Milk Truck Primer

The Matchbox milk delivery van.

I took it apart and now it's time to primer paint it.

Primer makes all the surfaces the same color.

Then they can be painted the regular color and it will be the same shade.

 Body with olive drab paint and original in white.

Tractor and Limber and Gun

I always like to keep a package of eye pins.

 Get them at the jewelry department of Michaels and similar shops.
 

 I put one on the drawbar of the limber.

 

And one at the rear center of the limber.
 

 It makes for a nice late 1800's early 20th Century artillery piece with towing tractor.

 These tractors were used for decades in many different designs.

 They were slow but very powerful.

Limber Up

Eagle Games makes board games and some of them use 1/72nd scale figures and accessories as playing pieces.

This cannon is used in several sets.

I cut off the cannon barrel and am left with the axle, drawbar, and wheels.

They come in several colors of soft plastic, blue, and green and others.

It's a sturdy model.

And my plan is to use it as a limber.

To tow those slush cast cannons.

And hook up the tractor engine to the limber.

And HaT WWI British Artillery Crew figures in 1/72nd scale.
 

Trevor

Thomas the Tank Engine, has this toy Trevor the Traction Engine.

It's die cast metal and plastic details.

I sanded the face off the front.

At the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries US artillery was often green.

So I left the steam tractor the original color and paint scheme.

In those days paint was often note really intended for camouflage.

I use this slush cast cannon as a gun for the tractor engine to tow.

They make a pretty good pair for the War of the Worlds circa 1900.
 

Snow Shots

The prone guys are of limited utility.

But they are good firing troops.

It's also pretty cool that the Marx bazooka fits them well and being sort of off side the pose it right for  a recoilless weapon too.

The kneeling guys I have used for artillery crews and they work okay for that when you are low on small arms for them.

The five poses including two prone men.  It's a good selection I think.

Behind the scenes at this photo shoot.

The magic all took place on a space about 10 x 10 feet.  I put down a rain poncho and a little plastic foam padding for my elbows.  By laying down I can get those low angle photos and with a little bit of zoom I can get really close up.  I did move the poncho around and got photos from a couple angles.  When working in snow you really have to plan out the photos to avoid disturbed snow.

5 Poses

There are only 41 troops in these photos but it seems like a lot more.

I think that is the value of ring hand figures.

Even with only 5 poses by swapping weapons around it makes every figure different.

This pose has men with a bayonet, bugle, and carbine in the left hand.

That's what helps make these my favorite figures.

Lots of opportunities to do something different with each one.
 

Running

The snow looks almost blue from this angle.

The easy to put on belt again.

I like that some weapons have slings for additional poses.

I like the detail on the uniform and faces on these figures.

Closing with the enemy!

Running towards the foe!
 

Snow Attack

The troops advance across a long open snow covered field.

Pause and shoot.

Give covering fire for the main force.

Bazooka team.

BAR and kneeling troops.