Category: Painting

Posted on

Assembly of planes

The lead pile

This weekend I had planned another attack on the lead pile. Glue-ing the magnets under the planes. There is still a long way to go (probably around 150 planes to go)

But the different air forces are slowly growing. The picture of the ww2 era planes did not turn out to be clear, so there is another can full of planes. I hope to do still some more planes, and then to prime all the planes, so I have something to paint for the coming months.

For glueing of the magnets I have used the following magnets. I prepared a lot of square magnets, with the smaller magnets put on it in the correct orrientation. (I checked the orientation against the bases) Than file or scrape a flat area under the belly of the plane. Put a dot of CA glue on it, let it dry for half a minute, and put them together holding them for another half a minute. Then I would let them cure for 5 minutes. Before removing the rest of the stack and the cube.

Previous weekend, I also started to make some targets to attack. A bridge, fuel storage, an a piece of dike. Hope to put a convoy or some troops on it.

I hope to proceed with the magnetizing the coming weeks. And by the end of January priming them and preparing for painting. Probably not all planes will be based by then, but enough to sustain painting for a couple of months.

Posted on

To Infinity and beyond

On Crisis 2019 I obtained a box of Corvus Belli Infinity Operation Icestorm. Or actually half the box, the Pan Oceania is missing, but the terrain is still in. (It was second hand, so price was also appropriate.) Also included was a starter set for Infinity Nomads, totaling in 13 Nomad miniatures.

I probably will end up to paint the starter set in blue, to proxy as Pan Oceania, to do some playing in the end. The Operation Icestorm ones, hope to finish in the Nomad red scheme, as on the box.

After assembly I have started with a black undercoat. Yesterday evening I tried some airbrushing, but it did clog up. So couldn’t get any progress. I hope to continue in the weekend. Hopefully some progress to show next week.

Posted on

New flight stands

For aerial wargaming I have been using 1/600 scale models. For putting them on the table, I had used some homemade stands. Consisting of a hexagon shape base plate, with small vertical rod. On top of the rod was a colored bead, with a magnet glued on. On the base was a rectangle for a 7mm D6 dice. (see image below) I have used these for several games, and they work fine. But have the downside, that everything needed to be noted with dice. The speed, height and often an ID marker, to check which unit it was. (with flights of multiple identical planes). So a better way to do this had to be found.

The old stand on the right and middle, the new stand on the left

After ordering the new planes, it was time to order some new magnets to base the planes. When looking on the magnet seller site, I noted some long thin magnets. And a new idea sprang into my head. I have seen people using Lego bricks to denote the different height levels. But it might be also possible to do this with magnets. And you can see the results below.

The bare bases, 25mm hexagon (I think from pendraken/minibits)
I spray painted them in three different colors, from a rattle can. Blue, Red and grey. Two opposing side, and a neutral color for civilian or ordnance etc. Or when needed extension on one of the two sides. I have 10 of each, so 30 in total.
Because the color bases would be much to visible, I opted to use some aerial photography to cover the face. In google earth I searched from some nice pieces of lands. Most have been of dutch Landscapes. Some fields, polders, coast line, city and rivers. All the bases were glued to the back.
After drying the bases were carefully cut out.
All 30 bases cut out, with one blank on on top.
Then it was time to add a small magnet to the middle. This could have also been a small metal bead or ring. And I am thinking to do drill next time a hole, and glue it in the MDF. Then covering it with the printed textures, so they are not visible anymore.
The Fokker G-1s show the concept and the final product. Height can now be noted with the amount of cubes. So you can directly see which plane is higher. Also you can see some different textures.

I am very happy with how the finished result looks like. I am still thinking to add a dice frame, for the speed. But will probably play a game first. I hope this helps others too. Now I can proceed on basing the planes, and painting more.

Posted on

Decals first try out

I had already some planes painted up on the Dutch air war of 1940. 4 Fokker G1, 4 Fokker DXXI, 2 Bf110, 4 Bf109 and 3 Do17. I also do have some others left to paint. But I could not finish them as the roundels where missing. But last friday they did arrive. And because the planes were already painted and coated in gloss I could directly start.

The four Fokker G1 wihtout the roundels to start with.

I started with the four Fokker G1 planes. After a quick search on the web, I determined that decals should be put at six positions. Top and bottom of the wings two each, and on the outside of the tail boom. Also there has been two variations in the 1939-1940 period. The 4 color rozet the same as in use today, which was replaced at end of 1939 with a orange triangle.

As I wanted to try out multiple sheets of the decals, I did one of the Fokkers with the Rozet, and the other three with triangles.

The Fokker G1 with rozets on six positions. The rozet on the tail boom was not yet flat, so has been later solved with some extra decal soft.

Next to the Fokkers I did also try out the German “Balkenkreuz” on the Do17. Process of application is quite simple. I did already have experience with scale modelling kits, especially smaller scale, so it was not to difficult to handle. First cut out the decals, close to the edges. Put them in a little water for a couple of seconds, and put them aside (I placed them on a cutting mat with contrasting color, to easily spot them) After a short wait, I picked up with the decals on a sharp exacto knife blade with a needle. And placed them on the planes. With a needle I put it in the correct position. With a dry large soft brush, I pressed them in place. Because the brush is dry it will soak up all the extra water. After that I put a drop of Revell Decal Soft on it, to secure and form it in place (it will force it in the recesses, and make sure that it is flat. To secure it I do a matt varnish afterwards (still have to do that. Only Have done on of the Do17s to check if there is no chemical reactions)

All the planes done so far. For the Fokkers I have still to do the orange triangles at the tail booms, and two of the underwing tringles.
Another view of the planes.

At this moment I am very happy with the decals, and how they work. Now I have to make some production line. Finish all the Fokkers G1, do the Fokker DXXI and paint up the Fokker CV, so they can also receive decals. Then finish all the Germans, and I can play the first game.

Hope to make a better photo progress report of the different steps in the future. Maybe with the Dutch cold war or the Ethiopian and Eritrean planes.

Posted on

Small Falkland conflict painted

After priming the planes yesterday, I have done a quick painting session this morning after church. I have painted the two Skyhawks and two sea Harriers. I am happy with the results. I could have worked longer on the details, and the free hand markings are not completly streight. It does look the job, and on table will probably look fine.

The inspiration for the colors did came from a decal manufacturer which has a lot of decals of unknown conflicts. Allthough these decals are for a different scale, the instructions on his website were a good guidance.

Website Dpcasper.cz

Maybe I will paint some extra details, like the exhaust and wheels on the Harriers on monday. But probably will spend some time on creating a scenario.

Posted on

Quick little Falklands

For my birthday I received some Tumblingdice aircraft. Two Harriers, two a-4 Skyhawks and two MB-339 planes. The last two will be reserved for the Eritrean air force, the others will be used for a quick paint up for the Falklands war. We will have a gaming evening next Tuesday I hope to finish it in time, so we can do a try out for the conflict. My father is doing a larger project, with extensive naval and air forces but his forces are still taking some time to be completed.

Next to these planes I already created an Avro Vulcan from scratch earlier and I had some mi-24 Hinds left in stock which I also based and primed.

Hope to be finishing the Falkland planes over the weekend. So they will be ready for a game. Still have to think about a scenario. I am thinking about some alternate history, were the British didn’t have the newest Sidewinder missle yet.

Posted on

Dutch air war 1940

10 may 1940, Germany invades the Netherlands as part of the second world war. Starting with the bombing of different airfields, the first airborne assault on different bridges and airfields. And a mass bombardement on the city of Rotterdam, which did force the Netherlands to surrender after 5 days.

Alltough the Netherlands is quite a small piece of land, and did have a small army, it did put up quite a resistance which did have impact on the complete war. Germany did lose a lot of air transport capabilities, hindering further invasion plans of England.

A lot of stories can be told about this short period of 5 days. And a lot of different scenarios are possible. Therefore as a Dutch citizen, a very interesting period to model and turn in to a wargaming subject. For this period I hope to create two armies. The first one is the Dutch airforce, mostly consisting out of fighters, Fokker DXXI and Fokker G1, to create some interception and scramble scenarios. I also have some reconnaissance planes in the form of some Fokker CV. The second force is the German invasion force. Some fighters, Bf109 and bf110, different bomber fleets, do17, ju88, ju87 and he111. And as last some transport planes for dropping parachutes and landing on airfield or beaches to deploy troops.

This leads to the following lists (Number in brackets are already in lead pile):

Luchtstrijdkrachten

  • Fokker D.XXI (4)
  • Fokker G.1 (4)
  • Fokker C.V (4)
  • Fokker T.V
  • Dornier Do24

Luftwaffe

  • Messerschmitt bf-109 (4)
  • Messerschmitt bf-110 (2)
  • Junker ju-87
  • Junker ju-88
  • Heinkel he-111
  • Dornier do-17 (3)
  • Junker ju-52
  • Heinkel he-59

I have included some additional planes, in the form of Dutch bomber to recreate some other odd scenarios of this short war. There are enough plane have to be ordered, but my first aim is to finish the planes I already have. Therefore I need to first order some decals, as it is not doable for me to paint all the roundels and have seen that the roundels finish planes.

After that I probably want to create some terrain features in the form of different targets. (Bridges, airfield and Cities)

In the next update for this project I hope to show the different planes in their current state.