Category: flames of war

Humber Light Reconnaissance Car

The Humber Light Reconnaissance Car, also known as Humberette or Ironside, was a British armoured car produced during the Second World War. The vehicle was used by Infantry Reconnaissance Regiments and the RAF Regiment in Tunisia, Italy and Western Europe. After the war, some vehicles remained in service with the British units in India and in the Far East. The LRC was used widely by the Reconnaissance Corps and was also used by the Reconnaissance squadron of the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade Group.

Humber Light Reconnaissance Car

Humber Light Reconnaissance Car

From Simon’s collection.

Rural Church

Rural Church

Battlefront will be releasing a rural church in their scenery range for Flames of War on the 26th May 2012. As you can see from the photograph this is for the Eastern Front. Looks very nice and goes well with the recent rural houses for the same geographical and historical era.

What I have noticed is a distinct lack of building releases for Normandy, there are quite a few buildings in the many photographs you see in the rule books and the two source books for the battle for Normandy. I wonder if the reason is that there are already a fair few companies out there already manufacturing nice resin 15mm buildings already? Having said that a fair few are also making Russian houses and churches too.

So are we going to see any terrain for Western Europe for Flames of War from Battlefront?

What do you think?

Thoughts on the ruins

I have been thinking about how I should paint the ruins that came with my Jagdpanther.

So far I have not been pleased with what I have done so far…

As a result I have been looking online and in Flames of War publications for ideas.

Finding this page on the Flames of War website made me realise I wasn’t going in the right direction with my model.

As you can see from the two examples they have done, there are quite a few things I need to do to my model.

I think I might need to start again!

Undercoating the Flames of War Renault FT-17

The Renault FT or Automitrailleuse à chenilles Renault FT modèle 1917, inexactly known as the FT-17 or FT17, was a French light tank; it is among the most revolutionary and influential tank designs in history. France still had several thousand First World War Renault FT tanks in 1940. Over 500 of them were still in service in independent bataillons de chars de combat (BCC) tank battalions in the front lines. Although adequate for infantry support, they were totally outclassed by German tanks in a mobile battle.

Having constructed the tanks the next stage was a white undercoat.

Underneath the Flames of War French Hotchkiss H-39

Despite having been designed from 1933 as a rather slow but well-armoured light infantry support tank, the type was initially rejected by the French Infantry because it proved difficult to steer while driving cross-country, instead being adopted in 1936 by the French Cavalry. From 1938 an improved version was produced with a stronger engine, the Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39, that from 1940 was also fitted with a longer, more powerful 37 mm gun.

Having made up the models, and having given the models a white undercoat, the next stage was to basecoat the models. In order to add shadow I gave the underneath of all three models a spray of Warpaint German Armour.

Flames of War French Hotchkiss H-39

Flames of War French Hotchkiss H-39

See the workbench feature on the Flames of War French Hotchkiss H-39.

Flames of War Street Barricades

Within the Flames of War Street Barricades box you get two identical street sections, one overturned Opel Blitz and one pile of barricade, both designed to fill the gaps in the street sections. All are made from resin.

The first thing I did after washing the resin models to remove any remaining mould lubribicant was give the model a white undercoat. I then gave the model a basecoat.

I gave the street sections a basecoat of Humbrol Sea Grey.

The separate barricades, the truck and short barricade were given a basecoat of Warpaint German Armour.

See the workbench feature on the Street Barricades.

There are also a couple of Battlefront painting guides available.

15mm German SdKfz 251 Half Track

The SdKfz 251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251) half-track was an armored fighting vehicle designed and first built by Germany’s Hanomag company during World War II. One of the most common, and best armoured of the wartime half-tracks, the SdKfz 251 was designed to transport the panzergrenadiers of the German mechanized infantry corps into battle. Widely known simply as “Hanomags” by both German and Allied forces.

This is an old metal model that I think was made by SDD. I have used it as a testbed for which painting method I should use with my Flames of War resin models.

See the workbench feature on the German SdKfz 251 Armoured Half Track.