M901 ITV Version 2

Version 2 will fix all the things I missed on the first one ;)

Commanders Hatch will be open in this one

Team Yankee - ITV Section

Having a couple of spare hull tops and loads of components I have looked at options for the M901 ITV.

The top one is straight out of the box.  It is there as a guide for what else needs/could be done.

The lower one is in the stowed for travel position.  I have also repositioned the antenna mount from the front right to the rear part of the hull.  The side plates are included because I have seen them on the 3-Colour drawings of the M901 and change the hull top from a standard M113.  What I also need to find is the reload sequence as I might want to have the top hatch open/crewed on future versions.

Added some stowage and test mounted it on a M113A3 hull that I had lying around to check how it looks.  I have also now added the M60 MG to the commanders hatch

Team Yankee - M1 and M1 IPM1s

In the spares box were four M1 abrams.  I have made 3 M1s and one as a IPM1.  I will add another IPM1 later this month.  I also have a couple of M113 hulls left over which I will press into service for the VADS and ITV variants as well as normal troop tracks.

The initial build was two plain M1s. The later models had additional stowage added.  They are all finished in in VJ Dark Green FS 34079 which equates to Forest Green.  I have faded the base coat with some Dark Yellow but worried these are a bit flat. So looking for ideas to brighten these up a tad

The

World at War - Another boardgame conversion to Minis

I wanted something to bridge the gap between the 1:1 game and the 1:5 "operational" level games.  And a change look at Colours and the cracking 1/200th game using "Blood and bridges" sent me thinking.  My mate and I have have access to the rules in the World at War series (Eisenbach Gap, Blood and Bridges and Death of 1st Panzer) and a simple reading through and measuring leads to the following ideas:

Counters in the game effectively show a unit can take 1 hit or 2 hits. a 1 hit counter is 1 or 2 vehicles, 2 hits represent 3 or 4. Replace "hits" with model vehicles and you have a game on table with about 5 - 10 NATO vehicles against 10 - 25 WP.  Sounds doable with my collections. For example "Team Yankee" (yes that one) in the board game is HQ, 2 Tank Platoon Counters, Infantry Platoon Counter, M113 Transport Counter, ITV.  Replacing with models becomes 5 M1, 2 M113 (with Infantry) and 2 ITV Models. Other scenarios add or remove about a platoons worth of equipment.

The hex size represents 150 metres/yards.  1" per 50m is used on a number of operational rules so isn't a massive leap with 3" replacing 1 hex.  This makes a 13 hex map 39" wide.  So a 4' wide table sounds doable.  6 - 8' in length.

Rules for most things are already present. Helos, Arty, Mortars, ATGW, AAGW, Smoke, Jamming etc etc.  Might get a play test in on Sunday :)

M109G - In Progress

The M109 has come to the painting table.  To make a M109G I needed to add some smoke dischargers and change the cupola over.  To do I that I have used the spare SD from the Leopard 1A3/4 Kits. They aren't correct but are good enough. For the cupola I am going to use a spare M113 one with my standard brass wire MG mount.

I have also tried out using the decals for the Battery and Gun marking. Not 1985 correct but I have evidence that the M109A3 G adopted it at some point.  I am not going to add any more and I think it is a little over the top

British Armour 1944-45

Tried the AK SCC15 with a drop of Dunkelgelb to lighten on the British Armour

Leopard 1A1A1 - 7. PanzerAufklarungsBataillon

Next up are a pair of Leopard 1A1A1 from BF.  Nice kit with a couple of places to do some work.

The barrel is moulded fitted with the environment cap fitted to the muzzle which makes it seem a little chunky.  If you want to drill out you also need to sand down the outer barrel.

The other minor thing is that the turret has the mount for the white light searchlight on the wrong side.  You can blag it by using that to put on the PZB 200 LLTV and make a Leopard 1A1A2 but you still need to mount the searchlight on the LHS which needs two small pieces to be added.

Panzermorser Progress

Bit of progress