I am working on creating a Normandy scenario for a What a Tanker© game that I plan to run at a monthly gaming session at both the Mass Pikemen Gaming Club and the Historical Gaming Club of Uxbridge. With the 75th Anniversary of D-Day coming up in little more than a month, I thought that would be appropriate.
My challenge was that I really did not have enough historically-appropriate tanks and tank destroyers for such a scenario. I did have 9 plastic British Shermans and 2 Fireflies that I bought on eBay that were well-painted. I also had 2 resin Shermans and 2 resin Stuarts that I got from a guy who makes his own models and sells them already painted. The British stuff came with a bunch of infantry that I sold, so the nice plastic British armor ended up costing me net only $1.40 each! The US tanks were OK for the tabletop, and for the price (about $5-6 as I remember), a relative bargain – but I wanted better. I also had no Germans for that theater, so that is part 2 of the project. For this part, I am focused on five US vehicles. Together, I will have enough to make a joint US/UK force.
Three of the five vehicles came from Battlefront and were metal and resin and some plastic: one M3A1 Stuart (#US003); one M4A2 Sherman (#US045); and one M10 Wolverine tank destroyer (#US102). The other two were M24 Chaffee tanks that did not make it to D-Day, but replaced Stuarts starting in the latter part of 1944. These two were 3D printed models from somebody on eBay – and not great detail-wise. But, the M24 was the tank my grandfather, Marcus C. Delaney, drove in Europe during WWII, so I thought I’d work on those at the same time. I used many of the same research books that I have cited before – and I did not take pictures as these are more recognizable to most gamers and modelers.
Above, you can see the group – below is a group shot after assembly.
I mostly used my airbrush for painting – and on the M24’s I tried to minimize the 3D printer lines with paints, washes, and weathering. I decided to try a few Vallejo weathering products that caught my eye – I made a test of them first. Of course, these are applied with a brush!
It’s now time to share some eye candy of the completed tanks and the tank destroyer. Of course, I am also using these 5 as the first entry for a monthly painting challenge from Australia’s own Azazel – this being “Mechanismo May ’19 Community Painting Challenge“.
Now I have 18 US/UK vehicles for Normandy – which should be plenty. I also know that some folks are bringing some DD Shermans and a couple of Churchill’s. I have 6 German tanks and tank destroyers for Normandy and 11 for the Eastern Front (all about 60% completed), with 3 more to assemble (plus 5 scout cars). That should be enough for a couple of fun games. Stay tuned as I’m hoping to complete the Germans soon.
Thanks for checking this out – below are the paints etc. Let me know your thoughts if you would!
PAINTS, INKS, GLAZES, SHADES, WASHES, PIGMENTS AND FLOCKING USED ON THESE VEHICLES:
- Vallejo “Flow Improver”
- Vallejo “Airbrush Thinner”
- Vallejo “Surface Primer – Black”
- Testors “Universal Acrylic Thinner”
- Vallejo Model Air “US Olive Drab”
- Vallejo Game Air “Black”
- Battlefront “Black”
- Battlefront “Dark Gunmetal”
- Battlefront “European Flesh”
- Battlefront “Skin Shade”
- Vallejo Model Air “Bright Brass”
- Vallejo “Base Grey Primer”
- Vallejo “Neutral Grey”
- Army Painter “Military Shader”
- Vallejo Model Air “Wood”
- Polly S “Rust”
- Vallejo Mecha Color “Light Rust Wash” (wash)
- Gorilla Glue
- Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Gloss Varnish”
- Microscale Micro-Set
- Microscale Micro-Sol
- Microscale Liquid Decal Film
- Microscale Satin
- 1/8″ rare earth neodymium magnets
- Appropriate decals from Battlefront
- Vallejo “European Mud” (Thick Mud)
- Vallejo “European Slash Mud” (Splash Mud)
- Vallejo “Crushed Grass”
- Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Matt Varnish”
- Aleene’s poster tack
Mark A. Morin 