3D Printing Round Up

 Late last year I was fortunate to receive as a late Christmas gift a 3D printer. Since then I  hae been experimenting with it to produce models and terrain pieces. Most of what I have printed, I haven't taken photos of and as a result it hasn't made it on to the blog.

M1133 Stryker MEV upscaled to 1/72 scale

M1133 Stryker MEV file located here

As I don't know how to digitally model items in 3D, I am reliant on the hard work and talent of others. The files that I am using to print are sourced from:

• 3d printing community sites that host free files, 
• Websites that sell files,
• Kickstrarters, or
• By direct arrangement with the file creators.

I suspect that the vast bulk of people using 3D printers to produce gaming aids are reliant on the efforts of others to produce the files they print. Hopefully this potential market means that folk who create files find it worthwhile to continue doing so.

1/72 M1074 Joint Assault Bridge 

M1074 JAB file located here

105mm L118 light gun (file from here)

My 3D printer uses filament so doesn't produce models with the same crispness as a resin printer. I am planning to obtain a resin printer in the future in order to produce more detailed models and figures.

NZLAVs around a vehicle obstacle ( obstacle file here)

More NZLAVs

1/72 Scale Technical (file located here)

As I intend to post more on this blog there will be more 3D printe items in the future.

WIP Scratch-Building 105mm Guns

In my quest for obtaining another three L118 Light Guns (See previous post here) I remembered that the kit came with an additional gun barrel so the US version of the gun could be made. I considered trying to have a crack at scratch-building  some more guns, with the idea that I could hide most of my sins under  netting.

Something like this, but thicker. Source Wikicommons - click here for details.

So when Ion mentioned it in the comments section of my last post, I figured "Why Not?' With that in mind, I hunted through my collection of useful bits and started making some guns.

Spare barrels, plastic card , sprue, bent wire, and Airfix wheels on a sample Formica base.

Oh, and a toy poker chip for a turntable.

 I've always found that if I have to scratch-build something, it is just as easy to make two or more based on a simplified design, rather than make one awesome model that I can't be bothered replicating due to lack of parts or time. My LCVP project (click here for details) is a prime example of that philosophy at work.

Three WIPs and an actual assembled gun.

I thought I could use parts of a Chux cloth as the netting. This part of the plan is subject to change :)

 The part of the project that is potentially going to be the most difficult is getting the netting right. It needs to be able to obscure the gun, but not so much that what I have made is entirely unseen. Getting that balance right will be the key to making this work.

Artists medium added to base, wire poles installed and more bits added to guns.

 Fortunately, I have a few ideas on how to achieve this, and the Chux cloth is only one of a couple of possible material choices

Behold the dodgy recoil mechanism!

The gun trail - Bent wire and Liquid Green Stuff.

Another view with an actual model of the gun for comparison.

 Since I was doing work on artillery, I figured I should also dredge out my M-102 and give it a touch up and a rebasing so it can be at the same standard as my light guns. I have some Atlantic not 122mms that are also due for the same treatment.

Since I was basing guns I figured I should finish off my Britannia Models M-102 Howitzer.

Monday is looking to be a great day for painting stuff!

Airfix British M119 105mm Light Field Guns

Recently I finished off some three of the JB Models/Airfix 105mm guns. Like all the JB Model kits they were quite straightforward to make and  were flash free.

20mm Wartime Miniature included for scale.

Originally I acquired a single gun for use in building up the forces I needed to run the Goose Green scenario from one of the old GDW Command Posts, (click here to see the rest of the British land forces for that scenario) , but I increased my holdings by two more as I like the model so much, and I was trying to be able to represent more of the five batteries of L118 light guns that were deployed there.

Gun in lower elevation. 

I have opted for a generic paint and basing scheme that allows me to use the guns to represent multiple users in different campaigns, although these will primarily be used to represent either British or NZ Army guns. If I had more I would consider doing one in transit mode.

Two guns top and tail.

Unfortunately I  have recently discovered that Airfix no longer produces the kits - which is frustrating as I need to base up six for use as teaching aids! I have contacted a number of online and brick and mortar stores and been very unsuccessful in tracking more down. I am kicking myself for not buying more at the time!

Christmas Gifts

In addition to the small armoured force my wife purchased for me, I gained some more plastic kits. From my sister, I received two Airfix kits, the veteran Sherman, and the Vickers Light Tank, from my brother, an Airfix Stug, and from my friend Steve, the Airfix Bedford Tactical Refueler kit.

Airfix Kits, old and new.

That, coupled with some very nice books, and modeling tools, from the in-laws, and some paint and plastic storage from the parentals, makes for a very good Christmas haul.

Landing Craft

Back in around 2001/2002 I wanted to run some games involving amphibious operations in the Pacific. In order to do so I had to acquire landing craft - in particular LCVPs. Since at the time there wasn't any easily available in NZ, I decided to scratch build some. The basis for my scratchbuild was a plan from a guy on the old rec.mininatures,historical newsgroup (or something like that), which I lengthened and modified by putting in guntubs and some crew.

Cardboard LCVPs.

The parts were then cut out of cardboard in slow periods on night shifts, and assembled in batches on days off shift. As I needed quite a few of these, the idea was to create a model that could take four infantry stands (In CD each model represents aprox. four real LCVPs each of which could carry around a platoons worth of troops or one light vehicle). In addition the model had to be cheap to make, and easy to produce. Detail was deliberately sacrificed in order to produce 20 models in a short period of time. The idea was to produce 48 models as suggested in a CP as what should be available for each USMC Division landing, but was scaled back for reasons of sanity.

Nearly a decade later and still in good shape.

 The part of the project was to give each LCVP a coxswain, two .30 cal, machine guns, and two gunners. Not all of the LCVPs received these as I wasn't entirely happy with the ones I had done.

The only one which got gunners and a coxswain. The cardboard shield need redoing.

The basic premise of quantity having a quality all of its own has been proven quite successfully by these craft, as they have made appearances on more than my own games, having been borrowed for a few Normandy games, in addition to my own games and my large Tarawa mega game of CD.

Another view showing how the rear has been squared off for easy construction.

The simple interior makes it easy to put stands in and out.

I also tried making a simple scratch built cardboard LCA. I based my model off a resin one (maker unknown) I bought at a bring and buy at the Irish Society Hall in Christchurch.

The first and only effort. Difficult to make.

This project was shelved as I came to the conclusion that the effort put in to this project could be better spent on others. However, I have always wanted more than two LCAs...

Another view. Detail adds complexity, complexity requires effort.

The major flaw on the LCA is that the 'V' shape at the rear should be pointing to the back and not the front as I have it. This is only a minor flaw and has never been pointed out to me by others, perhaps out of kindness. I however noticed just after I painted it, and it still bugs me. Should I make more, this will get fixed.