Pete's Place

[pmskaar]

Thank you very much, Redleg! All my base coating is done with my 50 year old Binks Wren airbrush. I know it is not a top of the line airbrush like some of the others but it has done me great service over the years for what I need to do. I don't try to airbrush any camo on any more.

[redleg]

Thanks for the info, Pete! I just saw the pics of your BTRs on Facebook. Spectacular work!

[pmskaar]

Thanks so much, Redleg! Here are my BTR-60s. They are a work in progress and I hope to get them done in a few days. These are a bit older models in the GHQ line but still hold up pretty well overall.

[Begemot]

Pete - Just noticed your posting on the Russian buildings. The castings are very good, the buildings have personality, and the thatching on the second model is very nicely defined. Wished they'd done the same with some of their other Russian/Ukrainian buildings with thatched roofs. Your painting is, as usual, superb. I noticed that the version of the building with the plank roof has a rooster at one end of the roof beam. This was a custom from pre-Christian times to bring good luck to the house. Usually either a horse's or rooster's head was carved on the end of the roof beam, the carving facing the road or street. It was nice to see this. Good research for the sculpting work?

I won't congratulate you on the WIP photos. Premature. You still might screw it up.


Begemot

[pmskaar]

Thanks very much, Begemot!

These Russian buildings are original sculpts from scratch. I think the detail is phenomenal including the rooster on the end of the plank roof building. The thatching on the thatched roof house is very well executed as well.

When GHQ did their Russian/Ukrainian buildings, they used the French buildings they already had sculpted as the basis. Overall, they are not bad but the thatching on the roofs is not well executed. On the ones that I painted, I tried to do a bit more scribing to make the thatch stand out better. Having said that, I wouldn't mind if GHQ went back and re-sculpted the roofs to the high standards they set with the newer buildings.

I will try not to screw up my BTR-60s. I am feeling the pressure.

Pete

[pvt64]

Pete,
All very inspirational work. Love the BTR-60. The are a net vehicle.

Tom

[Mk 1]

Pete:

All of the stuff you show in this thread is really superb. Both delightful and inspiring to see.

And probably among the best forms of advertising GHQ could achieve -- I mean seriously who among the gaming or modelling communities, particularly modellers who like building dioramas, can look at these pics and not say "I gotta get me some of THOSE!".

I really admire all that you have done with your Shermans. Your selections of turrets and construction of your force for service in ETO is something I greatly appreciate.

I do wonder about the Mi-8s. Not the models, which look superb. But how could one keep such a beautiful model in good shape? I used to do a fair bit of cold war gaming, and I never found a satisfactory solution for storing my 'copters. My Mi-24s, my Mi-8s, my Huey SeaCobras, etc. always looked a wreck when the time came to take them out for the game table. What do others do? What has worked for you? Inquiring minds want to know...

-Mark

[pmskaar]

Thank you both very much, Tom and Mark! I really appreciate it.

I always try to show off GHQ quality on many other Facebook sites. I am a member of quite a number of 6mm/1/285th scale sites and have gotten a fair amount of attention with my posts. I still think GHQ makes the best quality 1/285th scale miniatures overall although there are other companies out there that seem to be stepping up their game as well.

Mark, I knew you would appreciate the Shermans and I have enjoyed seeing your Shermans and U.S. TDs here and on TMP as well. You always have a lot of good information on a lot of subjects and I have learned a lot in the last few years.
Since GHQ has increased their Sherman production, I have decided to create 2 basic Sherman units. The first is based off the M4A3 and I currently have a full company plus of those including 10M4A3 75s, 2 early M4A3 75s which I understand were actually used as replacements, 5 M4A3 76s, 3 M4A3E8s, and 2 M4A3 105s. I will add in a couple of Jumbos at some point and add more others for this group.
Currently, on my M4A1s, I have 5 M4A1 75s with both bulged and applique armor turret types and the older type 3 piece transmission covers plus 6 M4A1 76s. The 76s are older GHQ models and perhaps could use an update but they aren't bad. The detail on them and the M4A3E8s is just not quite as crisp but decent. With the release of the US118 M4A1 Shermans, I am currently working on 12. They are good models and have the later single piece transmission covers. What more could a tank nerd ask for?
I would like GHQ to produce more "Russian" Shermans including an M4A2 with applique armor on the hull and the M4A2 later hull types with the later 75mm split hatch and 76mm turrets. For the British, in North Africa, a Sherman III with 3 piece transmission cover, sandskirts, and early turret would be great.

Pete

[BurtWolf]

Fantastic work on those BTRs, you and some others on here seem to get that paint just right, almost a muted creamy look to it. I’m dying to get that look one of these days!!

[pmskaar]

Thank you very much, Burt and Cama! I really appreciate it.

Cama, I used to work up in Calgary every year when I was calibrating aircraft compasses back in the 1990s. I did take the opportunity to visit the Canadian Military Museum there and made a few trips to the Sentry Box as well. I remember it being a really well stocked game store with 2 floors. I did buy a few things there as I recall including a few packs of GHQ micro armor. Alas, my major traveling days are over.

[pmskaar]

Here are some updated photos of my current project, M4A1 Shermans. These are the GHQ US118 type. It has the single piece transmission cover plus the applique armor for the hull and turret.

[redleg]

Are you kidding me? You're painting axe handles????

Amazing work Pete! I continue to be blown away by your Shermans! Amazing!

[Begemot]

Redleg - He drills out gun barrels at this scale so axe handles are nothing. So far, I don't think Pete has tried to rifle the barrels. Yet.


Begemot

[pvt64]

Pete,
What color is that, that you used on the treads? The 1st of my M3's have arrived.

Tom

[pmskaar]

Redleg, Begemot, and Tom, Thanks very much.

Tom, for the tracks on my Shermans, I used Humbrol #67 Panzer Gray mixed with a bit of #33 Matt Black for the color. It makes a good scale black color. Sometimes I use #67 by itself as well. The track pads would generally be black rubber although sometimes the cleats were metal and there were other types of tracks as well with more steel showing. On the Stuarts, the track pads would be black rubber as well.

Pete