Deagostini T-72s

Recently I started to  repaint  and ink wash some of the Deagostini T-72s I got as part of the Combat Tanks Collection partwork. I wanted get some of my diecasts looking a little sharper by just giving them a wash of GW Agrax Earthshade, but  Andy  suggested that I could paint over the awful white snow camouflage with sand to create a nicer paint scheme.

The magazine is NZ$20 and comes with a rather nice tank.

 Like many of Andy's suggestions, this idea proved to be a winner! As a result the three winter camoed T-72s were changed to a more useful scheme that better matched the fourth T-72, and the BTR-80s.

Paint job in progress. The tank on the right is another Combat Tank Collection model, a T-72  in an Iraqi paint scheme.

 After the paint job, I then gave the diecasts a liberal dousing of brown wash, which I think worked out quite nicely. I have started giving the diecasts a wash in warm soapy water, followed by a rinse in warm water, and then leaving to dry, before applying  the wash. Previous to this, I had found that the wash adhered unevenly. After following this method results have improved greatly.

Four nicely washed T-72s.

Of course, now I have four T-72s finished, I want to do some more! But I should probably finish off some of the other WARPAC equipment I have first!

Combat Tanks Collection Pt. 1 Allied WW2

A while back I subscribed to the 'Combat Tanks Collection' magazine by DeAgostini - the same folk who did the Lord of the Rings magazine with the GW figures - because they were going to be sending me two 1/72 tanks a month, with a magazine on each tank, for less than NZ$40 (including shipping).  It seemed like too good a deal to resist - so I didn't!

The collection, according to my initial research on it in 2010, was meant to run to around 60 issues, however it seems that models from another DeAgostini title 'The Panzer Collection' are being added into the collection. This may mean that the collection will run for at least another 60+ issues. It also means that many of the models will not be tanks, or as useful to me as a tank model - next issue No: 62 will see me gain another 222 armoured car.

British tanks for use in Africa.   Crusader II, Grant, and Matilda II.

Note the off centre roundel on the left.

A very nice sponson.

Side view of the Crusader II.

Side view of the Matilda II.

Allied armour for use in Western Europe.

Side view of the Churchill.

US M4A3 Sherman - armed with a 105mm gun. In CD 3 you need one of these for each US Tank battalion.

The mighty Pershing tank!

Cromwell tank.

Our Soviet friends.... T-34/76, IS-2, KV-1, SU-85.

SU-85 in the foreground.

KV-1

T-34/76

IS-2

 And, finally something amphibious! I managed to purchase two of these models in 2009 at the Riccarton Markets - except they were in a 'shopworn' condition and were green with red stars, with the legend 'The Bloody Trail' on each.

LVT(A)-1 very nice!

Rear view of the beast.

Note that the MG gun tubs are covered over. This will be rectified in due course.

 Next up with be the Axis vehicles.