Not a lot going on at the moment so just a few shots of my "converted" Soviet steam engine - the conversion consisted of repainting the engine and tender black, touching up (and adding to) the red trim and then adding a few Warlord Soviet tank decals to complete the transformation!
I am reasonably happy with the results - what do you think?
Red star added to the front of the loco
The engine number on the cab are a double set of "14" from tank markings supplied with the Achtung Panzer boxed set.
I also added red stars to the tender
Overall, it does still look a bit "British" to my eye, but I think it will do the job - it's still more convincing than a Leopard or Patton tank painted grey to represent WW2 German armour as in many 1960's Hollywood epics!
Looks good as a Soviet steam engine, the red stars convinced me, and it will be a great feature on the tabletop.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter, I will have to work it into a scenario in the near future!
DeleteLooks really great!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michal!
DeleteLooks great to me
ReplyDeleteCheers Scotty
DeleteNicely done Keith I’m going to hold out for a Russian train one day ?
ReplyDeleteI considered going down the "true" 28mm railway route, Matt, but decided the 00 scale stuff would do!
DeleteLooks pretty good to me Keith:)! I would add a couple of flags to the front as see in the film 'Dr Zhivago', but it may be more hassle than it's worth.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good suggestion Steve, and would not be very hard I don't think. The other thing I considered was using one of the tank slogans on the tender...but I decided to add the stars instead!
DeleteWhat does it look like with some 28mm figures? I think the red star helps, as you say , better than a Patton painted grey with a cross! My train looks more German than Soviet and is bigger than HO/OO, it's still pretty British!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
I think it looks OK Iain....I will add a couple of flags and then post a picture with some figures next to it!
DeleteWorks well enough for me Keith, looks grand and should certainly add a new dimension to your games.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donnie, I really only ever intended it ro be a bit of set dressing, so it works on that level!
DeleteLooks ace, but I think a few flags would be a good addition as per Steve’s suggestion.
ReplyDeleteThanks JBM, flag additions coming up!
DeleteThat's an awesome looking locomotive; and great to be able to combine it with wargaming.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dean....a couple of Soviet flags to be added!
DeleteThere is nothing worse than all those Patton tanks masquerading as Tigers. Even as a ten-year-old they looked wrong to me. Lovely work on the train and it definitely looks Soviet enough to me.
ReplyDeleteAnd M3 haltracks with the same paint job....aaarrrggghhh!
DeleteGlad you like the look of the loco, Lawrence.
The train looks great Keith. Adding other terrain around it will make it look better.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the look of it too much. The allies did send locomotives to the Soviets as lend lease so it can be one of those.
Thanks Ben, that is a good point re lend lease!
DeleteAdding a loco to a wargame collection is harder than it first appears. To get the ‘right one’ you are generally paying a lot for a working loco, when you don’t need a perfect working one. My default position is as long as its steam and look broadly right ….. it will be fine, as yours is.
ReplyDeleteI mused the other day as how in my younger years, when money was tight and choices were low, much of what we used could proxy for something else, these days there is a greater emphasis on it being right … I rather prefer the spirit of the former, we were kinder to ourselves.
Thanks for the vote of confidence Norm! I remember when I first saw "true" 28mm scale mdf buildings....I thought they were far too big!
DeleteThe 00 scale train is undoubtedly under sized, but it will do for me. I have seen an mdf loco kit but didn't like the look because the cab was "playable" ie a huge empty space so individually based figures could fit in...it just didn't look right to me...plus, the tracks look HUGE!
Great work on the train.
ReplyDeleteThanks Richard!
DeleteWasn't there a soviet engine in Thomas and Friends? This looks like it could be Gordon's other brother. That might be too odd reference for most readers. Or not. Depends on when you were a kid or when your kids were young.
ReplyDeleteI think your engine will be 'really useful.' 😁😆
Could be Henry or James too Stew....I don't remember what the black engine with red stars was called...Dmitry or Sergei, I think 😀
DeleteLooking good Keith…
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Steve on the flag front… They would also help give a good sense of movement…
All the best. Aly
Thanks Aly...definitely going to add those flags!
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