Bolt Action : Japanese A5m Claude in Shanghai 1937

 Hi guys

I have just completed a plane for Bolt Action in the Far East.  I want to expand my tiny Chinese/Japanese/Manchukuo forces with more vehicles, this time a Japanese air support unit, a A5M Claude aircraft, as seen in the film "The 800" during the Battle of Shanghai in 1937.

There’s something special about early-war aircraft, and the Mitsubishi A5M Claude is one of those planes that instantly pulls you into a different era. Before the legendary Zero, this was Japan’s frontline naval fighter—the first monoplane carrier fighter in the world to enter service. 

The A5M made its combat debut during the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War, particularly in the fighting around Shanghai in 1937. At the time, it equipped units like the 12th Kokutai, one of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s key air groups deployed in China.

These aircraft often operated from carriers such as the Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga, which played a major role in projecting Japanese air power during the conflict. The Claudes quickly proved their worth, outperforming many Chinese fighters of the time and establishing air superiority in several engagements.

I really like this less known pre-WWII aircraft :)

The kit itself is Hobby Boss 1/72 A5M is one of those kits that doesn’t fight you. It’s simple, clean, and perfect for a quick project because it´s for begginers, with some details simplified, so perfect for wargaming! The fit is good overall, and you can get a really nice result without going crazy on aftermarket parts.

Magnets and transparent acrylic rod made a perfect flying stand!

The classic look for a Shanghai-era Claude is the natural metal (or aluminium lacquer) finish, mixed with some masked red areas.

 I didn’t want it to look like a mirror, though, that can feel unrealistic at this scale, so I went for a slightly toned-down metallic with Ammo Mig paints: I used a soft aluminium base rather than a bright chrome,  I added subtle panel variation with slightly different metallic shades and finally, kept weathering minimal, with a pin wash in the panel lines and some dirt and smoke where it should normally be.

In Bolt Action, early-war Japanese forces aren’t always the most common choice, which makes something like the A5M stand out even more. It works perfectly as a thematic air support option for a 1937–1939 China theater force, along the Type 89 I-go tank and an armored car with some artillery.

I hope you like this little project.

More 3D printing beauties: World War 2 tanks

 Hello friends, It has been a month since my last post, I will update the blog soon with some painting minis, but in the meantime, in this little summer entry, Let me introduce to you some vehicles in 28mm and 15mm, for Bolt Action and Flames Of War respectively.

A hobby colleague is very well equipped with 3D printers, and he has brought these WWII vehicles 3D printed for me. For my German project (1944 and 1945), and for my ambitious Far East project of Japanese, Chinese, and Manchukuo armies/vehicles. 

The vehicles I have ordered are practically impossible to get them from the main manufacturers in plastic or resin, because no one seems to produce them, so I finally opted for this fantastic technology, as I have done earlier with XVII c. stuff.

The first of them is a 28mm  Jagdpanzer IV L/70 Alkett, a vehicle that I have always liked, and that I was lucky enough to see in the tank in Saumur tank museum, in 2015, the only one left in the world of this variant.

In my opinion the model has a pretty good quality, the only thing that seems poorly designed are the tracks which I will have to cover with mud, and I also will add some stowage  and plastic parts of other kits in order to give it more flavour and improve the general looking.

The second vehicle is a 28mm 6 ton  Vickers tank, used in small numbers by the Nationalist Chinese army in 1937,  It is an odd vehicle that I loved when I saw it in action during the battle scene of the most excellent film "Nanking Nanking" (2009). 

the third tank is a Japanese Type 89 medium tank of the early thirties, that fought on Manchuria and Shanghai in 1931, and then in China, Mongolia, Malaya, Philipines....  the model is in 28mm and In my opinion, the best detailed of all, specially the tracks!   I got 2 versions from different sculptors.

later model (best quality)

Earlier model (worse quality)

And finally, the two antagonists in different scales :)

I hope you like this little post, I am looking forward to paint them as soon as I come back home from my holydays!

Air support for Bolt Action: Manchukuo's Air force Nakajima KI-27

Hi guys,

This December I have been painting WW2 stuff, I saw MIDWAY in cinema and I was in Pacific War mood...  so I painted an old pre WW2 aircraft from Imperial Japanese Air Force,  a Nakajima Ki 27 fighter, but not serving the IJA, the fighter is in colours of Manchukuo's Air Force, you know, the Japanese controlled puppet state in Manchuria.

I had a very freak idea some time ago, building a Bolt Action army featuring Manchukuo forces against Chinese and Soviets, with cavalry, tanquettes and some infantry & support weapons... But when I saw this little 1/72 model kit, I fell in love instantly and decided to build it quickly! I bought this kit this month and built/painted it in a couple of weeks.

I also ordered a Japanese cavalry officer and a Type 94 tanquette from Warlord Games, in order to expand my "army", an army which consists today in a single aircraft :P

I painted the model with airbrush and Vallejo/Ammo Mig colours,  and then weathered with oils and pigments,  simple but effective IMHO, I hope you like it!

Bolt Action Japanese & comission

Hello,

Several posts this week ;)  today I bring you some tanks for Bolt Action I painted for a client recently. I rarely accept comissions in 28mm because of the time required to paint 28mm stuff... and I prefer painting for me and my collection.  I accepted this time anyway hehe. 

Here you have 3 vehicles, the first one is a  Type 95 Ha go from Warlord Games, in colors of SNLF (Japanese Marines) in Saipan 1944. painted to a  high TABLETOP standard imho...  Its not a showcase model, but  not  a bad paintjob anyway.

The second is from company B models, US based,  it is a Type 93 Sumida Armored Car, painted in SNLF colors too, inspired by some pictures from the Japanese raid or attack in Shanghai in 1932.

Again a tabletop level paintjob.

The third tabletop painted model is a Sherman, from an unknown manufacturer (probably a resin copy, I bought it second hand), its a major conversion, using some wooden planks and sandbags (metal accesory from Company B), painted similar to those Shermans from the US Marine Corps in Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Apart from the previous comissioned vehicles, I have more beautifully painted ones, like this scale model of a Type 2 Ka-Mi

Yes, I love Japanese Navy tanks...

And now some showcase of my painted Japanese "

Army for Bolt Action!

 Type 97 Chi Ha, Resin model from Warlord Games

 Zero fighter, 1/72 Hobbyboss "easy to build" line

 Warlord Games "Jungle Fighters"

The Assault Group, 28mm Japanese officer and riflemen

I hope you like this little update! 

Cheers!