20mm Universal Carriers

 More Christmas builds completed.

Four Plastic Soldier Company universal carriers, (l-r) an MG carrier, PIAT carrier, 2" mortar carrier and Bren carrier.  Figures are Raventhorpe, except the dismounted Vickers team, which is from an Italeri/Esci set.

The carrier section.

Bren carrier.

2" Mortar carrier, complete with huge crewmen.

PIAT carrier.

The section from an oblique view.

Rear view of the carriers.

The MG carrier with Vickers MMG dismount.

Another set of giant crewmen.

Nice that the gunner is modelling in a leather jerkin.

These are painted using my "normal" British armour colours, WW2 Russian uniform washed in Agraz Earthshade and dry brushed Iraqi sand.  Decals are Skytrex.

Thanks for looking.

20mm WW2 German infantry in winter smocks

Another bring and buy bargain, a mixed bag of Caesar WW2 German winter infantry in camo smocks.  The only figures missing were LMG teams, which I made up with some MG34 armed Panzergrenadiers from Raventhorpe.

The platoon with a recce infantry section at the front.  The recce section is painted in all white camo, while the rest wear a mix of white and more regular camo gear, some with white smocks, others white overtrousers.  I notice for the picture that I have managed to put one figure of the recce section in with the HQ section.

The recce section in all white camo - I figured they would get the most suitable clothing to fulfil their role on the battlefield.

HQ section.

Rifleman in mixed camo clothing.

CO, rifle armed so he blends in with his troops.

Similar figure pose in mixed camo clothing.

MG34 and assistant.

Advancing SMG and rifle-armed figures, both in mixed camo clothing.

I still need to add some snow to the bases, I will probably use my favourite recipe of baking powder, white paint and PVA glue.

So, last post for the year.  What a year 2020 has been!  Here is to 2021, new and effective vaccines and the end of Covid-19.  Happy New Year and thanks for looking!

20mm British Pioneers and Home Guard

I recently ordered a mixed lot of figures from Raventhorpe, which included a couple of packs of WW2 British pioneers (three figures per pack).  The figures are armed with a flamethrower, Bangalore torpedo and pole charge, making them really useful for lots of battlefield engineering tasks.

I also ordered a "special" Raventhorpe pack of familiar Home Guard infantry.  A pack of 9 figures, including an ARP warden, officer, medic and youthful Tommy gunner wearing a scarf, plus rifle armed volunteers with fixed bayonets and a Lewis gunner.

The officer.

Young Tommy gunner.

ARP warden.  Put those lights out.

Guard.

Medic.

Assorted troopers with rifles, Lewis gun and Molotov cocktail.  Just realised the guy with the Molotov appears to be smoking a fag, which makes him look like bit like a spiv.

All nice figures with good raised detail and easy to paint.  I shall need to source quite a few more Home Guard types to make up a platoon, so will scan the manufacturers to see what is on offer.

Thanks for looking.

20mm WW2 Goumiers

A small 8 figure unit of Goumiers (Moroccan soldiers in French service) from Raventhorpe, representing a section for Battlegroup or Company for Rapid-Fire.  Four different poses, walking and advancing with rifles (3 of each) with a single SMG gunner with what looks like a Thompson and a single LMG gunner armed with what appears to be a Bren or perhaps more likely an FM24/29.  Their helmets appear British, while their webbing looks to be US, so suspect these are aimed at the post-Torch fighting in Algeria and Tunisia, although they would also be suitable for Sicily and Italy, possibly even the south of France, although I suspect there would be progressively more US weapons and equipment as the war progressed, in line with the rest of the French army.

These guys are depicted wearing their traditional striped coats in various shades of brown, sand and off-white.  Helmets are Russian uniform and webbing is khaki lightened with Iraqi sand.  All are washed in Agrax earthshade before gloss and matt varnish.

Three riflemen and the LMG gunner, Bren or quite possibly an FM24/29.

3 more riflemen plus the Thompson SMG gunner.

Rear views.

At some point I will probably bring them up to platoon/battalion strength, with a suitable French officer and a Hotchkiss HMG for support.

Thanks for looking.

20mm WW2 British carrier section dismounts

My first Raventhorpe Miniatures, one of Tony's special packs of British Recce Infantry, effectively three, three man teams, one 2" mortar team, one PIAT team and one Bren team, plus an officer figure.  Perfect for dismounts for a carrier section dismounts.  Figures are in campaign dress, including battledress, camo smocks (?Denison or similar) and leather jerkins, with a mix of berets and despatch rider/paratrooper helmets.

Uniform is English uniform with some khaki added, golden olive for webbing and black grey for boots and equipment.  Russian uniform for helmets and painted equipment.

First up, the bren team.

The PIAT team, PIAT gunner in centre and the guy on the right with Thompson SMG has also picked up a Panzerfaust.

2" Mortar team, the gunner and No 2 using a felled tree as cover.

The whole unit, with officer at the front.

These are my first Raventhorpe minis and they won't be the last I'm sure.  I've got some Goumiers, a Home Guard section and some German MG34 gunners in the pipeline.

Thanks for looking.