Czech Legion Train 1918

Now that the latest July edition of "Wargames Illustrated" has hit the shelves I can make a post on a long term project that I had to keep under wraps as it was to feature in the article "The Train Now Standing at Platform Four is the 19:18 To Vladivostok".

The whole train was based on an engine, rolling stock and track from Sarissa Precision and it took inspiration from a number of images of such Czech Legion trains that are found easily online.

A train on the move.

Accommodation wagon.

Machine Gun Wagon

Flatbed carrying armoured car.

75mm Russian Naval guns in open wagons.

The Naval Guns.

These were made from styrene tubes, manilla card, a bit of bent brass wire 

and caviar beads for rivets.

The wagon is a low aggregate wagon built inside out so the timber forms the inside lining to what is meant to be a steel wagon. Caviar beads again form rivets on the outside.

The base coat of paint (burnt sienna).

Followed by an ink wash and some highlights. A little chipping has been applied using Dark Rust paint on a little bit of foam sponge.

Finally some weathering pigment.

The Machine Gun Wagon.

Again a low aggregate wagon forms the basis for this model with a fair amount of additions.  

Internal platforms for guns, two styrene "H" Beams to support the roof, and a sill formed from a  length of wooden coffee stirrer were added along with some ammunition boxes made from greensuff and other materials that I replicated using "Instant Mold".

 Milliput sandbags were added.

 The painting begins as the roof goes on. The roof is a layer of planks, each a double thickness of wooden coffee stirrers. I drank a fair bit of coffee at my local independent coffee shop to "liberate" the necessary quantity of wood.

The Flatbed Wagon.

A simple build of wooden planks on a chassis. More coffee had to be consumed.

The Accomodation Wagon.

The only addition to this build of a Goods Wagon was a styrene tube to make a chimney for the stove inside. Homemede transfers provide the decoration and a little freehand painting was required. The names on the wagon have been copied from photos.

The Engine.

No attitions, just a black paint job, some transfers and a suitable name.

Of course, troops were required

Once delivered to Rodger, we set it up and took some photos. Note the Austin armoured car now on the flatbed wagon.

As Ivor the Engine once said, "Poop, poop!"

1/4 Norfolk Regiment (TF) 1917 1

Here are the first six of ten figures that will form 1/4 Norfolk Regiment (TF) as part of 163 Brigade alongside the Isle of Wight Rifles. Like the Hampshires they are kitted out in smoke hoods ready for their assault on Tank Redoubt at the Second Battle of Gaza. These are six of the latest releases from Mutton Chop's WW1 range. Oddly titled as "BEF Trench Raiders 1916", Paul Hicks sculpted these chaps to represent Tommies at Loos, 1915.

These chaps are painted up in "Sports Jacket and Flannels", a mix of khaki drill tunic and khaki serge trousers. A real pleasure to paint.

Wilhelm Wassmuss foments trouble in the Persian Gulf.

Thanks to Steve Langan for images of a recently completed commission. Steve wanted an Imperial German expeditionary force based upon the exploits of Wilhelm Wassmuss "the German Lawrence", as he attempted to create trouble for the British Empire in Persia between 1916 and 1918.

 

Mark IX "Pig" Supply/Infantry Carrier, 1918. A Riveting Return.

Over eighteen months ago I played about with some 1/72 scale plans of a Mark IX Infantry Carrier. I resized them to approximately 1/56 and built a couple of models from card. I made a third model, upon which I began to stick HUNDREDS of caviar beads to act as rivets. This gave the model "weight". Sticking on those tiny beads was such a buttock-clenching job that I put the model aside to complete at a later date. I then promptly forgot all about it. Until, that is, last weekend when Steve Langan (the man with the original idea for a model of a Mark IX in this scale) posted some images of a game where one of these first two models took to the table. That sparked the memory. Under a pile of decapitated heads from hundreds of headswaps, old empty paint pots, chocolate bar wrappers and empty pizza boxes I found "The Pig". I discovered a much more efficient way of applying these rivets by licking the end of a old brush. The brush then picks up one bead at a time which can be placed upon the model with some accuracy. So, here is the third "Pig". Better late than never.

WW1 German Hussars

A couple of years ago I panted up a unit of Perry plastic Hussars. After that I said "Never again. No more Hussars. Ever." I have broken my word, but these two chaps are a bit different to their Napoleonic forebears. This was a chance to try out my new "feldgrau" recipe on the tunics ahead of having a pop at the new Mutton Chop German Jaeger sometime this summer.

Isle of Wight Rifles 2.

Here are the last five figures to complete the 1/8 Hampshire Regiment (Isle of Wight Rifles) (TF), 163 Bde., Palestine, 1917. There are a couple of Woodbine Design and three Footsore Miniatures figures in this group. All have been given a khaki drill paint scheme to go with the sinister looking smoke hoods.

 Here is an image of the whole unit of ten.

Next in this project, 1/4 Norfolk Regiment (TF).

Another Holt and a big tracked trailer

I had a First Corps Holt tractor in the "might be useful" pile. The same pile also had the two steering mechanisms from the 1/56 JTFM Mark I tanks pictured earlier. They were surplus to requirements. I built the Holt, found a couple of likely lads from the lead pile and cut a couple of bits off the steering gear and presto... a towing limber for a big gun.

Then I remembered this image:

And this from the IWM online photographic collection:

It was what they were pulling that interested me. Big tracked trailers. So I had a go.

Brigade Games Imperial German Schutztruppen 3.

Four figures from Brigade Games to join the Pulp Figures and complete this unit of twelve. Also a photo of the whole completed unit.

Pulp Figures Imperial German Schutztruppen 2.

Next time a few Schutztruppen from Brigade Games to complete this unit and some maxims from Pulp Figures.