The Big Push 3.

More for the Syria 1918 game at Colours, Newbury, this September.

Firstly, the last two vehicles for 12th Light Armoured Motor Battery. The Rolls Royce Armoured Car is from HLBS and the Rolls Royce Tender is from Company B.

The excellent Crossley Tender from Trenchworx. This will supply 7th Light Car Patrol.

Some Crusader Miniatures early WW2 French infantry painted up as French Legion d'Orient.

Dismounted French Spahis. Woodbine Designs figures with added greenstuff on the headgear and a number of Empress Miniatures SCW figures in adrian helmets to make up the numbers.

Next? 20th Mounted Machine Gun Squadron and a unit of French Mounted troops.

I have always wanted to own a Rolls Royce....

... and now I do. Here is the HLBS (ex-Copplestone) RR 1914 Admiralty model RR AC painted up for service with 12th Light Armoured Motor Battery in Palestine. A 28mm Tommy is alongside for size. As Toad would say "Poop! Poop!"

Another WW1 Holt Tractor.

Another 1st Corps Holt 15 ton Tractor, a HLBS 8 inch gun and a scratchbuilt towing limber . The crew on the tractor are a seated Woodbine gunner and a converted Perry Miniatures ACW figure carrying a "Flimsy" full of fuel. The gun has a disruptive camouflage paint scheme for hot and sandy conditions in Mespot. Film of Mesopotamia from the IWM shows a Holt like this with the divisional sign of the Indian 17th Division painted on the rear of the vehicle so the black cat rides on this model as well. 

The Big Gun is painted.

So... the painting Mojo still needs to turn itself back on when I look at the little metal men. I painted up the big converted 6 inch gun and then, as if by magic, the Mojo said "Righto, lad, time to get the flesh done on the next pack of those Perry WW2 Yeomanry." I have got the big guns out of my system. The finer brushes now call.

To give an indication of the size of this beast, a GWM brass hat up from Brigade has photobombed the images.

Converting the big gun.

Here are a few images of a HLBS 8 inch Howitzer kit that has been converted to represent a 6 inch gun (possibly a Mark VII-ish). It will be a while before I get this painted up so I thought I would post up images of the bare build. A few bits have been removed from the resin carriage and others added and the gun itself is 12cm of styrene tube with card additions. Thanks to the State Library of Victoria, I now have a digital copy of the handbook for the 4.7 inch field gun. That will be next.

1st Corps Holt Artillery Tractor, a scratchbuilt towing limber and an 8 inch howitzer from HLBSCo.

I just had to complete the ensemble. The tractor from the previous post, a scratchbuilt cereal packet towing limber and a big gun that had been in a box for a while. In the words of Chris Tarrant from his "TISWAS" days, "This is what we want!"

Big Bertha and further progress with Pigs.

The HLBS Krupp 42cm Howitzer.

Following the concept model in the previous post, the design and build of the cereal packet Mark IX "Pig" Infantry Carrier has been tweaked a little in size and rudimentary rivettng has taken place on this second scratchbuilt model. 

WW1 Heavy Haulage and an Omnibus!

The Traction Engine from The Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company hauling "Ada", another 8 inch Howitzer from the same company. The towing limber is a scratchbuild. Apologies if the images are a little blurred. This is a big model and when hitched up to a gun is almost a foot long! I had to resort to hand held photography and it seems that the anti-shake was a bit ineffective. 

Back in March, out of curiosity, I purchased the Model T Ambulance from Warbases. Last week I took delivery of one of their latest MDF vehicle kits, the AEC Model B Omnibus. I've wanted a bus to put into my display cabinet for quite some time and at a tenner for the kit, it is very good value and, I think gives a pleasing end result. With a bit more work filling in some of the joints it could be even better. If you want some affordable transport to run the gaunlet of German artillery along the Menin Road I heartily recommend this kit.

"Who parked this bloody Bus here? It's meant to go over there!"

Private Perkins was ordered to guard this Omnibus until relieved. He is still waiting.

I am quite pleased with the end result of this build and I think I feel the stirrings of a bit of a conversion project....