2014 End of Year Thanks

Shameless Grab from another Blog

For Modeling, 2014 has been a good year. I'm behind were I thought I'd be a year ago, however, I believe I'm going to have two playable Mid WWII German & Soviet army forces able to play BGK in the next year.

   I would like to thank all the internet entities that have helped me, knowing and unknowingly.

Model Dads :  http://www.modeldads.co.uk/
Beginners Guide to Paint WWII 15mm Figures: Part  ONE , Part  TWO,  Part THREE.

Doctor Faust's Painter Clinic: http://www.brookhursthobbies.com/paintingclinic/
Basic Prep, Painting & Basing 15mm WWII US Infantry: USA OK.
Basic Basing:  Here
Painting Sherman TANK. shows good sample of Washes & Decals
Basic Painting Supplies for HOBBYING
Basic Dry Brushing: YouTube Video
Basics Inks & Washes: VIDEO Here

Squad Painter :  http://squadpainter.blogspot.com/
 Plastic Soldier Company WWII Russian Infantry: Part ONE
Part TWO here,  Part THREE ,  Part FOUR , Part FIVE ,  Part SIX 
 PSC WWII Russian Infantry: Paints USED  
PCS T-70 Soviet Tank ASSEMBLE , Airbrush AND Detail, T-70 Done. 

The Guide :  http://www.guildwargamers.com/phpBB3/index.php
Log In HERE

Kit Noob :  http://kitnoob.blogspot.com/

Mini AFV :  http://miniafv.blogspot.com/

Plastic Soldier Review :  http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Index.aspx

Marcel Duchamp :  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp

& Many More

2014  Product Break Throughs( The 2014 trifecta )

Army Painter " Psyco" Super fine brush

Army Painter " Medium QuickShade"

Tamiya Extra Thin Cement

Zvezda 15mm_1/100 Soviet BA-10 Armored Car

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Progress: 1x 1/2 built. headlight went flying and is currently MIA

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Recommendations: Create netting inclosure to contain super tiny parts when they eventually go flying into orbit.

Zvezda 15mm_1/100 WWII German Sd.Kfz.251 Ausf.B German Personnel Carrier

Comments:

Internet Ref: HERE http://spottinground.com/15-mm-sd-kfz-2511-model-comparison/

Check this site, and make regular?: http://spottinground.com/


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Progress:2x Built ready for priming

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Con's: tiniest parts need 4x glass or stronger, Very light for wargaming ( needs weights )

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Zvezda 15mm_1/100 WWII Soviet ZIS-5 Military 3 Ton Truck

Comments: I love this bight olive green color in this illustration, and that is the color that I'm shooting for in my AFV's.

Assembly Info: The hood on this model was quite the trick, I thought that you needed a single fold when really there was a three fold process on the piece of plastic that was cut off the sprue.

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Progress: Assembled & waiting priming

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Merry X-mas from Tank Taco

It was a good Xmas. My son received a HO scale train that has been running in circle all Christmas long. He gave me a Tank from the local drug store (CVS) as a gift that turned out to be a Panzer IV, which turned out to be the same tank that I had just bought a Osprey Publication as a gift to my self.   It's a Xmas miracle!

Another Christmas miracle was getting some free time to put on test coat of Army Painter Quick Shade (Medium). It was a make or break moment for the future of me in this hobby, since my last attempt at shading with varnish was a horrible flop (the horror). But as I brushed on Quick Shade on to the only painted 15mm & 1/72 I had, which I had toiled over for far too long, and as the room was filled with the smell of turpentine cleaner & my sole was filled with the Xmas spirit, a Miracle happened once more, with the successful QuickShading of the figures, and thus an extension of my hobby pursuits into the future.

1/72 PSC MiddleStone 5:1 basecoat

Revell 1/72 LightGreenGrey basecoat

The Three Wise Men in 15mm. Bearing Gifts

Post & Pre QuickShade. Modle Air LightGreyGreen 4:1 w/white

1/72 & 15mm PSC Soviets MiddleStone 4:1 basecoat

1/72 Minwax Horror

15mm Soviet Horrors

15mm PSC German fighting dead, The HORROR!

It Has Arrived!!!

After trying to try the cheaper alternate option, I ordered the Army Painter "Quick Shade".  And if I can't make this work, then blame Army Painter for me giving up on the hobby.
I made quite the order from Michigan Toy Soldier Company and I will note links relating to those purchases Below.

- Army Painter Quick Shade "Strong" :
This is the Video that reinvigorated me. It talks of making whole army and has the techniques that I going to use. ThePaintingClinic The Basics: Painting US Infantry ::  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FQ6HbivtjE

-Army Painter - Static Steppe Grass :
How to make static grass clumps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8b32zzFZCI
Making static grass clumps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJSFTHy5rWw
Static grass tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpnq_BJpMbA
How to make a static grass applicator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSr2ZNOn4yc  
Another: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrffkoNFKL4

-Army Painter - Precision Side Cutters : 

- Vallejo - Heavy Gloss (Transparent) Gel 30ml :  This was basically a mistake. What I meant to get was Vallejo Pumice Gel:
How to use Grey Pumice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq3Qhu12dL0
HobbyBlog on Pumice : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-MZ4Bz70iM

- Plastic Soldier - Decals:
*15mm & 1/72nd decals 2nd Pz Division @ Kursk
* 15mm decals Soviet Slogan
* 15mm decals Soviet Tac and Unit Signs, Stars and Gaurds (OUT of Stock at time)

- Osprey Publishing Materials:
 *OSP-MAA216  Red Army or the Great Patriotic War 1941-45
*OSP-MAA468  Men-at-Arms: WWII Soviet Armed Forces
*OSP-MAA311  German Army 1939-45 Blitzkrieg
*OSP-MAA311  German Army 1941-43 Eastern Front (OUT of STOCK)
*OSP-V028        Vanguard: Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45
*OSP-V037        Sturmgeschutz III &IV 1942-45
- Zvezda 15mm Vehicles:
Zvezda 15mm WWII German Sd.Kfz.251-1 Ausf.B (2x items)
Zvezda 15mm WWII Soviet Truck ZIS-5 (2x)
Zvezda 15mm WWII Soviet Rocket Launcher Katyusha (1x)
Zvezda 15mm WWII BA-10 Armored Car (1x)

Renedra Bases: 40mmx20mm & 25mmx50mm
& about Basing
 Dirty Jon's Basing Tutorial(15mmFOW) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQB7dWGGg9k
FOW bases made easy : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12ctTua1Ho4
How to base w/ sand & static grass : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na83wrAdoXc
Basing Basic w/citadel product: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDUHR435lVw

Post Tanksgiving Airbrush Session

Comments:Well started of the day wanting to do a bit more spraying learning more & getting a few more things sprayed while the weather was rather dry & before I did some hand painting

Things I encountered during session:
* started with black tip on new airbrush, but after a while it seemed to clog, and I changed to white tip and then latter to grey tip, both which worked well. I'm still not sure that I clogged the black tip, maybe the ratio of air pressure and other factor may have caused issue. -- need to check out black tip to see if I can dial it in --
** started session with a mix of black & white to make grey, and started with black and then added the white, which now seems wrong. FROM NOW ON, start with white and then add black to get to the medium light grey that works best for priming
*** The "3 in 1 Airbrush Cleaning Pot" was a great buy and has sped up the process of cleaning airbrush between color changes and at the end of the session greatly.

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Happy Tanksgiving 2014 from Tank Taco

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Father & Son Thanksgiving Holiday Modeling

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TANKSGIVING Holiday Airbrush Session

This session happened on 11/25/2014, and was a quick set up just to see if I could set up airbrush relatively quickly and spray some primer on recently assembled 15mm figures & AFV's, plus some of parts from son's 1/24th Truck Model


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Minwax PolyShade Test Dip & Brush session

Well, It has been a long time since I started setting up this test of non ARMY PAINTER dip test.
Previous part of this process post from a year ago HERE

Brushing set up with a #6 round artist loft (cheap) brush that seemed to work well

1/72 PSC soviet figure while still wet with Minwax PolyShade, Honey Gloss color

15mm PSC soviets. Brushed on Minwax PolyShade, Honey Gloss color

1/72 PSC Germans still wet with a heavy brush. Hoping they lighten up after drying

 Zvezda 1/72nd bushed on Minwax PolyShade, Honey Gloss color

1/72 Armourfast Panther G revisited

Although my focus is currently 15mm, however I could not resist working on this 1/72nd  Panther G form Armourfast.

 Tacks painted for pre base airbrushing. 

Since the model was primed on the sprue, I had to spend time prepping model for gluing.

Tank Taco Research & References October 2014

 

 ------------------- Previous Tank Taco Reference Pages ------------------------------

Previous Tank Taco Favorite links from May 2013 Tank Taco

Tank Taco Paint inventory HERE

German AFV Camo colors: INFORMATION

German Dunkelgrau: German Grey

German Dunkelgleb: German Tank Yellow

Mid-War german camo: Here

Soviet AFV Colors: LINK HERE

Soviet Uniforms Ref.: Soviet Colors

More Soviet LINKS

German Uniforms Ref.: German Colors

Decals: INFO

----------------------- New Links -----------------------------------------------------------

How to thin model color for airbrush youTube. Interesting self made thinner:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjt4KZg8w0E

Model color thinning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PM0C4xCu_4

Vallejo primer video:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d3e__zE4dU

Tutorial page lists/
Model Dads Tutorial list: http://www.modeldads.co.uk/Painting-and-Modelling/Flames-of-War-Painting-and-Modelling-Guides.html
Model brush painting guides: http://www.modelbrush.com/modelbrush-painting-guides/
SD Forum: http://sdean-forum.co.uk/forum/index.php

On Colors  
SUPER COLOR THEORY TUTORIAL: http://ordinarygaming.blogspot.com/2012/06/color-theory-tutorials-why-didnt-i.html
Vallejo color Info:  http://greatredoubt.wordpress.com/painting-info/
Scale Model Paint Guide Part 2:  has good review of thinners and media:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwpwtIPEAI4   has good review of thinners and media
SUPER 15MM SITE: http://www.warin15mm.com/index.html
miniature painting vallejo&Victrix:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llfj2IacQzA
15mm painting/
Model brush painting guides: http://www.modelbrush.com/modelbrush-painting-guides/
Model dads part1: http://www.modeldads.co.uk/Painting-and-Modelling/Flames-of-War-Painting-and-Modelling-Guides-Guide1A.html
Model dads part2: http://www.modeldads.co.uk/Painting-and-Modelling/Flames-of-War-Painting-and-Modelling-Guides-Guide1B.html
Model dads part3: http://www.modeldads.co.uk/Painting-and-Modelling/Flames-of-War-Painting-and-Modelling-Guides-Guide1C.html

Dr. faust on painting 15mm:  http://www.brookhursthobbies.com/paintingclinic/clinic/smallscale.htm
Very GOOD  YouTube video US infrantry15mm all steps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FQ6HbivtjE

painting 15mm germans wwii grey
Model brush tutorial: http://www.modelbrush.com/document-how-to-paint-15mm-germans/
FOW Utube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LRlHszEqzE

painting 15mm Soviets wwii
How i painted tutorial:  http://dagamerstable.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-i-painted-my-ww2-15mm-soviet.html

best color for wwII solviet AFV tanks/
Soviet T-34 paint schemes: http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/soviet_T34-76.php
Solviet camo discussion: http://forum.wwpd.net/viewtopic.php?t=787&p=7641
Vallejo video Russian Green set:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chNjDRxUSIY
Discussion on Russian 4BO green or(?)FS24098:  http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1189292377/Help+me+Obi+Wan+Zalogi-Help+me---
CHECK OUT FOR TANKS & INFANTRY!!! : http://wargameterrain.blogspot.com/2013/05/plastic-soldier-company-warsprays-have.html

best color for wwII German AFV tanks/
German Panzer paint schemes:  http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Panzer-VI_Tiger.php
Dux Homunculorum:  http://dux-homunculorum.blogspot.com/2013/10/project-kursk-21-some-more-german-armour.html

PSC late war german heavy weaons at Kursk BGK
Using Heavy weapon w/ BGK & Basing Dicussion_Guild:  http://www.guildwargamers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=308&t=26401

washes: http://www.how-to-paint-miniatures.com/miniature_painting_washing.html
Army Painter Quick Shade/
Splash technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYfhmfFgi9U

Airbrushing
1hr 30min Video on airbrushing Hobby oriented: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYfhmfFgi9U
BASING & FLOCKING
basing & flocking:  http://www.fanaticus.org/DBA/guides/flocking.html

magnets in turret for 15mm tanks/
FOW magnets:  http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=943
Good DakkaDakka tutorial:  http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/444780.page

Airburshing & Spray booths Build own spray Booth/
How to make spray booth Military model: http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article/homemade-spray-booth/3661/
How to make spray booth-Good detail blog write up: http://www.houseofpaincakes.com/2013/10/surprise-attack-warning-contents-may-be.html
TCP- paashe Hobby Paint spray booth :  http://www.tcpglobal.com/PAS-HB-16-13_301.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwzeihBRCQ84bhxrz_0w8SJAAohyh1kj-ADelDXN0qF2K-CgBZcKV1t7vLOp1ztiS71fTdbBoCoTrw_wcB#.VDqve1llBL8

WW2 Photo References:
WWII in Color:  http://www.ww2incolor.com/

Seam Line removal/
12min video tutorial:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AAIHO5IZqU
15min video tutorial:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufKgTfaG-7E


 

New Purchase! (belated) Twin Piston Compressor & Aztek 470 Airbrush with accessories

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Orion 1/72nd WWII Soviet Tankmen and Crew 1939-1942

Comments: Well it's out side my current 15mm jones, but I thought in might be useful on the future

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Reviews: PSR = http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/review.aspx?id=2431,

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Glue Break Through!!!(: Tamiya EXTRA THIN Cement

Comments: While searching the Internet I discovered (Here) this video on product review of "Tamiya Extra Thin Cement" and "Mr. Cement S" Although Mr. Cement came across as the better product all we had at the local Hobby Shop only had the Tamiya brand. So I bought it and it so far has solved many of my gluing issues, especially with gluing the small 15mm figures and Tanks. Also saw another video (Here ) on how it works great on removing mold lines on 15mm PSC figures

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Videos on using glue on seams:
Gunpla tutorial - using various glues including the thicker Mr. Cement that I have: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufKgTfaG-7E
Another 12min video on seams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AAIHO5IZqU
YouTube video US infrantry15mm all steps & dealing with SEAMs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FQ6HbivtjE
The enlightening Video!!!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2clHW2UN0wProgress:
Sprue Cutters channel/ using tamiya cement part1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FQ6HbivtjE
Using glues for Modeling  PART1 & PART2

2/2015 new resources discovered:
How to hints and tricks with glues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKZvRObJEqo
Quick Tip/Different types of Glue!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qdKEFW84Cs
Model Masters Liquid Cement:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TQs-7k-qyI
Introduction to model glues:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q02aSirMbgA
Glues & Cements FULL TEST REVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLIyz2QHlKs

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Super Review that enlightened me:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2clHW2UN0w 
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Plastic Soldier Co. 15mm(1/100)WWII German Late War Infantry Heavy Weapons

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Using Heavy weapon w/ BGK & Basing Discussion_Guild:  http://www.guildwargamers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=308&t=26401

Progress: Washed

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Oops... Redundant Zvezda 15mm_1/100 Pz.Kpfw. III G & T-34 purchases for Battle Group Kursk

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Zvezda 15mm_1/100 WWII German Assault Gun Stug.III Ausf.B

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Zvezda 15mm_1/100 WWII German Flame Thrower Tank Pz.Kpfw

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Zvezda 15mm_1/100 German Truck OPEL BLITZ 1937-1944

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Zvezda 15mm_1/100 Soviet Military 3 Ton Truck

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Zvezda 15mm_1/100 Soviet Heavy Tank KV-2

Comments: Hoping to use in BGK

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Zvezda 15mm_1/100 British Infantry Tank MATILDA II (Soviet lend/lease)

Comments: to be lend/lease tank for BGK

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Progress:Assembled but broke off turret while rotating. May add magnets for turret

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New Model Air Paint Purchase

 Went to Hobby Shop today with Son, and bought some "Model Air" colors for mixing when new Airbrush & Compressor are shipped here soon. Also picked up some 15mm Armour.

I picked these colors to mix with existing "air" colors to create base colors & highlights.
Colors are: 71.013 Yellow Olive,  71.028 Sand Yellow,  71.033 Yellow Ochre,  71.050 light grey,  71.075  Sand(Ivory),  71.097 Base Grey

Full Paint Inventory:  http://tanktaco.blogspot.com/2013/01/vallejo-model-color-inventory-info.html

We're Back, On a Special Day with a new focus

Its been quite a bit since I posted last. I had various projects going and no real focus. I knew I wanted to try war-gaming with the Battlegroup Kursk rule book, but I was not sure which scale, 1/72nd or 15mm?  I have lots of 1/72 and could build a large army with all the models I already have. However I have decided to go the 15mm route for several reasons including:
A)  15mm scale will be easier to store & I feel at this point that a smaller scale will allow for a larger battle area on a given sized table.
B) I plan to paint the armies as simple as possible while trying to keep some sense of presentation quality. I not going to be to picky about quality, since I'm am still in an early stage of learning to paint, let alone basing and other disciplines to be learned. I'm hoping to learn many techniques, while doing German & Soviet 15mm armies, that I'll be able to take to larger scales.
C) I believe 15mm will be more economic on cost & time
D) I want to build 2 armies (relatively) fast & believe 15mm will work best
E) have lots of paper buildings and terrain that are scaled or scalable to 15mm

I still need to read through text and see what I might be able to assemble fast enough (either 15mm or 1/72).
My goal is to have two opposing forces, German & Soviet, in 15mm by start of 2015
Let's see if I can keep to my goal