Mainly SCW Republicans......

Most of these Minairons Republican infantry have been gradually making their way across the painting desk for a fortnight - several were completed over a week ago but most have just had the basing finished off this evening, which was perfect timing, as shall be revealed!

This HMG is actually from the previous pack - Republican HQ and Support

Here are the fifteen Republican infantry, in three groups of five....

I did not bother doing fifteen individual close ups this time

For a bit of variety, I have also painted up the first three of "those" figures donated by my buddy Julian, as shown below in STP web site images....

And here they are - I am thinking the one in white with the book under her arm might be some kind of scientist trying to escape with vital plans - whether she is a goody or baddy can be left to the scenario...

As for the other two - who knows, just generic females - I will work them into a game by hook or by crook....in fact, that phrase reminds me, I think the one with the sword looks very like a pantomime "girl playing male lead" character - Peter Pan perhaps?!

As for this one, her pose says it all - got to be some kind of femme fatale with powers to distract any male enemy figure!

Finally, I mentioned good timing in relation to getting the SCW Republican infantry finished - and that is because .....ta da - the next batch of Minairons figures arrived today from Espagna!

Primarily Nationalists this time, this should help balance out the forces - although the Nationalists may now predominate....

The smaller packs contain a mix of both sides gun crews and mortars, plus Republican vehicle riders and dispatch riders on motorcycles!

Thanks for your visit and any comments left will be gratefully appreciated!

Making Progress on Several Fronts

 Its a real mixture of different bits and pieces today. including quite a bit of 1/72 plastic kit construction

First up was the Zvezda Zis 3 anti tank gun

Not a particularly difficult kit but I still managed to create a few difficulties for myself during assembly!

I used the precast plastic base the kit comes with because there are holes to take pegs in the feet of the gun crew, plus the guns wheel and ends of the trails, which will make the end result more robust for gaming purposes.

It did not take too long to paint up the gun and three crew members

Next, I put together one of the four HaT Pak 36 AT guns. These unfortunately are the very rubbery type of plastic also used on their 1/72 figures

Assembled gun and the four crew

The gun with three Minairons HMG crew for a scale comparison - they match up pretty well

I did some minor "conversion" work by hacking off the peak of the cap and trimming the shorts worn by two of the four crew, so I could paint all four in long trousers

I think the caps sans peak look quite convincing as the typical Spanish fore and aft field cap.

And finally in my flurry of kit construction, I have completed one of the three horse drawn supply wagons, again by HaT but happily this time in "proper" hard, kit-appropriate, plastic!

Another nice simple kit to assemble - only took me about twenty minutes I guess

I have not painted this one yet...

Last but certainly not least are the five dismounted armoured car crew members from Siberia Miniatures, alongside a resin armoured car from Old Glory

The crew as a group, followed by one individual pic of each below

A productive couple of days I feel and I still have Sunday evening and then all day tomorrow to crack on and get a bit more work done. Thanks for checking out my post!

A Day Trip and Some More New Kit(s)

 Just a brief catch up tonight - I have a four day weekend coming up - Fri is Matariki (Maori New Year) and for the first time this year, its a public holiday - hurrah. And I also took an extra day off on Monday - soooo - will probably have a bit of progress to post over the next few days!

Matariki the Māori New Year in the traditional lunar calendar. In Māori culture, it is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and of the celebration of its first rising in late June or early July. This marks the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar.

Yesterday (Weds 22 June) I was up around 0430 to make an 0630 flight down to our capital city, Wellington, for a day long business trip. First business travel I have done in about three years and I am planning to shoot down to Christchurch soon too!

Sunrise to the east around 7am, shortly after take off

Descent into Wellington

View of the city from Oriental Parade, it was a cool but clear, sunny day

Lunch Venue - Le Marche Francais

Had a very nice quiche Lorraine and a bottle of Kronenburg 1664 (the beer of the Legion  Etrangere!)

Taxi-ing for departure from Wellington

Snow on the hills in the distance - probably the Wairarapa

I made a big faux pas with my seat - I meant to be looking east on the way south (pass) and looking west on the way north (fail) There was a spectacular sunset in evidence through the window seat 15a all the way back to Auckland, unfortunately, I was in 15f, because I cocked up didn't I? So sorry, you miss out on that visual delight!

Back to the office again today and on arrival home, a few extras for my 20mm collection(s) have arrived from a local supplier - HaT horse drawn supply wagons (for SCW probably) as well as four HaT Pak 36 AT guns. From Zvezda, I have a Flak 36 88mm gun and a Russian Zis 3 AT gun.

RCW figures are nearing completion on the painting desk then I might return to 20mm SCW, and assemble a kit or two in between, so should be another post in a day or two - so . Happy New Year from the South Pacific! Thanks for stopping by and extra thanks to those who leave a comment!