Pete's Place

[Mortis57]

It would be nice to see all 3 states of finish on the models. Having said that, sometimes just getting certain companies to just post one picture of their products would be nice as well.

Whilst not in their online store, Scotia seem to have started to post photos (on FB) in the three finishes. Their catalogue entries just have one of the finishes though. I know it takes time but they still have 100s (if not 1000s) of models without a single picture (likewise H&R). I sometimes wish that I had the money to order just one of everything (from everyone).

Meanwhile, here are a couple of the models I did paint for GHQ.

As great as ever! Although I think I've saved most (if not all) of the painted photos to my pc by now. I wonder how many of these are 'yours'. I'm not sure what the two modern RN shiops are doing there or the screenshot of my infantry sections.

To get all the "right" decals on these, I did have to do some cutting and pasting.

Which is ok if you're doing one or two (maybe three) packs but whole battalions/regiments of 50+ vehicles is probably going to get tiresome.

The M3A3 Stuart is painted as a 7th AD vehicle.

Is the diamond from the I-94 sheet of British geometric markings. I bought a pack a few years back (before FDD did theirs) but was a little disappointed with the number of each. I've just checked and there's enough to do 5 vehicles with each design (only 4 for the blue though). Given the size of their decal sheets I see why there's so few but I would have prefered it if they had released a series of 4 sheets (one for each colour). That way we might have got enough of one design to do a company's worth of vehicles. Still it's a minor niggle and there's now FDD.

The M4A2 Sherman is painted as a Marine Corps Sherman in the Pacific Theater.

I've not gone down the Marine Corps or India/Pacific theatres except with aircraft so far. No one local has get to get Japanese ground forces and I can't start another new army can I?

Flight Deck Decals now make most of the British markings including weight classification.

Yeah, my Churchills have their weight classification and unit markings along with I-94s Allied Stars and GHQs old geometric markings (which I really need to replace with the FDD ones).
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[redleg]

Pete, your Stewart and Sherman tanks look amazing! No wonder they want pictures of your work in the catalog! I wonder how many people have been on the fence about a new hobby, and then they see your tanks and ships and they decide to go for it because your stuff looks so awesome? You just might be the pied piper of the micro armor world!

[pmskaar]

Hi Gazza!

The diamonds on the M3A3 are by I-94. I was okay to do some cutting and pasting on this one but I would not do a whole unit, probably not even a platoon, by having to cut and paste.

I like the markings on your Churchills. I am considering doing a Churchill squadron from 1944 in France. Do you know if the British mixed different types of Churchills in the same squadron or regiment? I have about 20 Churchill VIIs, and 10 each of Churchill IIIs and IVs. The VII was armed with the 75mm while the IIIs and IVs had the 6 Lbrs. I have really no idea how these were organized though. Do you have any information on that?

Hi Redleg!

Thank you very much! If I am able to make converts, so much the better for the 6mm hobby as a whole and of course having other guys around who play micro armor is always a plus.

[Mortis57]

The diamonds on the M3A3 are by I-94.

Thanks, I thought so.

I like the markings on your Churchills. I am considering doing a Churchill squadron from 1944 in France. Do you know if the British mixed different types of Churchills in the same squadron or regiment? I have about 20 Churchill VIIs, and 10 each of Churchill IIIs and IVs. The VII was armed with the 75mm while the IIIs and IVs had the 6 Lbrs. I have really no idea how these were organized though. Do you have any information on that?

Hi Pete,
It varies from unit to unit and over time, but this will give you some idea. It boils down to IIIs/IVs initially with the VIIs (and IXs) coming a little later. One thing to bear in mind is that GHQ doesn't as yet do a CS variant (Mks V and VIII). Just one CS turret in a pack would probably have done. The info comes from Micromark sheet B071A. Whilst the list might not be 100% accurate it, at least, give you a starting point.

6th GUARDS TANK BRIGADE - Jul-Nov’44

4th Grenadier Guards
3 Squadrons
SHQ: 2× Churchill IV, 2× Churchill V or VIII, 1× S/C
----->5 Troops: 3× Churchill IV

4th Coldstream Guards
3 Squadrons
SHQ: 3× Churchill VII, 2× Churchill V or VIII
----->5 Troops: 3× Churchill IV
OR
3 Squadrons (Aug’44+)
SHQ: 2× Churchill IV, 2× Churchill V or VIII, 1× Churchill ARV
----->4 Troops: 3× Churchill IV or VII

3rd Scots Guards
3 Squadrons
SHQ: 2× Churchill IV, 2× Churchill V or VIII, 1× ARV
----->4 Troops: 3× Churchill IV

b) The Brigade started with Churchill Mk.VI in England, switching to 6pdr armed Mk.IV in early 1944, with Churchill V close-support tanks. These received extra track links as improvised armour at the end of July in Normandy. Later in 1944 the Mk.IV were rearmed with 75mm, and the Mk.VIII CS tanks were available from June 1944.
g) Tank Troops can have one Churchill Mk.IX per Troop from September 1944

--------------

6th GUARDS TANK BRIGADE - Dec’44+
4th Grenadier Guards
3 Squadrons
SHQ: 2× Churchill VII, 2× Churchill VIII, 1× Churchill ARV
----->2 Troops: 3× Churchill IV(75mm) or Churchill IX(6pdr)
----->3 Troops: 3× Churchill VII

4th Coldstream Guards
3 Squadrons
SHQ: 2× Churchill VII, 2× Churchill VIII, 1× Churchill ARV
----->2 Troops: 3× Churchill IV(75mm) or Churchill IX(6pdr)
----->3 Troops: 3× Churchill VII

3rd Scots Guards
3 Squadrons
SHQ: 2× Churchill VII, 2× Churchill VIII, 1× Churchill ARV
----->2 Troops: 3× Churchill IV(75mm) or Churchill IX(6pdr)
----->3 Troops: 3× Churchill VII

d) In 1945 the 4th Coldstream Guards had a captured Panther called ‘Cuckoo’ which was used in action.
e) Tank Troops can have one Churchill Mk.IX per Troop.

------------

All squadrons can add a M10 Wolverine or Achilles Troop if available.

[pmskaar]

That is very good information, Gazza! I am wondering if the IV and VIIs operated together in a troop or even a squadron or if they were always separate.

I would love to see GHQ do the Churchill Mk V with the 95mm gun. That would be great.

Here is the Churchill Crocodile that I painted for the catalog.



There are no markings on this one at all. When I get around to doing my own Churchills, I will put markings on them.

[Mortis57]

I am wondering if the IV and VIIs operated together in a troop or even a squadron or if they were always separate.

Those lists do suggest that the IVs and VIIs at least operated in the same squadron. I'm not sure about the same troop though. I'm tempted to say not though but if I did a photo or two would show up proving me wrong.

There is a Facebook group dedicated to the 6th Guards Tank Brigade. They may more information. They do have a spreadsheet of known Churchills - War Department Number, Unit, Known Markings etc. Plus a few pdfs on various engagements - which I haven't had the opportunity to look at yet.

I would love to see GHQ do the Churchill Mk V with the 95mm gun.

Well they've definitely done packs of more obscure vehicles in the past. Maybe a combined pack of Vs and VIIIs to give the main two versions with the 95mm. A combined pack of the earlier Mk.I and IIs would round out the various marks. I say that as an Osprey New Vanguard book (#272) on the Churchill is doubtful that the later converted marks (IX, X, and XI) were indeed actually converted.

Here is the Churchill Crocodile that I painted for the catalog.

Nice! I, naturally, have a single troop of 3 H&R ones. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos to hand.

I will put markings on them.

You might have to cut and paste the bridge classification markings as vehicles with trailers have a slightly more complicated marking (with and without the trailer IIRC).

As we're talking about the Crocodile, I found an excerpt in that New Vanguard that suggests that they were even deployed in half troop strength for specific operations.

A total of three regiments were ultimately equipped with Crocodiles exclusively and administered by the 79th Armoured Division, to the extent that a half-troop of two tanks could be issued for a specific operation.

[redleg]

That's a beautiful tank Pete!

[chrisswim]

Pete, it looks great. Almost pretty. Totally fabulous.

[pmskaar]

Thank you very much for additional information on the Churchills, Gazza. I was wondering if the IV and VII were combined in troops similar to the way the Sherman troops typically had 3 standard Shermans and a Firefly. In the absence of any hard evidence, I may opt to go for a mixed squadron or two but probably not mix the troops.

Thank you both very much, Redleg and Chris! I appreciate it.

[Mortis57]

Thank you very much for additional information on the Churchills, Gazza.

You're welcome.

I was wondering if the IV and VII were combined in troops similar to the way the Sherman troops typically had 3 standard Shermans and a Firefly.

I guess if the Black Prince had entered service that might have happened (3 Mk.VIIs and 1 Black Prince). The anti-tank vehicle of choice seems to have been the attached Wolverine/Achilles but with the M10's thinner armour I imagine that their troop(s) were kept well back behind the Churchills.

In the absence of any hard evidence, I may opt to go for a mixed squadron or two but probably not mix the troops.

That seems to be your best bet. Maybe two squadrons - one of Mk.IIIs and Mk.VIIs and the other with Mk.IVs and Mk.VIIs. You could try converting one or two to the applicable CS variant - the only real difference is the shorter gun.

[pmskaar]

Thanks very much, Gazza! I might do a combined Churchill IV and VII squadron. My British Army needs some love and I need to add some infantry and more vehicles to beef it up a bit. A few years ago, my American Army for NW Europe was pretty pitiful. I now have a company plus each of M4A1s and M4A3s of various types. I also have a full company of American infantry as well. Those guys saw action in a Battle of the Bulge game I played in about 8 years ago but not since. I will need to fix that soon.

Here are some of my American Shermans.


M4A1s. Some are the 76mm while the remaining are 75mm. The 75mm have both early and later type transmission covers on the front hull and a few have the bulged turrets vs the ones with applique armor.


A couple of M4A1 75mm close up.


A few of my M4A3s.

[redleg]

Pete those Shermans are beautiful!

[pmskaar]

Thank you very much, Redleg! I may have to get them on the table for a game next time you come to town.

[pmskaar]

Here are some WIP pictures of my DAK Panzer IIIs. These are designated for my 3rd Kompanie as it has no long barrelled Panzer IIIs. I am rectifying this by adding 4 Pz IIILs, and 2 Panzer IIIJs (Early short barrelled type).

When I took the pictures, I had put the dark brown wash on 3 of the models and left the other 3 without. I did those to illustrate the wash effects on these fine models and how, in my opinion, really enhances the model by bringing out the details. Here are a few pictures.


The whole group


A couple of Panzer IIILs. In the foreground is without the wash and in the background after the wash is applied.


A view from the rear.


Another view from the front.


This view shows a Panzer IIIJ next to a Panzer IIIL. Both have the wash but the Pz IIIJ is in the darker RAL8000 color while the Panzer IIIL is in the lighter RAL8020 color which was from March 1942 and after.


This picture shows turrets before and after for both the Panzer IIIJ and Panzer IIIL.


A palm tree. This along with a bunch of others was supplied to me by my good friend, Polish GI. I will do some work to modify and enhance these to be added to my Terrain Maker desert layout as part of an oasis. Stay tuned.

[Hoth_902]

Pete,

Am I correct in assuming that you are using an acrylic wash over the Enamel paint? This does not appear to be just a pin wash where you have applied the wash so that it goes only into the cracks, but also appears to stain all of the paint.. This would lead me to believe that you use a wash over the dull coat paint or apply a clear dull coat and then the wash.. Is that correct? Please provide some details to your wash process.

Great Job how ever you do it.