tally ho Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Felix's Gaming Pages

Constructing the Mark IX Beast

Probably my favourite Indiana Jones film is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The combination of archaeology, mythology, nazi soldiers and lots of wonderful pulp action. Though we know the tank wasn’t real, and there was no actual historical version of it; I am sure most of us who have thought about recreating the Indiana Jones films on the table have wanted to use that tank. It appears at first glance to be a Mark VIII with a turret, the reality was that it was built specially for the film and was built up from an excavator.

I wrote back in 2012 about finding a 28mm model of the tank, since then I found it was available from Empress Miniatures, I was able to order it and go through the resin pieces.

This is quite a big model. The first stage was to glue the two track units to the main hull. I stuck them together and then used weights to ensure that the join was secure.

I then added the sponsons, one at a time. I also added the turret hatch to the turret and the main weapon. This was a challenging as there wasn’t much of a way to join the main weapon to the turret, so I got the drill out.

I did something similar with the sponson guns.

The periscope (which I worked out from watching the film) was then added, as was all the stowage.

You can see how big this model is compared to other 28mm models. Here it is next to the Bolt Action Citroen Civilian 4,500kg Truck with Canopy.

This is the tank next to my Tally Ho Rolls Royce Armoured Car.

The next stage will be a white undercoat.

See the full workbench feature on the Mark IX Beast tank.

The Mark IX Beast has arrived

I wrote back in 2012 about finding a 28mm model of the tank. I did think about buying it back then, but put off my purchase. It was originally made by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company (HLBSCo). I did some web searching and found that the tank is available today from Empress Miniatures. Well I made the leap and ordered the tank from Empress Miniatures.

It arrived in a small brown box, but it is quite a big model. The model consists of two large complete track units.

The main hull.

I was impressed with the quality of the sculpting and the castings.

There are separate sponsons as well as the turret and the turret hatch.

You also get as part of this kit, a range of stowage and baggage. When this was sold by Copplestone Castings, the baggage was an add-on extra to the model.

You can break this down into bundles of tarpaulins or other materials (maybe tents) as well as what are probably roles of barbed wire, or telephone cables.

Then there are wooden beams, jerry cans and what look like metal storage containers.

I did start to then look at the original film and stills to see how I could add the stowage to the tank.

A slightly wider shot of the other side of the tank.

The stowage supplied is similar, but doesn’t quite match what we see on the prototype, but this model isn’t supposed to be an exact copy, it’s more like “inspired by” the film tank.

The next step will be to start constructing the tank.

See the full workbench feature on the Mark IX Beast tank.

Undercoating the Tally Ho Rolls Royce Armoured Car

This model was the first one I bought for Tally Ho! It has been stuck in a box for about twenty years. It was originally designed and manufactured by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company (HLBSCo) they were small and relatively new.

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.

This is a 1920s version of the Armoured Car. The model consists of a resin armoured hull, metal chassis, wheels, turrets and fiddly headlights. The model went together very easily, the parts were a good fit. I glued the armoured car hull to the chassis. The wheels and axels fitted very nicely into the respective holes. I did check a few reference pictures to confirm that I had aligned the hull right and the spare wheels in the right place.

I gave the underside a black undercoat and then undercoated the rest of the model with a white spray.

The model looks rather good, even in just the white undercoat.

See the workbench feature on the Tally Ho Rolls Royce Armoured Car.

See the workbench feature on my 15mm Flames of War Rolls Royce Armoured Car.

Mark IX Beast, or that tank from Indiana Jones!

Probably my favourite Indiana Jones film is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The combination of archaeology, mythology, nazi soldiers and lots of wonderful pulp action. Watching it recently I was reminded of that tank!

Though we know it wasn’t real, and though we know that there was no actual historical version of it; I am sure most of us who have thought about recreating the Indiana Jones films on the table have wanted to use that tank.

Yes the tank from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

It appears at first glance to be a Mark VIII with a turret, the reality was that it was built specially for the film and was built up from an excavator.

Mechanical effects supervisor George Gibbs said this movie was the most difficult one of his career. He visited a museum to negotiate renting a small French World War I tank, but decided he wanted to make one. The tank was based on the tank Mark VIII, which was thirty-six feet (eleven meters) long, and weighed twenty-five tons. Gibbs built the tank over the framework of a twenty-five ton excavator, and added 6.4 ton tracks, that were driven by two automatic hydraulic pumps, each connected to a Range Rover V8 engine. Gibbs built the tank from steel, rather than aluminum or fiberglass, because it would allow the realistically suspensionless vehicle to endure the rocky surfaces. Unlike its historical counterpart, which had only the two side guns, the tank had a turret gun added as well. It took four months to build, and was transported to Almería on a Short Belfast plane, and then a low loader truck.

I wrote back in 2012 about finding a 28mm model of the tank. I did think about buying it back then, but put off my purchase. I thought back then it was a Copplestone Castings model, the reality was that it wasn’t from Copplestone Castings.

It's not. It was never Copplestones, it belonged to HLBSCo, but I think they sold the whole range to another company. Sorry can't help more.

— NorthStarFigs (@NorthStarFigs) November 12, 2019

So it appeared that it wasn’t even a Copplestones Castings, but was by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company (HLBSCo), alas that company no longer is around.

Sometimes you should buy things when you see them and not wait…

So it was originally designed and manufactured by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company (HLBSCo) they were small and relatively new. I even remember discussing licensing the models for a commercial version of Tally Ho!

So I did some searching on the Google and found that the tank is available today with the other HLBSCo models from Empress Miniatures.

Well I made the leap and have ordered the tank from Empress Miniatures. This is the photograph of the model on their website.

Now just waiting for it to arrive.

Tally Ho Rolls Royce Armoured Car

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.

I did check a few reference pictures to confirm that I had aligned the hull right and the spare wheels in the right place.

Tally Ho Rolls Royce Armoured Car

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.

This model was the first one I bought for Tally Ho! It has been stuck in a box for about twenty years.

It was originally designed and manufactured by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company (HLBSCo) they were small and relatively new. I even remember discussing licensing the models for a commercial version of Tally Ho! However that didn’t go any further and the model went into a box.

A version of the model is still available today and the other HLBSCo models are available from Empress Miniatures. The newer version consists of more resin and less white metal.

As well as Tally Ho! I am also going to use it with Bolt Action with my Home Guard Unit, and possibly A Very British Civil War.

This is a 1920s version of the Armoured Car. The model consists of a resin armoured hull, metal chassis, wheels, turrets and fiddly headlights.

Despite the age of the model, this is a well crafted sculpture and has captured the rather unique look of the original.

Next stage will be putting it altogether, though the headlamps look rather fiddly.

Tally Ho Rolls Royce Armoured Car

This model was the first one I bought for Tally Ho! It has been stuck in a box for about twenty years..

The model went together very easily, the parts were a good fit. I glued the armoured car hull to the chassis. The wheels and axels fitted very nicely into the respective holes.

I did check a few reference pictures to confirm that I had aligned the hull right and the spare wheels in the right place.

Despite the age of the model, I am quite impressed with the quality of the castings and how easily it went together, having said that, I still need to glue the headlights into place.

Tally Ho Rolls Royce Armoured Car

This model was the first one I bought for Tally Ho! It has been stuck in a box for about twenty years..

I can’t recall the manufacturer, but they were small and relatively new, I even remember discussing licensing the models for a commercial version of Tally Ho! However that didn’t go any further and the model went into a box…

As well as Tally Ho! I am also going to use it with Bolt Action with my Home Guard Unit, and possibly A Very British Civil War.

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.

This is a 1920s version of the Armoured Car. The model consists of a resin armoured hull, metal chassis, wheels, turrets and fiddly headlights.

Despite the age of the model, this is a well crafted sculpture and has captured the rather unique look of the original.

Next stage will be putting it altogether, though the headlamps look rather fiddly.

Capitain Craupaud – Darkest Africa

I have been sculpting the bases and painting some more Foundry miniatures from their Darkest Africa range that I am going to use with my Tally Ho! rules as well as Old West games.

Standing somewhat aloof, Capitain Craupaud holds his pistol ready for anything,

Still a fair of work to do.

Tally Ho! Workbench

I have been sculpting the bases and painting some more Foundry miniatures from their Darkest Africa range that I am going to use with my Tally Ho! rules as well as Old West games.

For these models, I decided to use a bit of green stuff to texture the base. This will combined with the Citadel Texture make the base look more like a base and less like a coin.