Author: Felix

Tallarn Imperial Guard

As well as my other Daemonhunters Inquisitorial Stormtroopers which are based on the Cadian Kasrkin I have also decided to add a unit based on the Tallarn or I may just use them as inducted Imperial Guard. I have had these models for a fair while.

I did look at my original painting scheme that I was using for the blister pack of Tallarn Imperial Guard. I had used a basecoat of Desert Yellow followed by a wash consisting of Chestnut Ink and Scorched Brown paint.

However I did think about doing something slightly different now that Contrast paints were available. I had painted some Star Wars Legion Rebel Troopers with Citadel Snakebite Leather Contrast paint and had been impressed with the results.

I painted the models with Snakebite Leather Contrast paint, after giving them another spray with Citadel Corax White to improve the effect of the contrast paint.

The next step was a drybrush. The other Tallarn models I painted I had  drybushed the three models with Snakebite Leather and Bleached Bone. Neither of these paints were available any more. So using this chart I used Layer Balor Brown instead of Snakebite Leather and used Layer Ushabti Bone instead of Bleached Bone.

Here are three troopers.

Here are the commanders (or sergeants) for the platoon.

Here are three more of the troopers.

Unlike highlighting and glazes and the suchlike, drybrushing does not give as neat as a finish as those methods. However I quite like the dusty look for these desert based models and these are going to be gaming models, not Golden Demon entries!

See the workbench journey for this Tallarn Imperial Guard boxed set and the workbench feature on the Tallarn Imperial Guard blister.

Spitfire Mk1a

The Spitfire is the most famous British fighter aircraft in history. It won immortal fame during the summer months of 1940 by helping to defeat the German air attacks during the Battle of Britain.

1566 Spitfire Is were built and the oldest surviving example is at RAF Cosford. The prototype made its first flight four years earlier as Britain’s industry geared up to re-arm against the threat from Nazi Germany. From the beginning pilots recognised it as a thoroughbred combining a perfection of design with superb handling characteristics.

Perhaps the greatest compliment paid to this aircraft was made at the height of the Battle of Britain by a German ace, who in a moment of anger and frustration, turned to his Commander in Chief and demanded a squadron of Spitfires!

Supermarine Spitfire Mk I at RAF London

There is also a Spitfire Mk 1 at RAF Cosford.

Tallarn Missile Launcher Team

As well as my other Daemonhunters Inquisitorial Stormtroopers which are based on the Cadian Kasrkin I have also decided to add a unit based on the Tallarn or I may just use them as inducted Imperial Guard. I have had these models for a fair while.

I did look at my original painting scheme that I was using for the blister pack of Tallarn Imperial Guard. I had used a basecoat of Desert Yellow followed by a wash consisting of Chestnut Ink and Scorched Brown paint.

However I did think about doing something slightly different now that Contrast paints were available. I had painted some Star Wars Legion Rebel Troopers with Citadel Snakebite Leather Contrast paint and had been impressed with the results.

I painted the models with Snakebite Leather Contrast paint, after giving them another spray with Citadel Corax White to improve the effect of the contrast paint.

The next step was a drybrush. The other Tallarn models I painted I had  drybushed the three models with Snakebite Leather and Bleached Bone. Neither of these paints were available any more. So using this chart I used Layer Balor Brown instead of Snakebite Leather and used Layer Ushabti Bone instead of Bleached Bone.

These are the two crew for the missile launcher team.

Unlike highlighting and glazes and the suchlike, drybrushing does not give as neat as a finish as those methods. However I quite like the dusty look for these desert based models and these are going to be gaming models, not Golden Demon entries!

See the workbench journey for this Tallarn Imperial Guard boxed set and the workbench feature on the Tallarn Imperial Guard blister.

Gloster Whittle

The Gloster E.28/39, (also referred to as the Gloster Whittle, Gloster Pioneer, or Gloster G.40) was the first British jet-engined aircraft and first flew in 1941. It was the fourth jet to fly, after two German and one Italian jet aircraft.

The prototype continued test flying until 1944, after which it was withdrawn from service; in 1946, it was transferred to the Science Museum in London, where it has been on static display ever since.

Reflecting on the Ork Looted Rhino

There are Orks who have looted Imperial weaponry. Not only can they use Space Marine weapons they can also borrow the transport.

A Looted Rhino is an Imperial Rhino armoured personnel carrier that has been looted from a previous battlefield by Ork Lootas and is now used as a transport for their WAAAGH!. These machines are “upgraded” with Ork technology and are capable of loading a group of Ork Boyz. While in battle, Looted Rhinos are fast, and are usually outfitted with a gunner. Looted Rhinos have been used as weapons during many past Ork invasions. However, Looted Rhinos are more prone to breakdowns and often possess inferior armoured protection and do less damage than their Imperial counterparts because of the Orks’ lack of maintenance and care for their stolen vehicles.

I started my Ork Looted Rhino many years ago, and the process I used is outlined on my workbench feature on the Looted Rhino.

Though I hadn’t used it as a transport in games, I have used it as scenery in a few games.

I was painting the tracks for my Repressor and Razorback when I realised I had three sets of tracks. It took me a while, before I realised that the tracks were for my Ork Looted Rhino. I actually thought I had affixed them, but obviously I hadn’t.

So, I went through some boxes and I got the Looted Rhino and reflected on progress. Yes the base coat was done and there was quite a bit of weathering.

I still needed to do the iconography, some of the attached baggage. I also needed to do the front hatches. Though I had done most of the interior and was pleased with that.

Looking over the model I realised I still needed to do a fair amount of work to get it done.

Ah well, back it goes on the workbench.

V-1

The V-1 was the first of the so-called “Vengeance weapons” series  deployed for the terror bombing of London. It was developed at Peenemünde Army Research Center in 1939 by the Luftwaffe. Because of its limited range, the thousands of V-1 missiles launched into England were fired from launch facilities along the French (Pas-de-Calais) and Dutch coasts. The Wehrmacht first launched the V-1s against London on 13 June 1944, one week after (and prompted by) the successful Allied landings in France.

I’ve always thought that either a Dutch or French Resistance or UK Commando raid on a V1 base to stop them launching would make for an interesting game. Why send in ground troops when a bombing raid would work just as well? Then I was thinking about adding in the complication of a chemical or biological armed V1 that would need to be taken care of on the ground. There were some real raids on V1 bases as part of Operation Crossbow, which was the code name in World War II for Anglo-American operations against the German long range reprisal weapons (V-weapons) programme. In 1965 a film Operation Crossbow, based on these raids, was released.

V1 and Launcher Ramp at IWM Duxford.

V-1 flying bomb at IWM London.

Highway Patrol

As well as picked up the Implements of Carnage plastic sprues I also bought a blister of metal models for Gaslands. I bough the Highway Patrol figures.

You get five 20mm metal figures that are just the right size for Matchbox (Hot Wheels) size cars.

They are nice clean castings. I will be basing them and then undercoating with white paint. I am thinking I will use a blue contrast paint for their uniforms.

Hawker Hurricane Mk I

The Hurricane will always be remembered for the vital role it played, with its partner the Spitfire, in hectic battles during the summer of 1940. Hurricanes destroyed more enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain than did all the other air and ground defences combined.

Designed by the Hawker Aircraft Company in 1934 it first entered service in 1937. It provided the RAF with a fighter 160kph (100mph) faster than aircraft then in service; with an increased fire power of eight machine guns.

When war was declared, on the 3 September 1939, about five-hundred Hurricanes were in service and several squadrons were sent to France. During the 1940 German Blitzkrieg through the Low Countries and France they fought a punishing rearguard action in which over 25% of all Fighter Command’s aircraft were destroyed.

As the Battle of Britain raged in the skies overhead aircraft production increased so that by September 1940 the number of Hurricane squadrons had risen from eighteen, a year earlier, to thirty-two.

Later in the War Hurricanes made a significant contribution to the defence of Malta, the desert war in North Africa and war against the Japanese in the Far East.

This Mark 1 Hurricane on display at the Science Museum was built in 1938. Served with the RAF, but was shot down on 18th August 1940 crash landing at Croydon.

Hawker Hurricane Mk I at RAF London.

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIb at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc at RAF Cosford.

Making progress on the Repressor

The Repressor tank is often used by Sisters of Battle as transport, and by the Adeptus Arbites in an anti insurgency role. I said  in a blog post back in 2004.

“I do like this model and I am intending to get one to use with my Daemonhunters army as a transport for the Storm Troopers”.

I did get one that Christmas as a present. Though I actually started building and painting this model back in 2007, I recently retrieved it from storage and decided that I would try and finish painting it. I realised I had made quite significant progress.

Having sprayed the model with Citadel Zandri Dust. I started the detailing, using Leadbelcher on the weapons and the exhausts. The next step was painting the iconography and purity seals.

Here is the Repressor with the dozer blade and turret.

I had used shades on the blade and the turret. I still have some work to do on the iconography before I shade the rest of the vehicle.

Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet

The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet was a German rocket-powered interceptor aircraft.

This one was on display at the Science Museum.

It is the only rocket-powered fighter aircraft ever to have been operational and the first piloted aircraft of any type to exceed 621 mph in level flight.

Over 300 Komets were built, but the aircraft proved lacklustre in its dedicated role as an interceptor and destroyed between 9 and 18 Allied aircraft against 10 losses.

There is a Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet at RAF Cosford.