De Havilland DH-115 Vampire T.11 at the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.
Author: Felix
Painting the IS-3
I had ordered Operation Unthinkable boxed set containing the British and German tanks. I decided I would add to the game by ordering the other Operation Unthinkable set, which contains American and Soviet tanks. There are three IS-3 tanks included in the boxed set.
The IS-3 is a Soviet heavy tank developed in late 1944. Its semi-hemispherical cast turret (resembling that of an upturned soup bowl) became the hallmark of post-war Soviet tanks.
I had already constructed two of the IS-3 tanks, so it was a relatively easy process of constructing the other one., to which I added a commander figure to the cupola on the turret. I also gave the models a white undercoat.
I then sprayed the underneath of the models with a black spray to add shadow and depth.
The next step was to paint the models with Army Painter Colour Primer: Angel Green.
I think this colour may be too dark.
Rohan Stronghold at Warhammer World
A shadow has fallen upon the once-green lands of Rohan. Under the cruel command of Saruman, the armies of Isengard, a relentless force of Uruk-hai and vengeful Dunlendings, are not merely raiding—they’ve come for total annihilation. As the Westfold burns, a tide of destruction turns toward the great strongholds of Rohan. Yet, within those ancient walls, the proud Rohirrim stand ready. They know the odds are overwhelming, but with shields locked and spears raised, they will face the onslaught, prepared to fight to the last man to defend their home from the Legion of the White Hand.
From the display at Warhammer World.
Painting the Centurion Mk3 tanks
One of the Clash of Steel Starter Sets have been on my wants list ever since I found out about them at the beginning of the year. I ordered Operation Unthinkable boxed set containing the British and German tanks. There are 17 tanks in the box, of which four are the Centurion Tanks. They can be constructed as a range of variants.
The Centurion tank was one of the most successful post-war tank designs. It was introduced in 1945, just too late to see combat in the Second World War. However, it went on to serve in a number of conflicts, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Arab-Israeli wars. The Centurion was a well-balanced tank with a good mix of armament, armour, and mobility. It was armed with a 105mm rifled gun, which was capable of firing both high-explosive and armour-piercing rounds. The Centurion’s armour was also very effective, and it was able to withstand the fire of most enemy tanks. The tank was also highly mobile, and it was able to keep up with the latest advances in tank warfare.
For the first model I put together, I went with the Mk3. I did think about the Mk1 initially, but I did think I would initially model two Mk3 tanks and two Mk1 tanks, however in the end I decided I would model all four models as Mk3 Centurions. I modelled them with various variations though, including missing skirts.
The next step was a white undercoat.
I wanted to give the models some shadow, so I sprayed the underneath of the model with Army Painter Colour Primer: Angel Green.
Then the models were sprayed with Army Painter Army Green Spray. I wasn’t too happy with the result after the paint had dried, that I gave the models a second coat (in places) to ensure coverage across the models.
Next stage will be painting the tracks.
Supermarine Spitfire MKXIV
Supermarine Spitfire MKXIV at the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.
The Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV was a major upgrade of the iconic fighter, introduced in 1944. It was the first mass-produced Spitfire to be powered by the powerful 2,050 horsepower Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 engine, a significant leap from the Merlin engines used in earlier models. This new engine, along with a five-bladed Rotol propeller and a lengthened fuselage to handle the increased power and torque, gave the Mk XIV a distinct look and improved performance. It was a more powerful and faster aircraft, with an excellent rate of climb, which made it a formidable opponent for late-war German fighters and an effective interceptor against V-1 flying bombs. The Mk XIV saw widespread service with the RAF and other Allied forces from late 1944 until the end of World War II, playing a crucial role in armed reconnaissance and air superiority missions.
Painting the Panzer IV/70
The Panzer IV/70, was a German tank destroyer based on the Panzer IV chassis, it was armed with the 7.5 cm Pak 42 L/70. Officially, only the L/48-armed vehicle was named Jagdpanzer IV. The L/70-armed vehicle was named Panzer IV/70.
I have the Operation Unthinkable boxed set containing the British and German tanks. The GF9 Operation Unthinkable boxed set, the British versus German, contains 17 tanks, three of which are the Panzer IV/70.
Having constructed all three models, one with skirts, one would have missing skirts, whilst the other one would have damaged skirts.
The next thing I did was give the models a white undercoat.
Having given the tanks a white undercoat, I then used a brown spray to basecoat the underneath of the models.
The aim of this spray is to add shadow to the model rather than using the same paint across the whole of the model.
The next step was a coat of Army Painter Desert Yellow Spray.
The next stage will be brush painting the camouflage.
Painting the Legions Imperialis Arvus Lighter
I’ve always liked the Arvus Lighter. I did think about getting some resin versions for Aeronautica Imperialis. I was pleased to see the plastic versions for Legions Imperialis and they did go on that awfully long wants list. Visiting Jadlam Toys and Models in Glastonbury I was browsing and saw they had a box of the Legions Imperialis Arvus Lighters on sale at 33% off. Bargain, so I bought the box.
The Arvus Lighter is a solid and reliable workhorse shuttle, affectionately referred to as ‘Little Pig’ among air crews. The Solar Auxilia employ these durable craft as unarmed combat transports, to insert officers and specialists into a war zone with pinpoint accuracy.
In the box you get eight aircraft, across two sprues.
Having constructed the models I gave them a white undercoat.
I am planning to paint some of them using the same painting method as I did with my Valkyrie transports. The others will be in a different Imperial scheme.
I should really read my own workbench guides, as I gave the models a base coat of Army Painter Desert Yellow Spray.
This was too dark, and if I had read my guide I would realise I should have painted them with a basecoat of Ushabti Bone. Well I only painted four with the Army Painter Desert Yellow Spray, so that leaves four I can paint with Ushabti Bone.
Battle for Berlin 1945
Squad level action from the end of World War Two at Colours 2025.
I went to Colours 2025 at the Newbury Racecourse last week. Its been a fair few years since I have been to Colours, I have a feeling it might be as long ago when Colours was at the Hexagon in Reading after they changed the name of the show from Armageddon. Anyhow the show was great and there were a fair few traders there, I did buy something.
On the top floor though were all the demonstration and participation games. I thought the scenery for the participation game, the Battle for Berlin 1945 was excellent, though I think it was trams which caught my eye.
I did participate in the game, using my usual tactics of messing things up… enjoyable though.
The Gladewyrm
From the enchanting, ethereal forests of the Mortal Realms emerges the Gladewyrm, a stunning model for any Sylvaneth army in Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
This serpentine spirit of the woods isn’t just a beautiful model; it’s a formidable force on the tabletop.
Weaving through the battlefield, it embodies the cunning and savage nature of Alarielle’s children.
Undercoating and painting the Comet (A34)
The Comet (A34) was a British cruiser tank that first saw use near the end of World War II. It was designed to provide greater anti-tank capability to Cromwell tank squadrons. It was armed with a 77mm HV, a derivative of the 17 pounder, with the result it was one of the few British tanks with the firepower to challenge late war German designs.
I have the Operation Unthinkable boxed set containing the British and German tanks. The GF9 Operation Unthinkable boxed set, the British versus German, contains 17 tanks, three of which are the A34 Comet Cruiser Tank.
With three models I decided I would vary construction. I then gave all three models a white undercoat.
The next stage was to paint the underneath of the model with Army Painter Colour Primer: Angel Green to add shadow and depth.
Then the models were sprayed with Army Painter Army Green Spray.
The next stage will be painting the tracks and stowage.