A few weeks ago I received some kindly donated Airfix US Marines. Some were in an original box with some very insprational artwork:
All sorts of ideas emerged and I decided that an assault on a Japanese held island, run as a linear campaign, as described in 'Developing the Portable Wargame' might be an interesting project.
I have painted loads of Airfix marines before, but normally as ordinary US infantry. After a little research I decided to go for a plain green uniform with camouflaged helmets. I had to convert a few to create mortar teams and re-roled some Matchbox US infantry. Here are the results:
I didn't know what to do with the chaps walking along holding rifles above their heads, so I chopped them off at the waist to simulate wading ashore:
Fire support comes from some LVT(A) - 1s. There is a box of Buffalo, DUKW and Landing craft in the garage that I have yet to dig out:
The beach gaming mat is 6 x 4 from Deepcut Studios.
What fun!
Smashing Bob, they look great.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Paul.
Thanks Paul, they were fun to paint. Looking forward to doing some Japanese next. I am thinking of dug in infantry. and machine gun nests.
DeleteThose old Airfix look great with paint!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that somewhere on your blog you've discussed how you paint 1/72 plastics, but darn if I can find it.
Can you provide a quick "how to" regarding what you prime and paint with, and how you seal them so they don't flake?
thanks!
Hi Pan Marek, thanks for your comment. First off, mounting figures on bases does much to protect them as the base rather than the figure is handled. I 'prime' my figures with a thin coat of PVA wood glue. I then block paint all the colours and seal with another coat of PVA, again very thinly applied. This dries glossy, but a brown wash gives the figures definition and dries Matt - I use a sepia wash from Citadel. And that's it. Sometimes I do a light dry brush to highlight detail. Hope this helps. Bob
DeleteThese came out great, and I love the mortar team conversions !
ReplyDeleteThanks JohnM. It was always a challenge creating machine gun and mortar teams for the early Airfix sets. Only the 8th Army and Russian sets had medium machine guns. The Russians had a mortar too.
DeleteThe artwork on the Airfix boxes always sparked the imagination when purchasing their figures and model kits.
ReplyDeletePeter, I agree. I was a sucker for Roy Cross artwork.
DeleteFab art and bases of wading soldiers - visually, the game is there, even before the first die is rolled. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks Norm, just hope I can do the Japanese some justice.
DeleteWay cool. Have you got the Japanese bods to oppose them?
ReplyDeleteJapanese will be next to appear.
DeleteWhat a great set of figures. I still have my old Airfix US Marines (painted as infantry) from the 1970s.
ReplyDeleteThanks Martin. I think that this was a great set from Airfix, although there were some odd poses in the box. It is a shame that they didn't produce some crew served weapons rather some of those strange figures.
DeleteA really great way to use those figures holding the rifles above their heads. How about a longer base with them progessively getting higher out of the water as they approach the beach?
ReplyDeleteFood for thought..... or alternatively go the other way so that just the head is poking out! I need to work how to use the other odd bods in the box.
DeleteOr perhaps one shooting while still in the water, or is that a waste of a useful figure?
DeleteNow there's some figures that really do bring back some good memories-still look good too.
ReplyDeleteLove the waders! Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteThanks Prufrock, I am thinking of doing something similar with the dinghies.
DeleteFirst issue US Marines are my favourite Airfix set! Funny but I always thought the guy with the rifle over his head was surrendering but now I see what he’s supposed to be doing…
ReplyDelete