Bolt Action: Jagdpanzer IV/70 (A) and Volkssturm soldier

 

Hi guys,

I just finished a a couple of 3d printed models, a test model of a Volkssturm young soldier and a Jagdpanzer IV/70 (A) from 2021, so not as detailed as latest 3d models, but with some improvements it does the job. 

I added mesh schürzen from a Rubicon Models Panzer IV J, and a couple of bits like the caterpillars as an extra defense in the front plate of the armor.

This Jagdpanzer variant was armed with the same gun as the Panther Pak42 L/70, and only 278 were built by Nibelungenwerke from August 1944 to March 1945.

The painting was the usual method;

Airbrushing the colors with some color modulation using zenithal light technique, all the weathering ( filter, oil dots fading, pin washes, scratches and streaking grime and dirt, then some pigments and mud) and matt varnish.

The volkssturm man is by (I think) 3d models by Propylene Foliescu and I like it very much,  easy to paint model with a rare weapon, Volkssturmgewehr , a last ditch line of rifles and assault weapons.

I have already a Normandy force German and US, and an Axis forces for Sicily 1943, now I wanted some late WW2 in 1945 wester front force, for Remagen, Ruhr Pocket etc.

I hope you like this little WW2 update.

                                        

Finally a picture I took back in 2015 of the real vehicle at the Saumur tank museum in France, as far as I know, is the only surviving example of this type.

Tanks for Sicily 1943: Semovente 47/32

 Hello guys

Sorry for the lack of activity in the last months, I got married in late April, then came the honeymoon,  a new job, I moved to a new home... so a lot of non hobby stuff as you can imagine, so now, very slowly I am recovering the mood of painting again :)

I wanted to add more tanks to my Bolt Action,  Axis force for the Battle of Sicily 1943. 

as shown previously here: https://spanishleadpainting.blogspot.com/2021/03/bolt-action-italian-tanks-in-sicily-1943.html

Italian armour in Sicily consisted of the captured R35 tank,  the Semovente 90/53 and finally, Semovente 47/32.  I already painted the first two models, so now I have finished the little Semovente 47/32.

These little tank destroyers after the fall of Tunis in 1943 were stationed in Italy, with units attached to the “Black Shirt” Divisions  and Livorno infantry division in Sicily. They saw action in defence of the island when the Allies invaded in  1943 with Operation Husky.

Unfortunately for the Semovente 47/32, when they entered service, they faced newer allied tank designs, with better armour and firepower. The 47mm gun was ineffective against medium tanks like  M4 Sherman, and barely adequate against smaller allied light tanks like the M3 ‘Honey’ Stuart at normal fighting ranges, so I will use the tank carefully in my games, trying to keep it safe under the protection of heavier German tanks or guns.

The model itself is from Warlord Games, resin and metal, but the quality is good and had no flash. The crew was also included, and was mandatory to paint them, as the tank would be absolutely incomplete without the crew, as it is an open top vehicle.

The painting process was the usual;

1) airbrushing the colors, giving them some cenital highlights

2)  gloss varnish

3) decals  

4) gloss varnish again in order to protect the previous work

5) color filter by Ammo Mig

6) Oil dots for color fading

7) Pin wash in the recesses with dark enamel by Tamiya

8) 2 color chipping

9) rust, streaking grime

10) dust effects, mud, and then matt varnish

11)spilled grease/oil , basing and finished!

I hope you like this little vehicle, cheers!

Flames of War: Panzer II "whitewashed"

 Hello guys!

It has been a long time since I last updated this blog... I had some health (eyes) issues, and thank God, everything is fine now, and I was able to finish some  painting projects I had unfinished, like a 1/35 model diorama (not gaming stuff) and some ancients in 28mm , as well as some Flames of War miniatures like these here.

This time I painted 3 Zvezda plastic 1/100 or 15mm Panzer IIs for my Stalingrad project.

The detail of these little tanks is decent and good enough for gaming purposes, and they are quite light and small.  I really enjoyed painting them in winter camouflage, with the white wash over the panzer grey paint.  

By late 1942 (and almost 1943) Panzer II were clearly outdated and outgunned by enemy tanks, but they were still useful as rear guard actions or airfield protection.  As I am buillding a small airfield , inspired in  Gumrak airport in Stalingrad, or something similar, with a 1/100 Junkers 52 in the airstrip... I wanted to have some Panzer II as the defense force against Soviet hordes in my games.

I used  Ammo Mig Chipping fluid over the panzergrey paint, and the white paint over this fluid... then just brushed on some water, and the white paint began to tear off or "chip".

Then I applied the usual weathering on the tanks as follows...

Gloss varnish, decals, more gloss varnish to protect all the previous work... filters, oil dots fading,  pin washes, chipping, dust & mud, and matt varnish!

I hope you like these small tanks!

Flames of War: Stalingrad Panzers

Hello guys! 

It has been a month since I last updated the blog... You know, summer , holydays and those things that prevent you from painting. So now, after a few days off, I bring to you some Zvezda 1/100 Panzer III and Panzer IV, for my Flames of War Stalingrad project.

Last month I was painting more XVII c. stuff but I stopped without finishing my French petard team (but I will finish that soon) because I had several games of Flames of War with a friend at home, and my mood/interest switched from baroque period to World War 2, so I finished my half painted 14 Panzerdivision for Stalingrad.  I also bought Flames of War Scenery and some candy like a 15mm Junkers 52 for scenery purposes, also 3 Opel Blitz, 3 sdkfz.10 with flak, a couple of Stuig 33 and so on.

The Panzers are all Zvezda with some battlefront plastic and metal add ons, like stowage, tracks, guns (in the panzer IV).   Panzer III are of early type of shorter gun, for longer 50mm guns I will use Battlefront's plastic set of Panzer III.   And Panzer IV are D. version, I know they should be F1 models for Stalingrad battle, but I had 3 Zvezda nice Panzer IV D and "converted" them with F1 metal guns from Battlefront and turret rear boxes also in metal.

I painted them as If they were display models, so a lot of weathering. In the future I think I will put less dust and paint less chipping in the vehicles, because in this scale I prefer cleaner tanks (just a personal preference), but I am very pleased with the result of the unit.

As they are 2 platoons of 3 models, I will add a company HQ of a Panzer III ausf J and Panzer IV ausf F2 or even a captured T.34 mod.41 from the Stalingrad Starter Set of Flames of War.

I also have been inspired by the brand new Ammo Mig Stalingrad colors book :) very interesting and full of color profiles of tanks and vehicles of both sides:

https://www.migjimenez.com/es/publicaciones/4864-stalingrad-vehicles-colors-camuflajes-de-los-vehiculosa-alemanes-y-sovieticos-en-la-batalla-de-stalingrado-multilingue-8432074061465.html

Panzer IV platoon:

Panzer III platoon:

Again 2 platoons photo:

                                        

I hope you like them!

Bolt Action Normandy '44: Panzer Hotchkiss H39

 Hi guys,

I am back again, after several weeks of painting holydays, in August I did not paint any 28mm soldier, but I built some model kits, a 1/35 German Midget submarine, 1/700 destroyer Z-25, and finally a 28mm tank, a resin one, by Rubicon Models,  "Panzer" Hotchkiss H39,  a French light tank in captured in laaarge numbers by the Germans in 1940 and then put into service.

As I already have a "completed" German army in Normandy 1944, I like adding new toys for them, and I fell in love with an illustration of an Osprey Campaign book, dealing with the battles around Cherbourg, where a column of Beutepanzers or captured tanks, advanced with some infantry:

In Normandy there were several Panzer brigades armed with obsolete French tanks, which gave initial support to the infantry divisions in the firsts hours and days of the invasion, so I NEEDED at least one of these beauties in my army !

I painted a similar tank (well, a tank hunter) 7.5 cmm Pak 40 auf Geschutzwagen 39 (f) a couple of years ago, you can see it here:

https://spanishleadpainting.blogspot.com/search/label/Normandy.

Well now lets talk about the model, It comes in resin, super high quality resin, indeed, the best tank model in resin I have ever seen, so highly recommended. The detail is crisp, clean and very accurate in my humble opinion, so I could´nt be happier with my purchase.

The painting was made by primming the model in dark grey with Ammo Mig spray can, and then airbrushed with paints of the same brand; dark yellow modullation paints, and camouflage colours in green and brown.

Then I applied gloss varnish with the airbrush, and applied the decals, just Balkenkreuzes in turret and rear of the tank,  another coat of varnish in order to protect the decals... and then the funny part, the weathering!

-tan filter

-oil dots fading 

-pin washes

-chipped paint in two tones

-streaking grime with enamels

-dust and dirt with enamels

-dust and mud with pigments

-oxide and smoke with pigments

-matt varnish

-grease and oil in enamels (as they are glossy, I applied after the matt varnish, because I wanted them to stand out)

-Graphite to the tracks.

I have not done the base yet, but I will probably do one to match the rest of the army, I hope you like it!