My first 15mm work - and a Christmas Clearout

Hello all, hope you're all having a not-too-stressful lead up to Christmas. This post looks to be a bit of a hodgepodge, so please bear with me. First up, i've finished painting up my first Flames of War miniature, a German SdKfz 251/1D halftrack. I was pleased with the moulding, and think they came up well. The 15mm splinter camo almost drove me insane, as did my very temperamental airbrush. Anyway, while i do like the figures, I'm not converted to 15mm or the FOW rules, and intend to stay with IABSM and perhaps Rapid Fire in 20mm scale. This 'lil guy is off to flea bay, but more on that later.

Well, the silly season is well underway, with Laura's birthday, as well as our 5 year anniversary, my sisters birthday and a friends wedding all having taken place since my last update. While all the crazy spending has meant I've had little time, or money, for my own painting, my birthday is coming up on the 16th so hopefully I'll score lots of goodies for my IABSM Normandy project. I've been eying off the crazy 21st Panzer stuff from Raventhorpe and Skytrex, as well as some of the superb Najewitz Modellbau 1/72 buildings. Between the birthday gnomes and Christmas, i'm hoping that i'll get enough to get this project underway.

Speaking of the project, I ordered a 1200 x 2500mm (4' x 8' for you imperialists) sheet of what i thought was 5cm thick 'blue' extruded polystyrene foam. As delivery from Revesby in Sydney to home - about a 90min trip - was going to be 180 bucks, i managed to get a loan of Laur's sisters car, as our '93 Honda Civic would be hard pressed to fit in a 4" x 8" foam sheet in, and headed off to Western Sydney. Upon arriving at the factory to pick up the foam, i found out that the original quote was incorrect, and that the order was actually for regular polystyrene. While i was a little let down, that did explain the rather cheap price. Anyway, I'm going to base the foam with some MDF board and see what i can do with it - i've seen some pretty impressive setups from regular old foam, PVA glue and sand.

As for the figures, the Plastic Soldier late war German box has solved my conundrum regarding which supplier to use for my Germans. Although, i'm a little confused as to whether they have actually been released, the website says that they were to be released on 3rd December, and i had a box on pre-order but haven't received any notification of dispatch. I spose we'll see if they turn up. Whatever reservations i have ordering a box sight unseen is offset by the quality of the Russians (excluding 'that' grenade throwing guy), and the ridiculously cheap price!

As i mentioned a few times now, Christmas is just around the corner and owing to my semi-poverty stricken student state, I've decided to have a little bit of a flea bay bonanza. I've gone through the lead mountain and grabbed some stuff from abortive projects - 'non-starters' in corporate speak. I've decided that these are far enough down the 'to do' list that they're going to have to go.

I've got a bit of painted stuff, all 28mm WW2. I'm pretty sad to see these guys go, as they've been in my display cabinet for the last two-or-so years, but as i've downsized WWII to 20mm, out they go. So, for those of you interested, here is the list of what's going along with links. I do ship internationally, and shipping to UK and US is actually pretty reasonable. Oh, and i combine postage, obviously :).

15mm FOW SPW 251/1D. As described above, painted in acrylics, weathered with pigments and matt varnished.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130463990438

Modified and repainted 28mm Corgi Churchill III. This tank is painted up with acrylics, weathered with oils and pigments and matt varnished. I've made up some decals, and it is marked for B squadron, 4th Grenadier Guards, part of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade in Normandy. The crew figure is from BAM/Warlord.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464015377



28mm BAM/Warlord Canadian Infantry. These five figures are painted up with acrylics and matt varnished. They are painted as Canadian infantry, with the greener uniform, and with insignia for 3rd Canadian Division which landed on Juno Beach of D-Day.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464016165



28mm BAM/Warlord and Artizan Figs. The two BAM Brits are painted up from 15th Scottish Division, and the Artizan German is painted up in a sumpfmünster or swamp patter camo smock. All painted with acrylics and matt varnished.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464016996



15mm Eureka French Napoleonic Inf Bn (42 Figures). Unpainted. 42 of the excellent Eureka miniatures figures, enough for a full battalion for almost all rule sets, more in some. The voltigeur company (6 figures) is doubled up, to represent them skirmishing or in close order. These figures are in the bardin uniform, so suitable for 1812-15. There are some AB figures in greatcoats mixed in.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464018021

28mm Perry Miniatures French Napoleonic Young Guard Bn (24 Figures). What it says on the box. Unpainted, 24 figures march attack including command and porte fanions. Enough for a battalion in most rule sets.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464018552

28mm Artizan Cowboys. 10 Artizan designs cowboys. Included are Pinkertons, some 'not-deadwood' figures and some Texas Rangers. Some figures undercoated in GW black.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464018952
28mm BAM/Warlord British Paratroops. 11 figures sculpted by Paul Hicks. includes command, Rifles and Sten gunners. Some figures undercoated in GW black.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464019479

28mm Chieftain Char B1 bis. White metal kit of early war French Tank, also used by the Germans. Cleaned of flash and mould lines but unassembled. Tank commander figure included.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464020051

28mm Chieftain A13 Tank. Resin and white metal kit of A13 early war British tank. Includes parts to make BEF versions and up armoured Mk III-IV for the Western Desert. Paul Hicks sculpted BAM tank commander figure included.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464020655

28mm Chieftain Mk IV Tank. White metal kit of MK IV light tank. Includes parts to make models a-b with the twin Vickers mg, or IVc with the heavy 15mm MG. Paul Hicks sculpted BAM tank commander figure included.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464021111

28mm BAM Humber IV armoured car. Assembled and painted BAM/Warlord kit. Painted with acrylics, weathered with oils and pigments. Wheels etc still need to be painted. Paul Hicks sculpted BAM tank commander figure included.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464021541

28mm Crusader Vikings. 15 x unpainted Crusader minis vikings. Some figures undercoated in GW black.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464022056

54mm Tradition SYW Prussian Dragoon. 1 x 54mm Prussian dragoon by Tradition of London part painted as 5th Bayreuth Dragoons Unassembled white metal kit.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464024037

54mm Tradition Napoleonic Dutch Officer. 1 x 54mm Napoleonic Dutch Officer, painted in acrylics and oils. Unassembled white metal kit.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464024315

28mm Coppelstone/TAG Moderns. 5 x Copplestone figures, 12 TAG figures. Included are SWAT types with Shotguns, MP5s and M4s, and US Delta figures. Originally intended for a Stargate SG-1 project, they're equally suitable for any modern or sci-fi skirmish.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464022722

28mm Sash and Saber Napoleonic Austrian Infantry Command. 10 unpainted white metal Sash and Saber figures in the plumed helmet. Included are officers, flag bearers, NCOs and sappers. Suitable for 1800-1810.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464023110

28mm Elite Napoleonic Russian Infantry. 22 unpainted white metal Elite miniatures Russian line infantry and artillery figures. Suitable for Austerlitz, Eylau, Friedland and 1812.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464023622

Anyway, that pretty much clears out the cupboard. If you have any questions, give me a yell at fiene.ben@gmail.com.

Next update, a battle of Britain spitfire and some WWII Hungarians. Stay tuned.