Hi all
For JB :
Izxray.com is a cool link

. thank you, there are so many good informations
Yes, HMG in VC heavy weapons GHQ pack are 12,7mm.
There were used above all in VC or NVA defense camps or in AA mount against US planes and helico. It was not very easy to use in the jungle's ambush or in a speed VC retreat.
So, it's not very interesting to play with it in small ground ambush with GI
For MK 1 :
A californian passionate by GHQ's figurines and french military history and who's speak french, it's very cool
Very cool your LECLERC's platoon

I like so much the camo sheme with right french colors and the design. You can had antenna, and it would be perfect
For Der Kommandeur :
Thank you for your compliment
You said "The other problem is, of course, it's all very well formulating a phrase or question in French, but since the French speak at 10,000rpm it's impossible to comprehend the reply! " . That's the french touch !
Seriously,
I don't make excessive drybrush because I think that it would be to accent on our micro models. With a "big" drybrush, I think 1/285 figurines don't look like real materials, they simply look like wargaming figurines
In france in the 1/35 modelling world, there is a guy who made a little revolution in paint technics. This man is François Verlinden. He create the "Verlinden way of painting"
His paint technic made very good effects on military models : Hollows on models are fold with very liquid dark color, and surfaces and ridges are lightly drybrush with clearer color. It's not really realistic but it give beautiful effects, we can see more model's details.
Many wargamer used this technic....
The problem is that on the real military materials this is the opposit : the dust and wet mud stay in hollows materials structure while the original material colors appear on ridges !
That's I try to reproduce.
For modelers and wargamers, it's not easy to observ and accept these particuliar details.
So, many wargamer prefer used the Verlinden way, because small figurines have the most visual effect.
However, for me, the goog way of painting is the combination of these two different technics. It's not very easy to reproduce. I use Verliden way very ligthly with the combination of my own weathering observations. That's why, my dry brush is not very excessive.
Of course, I already have the chance to visite the "Musée des Blindés de Saumur". I have the chance to expose few personnal models during the annual models exhibitions.
It's the temple of the military material's fanatics

!
if you want to go to the museum, I think it's better to go in during the week but not during the weekend (during the week-end, it's hard to take a picture without a child around the Panther

)
I try to take more informations and I answer you quickly.
There is a site for the museum, maybe you could have open hours and more.... (I don't remember the link but with Google you find it easely

Pibber.
(Long life to GHQ !)