Progress, sort of...

Sometimes I think that life would be easier if I just stuck to one thing at a time. But then I guess I wouldn't be a wargamer? As occasional readers of this blog may have noticed, a lot of stuff gets started, WIP ...  sort of progresses, and then I get distracted by something else. Of course work gets in the way, completing magazine articles for a Defence magazine, consulting work on service governance.. all the humdrum stuff, but usually it's a great inspiration, a chance sighting and the current project(s) get sidelined or slowed.

I'm determined to get a few things finished though. The Italian Condotta for DBMM, the US Marines of 1980, and the Medieval Germans c 1260 for DBMM.

Maybe it's typical of the way I work, lots of things on the go, a little bit here, a little bit there. So in the interests of keeping going, here's a couple of things on the table...

1/72 Diecast M48 getting an initial re-spray. I have given up finding any of the MARS/Galaxy 1/72 kits, so these will be stray Bundeswehr tanks rounded up to give additional armour support to the USMC. I suspect they will be easy prey for any half-modern Warsaw Pact armour, but I have a plan for that.

Of course, having Marines, I need Marine decals, and there aren't any in the spares box, so I printed some up on decal paper; and while I was at it, printed off decals for my Condotta flags & banners. Very pleased with how these came out. Inkjet on best photo setting, paper by Renascent, and a couple of sprays with Dullcote to fix the colours. Very much looking forward to getting these applied.

I did mention I had a plan for dealing with Warsaw Pact armour?  Here it is. The might AH-1J Seacobra attack helicopter, complete with unguided rockets, TOW, and a 30mm Vulcan cannon. The screen image in the background is the colour scheme I am aiming for, so a fair bit of airbrushing and weathering to do..  and of course, the decals... The canopy is white with PVA so I can airbrush - as the trick worked beautifully last time.

On the right the venerable A4 Skyhawk, US Navy support - a smaller scale diecast, but I may use the Father Ted argument...   "this one is far away".  Ideally it should also be in USMC livery, but they were pretty boring, so this one will do as is.

I am still expecting another couple of LVTP-7, and a CH46 Seaknight diecast, so my Marines can ride to battle in style, but that's it, no really, that's it...   a complete platoon, armour, air and transport.

And finally, did I mention I am easily distracted?  

So the Curtiss seaplane was incredibly cheap from a hobby shop seconds sale, and if you have one 'Porco Rosso' plane, well, you have to have the man himself. A quick trip to Hobbylink Japan and a few bucks and a couple of days later...  Maybe I will have to get some Pulp figures?..  hmmmm.

"Oh look...   shiny things...."