flames of war Archives - Page 24 of 42

Painting the Flames of War Char B1 bis

After deciding to create an Early War Flames of War French force I went and got the French Early War Paint Set.

After purchasing the set and getting out some French Infantry to paint I was disappointed to find that the box set didn’t contain Green Brown (879)for the uniforms or Olive Grey (888) for the helmets. I had a pot of Green Brown, but no Olive Grey. So I left painting the infantry until I placed an order for some Flames of War miniatures and ordered a pot of Olive Grey paint.

So you can imagine my frustration when after that arrived and I sat down to give my Char B1 tanks a basecoat of Tan Yellow (912) the standard basecoat for French tanks was also not in the box. There was an assumption that you would have other box sets… I didn’t… so I needed to get another pot of paint in order to paint my models… I bought the box set so that I would have all the paints I needed, in the end I think it may have been easier to just buy the paints separately.

Once the Tan Yellow (912) arrived I gave the three Char B1s a basecoat.

The turrets were stuck to a wooden stick to make them easier to paint.

See the workbench feature on the French Char B1 bis.

More Sherman Tracking

Having repainted my Shermans with Warpaint British Armour. The next stage was the detailing, including the tracks and the stowage. I also started to paint the tracks using German Grey (995).

The underside of the Sherman.

I do need to start thinking about markings.

See the full workbench feature on the resin Shermans from Open Fire.

Tracking the Shermans

Having repainted my Shermans with Warpaint British Armour. The next stage was the detailing, including the tracks and the stowage.

The next stage was the detailing, including the tracks and the stowage.

I also started to paint the tracks using German Grey (995).

See the full workbench feature on the resin Shermans from Open Fire.

Flames of War Morris CS9

This is one of Simon’s Flames of War Morris CS9 armoured cars.

Morris CS9 Armoured Car – The Morris CS9/Light Armoured Car was a British armoured car used by the British Army in the World War II. The vehicle was based on a Morris Commercial C9 4×2 15-cwt truck chassis. On this chassis a rivetted hull was mounted with an open-topped two-man turret. The armament consisted of either Boys anti-tank rifle and Bren light machine gun or Vickers machine gun.

The photo is a little dark as my Canon camera was playing up and wouldn’t use the settings that I wanted and decided to use the settings it wanted, so the photograph came out dark. I lightened it up slightly, but as a result it still looks like it’s dusk…

Flames of War Cromwell ARV

Having given the model a basecoat the next stage was painting the fixtures and other details on the Cromwell ARV.

Both the wooden equipment…

…and the tracks.

See the workbench feature on the Cromwell ARV.

Flames of War Rolls Royce Armoured Cars

The Rolls-Royce armoured car was a British armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II.

The models went together very easily, the next stage was a white undercoat.

See the workbench feature on the Rolls Royce Armoured Car.

Flames of War Rolls Royce Armoured Cars

The Rolls-Royce armoured car was a British armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II.

There are two models in the blister. The model comprises (as with most Flames of War models) a resin body and metal components for the wheels. The turret is metal though.

The models went together very easily.

See the workbench feature on the Rolls Royce Armoured Car.

Flames of War French Hotchkiss H-39

The Hotchkiss H35 or Char léger modèle 1935 H was a French light tank developed prior to World War II.

So far I have two of these blisters and each contains three tanks. You can make them up either as the H-35 or the H-39. As well as the resin hulls and turrets you get metal tracks and rear engine covers.

The resin hull and turret.

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

Flames of War British Morris CS9

The Morris CS9/Light Armoured Car was a British armoured car used by the British Army in the World War II. The vehicle was based on a Morris Commercial C9 4×2 15-cwt truck chassis. On this chassis a rivetted hull was mounted with an open-topped two-man turret. The armament consisted of either Boys anti-tank rifle and Bren light machine gun or Vickers machine gun. The vehicle carried a No. 19 radio set.

The prototype was tested in 1936. A further 99 cars were ordered and were delivered in 1938. Thirty-eight of these cars were used by the 12th Royal Lancers in the Battle of France, where all of them were destroyed or abandoned.

Another 30 served with the 11th Hussars in the North African Campaign. It was found that when fitted with desert tyres the vehicle had good performance on soft sand. However, its armour and armament were insufficient. The vehicle was retired halfway through the North African Campaign.

A model of the Morris CS9 has been released for the Early Desert War, as part of the releases for Hellfire and Back by Battlefront. However I have decided to use them as part of my Early War Britis. I will therefore be painting mine green.

There are two models in the blister.

Flames of War Rolls Royce Armoured Cars

The Rolls-Royce armoured car was a British armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II.

At the outbreak of World War II, 76 vehicles were in service. They were used in operations in the Western Desert, in Iraq, and in Syria. By the end of 1941, they were withdrawn from the frontline service as modern armoured car designs became available.

So there I was flicking through issue 286 of Wargames Illustrated when I noticed in the Hellfire and Back battle report a wonderful looking Rolls Royce Armoured Car.

I’ve always liked the Rolls Royce Armoured Car and though this is a desert version, wondering if it wouldn’t take much to convert it for Home Guard use. I would need to convert the turrets back from the open ones used in the desert to the older closed ones. Of course it would be nice if a non-desert version of the Rolls Royce Armoured Car was sold as part of Blitzkreig, but I am guessing it won’t be.

It was in 1940, that 34 vehicles which served in Egypt with the 11th Hussars regiment had the “old” turret replaced with an open-topped unit carrying a Boys anti-tank rifle, .303 inch Bren machine gun and smoke grenade launchers.

However I have decided to use them as part of my Early War Brits and not convert the turrets. As I am intending to explain away the open turret by assuming that the reasons the “old” turret was replaced in the desert would be applicable in to an invaded England, the need to replace the standard machine gun with an anti-tank weapon and a Bren gun. Well that;s my story and I am sticking to it. I might convert them at a later date anyhow.

There are two models in the blister.