM63bi4onn9OPec4PlQYN5qvg7GCI4IygKoanE_8GqkOFlGXEdYq-W_CjshR8R6AgEln_sRhaHfqopxoc_tu9yuWcvOYHYTQEqHb5w-OAtI/s640/blogger-image--607331440.jpg"></a></div>That's what I love about 3mm! Battalions really look like battalions. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div>I had planned on using a BRDM-2:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AoTiKftsHlE/Vf3ReKMQR8I/AAAAAAAAGPk/YJaB9LTidj4/s640/blogger-image-1296951715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AoTiKftsHlE/Vf3ReKMQR8I/AAAAAAAAGPk/YJaB9LTidj4/s640/blogger-image-1296951715.jpg"></a></div></div><div>as the second vehicle on the battalion command stand, given that each Soviet armored battalion had a section of them as a recon unit. However, wheeled vehicles mixed in with my tanks just rankles, regardless of the authenticity. So I swapped for a BRM:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lJOY9Q1DMCk/Vf3RUzAAziI/AAAAAAAAGPM/bqJTiosVjfk/s640/blogger-image-791496815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lJOY9Q1DMCk/Vf3RUzAAziI/AAAAAAAAGPM/bqJTiosVjfk/s640/blogger-image-791496815.jpg"></a></div></div><div>which fulfilled the same role. I know, I know! But it's MY Soviet Army!</div><div><br></div><div>More after my recuperation!</div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-55050264503495475802015-09-13T08:55:00.001-05:002015-09-13T18:38:48.089-05:00What color is the ocean?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">That's a difficult question, as there's no single correct answer. There are so many variables. Which ocean? Which part of that ocean? What time of the year? What time of the day? Under what weather conditions? What is the depth of the water at the point where you're looking at it? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The sea can appear different hues of blue:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NTibyXl281w/VfWOd_8cg8I/AAAAAAAAGM0/aUYM3Z2u70s/s640/blogger-image-1145139407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NTibyXl281w/VfWOd_8cg8I/AAAAAAAAGM0/aUYM3Z2u70s/s640/blogger-image-1145139407.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JK9HypqKUqU/VfWOlIoY1YI/AAAAAAAAGNM/br1-MCJCE1A/s640/blogger-image-1333676349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JK9HypqKUqU/VfWOlIoY1YI/AAAAAAAAGNM/br1-MCJCE1A/s640/blogger-image-1333676349.jpg"></a></div>It can have a green cast to it:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NiudpujAEwU/VfWObeyA7II/AAAAAAAAGMs/QeQZbkz94Ww/s640/blogger-image--2136194692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NiudpujAEwU/VfWObeyA7II/AAAAAAAAGMs/QeQZbkz94Ww/s640/blogger-image--2136194692.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8fIz4ZV6DjI/VfWOihAwp_I/AAAAAAAAGNE/09QVMF6UqdM/s640/blogger-image-24884501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8fIz4ZV6DjI/VfWOihAwp_I/AAAAAAAAGNE/09QVMF6UqdM/s640/blogger-image-24884501.jpg"></a></div></div>Or it can be very dark; almost black:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Fn3RDNCR3d0/VfWOgHcNbyI/AAAAAAAAGM8/3H4_4eZC3Sk/s640/blogger-image--1161916308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Fn3RDNCR3d0/VfWOgHcNbyI/AAAAAAAAGM8/3H4_4eZC3Sk/s640/blogger-image--1161916308.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For a brief time at sunrise, it can appear pink:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kiwg_mg_sDQ/VfWRQqH6PUI/AAAAAAAAGNg/5Oc8qTlkfqM/s640/blogger-image--1161075230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kiwg_mg_sDQ/VfWRQqH6PUI/AAAAAAAAGNg/5Oc8qTlkfqM/s640/blogger-image--1161075230.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OTXN7rDsibY/VfWRVUvHzYI/AAAAAAAAGNw/e6A2Dh3zqgE/s640/blogger-image-1526970194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OTXN7rDsibY/VfWRVUvHzYI/AAAAAAAAGNw/e6A2Dh3zqgE/s640/blogger-image-1526970194.jpg"></a></div>And at sunset, orange:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zcrlsLYlK4U/VfWRNp5Hk-I/AAAAAAAAGNY/nGt76EYMR7Q/s640/blogger-image--453938865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zcrlsLYlK4U/VfWRNp5Hk-I/AAAAAAAAGNY/nGt76EYMR7Q/s640/blogger-image--453938865.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DIxDVSdn-Q8/VfWRTLXTTpI/AAAAAAAAGNo/AaFlX41uO6A/s640/blogger-image--233682338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DIxDVSdn-Q8/VfWRTLXTTpI/AAAAAAAAGNo/AaFlX41uO6A/s640/blogger-image--233682338.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>So when it comes to painting ship bases, you can choose the shade that appeals most strongly to you. Personally, I prefer a darker look:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CFP264hDz4k/VfWwRUtCTYI/AAAAAAAAGOA/UAZ-hvvod3c/s640/blogger-image--1045510344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CFP264hDz4k/VfWwRUtCTYI/AAAAAAAAGOA/UAZ-hvvod3c/s640/blogger-image--1045510344.jpg"></a></div>I use use Bay Area Yards' fantastic resin bases made for 1/2400. First off is a spray of black primer and then two coats of Vallejo Dark Sea Blue (898). Once they're dry, I do a third coat of 898 mixed with small amounts of Vallejo Deep Green (970) and Game Color Ultramarine Blue (72-022). This gives a very slight greenish blue tint and an illusion of depth. Then two coats of Testors Glosscoat spray. After that's dry, one coat of Vallejo brush-on Gloss Varnish (510). The two kinds of gloss together give a much more glass-like finish:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-smoRs4yNJyQ/VfXJ5UdFWlI/AAAAAAAAGO4/z5fTrzigFB4/s640/blogger-image--377430408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-smoRs4yNJyQ/VfXJ5UdFWlI/AAAAAAAAGO4/z5fTrzigFB4/s640/blogger-image--377430408.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div></div><div>Next I add a wake and the propellor wash:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Coa7ou7o4LI/VfW-N227ocI/AAAAAAAAGOo/fCwY5X11QTQ/s640/blogger-image--147864214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Coa7ou7o4LI/VfW-N227ocI/AAAAAAAAGOo/fCwY5X11QTQ/s640/blogger-image--147864214.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3GELKXbjW9c/VfW-LpH8ujI/AAAAAAAAGOg/-bCtjd_T5K0/s640/blogger-image--359212789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3GELKXbjW9c/VfW-LpH8ujI/AAAAAAAAGOg/-bCtjd_T5K0/s640/blogger-image--359212789.jpg"></a></div></div><div>Without getting into a heavyweight discussion of the physics of wave formation, I'll just say that the simple view of "the bigger the ship, the bigger the wake" is not always correct. The wake's size is a function of both the mass of the ship that's displacing the water and the rapidity with which the water is displaced. So, a destroyer high-stepping at 35 kts will have a more pronounced and more disturbed wake than will a battleship crawling along at 5 kts. However, because of the mass difference, a battleship at 25 kts will have a wake several times the size of the one produced by a destroyer at 35 kts. This is why I never became a physicist. Too much math!</div><div><br></div><div>That's a very wordy and roundabout way of saying wake sizes vary a lot for a variety of reasons, so I paint different sized ones according to my whim that day. Here's a base with a pronounced wake:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9t3Rmzs0jqE/VfW81GT9m1I/AAAAAAAAGOQ/7Vn_ogTeC1o/s640/blogger-image--567030120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9t3Rmzs0jqE/VfW81GT9m1I/AAAAAAAAGOQ/7Vn_ogTeC1o/s640/blogger-image--567030120.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In reality, the disturbed areas of "white water" in a ship's wake will appear matte, as opposed to the gloss of the sea around it. After I paint on the white areas (any bright white will do) and blend them in at their edges, I go over all of the white with brush-on Vallejo Matte Varnish (520).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For me, doing the base is child's play compared to the intricate (and often infuriating) job of <font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">painting the ship that will occupy the base. Anyway, how do you do your bases?</font></div><div><br></div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-71813146862967037902015-09-07T10:48:00.001-05:002015-09-07T11:24:30.919-05:00A bit of naval painting and some 4WDsThis long holiday weekend, I did manage to keep a bit of my free time out of Mrs. History PhD's greedy grasp. <div><br></div><div>A small shipment from Shapeways arrived Saturday, which included some 1/600 West German DKW Mungas:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3IGifguWx-Y/Ve2xoWXqbSI/AAAAAAAAGL8/fHh_3vg4nNI/s640/blogger-image-677680622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3IGifguWx-Y/Ve2xoWXqbSI/AAAAAAAAGL8/fHh_3vg4nNI/s640/blogger-image-677680622.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-87leSAMkIJo/Ve2xwvEa2JI/AAAAAAAAGMU/6gJHHPY3CsE/s640/blogger-image-1455682651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-87leSAMkIJo/Ve2xwvEa2JI/AAAAAAAAGMU/6gJHHPY3CsE/s640/blogger-image-1455682651.jpg"></a></div></div>That's with light grey primer, so that you can see them. They look like 1970s US Post Office delivery jeeps. They'll be nice for tarting up command stands. </div><div><br></div><div>Also included in the Shapeways box were some 1/2400 WWII French Naval vessels and I've finished two of them. The Marne class aviso Somme, which unlike her two sisters, had only one funnel (the others having two):</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mXOYudI_mt8/Ve2xrCWLQzI/AAAAAAAAGME/st6eKNNAUW0/s640/blogger-image-1857954392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mXOYudI_mt8/Ve2xrCWLQzI/AAAAAAAAGME/st6eKNNAUW0/s640/blogger-image-1857954392.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9CQJE56Ptsc/Ve2xtlY3n8I/AAAAAAAAGMM/kaARPuf6xOQ/s640/blogger-image-1190350319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9CQJE56Ptsc/Ve2xtlY3n8I/AAAAAAAAGMM/kaARPuf6xOQ/s640/blogger-image-1190350319.jpg"></a></div>and the aviso Tahure, the name ship of its class:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YBAxycLkyT8/Ve2xip70sUI/AAAAAAAAGLs/u_CIPelfnUE/s640/blogger-image-179188378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YBAxycLkyT8/Ve2xip70sUI/AAAAAAAAGLs/u_CIPelfnUE/s640/blogger-image-179188378.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TkcxrTom74M/Ve2xlYpKXYI/AAAAAAAAGL0/h1mQBzjILZw/s640/blogger-image-640205228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TkcxrTom74M/Ve2xlYpKXYI/AAAAAAAAGL0/h1mQBzjILZw/s640/blogger-image-640205228.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As an aside, the Tahure and the Somme's sister ship Marne both took part in the Battle of Koh Chang on January 17, 1941, when a small French squadron decimated the bulk of the Thai Navy, much to Mrs. History PhD's consternation. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Both classes served in WWI and WWII. If you're not a naval aficionado, "aviso" is a term the French used as a catch-all phrase for any kind of warship smaller than a corvette, but larger than a patrol boat. Other navies used the term "sloop".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>I also polished off the Greek minelaying cruiser Helle (by Panzerschiffe):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-04_BrZ3uXTM/Ve2xdU9TC9I/AAAAAAAAGLc/FeZj04Lct8E/s640/blogger-image--649527817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-04_BrZ3uXTM/Ve2xdU9TC9I/AAAAAAAAGLc/FeZj04Lct8E/s640/blogger-image--649527817.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YpqaNoUgLnM/Ve2xfxtIReI/AAAAAAAAGLk/5xhstko3R-o/s640/blogger-image--228318618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YpqaNoUgLnM/Ve2xfxtIReI/AAAAAAAAGLk/5xhstko3R-o/s640/blogger-image--228318618.jpg"></a></div>The Helle was torpedoed at anchor in Tinos harbor by the Italian submarine Delfino on August 15, 1940, two months before Greece entered the war. However, it's still a good model for "what if" scenarios. </div><br></div><div>That will do it for this weekend. Hope you had a good Labor Day holiday. For my UK readers, I believe this was also September Bank Holiday. I guess the rest of the world just lost out. </div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-43050537513340195292015-09-05T18:56:00.001-05:002015-10-08T08:03:06.558-05:00Grenadiers make me go "hmmmmm"I've been working on some Saxon grenadiers for 1806, which I've painted as Battalion #6 (von Liechtenheyn), and I've run into a fundamental snag. Hmmmm....<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OQtSXULxqak/VeuBQbdxleI/AAAAAAAAGJo/mcqJ7AxC4mM/s640/blogger-image--1615816792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OQtSXULxqak/VeuBQbdxleI/AAAAAAAAGJo/mcqJ7AxC4mM/s640/blogger-image--1615816792.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>For those who may remember my earlier posts on Saxon infantry (Dec 13 and 20, 2014), I painted stands that could represent a company for smaller games and a battalion for larger games. In other words, four stands:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4KIWuLS1ong/VeuBLMAfVqI/AAAAAAAAGJY/z0quBGS2Ijk/s640/blogger-image--1033101204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4KIWuLS1ong/VeuBLMAfVqI/AAAAAAAAGJY/z0quBGS2Ijk/s640/blogger-image--1033101204.jpg"></a></div>as a battalion (minus the grenadiers and schützen) or one stand:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SLpHNSCuArU/VeuBOJOgswI/AAAAAAAAGJg/IW2kJ-PcGww/s640/blogger-image-2143385824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SLpHNSCuArU/VeuBOJOgswI/AAAAAAAAGJg/IW2kJ-PcGww/s640/blogger-image-2143385824.jpg"></a></div>as the whole battalion. That's both battalions of the Kürfurst Regiment. It seemed a very sound and flexible system to me. </div><br></div><div>Now the snag. Most (but not all) armies of the Napoleonic period stripped away the grenadier companies of each infantry regiment and combined them into composite grenadier battalions that served separated from their parent regiments. "All well and good", you say. However, this means that half the battalion has facings of one color and the other half has a different color (for Austrians, it's three different colors!). </div><div><br></div><div>Saxon grenadier battalions had four companies (two from each of its two parent regiments), so in my small game system, I need four stands; two of each facing color, but for my large game system, I need one stand, painted half and half! Damn it! There goes the simple interchangeability. I'm not in favor of having to paint up grenadiers in both systems!</div><div><br></div><div>So, I've decided to drop the "one company per stand" and go with just larger games, which is after all the entire reason for doing 3mm. Here's my grenadier battalion:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EGmmmdjqjLc/VeuHpIIan3I/AAAAAAAAGKA/C37lOe960TA/s640/blogger-image--1894572989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EGmmmdjqjLc/VeuHpIIan3I/AAAAAAAAGKA/C37lOe960TA/s640/blogger-image--1894572989.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-g0VQUfrNXs0/VeuHmcdw1FI/AAAAAAAAGJ4/0kj-fRoy0Nc/s640/blogger-image--1130427106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-g0VQUfrNXs0/VeuHmcdw1FI/AAAAAAAAGJ4/0kj-fRoy0Nc/s640/blogger-image--1130427106.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OoBthGeeOyI/VeuHrtsNjtI/AAAAAAAAGKI/MDkZ5Hs8OXo/s640/blogger-image--943222058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OoBthGeeOyI/VeuHrtsNjtI/AAAAAAAAGKI/MDkZ5Hs8OXo/s640/blogger-image--943222058.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div>My only gripe (don't I always have at least one?) is that even at 3mm, it's blatantly obvious that these guys are wearing French-style bearskins. They look nothing like the modified Austrian-style that the Saxons wore:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mqLhL8-sXh4/VeuHuN4uhdI/AAAAAAAAGKQ/Bjtsi7ny-S0/s640/blogger-image-702310175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mqLhL8-sXh4/VeuHuN4uhdI/AAAAAAAAGKQ/Bjtsi7ny-S0/s640/blogger-image-702310175.jpg"></a></div>and certainly not even remotely like the Prussian grenadier cap:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QWSzT2pPNYI/VeuHwv8ovPI/AAAAAAAAGKY/LFzlEODDLSQ/s640/blogger-image--1561849512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QWSzT2pPNYI/VeuHwv8ovPI/AAAAAAAAGKY/LFzlEODDLSQ/s640/blogger-image--1561849512.jpg"></a></div>I know these guys are tiny, but come on! There are some things that paint just won't cover up!!</div><div><br></div><div>Anyway, the von Liechtenheyn battalion in 1806 was a composite of the grenadiers from the Kürfurst (#1) and von Bevilaqua (#10, the former von Bünau) regiments, faced red and a medium blue. As per the convention of the time, I've put the troops from the senior regiment on the right. </div><div><br></div><div>As this is a long holiday weekend (Labor Day), I'm hoping to get in a fair bit of painting and maybe a second post, if Mrs. History PhD cooperates. I know...."yeah, right."</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IvtoCVLoja4/VeuKLsrMO8I/AAAAAAAAGKk/ry9k1XDtkzQ/s640/blogger-image-171345483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IvtoCVLoja4/VeuKLsrMO8I/AAAAAAAAGKk/ry9k1XDtkzQ/s640/blogger-image-171345483.jpg"></a></div>More next time...maybe. </div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-19225305205672263782015-08-30T16:07:00.001-05:002015-08-30T22:11:51.117-05:00Jack of all trades and master of noneThis weekend, I've spent varying amounts of time working on 3mm cavalry, 3mm Cold War artillery, helping Mrs. History PhD with the details of her new FOW Vietnam vehicle, and I was badly bitten by the 1/2400 WWII naval bug (after about three years since the last bite), so I've painted a number of Bay Area Yards' wonderful resin ship bases and dusted off a couple of GHQ ships. All of the above is a very verbose and evasive way of saying I haven't finished a damned thing, despite a considerable amount of time at the hobby desk this weekend! Does anyone else suffer from hobby Attention Deficit Disorder or is it just me?<div><br></div><div>In any case, here's one of my ship bases:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v5f3X8HGR2k/VeOkbIQZuJI/AAAAAAAAGIo/v2JiyMaGPSI/s640/blogger-image--639836127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v5f3X8HGR2k/VeOkbIQZuJI/AAAAAAAAGIo/v2JiyMaGPSI/s640/blogger-image--639836127.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUz7tMjpXHdcu9jrRFEIoLotfYXAGN_OVo_HIXqXRnuGNMR1d6fhJenjwsjfeWYfD6DfERBQvhqiqV0s1k_-e4RwWr7Iv0HetnI1XnfGo12dsUGzO1l-tGcyTrydLW_jqySD7th6dYY3Lg/s640/blogger-image-915901814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUz7tMjpXHdcu9jrRFEIoLotfYXAGN_OVo_HIXqXRnuGNMR1d6fhJenjwsjfeWYfD6DfERBQvhqiqV0s1k_-e4RwWr7Iv0HetnI1XnfGo12dsUGzO1l-tGcyTrydLW_jqySD7th6dYY3Lg/s640/blogger-image-915901814.jpg"></a></div></div><div>That's a British Abdiel class minelayer on it. As you'll notice, the stand is finished, but the ship is still in basic 507C light grey. I have yet to shade, detail, and add a camouflage scheme.</div><div><br></div><div>And I did manage to finish two squadrons of the Saxon Prinz Clemens Cheveauxleger Regiment for 1806:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1ZKY9eo4sqs/VeOkdV-A67I/AAAAAAAAGIw/dSRua-lRTy4/s640/blogger-image--428175208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1ZKY9eo4sqs/VeOkdV-A67I/AAAAAAAAGIw/dSRua-lRTy4/s640/blogger-image--428175208.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6rKRxDQ8P7E/VeOkm4tqDpI/AAAAAAAAGI4/ICzlbQc-k4s/s640/blogger-image--1139420260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6rKRxDQ8P7E/VeOkm4tqDpI/AAAAAAAAGI4/ICzlbQc-k4s/s640/blogger-image--1139420260.jpg"></a></div></div><div>Just another three squadrons to go. <br><div><br></div><div>Hopefully, I'll be more ambitious next weekend. See ya!</div></div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-23433150056731087352015-08-26T18:40:00.001-05:002015-08-26T22:19:15.418-05:0050,000 views!! And thank you to Arrigo!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ewwsJvXDP9E/Vd5Oda7Q47I/AAAAAAAAGHw/KwZ20sjR6oc/s640/blogger-image-1034075386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ewwsJvXDP9E/Vd5Oda7Q47I/AAAAAAAAGHw/KwZ20sjR6oc/s640/blogger-image-1034075386.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I went past 50,000 views overnight! It took 25 months, so I don't suppose that it broke any records, but still...yay!!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In addition, Mrs. History PhD would like to pass on a big thank you to Arrigo the Crazy (one of my followers). He was kind and generous enough to dip into his spare parts box and send her a couple of M60 machine guns, a good quality M2HB, and a few other odds and ends. Stand by for one of them to put in an appearance in Mrs. History PhD's next FOW Vietnam project. Thank you Arrigo!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bSPM1axKpCU/Vd5_MHNzQmI/AAAAAAAAGIQ/xOs6M_GRt_Y/s640/blogger-image--757727203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bSPM1axKpCU/Vd5_MHNzQmI/AAAAAAAAGIQ/xOs6M_GRt_Y/s640/blogger-image--757727203.jpg"></a></div>Kob khun ka (the female version of "thank you" in Thai).</div><br></div><br></div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-16431952287520425392015-08-24T20:33:00.001-05:002015-08-29T23:07:59.581-05:00The eternal wargaming question<div>First off, this is my 200th post!!!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t-fgUsxccSY/VdvHqcSYlWI/AAAAAAAAGHQ/RSuIefd7RNQ/s640/blogger-image-1058153636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t-fgUsxccSY/VdvHqcSYlWI/AAAAAAAAGHQ/RSuIefd7RNQ/s640/blogger-image-1058153636.jpg"></a></div>Yay!!! Not bad for just 25 months. Ok, now where was I....?</div><div><br></div>Tonight, as I was sitting and painting some 3mm minis (Napoleonic cavalry and Cold War West German howitzers), Mrs. History PhD said "Ok, I'm confused."<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c8u5JdXT4b4/VdvF0k5BrZI/AAAAAAAAGHE/09rDKdtNgyc/s640/blogger-image--666070202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c8u5JdXT4b4/VdvF0k5BrZI/AAAAAAAAGHE/09rDKdtNgyc/s640/blogger-image--666070202.jpg"></a></div></div><div>Her: "Your main projects are supposedly 3mm Cold War and 6mm Vietnam, both of which are moderately well progressed, with lots of vehicles, buildings, some terrain, etc. So at some future point, you'll obviously be able to be finished with them and use them for gaming."</div><div><br></div><div>Me: "Correct, my love. But because new minis are always being released, I doubt I'll ever reach total 100% completion on either project, but 'finished', more or less."</div><div><br></div><div>Her: "So why are you fiddling with samurai and Napoleonics and talking about ACW and WWII North Africa? Will you honestly ever get those projects far enough along for them to actually be useable?"</div><div><br></div><div>Me: "Almost without a doubt, never."</div><div><br></div><div>Her: "So why do you dissipate your effort, limited free time, and very limited financial resources on things that you already know will never come to fruition, when it would be much wiser to devote those resources to projects you are likely to finish?"</div><div><br></div><div>Well, therein lies the conundrum. As I explained, much of what I do at the hobby desk generates enjoyment of its own accord, regardless of whether it will ever be completed or not. Hobbies aren't taken on as a cold, calculated exercise to be scheduled and quantified and held to a deadline (well, maybe, as my Dad's family is German, but my Mom's family is French, so no). It's supposed to be an engaging and entertaining way to unwind and pass the time. It's art, not science. </div><div><br></div><div>If you're not born with the wargaming bug, I think you'll never understand, nor will any amount of explaining it help you. The point isn't the destination; it's the trip. As Oscar Wilde said "Arriving isn't important; traveling is." Having a huge, beautiful wargaming army all completed would unarguably be wonderful and I hope I get there, but really, it's the endless messing with creating it that is my real hobby. </div><div><br></div><div>In Arthur C. Clarke's 1953 short story <i>The Nine Billion Names of God</i>,</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iMrUxwfLKzY/VdvFxQmY9TI/AAAAAAAAGG8/G8rzzXPpsHo/s640/blogger-image--638206834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iMrUxwfLKzY/VdvFxQmY9TI/AAAAAAAAGG8/G8rzzXPpsHo/s640/blogger-image--638206834.jpg"></a></div></div><div>a sect of monks had devoted centuries to collecting all of God's various names from every culture that ever existed, forgetting the old story that once every name was known, time would end. At the end of the story, as the last name was written down, the stars began to quietly go out, one by one. Maybe if I ever actually finish anything, I'll find that I'm not interested in it anymore. Or maybe I'll inadvertently destroy the entire universe. Hey, it could happen!!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-22204782708055727262015-08-23T19:12:00.001-05:002015-08-23T20:48:36.604-05:003mm cavalry is a real pain in the ass!This weekend, I've been fiddling with my long-neglected 1806 Saxon chevauxleger regiment. My chosen stand size for Napoleonics, 40mm x 20mm, should each hold two cavalry squadrons. When I have a regiment that needs an odd number of squadrons, I'll do a 20x20 stand as an end cap. <div><br></div><div>Unfortunately, O8s cavalry is cast as files of two and not ranks (which would've made basing soooo much easier). So I'm having to go through the slow and painful process of gluing a file to the base and then texturing a thin line next to it, then gluing down the next file:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FUNOVFJCDAs/VdpldYporOI/AAAAAAAAGGk/rEOYAml8_zA/s640/blogger-image-1716633146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FUNOVFJCDAs/VdpldYporOI/AAAAAAAAGGk/rEOYAml8_zA/s640/blogger-image-1716633146.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wjy9zr-lrZw/VdplgDDht0I/AAAAAAAAGGs/7KOq9LfgSwo/s640/blogger-image-5111873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wjy9zr-lrZw/VdplgDDht0I/AAAAAAAAGGs/7KOq9LfgSwo/s640/blogger-image-5111873.jpg"></a></div>etc, etc, etc. It's the only way to get into that tiny, narrow space between files. Talk about tedious!! </div><div><br></div><div>But I have discovered that painting 3mm horses is a breeze. This is always one chore that I absolutely detest in 6mm, but here, the details are so tiny that they can safely be slopped over with a suitable "horse colored" paint, of which I have three or four (I can't honestly have all the horses looking identical, now can I?). Stone Mountain Miniatures does a really great line of paints, part of which is an excellent selection of horse colors. </div><div><br></div><div>So, on I go. More on all this when I have a few squadrons that are presentable. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-15096815066401360042015-08-17T19:22:00.001-05:002015-08-17T19:29:33.966-05:00Marcin's 155s need Viagra!!Today I received a small shipment from Picoarmor, included in which was a pack of O8's U.S. 155mm howitzers (the post 1962 designation for which is M114) and the barrels have a very pronounced droop!!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MuKKIE-GdiA/VdJ62xtcxwI/AAAAAAAAGGI/N1SZPlIT1VY/s640/blogger-image-174514611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MuKKIE-GdiA/VdJ62xtcxwI/AAAAAAAAGGI/N1SZPlIT1VY/s640/blogger-image-174514611.jpg"></a></div>Hmmmm, that's not good! All the other artillery will laugh!! I think my UK readers would call that "brewer's droop". Marcin, those molds seem to need some corrective attention. </div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-66916844015605858742015-08-16T09:58:00.001-05:002015-08-17T11:11:55.760-05:00A bit of this and a bit of thatThis weekend, I've been kept quite busy with the "honey do" list, which Mrs. History PhD produced with almost satanic glee, so hobby related activities have been at a bare minimum. <div><br></div><div>However I did manage to sneak in a platoon of West German Skorpion <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Minenwerfers (in English, that's "mines thrower"):</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hv5BuhGLzps/VdClIeVAoMI/AAAAAAAAGE8/bHMwBxwtSVw/s640/blogger-image-863008553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hv5BuhGLzps/VdClIeVAoMI/AAAAAAAAGE8/bHMwBxwtSVw/s640/blogger-image-863008553.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eQj5JTx_ypc/VdD8ANODicI/AAAAAAAAGFw/ajEGBw7UMQE/s640/blogger-image-673358490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eQj5JTx_ypc/VdD8ANODicI/AAAAAAAAGFw/ajEGBw7UMQE/s640/blogger-image-673358490.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YDehP69TlnY/VdD8CpN7zzI/AAAAAAAAGF4/PUDQgpj9Fl8/s640/blogger-image--104695911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YDehP69TlnY/VdD8CpN7zzI/AAAAAAAAGF4/PUDQgpj9Fl8/s640/blogger-image--104695911.jpg"></a></div></div>These are from National Cheese Emporium on Shapeways. I think they're slightly sub-scale (or maybe O8 vehicles are slightly over-scale), but they are very nicely detailed, although exorbitantly expensive for being just four tiny slivers of plastic. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Hopefully O8 will get cracking on putting out other vehicles for my projected West German engineer company. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And for my East German panzer pioneers, I finished a platoon of BTS-2 armored recovery vehicles:</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HfXHTIfT4MI/VdClK9jmFSI/AAAAAAAAGFE/-XZHbxJOWyo/s640/blogger-image-1814517031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HfXHTIfT4MI/VdClK9jmFSI/AAAAAAAAGFE/-XZHbxJOWyo/s640/blogger-image-1814517031.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2Kkc4i8bk08/VdClF4MEtiI/AAAAAAAAGE0/OqIEy3n043M/s640/blogger-image-1328375114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2Kkc4i8bk08/VdClF4MEtiI/AAAAAAAAGE0/OqIEy3n043M/s640/blogger-image-1328375114.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IacmfT-f8M4/VdCk-dVZq-I/AAAAAAAAGEc/k8fjn1viivs/s640/blogger-image-429056460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IacmfT-f8M4/VdCk-dVZq-I/AAAAAAAAGEc/k8fjn1viivs/s640/blogger-image-429056460.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mdWQYO_7zNY/VdClA9rUcmI/AAAAAAAAGEk/HTC6qSiTaG0/s640/blogger-image-654266041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mdWQYO_7zNY/VdClA9rUcmI/AAAAAAAAGEk/HTC6qSiTaG0/s640/blogger-image-654266041.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ipFzv28CpG8/VdClDQ9-pKI/AAAAAAAAGEs/uLGMzX3kteM/s640/blogger-image--554612884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ipFzv28CpG8/VdClDQ9-pKI/AAAAAAAAGEs/uLGMzX3kteM/s640/blogger-image--554612884.jpg"></a></div>These were based on a T-54A chassis and oddly, the dozer blade was mounted on the rear. Similar western vehicles always mounted the blade in front. For 1981, I should be using BTS-4s:</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHxvqn453BlBJZH0jn2K01tmCAxtvcbWaCYS1OPW9SSbvIxzfzeXxbHt3Nl2Bt4qbSQujt96FZzObyLJ3HvYd-QbaUgMN1YC_LLdVx8STZTPcggNolqm664Z6OudGSOC150TuarxSWWfN/s640/blogger-image-1747293866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHxvqn453BlBJZH0jn2K01tmCAxtvcbWaCYS1OPW9SSbvIxzfzeXxbHt3Nl2Bt4qbSQujt96FZzObyLJ3HvYd-QbaUgMN1YC_LLdVx8STZTPcggNolqm664Z6OudGSOC150TuarxSWWfN/s640/blogger-image-1747293866.jpg"></a></div>with their massive snorkel, but Marcin has provided only BTS-2s thus far. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Actually, ARVs were not part of pioneer units in the NVA (nor in any other army, as far as I'm aware), but clouds of them would've followed any WarPac armored unit and attaching them to my pioneers seemed reasonable, at least for storage purposes. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">That's all I've been granted time to do this weekend. When I said that hobbies were far more important than chores, I got this face:</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGuzE-CPgvYiHypd5rxfpsCzlCJD2QiNfTG_ZkdDAGvKEvOAErJVAI5bHXp2WnW2rLHZAxCfpn21hBDEpcKdOOyGLwQvFTYdW84-df4o7wbXw9yodWy6O9SKZWAtpcSkK9ngCwoDYcHT6/s640/blogger-image-1647588077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGuzE-CPgvYiHypd5rxfpsCzlCJD2QiNfTG_ZkdDAGvKEvOAErJVAI5bHXp2WnW2rLHZAxCfpn21hBDEpcKdOOyGLwQvFTYdW84-df4o7wbXw9yodWy6O9SKZWAtpcSkK9ngCwoDYcHT6/s640/blogger-image-1647588077.jpg"></a></div>Hmmm. More next weekend (hopefully)!</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-59919484436804868082015-08-10T20:21:00.001-05:002015-08-10T21:55:55.559-05:00Decals for my samuraiThe 6mm samurai decals from Baccus arrived today and unlike the samurai minis themselves, these arrived in record time...well, 16 days, which isn't bad at all. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vz0Ri5wcIiE/VclOKfXRAHI/AAAAAAAAGEA/LZEsL23KU74/s640/blogger-image-1954662382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vz0Ri5wcIiE/VclOKfXRAHI/AAAAAAAAGEA/LZEsL23KU74/s640/blogger-image-1954662382.jpg"></a></div></div>As you can see, they are Takeda mon. </div><div><br></div><div>There are enough for 24 figures wearing sashimono and bigger ones for 6 nobori. At $9.50/£6.25 including the postage, this just isn't going to be a financially viable option. With even a moderate-sized samurai army, I'd get through several hundred decals!</div><div><br></div><div>And I've already detected a problem:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--7h9Mtlv8qs/VclOHtqvWMI/AAAAAAAAGD4/5A7RyRWXHHY/s640/blogger-image-1291436600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--7h9Mtlv8qs/VclOHtqvWMI/AAAAAAAAGD4/5A7RyRWXHHY/s640/blogger-image-1291436600.jpg"></a></div>The decals don't quite fit. As small as they are, the decals hang off the back side of the sashimono to a noticeable degree, though maybe it's not as obvious in the photo. Trimming the decal paper smaller won't help, as it's the actual image that hangs over. </div><div><br></div><div>Well, I'll use these up, as I paid through the nose for them, but I'll have to find a cheaper, smaller, bulk alternative. Damn it!! Any ideas?</div><div><br></div><div>Oh! My Osprey on the Battle of Nagashino has also arrived, so yet more reference work to wade through! More meanderings from me on the weekend.</div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-5922131238794279922015-08-09T14:01:00.001-05:002015-08-09T18:34:41.992-05:00My first regimental command stand!This weekend, I completed the third battalion (a T-55 unit) for an East German panzer regiment. It's two battalions of T-55s: <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ySXCPw4dfro/Vcejigz8pYI/AAAAAAAAGCo/8dcL7R8b1ck/s640/blogger-image--988489583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ySXCPw4dfro/Vcejigz8pYI/AAAAAAAAGCo/8dcL7R8b1ck/s640/blogger-image--988489583.jpg"></a></div></div><div>and one of T-72s:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OSY8jb7dKig/VcejlvlzQaI/AAAAAAAAGCw/tUzVNNIi8UE/s640/blogger-image-1062022141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OSY8jb7dKig/VcejlvlzQaI/AAAAAAAAGCw/tUzVNNIi8UE/s640/blogger-image-1062022141.jpg"></a></div></div><div>It's part of my East German 9th Panzer Division (It will be either the 21st, 22nd, or 23rd Panzer Regiment, all of which were part of the 9th Division in 1981, as was the 9th Motor Rifle Regiment). <div><br></div><div>That being the case, this is the first time I've ever needed a Cold War-era regiment/brigade command stand. As a visual aid, I go with the number of vehicles on the stand to quickly identify its command level; one vehicle for company command, two for battalion, etc. I have always used 1"x1" (25mm x 25mm) for my command stands. There's ample room for two vehicles to fit quite comfortably (<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">and even a bush here and there):</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jMYFiqg4M-8/Vceuphu4maI/AAAAAAAAGDc/G8OPVSi7p2M/s640/blogger-image--157600949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jMYFiqg4M-8/Vceuphu4maI/AAAAAAAAGDc/G8OPVSi7p2M/s640/blogger-image--157600949.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">However, three was just too many. They looked like they were on top of each other! As I doubt that I'm ever going to need command stands for dozens of regiments/brigades, I really don't want to buy a whole pack of a new, larger size square stand. So, after rummaging around in the numerous sizes I already have, I settled on 40mm x 20mm. It's what I use for 1/600 Napoleonic infantry:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DUhs8boJBlA/VceusUKA2CI/AAAAAAAAGDk/8qh4J_dYHtg/s640/blogger-image--1671009247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DUhs8boJBlA/VceusUKA2CI/AAAAAAAAGDk/8qh4J_dYHtg/s640/blogger-image--1671009247.jpg"></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Looks fine to me. As this regiment is partly T-72s, I've assumed the regimental commander would refuse to be seen in older equipment. You know how officers are. But the 2IC is still in his T-55. I threw in a BTR-50PK:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9MSjTx-aaXU/Vceq8i7rFCI/AAAAAAAAGDA/Xt_v2fVJjdo/s640/blogger-image--1669389009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9MSjTx-aaXU/Vceq8i7rFCI/AAAAAAAAGDA/Xt_v2fVJjdo/s640/blogger-image--1669389009.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">to represent a staff vehicle. Also at the regimental level was a forward air control (FAC) vehicle, a BTR-60 R975:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4xmgEtUDPzc/Vceq_UTo1rI/AAAAAAAAGDI/2HVdHV99HGQ/s640/blogger-image-1902634866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4xmgEtUDPzc/Vceq_UTo1rI/AAAAAAAAGDI/2HVdHV99HGQ/s640/blogger-image-1902634866.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QEQ3GkMpBwg/VceunAQ8m1I/AAAAAAAAGDU/H7KkDnt0KO0/s640/blogger-image--1038970152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QEQ3GkMpBwg/VceunAQ8m1I/AAAAAAAAGDU/H7KkDnt0KO0/s640/blogger-image--1038970152.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">As usual, the best I can do is a filed down BTR-60PB.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div>Now all I need to do is convert my pre-existing motor rifle pioneer company into one for a panzer regiment (four extra MTU-20 AVLBs, tracked transport for the pioneers, and lose the ditch diggers) and I'll have the entire regiment completed. As soon as I can convince Mrs. History PhD to let me clear off the kitchen table, I'll let you have a look. </div></div><div><br></div><div>More next time!</div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147481014461935799.post-48326394887244678412015-08-02T08:02:00.001-05:002015-08-02T08:44:49.128-05:00I got unfollowed!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Or is it de-followed?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gK5YFsSKSRw/Vb4U06Yn5RI/AAAAAAAAGCQ/S5nQCpIzRGE/s640/blogger-image--1158799794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gK5YFsSKSRw/Vb4U06Yn5RI/AAAAAAAAGCQ/S5nQCpIzRGE/s640/blogger-image--1158799794.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I had 54 followers, but now I have 53! I must be getting boring after two years of posts. </div>History PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00748895855614902567noreply@blogger.com16