Big weekend of activity

This has been the most productive weekend of many, many weekends.

Firstly, I have finally finished the bookcases that have been being built over the past 4 months.  Painting all done and have started sorting the books and putting them onto the shelves.  SWMBO is taking great delight in telling me on the hour every hour that she does not think they will all fit.  We'll see :)  At the moment I am warily checking the walls of the room and the walls / ceilings of the room below given the weight that will be mounting as all the books are loaded.

On the minis front, I have cleaned up, undercoated and sprayed parts of 15 * 20mm resin buildings.  These are a mixture of Hovels and Shell Hole Scenics and are all town buildings for making cities.

Work has also been progressing on a new Waco glider that will have the nose open and a jeep on its way out.  Interior being finished tonight and will then be put together so I can undercoat and spray olive drab next weekend.  Markings to then follow.

Finally, 30-odd discarded parachutes have been base coated and are waiting for their highlight colours. 

Right, back to work - more books to arrange and load so I can get to the Waco and chutes tonight.

Photos of each and all over the next days / week.

US Paras

Just discovered that I put up a lot of photos of them being painted 2 years ago, but never a photo of them completed.

Will follow up over the next few days with some closeups.

Regimental HQ
3 * Para Battalions
2 * 57mm A/T Btty
2 * 75mm Howitzer Btty with FO teams
1 * 105mm Howitzer Btty
Pathfinder Coy
Engineer Coy
and a few extras

Photos from the old Hartenstein Museum

These ones are from the basement of the old Hartenstein Museum before the renovations were done - also taken in 2007 I think - or it may have been 2009.  Anyway, some nice lifesize dioramas. 

Now if only someone would make a model of the dozer in 20mm !

 

 

 

 

Carentan Military Vehicle show 2007

Seeing a post on a forum I frequent of footage of an Achilles and Coment reminded me of a trip on June 7 to a military vehicle show at Carentan in Normandy.  Lots of great vehicle you could walk around, lots of renactors also.

Here is a few of the nicer shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a special treat for those interested in captured French equipment - not at Carentan but in front of the US Airborne musuem / shop at Dead Man's Corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress on the Military History Library Annexe

Things have been quiet around here on the blog front and the painting (miniatures) front.  The main reason is that I have been labouring away with the DIY bug on building the bookcases for the military history annexe to our library.

You may recall from my post at the beginning of March that we had quite a bit to repair after the old builtin wardrobe was removed.  So after gyprocking, searching for a matching cornice and struggling with out of alignment and damaged wall, I can happily report that the room once again looks like a whole room.

 



Might not look like much to you, but when I consider this is how it looked in March when the wardrobe was removed, then I am happy.

I have also started construction of the bookcases and yesterday installed the bottom cases.  This is just the carcase - there is still a shelf, then much higher carcases to come on top and then a nicely detailed face frame.  The wood is all cut for the remaining carcases - just need to rip down to size a thick piece of MDF for the shelf. 

It has rained heavily here most of the weekend and so I have been curtailed as I need the heavy saw setup in the garden to proceed.  Next weekend is a long weekend so I have great hopes and plans - as long as the rain holds off.

Despite the workload on the construction front, I have found time to continue the search for new and old interesting books and I am glad to inform you that more have been acquired.  Don't know yet whether the bookcases when finished will be big enough.

US Heavy Lifting

A couple of specials which are more 'eye candy' than useful on the table.  But I like this stuff because 1) they are different and 2) they are BIG. 

First up is a Cromwell models Dragon Wagon. It was a beautiful resin kit that went together well.  I got it second hand (but unmade) and a few bits were missign or broken so some (minor) scratchbuilding was required to repair it.

Next up is a Retrokit Ward La France wrecker.  Quite a lot of work to put together - but very well cast and I think makes up a beautiful and different model.  Adding the thread for the cables is always difficult - especially to get it lookign taught.