flames of war Archives - Page 32 of 41

15mm German SdKfz 251 Armoured Half Track

The SdKfz 251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251) half-track was an armoured fighting vehicle designed and first built by Nazi Germany’s Hanomag company during World War II. The largest, most common, and best armored 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, they were widely produced throughout the war, with over 15,252 vehicles and variants produced in total by various manufacturers.

Like some of my other models I am unsure of the manufacturer of this one. However it is a completely metal model. I want to use this one to test out my German armour paint scheme. I might then use it to create a Flames of War objective.

I found the frontal weapon and stuck it to the model.

After that the next stage was a white undercoat.

Another view.

You can see how it compares to a Flames of War resin and plastic SdKfz 251 in this photograph.

As you can see there is not only more detail of the FoW model, but the detail is crisper and more defined. The plastic tracks certainly help here as does using resin for the main body.

The next stage will be to give the underbody a dark brown basecoat.

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

Flames of War Scenery

Having spent a bit of time making and painting models for Flames of War I have been thinking about doing some terrain. As well as potentially buying resin scenery, I have also been thinking about making some of my own.

There are lots of sources available on the web that can be used to inspire or to provide ideas for models. One recent find was the following entry on How to be a Retronaut on the destruction of Epinal in France during World War Two.

Epinal is a town in north-eastern France that was hit badly both by the German invasion in 1940 and subsequently with the liberation of the town by American forces four years later.

The destruction was horrific in 1940 as you can see from these images.

Likewise there was added destruction four years later as the forces of liberation pushed the Germans back.

From a modelling perspective these photographs give you an idea of what war torn France looked like during the 1940s. Some of the key features that I have noticed is that in amongst the destroyed buildings there are others which have minimal damage. Plenty of ideas in these photographs.

15mm British Cruiser Tank Mk III A13

The Tank, Cruiser, Mk III (A13) was a British cruiser tank of the Second World War. It was the first British cruiser tank to use the Christie suspension system which gave higher speeds and better cross-country performance, previous models of cruiser tanks having used triple wheeled bogie suspension. Like most British cruisers, the A 13 was fast but under-armoured and proved unreliable mechanically. Most were lost in the French campaign in 1940, but a few were used in Greece and the North African campaign in 1940-41.

I have had this tank for sometime. Don’t remember the manufacturer, though I think it may be an old SDD Miniatures model. It’s made of metal and is quite well detailed. After cleaning the model I gave it a white undercoat.

Looks better already than when it was plain metal.

See the full workbench feature on the A13.

15mm Home Guard Bedford OXA

The Bedford OXA was a gun truck or improvised British heavy armoured car built during World War II by mounting an armoured body onto a Bedford OXD 1.5 ton truck chassis. 948 units were built in 1940-1941.

The vehicle was used by British Home Guard units until 1942. As with many of my 15mm metal vehicles I don’t recall who the manufacturer was. I gave the model a white undercoat.

This is a solid whitemetal casting.

The next stage will be a basecoat of Brown Violet (887).

Repainting the Home Guard Standard Beaverette

Standard Car 4×2, or Car Armoured Light Standard, better known as the Beaverette, was a British armoured car produced during World War II.

Don’t remember the manufacturer. After a bit of internet research I believe it is an old SDD miniature. Not convinced totally, but other miniatures in the box it was in carry SDD codes. I have painted this model. I gave the model a black undercoat, a dark green base coat and “weathered” it with some brown paint. Decided to repaint the model and gave it a coat of Warpaint British Armour.

Looks better already!

15mm German SdKfz 251 Armoured Half Track

The Sd.Kfz. 251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251) half-track was an armored fighting vehicle designed and first built by Nazi Germany’s Hanomag company during World War II. The largest, most common, and best armored of the wartime half-tracks, the Sd.Kfz. 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, they were widely produced throughout the war, with over 15,252 vehicles and variants produced in total by various manufacturers.

Like some of my other models I am unsure of the manufacturer of this one.

I found the and added the MG to the model.

I am going to use this as a testbed for my German paint scheme and I will then probably add it into some scenery.

15mm Home Guard MkIV Male Tank

I have had this tank for sometime. Having found the 6pdrs I glued them in. Don’t remember the manufacturer, though it may be Minifigs! When I was planning some Operation Sealion games back in the 1990s I intended that the Home Guard would make use of a museum Mark IV Male tank. I mentioned this also in an article I wrote on a French themed Operation Sealion, Otaire de Vigneur.

To add a bit of diversity to my games, I also have one of Minifigs’ World War One British tanks, for use by a Home Guard unit (stolen from a local museum no doubt).

Now when I wrote that article and bought the miniature it was only an assumption and what I thought would be a nice idea, and probably had no basis in truth….

How wrong I was….

Flames of War – German StuG G Assault Guns

After giving the models a dark brown undercoat, having reflected on this and feedback, I think they are too dark and I think they will need repainting.

I bought some FoW Warpaint, for Late War German Armour and used that on the model, having used it first on my Tiger.

A side view.

See the full workbench feature on these StuG G Assault Guns.

Basecoating the Flames of War Tiger I E (again)

The Tiger was feared so much by the Allies, that most German tanks were referred to as Tiger tanks. Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank used in World War II, developed in 1942. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger.

Having given the Tiger a basecoat of Humbrol Dark Brown initially, I was not happy with the results.

After looking at some models online and discussions with Simon, decided that this was way too dark.

I bought some FoW Warpaint, for Late War German Armour and used that on the model.

Much happier with the result.

Here is the Tiger next to one my the Panthers.

See the full workbench feature on the Flames of War Tiger 1E.

Flames of war Cromwell IV

The Cromwell Tank was one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in World War II.

The Cromwell tank, named after the English Civil War leader Oliver Cromwell, was the first tank in the British arsenal to combine a dual-purpose gun, high speed from the powerful and reliable Meteor engine, and reasonable armour, all in one balanced package. Its design formed the basis of the Comet tank. The Cromwell first saw action in June 1944, with the reconnaissance regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps.

In the blister you get a resin hull and turret and the rest of the model is in whitemetal.