Building PSC M5 Halftrack...and a Sunday Walk

 I am three quarters of the way through building the second 20mm Plastic Soldier Company halftrack and thought at least one reader may be interested to see how simple a kit this is, so I have taken a number of images of progress 

Several areas of the kit need to be undercoated before assembly - I could just undercoat the whole thing, I suppose......

A nice, simple assembly instruction sheet

The drivers had to be painted up prior to commencing the build

Sides attached

Front and rear pieces added next

Front wheel assembly

Track assembly

Wheels and tracks attached to the underside

Jerrycans, rear MG and rear storage added - kit now 90% completed in about ten minutes

Today, being a very pleasant sunny day and around 18 deg C (late winter here in Auckland), we decided to have our first walking trip of the "new season"! The trip was about an hour's drive out to the east coast just south of Auckland, to Waitawa Regional Park.

There were four trails available, and we chose the Piwakawaka trail, named after the New Zealand Fantail. I have tried many times to catch a picture of these friendly little birds, but although they are well known for flying very close to people and trailing them for several hundred meters at a time, I have never been able to get a decent shot - so these are from the Web

 

View out over the gulf towards Waiheke Island

It was a pretty stunning day, as is evident from the pictures!

Rangitoto Island, which is opposite the Auckland CBD, is just visible in the following picture

A couple of traditional images of native bush follow

The smell of the yellow broom and gorse flowers was strong but quite pleasant

And it would not be New Zealand without sheep - its lambing season so some pretty cute little animals around

Down on the beach for a brief period

Before a traipse across some farmland 

We followed the red trail in the map below - around 9km in total, it took us around 2 hours

And more or less back where we started

A very nice way to spend Sunday morning/early afternoon. Home by 1430 and a relaxing cuppa, then cut the grass, had a shower and headed over to the neighbours place for a couple of beers, home around 1800 as the sun started to fade in the west and the temperature dropped.

Look out for more of this sort of stuff in the coming months as we head out on numerous bush walks.

20mm Allied M5 Halftrack

Hot on the heels of my revelation regarding birthday gifts, I have assembled and painted the first of three Plastic Soldier Company M5 halftracks. I chose the M5 over the M3 for the simple reason that it comes with British crew figures rather than American, which is what I wanted, as I have no US troops in my 20mm collection!

Not a lot to say about it really - a nice simple kit in less than twenty parts (I would estimate) with several crew figures, which certainly enhances the model in my opinion. Here are too many pics of it!

The first few, I took prior to gluing the crew into the rear compartment, just so you can get a better impression of the model itself.

Hard to see, but there is a pair of drivers in the driving compartment

A couple of good views of the rear, sans crew

And below, same range of angles (more or less) but with the five crew now glued in place

The crew of five comprise one pair plus three individual figures - a nice bit of variety

Any finally, remember that big, bad, scary T26 tank, the master of the Spanish plains....?

Here it is, next to an M5 in the same scale....!

Lots of bits and pieces on the painting desk at the moment, so not sure what will be next, but should be something in two- or three-days' time - until then, take care and stay healthy!

Some New Stuff

 It so happens I had a birthday recently, so I shared a few gift suggestions with my two adult children, and the results were very pleasing. 

From daughter Amy

From son Michael

From wife Ruth (I did NOT request these!)

Amy also supplied the cupcakes in lieu of an actual birthday cake!

Then, on Sunday, my worthy opponent in the game (I can call him that now, two days later, as the trauma has dissipated!) John presented me with this very kind gift - I have no idea how he knows when my birthday is! 

Thats my post for tonight - I have already assembled one of the M5 halftracks and its near completion on the painting desk, so it should show up on a post here soon. Until then, take care and I look forward to reading any comments you are kind enough to leave below!