Desert Rats - Tea Time
This is a scene in which tankers and their fellow ANZACs are stopping for tea time amid their advance to the Merith Line.
This is a lend-lease M3 Grant, which was the English mod of the American M3 Lee in order to use their 2lb shells. It had
mixed results; it was an ungainly monster; and the hull-mounted sponson gun required the vehicle to traverse to the left in order to hit targets; Futhermore, it was impossible to fight in a hull-down position. As with most American-made AFVs, it had a high silhuette, making it an instant target; and in lieu of it's heavy armor, it's hull was rivetted, meaning that if hit, the rivets could become projectiles inside the tank.
Alas, it was much appreciated when Rommel reversed many of the British gains, capturing or destroying many of their tanks. Compared to the Valentine and Matilda, it was an upgrade. I always imagine the impression it must have left on Rommel's panzermen when they first encountered this beast. It's silluette standing against the desert sun, bristling with guns. It's looks are frightening, and its unusual design makes it stand out.
Due to its design, I had to put one together.
This was a christmas/birthday present for my father, as tradition dictates. It was given as a package with the new book about the desert rats, "CHURCHILL'S DESERT RATS IN NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY". Incidentally, the M3 kit was a birthday present from him last year.
Initially I was going to do a diorama for this one; and not
even a real dio, so i feel pretty bad for not getting that far. I was trying to locate a Banzai Tree/Buddist rock garden to convey a desert oasis. The Aussies sipping tea under the shade of a Poplar tree, etc. Alas, I was not able to find one in time for Christmas.
The Grant was built, then I painted it, then got the photo etched detail set in the mail, so i put them on, then i
gave it another base-coat in staggered shades of light browns; then i glued on salt. After which I painted it again in extremely light shades of Afrika Khakibrun and camoflauge blobs of 2:1 Hellblau/Faded Olive Drab. Then i chipped off the salt, producing scrapes and paint-chips (the first time EVER). The general oil burnt umber wash and dry-brushing followed.
Figures were done with a method I stole from calvin tan's camo technique. That is, drybrush/wash BEFORE the base-coat. Infact, you never technically add a base-coat; you actually weather the colors on. You can see in some photos of one of the alpine tankers in the first stage(in which he's black and (dry-brushed) white).
I'm increasingly painting faces with acrylics instead of oils. These guys were painted w/o any oils. Only the stock of the Bren gun was oiled (fake wood grain).
This is a lend-lease M3 Grant, which was the English mod of the American M3 Lee in order to use their 2lb shells. It had
mixed results; it was an ungainly monster; and the hull-mounted sponson gun required the vehicle to traverse to the left in order to hit targets; Futhermore, it was impossible to fight in a hull-down position. As with most American-made AFVs, it had a high silhuette, making it an instant target; and in lieu of it's heavy armor, it's hull was rivetted, meaning that if hit, the rivets could become projectiles inside the tank.
Alas, it was much appreciated when Rommel reversed many of the British gains, capturing or destroying many of their tanks. Compared to the Valentine and Matilda, it was an upgrade. I always imagine the impression it must have left on Rommel's panzermen when they first encountered this beast. It's silluette standing against the desert sun, bristling with guns. It's looks are frightening, and its unusual design makes it stand out.
Due to its design, I had to put one together.
Build
This was a christmas/birthday present for my father, as tradition dictates. It was given as a package with the new book about the desert rats, "CHURCHILL'S DESERT RATS IN NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY". Incidentally, the M3 kit was a birthday present from him last year.
Initially I was going to do a diorama for this one; and not
even a real dio, so i feel pretty bad for not getting that far. I was trying to locate a Banzai Tree/Buddist rock garden to convey a desert oasis. The Aussies sipping tea under the shade of a Poplar tree, etc. Alas, I was not able to find one in time for Christmas.
The Grant was built, then I painted it, then got the photo etched detail set in the mail, so i put them on, then i
gave it another base-coat in staggered shades of light browns; then i glued on salt. After which I painted it again in extremely light shades of Afrika Khakibrun and camoflauge blobs of 2:1 Hellblau/Faded Olive Drab. Then i chipped off the salt, producing scrapes and paint-chips (the first time EVER). The general oil burnt umber wash and dry-brushing followed.
Figures were done with a method I stole from calvin tan's camo technique. That is, drybrush/wash BEFORE the base-coat. Infact, you never technically add a base-coat; you actually weather the colors on. You can see in some photos of one of the alpine tankers in the first stage(in which he's black and (dry-brushed) white).
I'm increasingly painting faces with acrylics instead of oils. These guys were painted w/o any oils. Only the stock of the Bren gun was oiled (fake wood grain).
Kits
- Academy - M3 Grant
- Czech Master Kit - Desert Rats
- Alpine - British Tankers
- Eduard - M3 Grant Exterior Detail Set
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