Soviet Tanks

Supplies are what keep armies moving.  They war is going badly for the USSR and supplies are short.

The tanks have only a limited amount of fuel and so they have to sit with the engine turned off....

And wait for the order to advance once the enemy position is located.

Ideally, they should be out aggressively moving into contact...

But 27 tanks use a lot of fuel even idelling. 

Soviet Tank Company

Soviet command post, 1942.  Made out of sheet styrene for the base, dyed gauze for the netting, and sprue for the "wooden" supports.

Soviet T-26 tanks prepare to move out to support a limited infantry counter attack.

Heavy armored cars will provide flank security in their role as cavalry.

The tanks are slow but the armor is good.

Supply horse and limbers for the infantry guns.

Machine gun armed tanks in the front to defeat infantry weapons.

17 cm Kanone 18

My collection includes a small collection of very rare models of very rare vehicles.

Landwasserschlepper was used from 1942 until the end of the war to carry cargo from ship to shore, cross rivers, and act as an engineer river tug.  It was a popular vehicle but only produced in small numbers.  Resin kit, I have two of them.  Photo etched brass for tracks, and rather fine resin for the rest of the model.

This is the armored recovery vehicle version of the Elephant.  By removing the gun, ammo, and turret many tons of weight are saved.

By reducing the weight, it is easier for the engine, transmission, and other components to withstand towing a heavy Elephant tank destroyer.  I have one in my collection, it's nearly all resin, I did not install all of the photo etched bits.

German heavy artillery, this 170mm gun was used all during the war.

The side walkways are photo etched brass but so thin and fragile that I added a plastic strip underneath for wargame handling.

Enlarge the photo and you can see the walkway and the plastic strip underneath.

Two of them getting painted.  The Germans used these from the beginning of the war until the end.  I have seen a photo of one of these in Berlin.  They had very long range and were often used for counter-battery work.

Robot Samurai

I have been painting some of the SCS Direct Robot Fantasy Sci-fi Action Figures.

I am using Tamiya spray paints.  I tried Model Master but the paint never dried, it stayed sticky.  I think it reacts to the rubbery plastic.  So the paint remover when on and the paint went off.

These three robots have a Japanese / anime / Samurai look to them. 

So they got selected as my first robots to paint.  I am using high gloss black, chrome silver, and a tan color.  The plan is to next paint the main parts of the robot leaving the nooks and crannies the base color for contrast.  This will enhance the Samurai look as they wore clothing and mail under their armor and had a two-tone color scheme.

MPC Rafts and Guns

This gun is from MPC.  Heavy artillery with US Army troops, by Airfix, horses by Eagle Games.

It was sold as a part to a couple different cannon sets.

I have been hoping to get a couple more but they don't seem to show up much.

So far, I have one.

One of the oldest toys in my collection is the gold raft.  I remember buying them from Parks Toys on Anaheim Street, in Long Beach California in abut 1962.  They and MPC are long gone.

MPC also made this three person raft in gold and blue.  Never saw these as a kid, got them at a toy show.

Rafts were the same size but by adding a third button it becomes a three man raft.  Note the previous owner used a BAR bipod as an anchor.

Most MPC figures have a hole in the base so they can be clipped onto the toys.  I did not do this much, it often broke the base.

The rafts will actually float on top of the water because the ring around the edge is hollow, but open to the bottom.  It will usually sink a bit if you add figures.

Naval Landing Party Adventure

A naval landing party in the jungle explores the undiscovered island.

Suddenly they come across a herd of brachiosaurus dinosaurs.

The astonished sailors stand in awe of the monstrous beasts.

No recoilless rifle on the Weasel, so lets hope they don't charge.

This one is giving them the "eye."

Will he attack!?

No, he just fades away....

Brachiosaurus vs Weasel

 The herd was moving towards the forest.

But wait, a noise...

No smell of predators....

What is it?

Sniff the air again, should we run?

Hey, Chief, look at that!

Dinosaurs in the Open

 The herd moved across the prairie quickly to get into the forest.
 

 They were big, but it was a big place.
 

 Predators could appear quickly as if out of nowhere.

Almost there, the forest and relative safety.

They were big, but there were only three of them left.

Their numbers have been dwindling and maybe beyond recovery.