FW190 - Work in progress - nearly done.

I have been working on the FW 190 - and am a tad frustrated with the canopy assembly  - the top 2 picks show the dry canopies on the model and they don’t fit too well. 

The bottom shows my solution - stick the canopy parts together- stickin place, then (to be done) fill the gap around the front will green stuff. 

I have now filled the gaps around the canopy - and tried to paint on the canopy frame (not my best work to be honest). If you look closely some green stuff is visible inside the canopy. Some tidying up to do on the camo patches down the sides, but nearly there.

I am hoping that the blu-tac doesn’t take any paint off the underside. I believe that I have some clear plastic rod to make a display stand. Decals next. 

Basically done, with a home made stand. I am not sure I will put on all the decals as there are so many  - I think I have to add a little paint on a couple of places. 

There are some nice things about this kit, but the fit on it wasn’t great in places - the bomb cradle - the guide holes on the instructions were not present on the kit, this might have had been related to the flash on the sprues. There was gaps between the wings and fuselage, which links to the tight fit with the fuselage and engine cowling and the propeller section. Obviously the canopy was a poor fit - not helped by some poor painting of the frame. 

Need to do a label for the base and check it over but it is basically done - months before the deadline of July.

Morts

Apparently this is the 500th Post

Well I was hoping to do a big sort of celebratory type of post, but the reality of life and just trying to stay on top of things means that this will be a mixed post instead. Which is sort of disappointing, but not surprising, as I have been juggling a bit at the moment. 

First up I was out on the moor at the weekend - after much concern about the weather, a couple of really nice days (apart from the fun of finding so lost kids in the mist/fog) - it was meant to be mainly check pointing, but I managed a good few steps around the moor (full kit on the Saturday). 

TL - the view from the Dartmoor Inn. TR - looking back north while heading to Higher Wilsworthy. BL - the river around Standon Farm. BR - the mist coming in in the afternoon around Beardown. 

TL,TR, BL - Sunrise at Peat Cot. BR - a bit of sun around Deancombe .

On Friday evening - as the good lady was out (in NYC), Steedo popped over for a game of Onus. Only our second. I was initially planning to start a campaign, but on reading the rules though a 1000 point game more appropriate. Steedo chose the Spartans and I went for the Athenians …

This was a great victory for the Spartans - twice as many points killed compared the my Athenians, there was some poor dice rolling from me, but I think I was simply out played. I certainly didn’t you the combined Hoplites and attendants well (my peltasts didn’t see much action) and my right flank was ridden over. Not a good day - but the game played and was packed up in around 3hours, which included numerous rule checks.  I could try and have claimed a draw as we killed each others generals on the last turn. 

Overall a splendid weekend. 

Morts 

FW190-A8 - Progress

So I have moved forward with progressing the Focke Wulf. 

The undercarriage is up and the bomb is on. The nose cone was delayed as I thought is would be better to put the sprial decal on while it was still attached to the sprue. Just a few bits (tiny) to fit on the underside of the fuselage (and be knocked off), before I can paint the light blue underside. 

The underside basically complete - moving along quite nicely. Insert picture to show some off the flash on the sprues - quite bad. 

Started on the topside … 

 Morts

Oathmark Eldar - Work in Progress

In a good demonstration of the whimsy on the modelling and gaming hobby, I have been quite taken with the Oathmark Eldar kitbash. 

I have filled the gaps, between the bodies and the packs. But now need to smooth off the backpacks -  I am now thinking that I perhaps should have used the Starship Troopers packs as they are not as wide across the shoulders. Too late now. 

The shoulder pads done - possibly a little smoothing to be done and these will be ready for some paint. 

Morts

Paying attention … or not … Oathmark Eldar

In an earlier post I mentioned getting a sprue of Oathmark Elf light infantry, for replacement heads for the Drakon Riders - the bodies I thought could be used for ranger types. So I bought some … or more to the point I thought that I had bought some … in fact I bought some armoured Elves instead. Now these are quite nice figures, but don’t fit with the Ral Partha Elves - so what am I to do? Sending back wasn’t an option as this would push the cost up, which would rather defeat the object of getting the Oathmark Elves.

Now I have been thinking of getting some Eldar guardians as possible canon fodder and I had some bits from the corsairs and converted guardians …

I think he works quite well - I do need to get some sci-if backpack thing and some sort of pauldrons will be needed to cover up the arm to body joint, but I think I will make a little squad of them. 

I will post work in progress as I go. 

Morts

FW190 Work in Progress - Part 1

At the weekend I did (amongst other things) started on assembling my birthday Focke Wolf FW 190 F-8 Revell model kit. This is the first model kit that I have tried making properly in 40 years … or more. 

I painted up the cockpit details a bit, but not too much and avoided using some of the decals in the box. This was probably a good call as when it went in the fuselage you can’t see much of it anyway.

The main wings and fuselage need to go together now - however I might have put to much pressure on the fuselage when sticking it together, because there is a little bit of a gap between it and the top wing. I will have to put some green stuff in there - d’oh! Although the bottom seems to fit ok when dry fitting. 

I think it’s going to be build with undercarriage up - that way I can’t snap off wheels. 

Prepping models …

I have spend the last few weeks preparing troops for undercoating, then painting. 

Over 48 Celt warriors, heroes, druids and wolfhounds. 

I have also been getting a old red dragon I was bought for my birthday (40 plus years ago from the Oxford Street Virgin Games Store) - although I have seen it as a black dragon (I think in an old Ral Partha catalogue). 

DK picked up a playmobil Viking longship - thinking that it would be good for 28mm Vikings. 

I am thinking that it might become an elf ship - I have a Revell Viking longship model which is probably a better scale match with the minis. 

Morts

Modelling conundrums …

A while ago I got the Mantic Drakon Lord - but with a GW knight to replace the lord - a better fit with the Ral Partha minis the army is made of. For my birthday I suggested that my daughters get me the Drakon regiment … they failed. But this was a good thing as a regiment came up on eBay for a good price. 

So I thought I would need another rider - as I was using 2 of the elf cavalry horses for a general and wizard (yet to be sourced), so I had 2 knights available to ride the Drakons.  

Unfortunately I hadn’t factored in the following …

The Drakon riders are integral to the body of the beasties - so what to do? 

Try and remove the rider - simply not worth the effort. 

So the plan is to remodel a bit - green stuff the cuirass, change the lances,  a mail skirt over the the legs and riders need heads to more match the rest of the army. I did look at some 3D prints and eBay for spare GW stuff, but the prices were silly. The current plan is get a sprue of Oathmark Elf light infantry and use some of the helmets from there.

I was hoping for a simple rider swap … best get back to preparing the celts for painting.

Morts

Out and about …

A couple a Saturdays ago, I was out doing ten torsy stuff - getting to drive the minibus around the lanes. The highlights of the day are below - Weston Mouth and a Raven at Ladrum Bay. The lowlights being cleaning the sick out the back of the minibus and the sitting around waiting for the young people to arrive - I don’t like check pointing.

The middle of the week should have seen me watch Mark Thomas in the big city - but an accident and the motorway managed to get the gig postponed. But it was a pleasant evening was spent chatting with Keeno et al. 

This Saturday saw myself, Keeno, Steedo and Plus-one head to the mighty St James’s Park to see the Grecians take on Northampton …

Sadly the weather was the bright side of the day, as we watch two alleged football teams kick a ball in the air. In summary the first half was not much happened, then Northampton scored a goal and the second half was not much happened, then Exeter scored a goal - the it was over and we were put out of our misery. A good day out with the lads but a poor day for football. 

Morts

Nexus Ops - Played

DK brought a copy of Nexus Ops over to the Boy Next Door (BND) for us to  try. I had managed to watch the play through link on YouTube, so I sort of had an idea of what was happening for once. 

DK had done his usual very good paint job (git) on a game which doesn’t actually need painting. The board set up is randomly placed tiles for terrain effects, then randomly placed explore tokens on top of those. The 3 base tiles for each faction (which are the same) are placed equally around the board. 

The aim of the game is to get 12 victory points, but winning battles (1 point each) and scoring secret objectives (1 to 3 points), which you pick up after fighting a battle. The game makes you fight. 

To get the units to fight the battles, you have to mine (the values in the yellow triangles). 

A rush in the first few rounds to pick up mines, purchase units and fight a few battles. I took an early lead as the player who started last get more money to buy stuff - BND seemed to think that going first didn’t make up for getting 6 less money. 

I also managed to get a 3 point secret objective, by sacrificing one of my dragon things to kill an opponents dragon …

My final 13 points and the win - after an initial early lead, the others were catching me up by taking my mines (revenue), while I had been spending on expensive dragons … and each battle they won gained them more points … narrowing my lead. But I was able to hold on. 

Certainty I would play again - thanks for bringing it out for a lay DK and thanks to BND for the pork pie. 

Morts