M8 Greyhound - 804th TD Bn, Italy 1944

This is the Tamiya M8 Greyhound built as a vehicle of the 804th TD Bn Recce Platoon in Italy, 1944. A similar vehicle is featured in a photo in Steve Zaloga's Osprey book on the M8. The vehicle features the Sand/OD "Sicilian" cam scheme with large sprayed on Allied stars.

I made a few additions such as extra interior bits from the Royal Model M20 set that I had left over, plus some bits from the Verlinden M8 set. I also used some SMA decals for interior stencilling. The tow cable was made from the kit ends + karaya soft metal cable, and the stowage was from a variety of sources; mainly Tamiya, Royal Model, Accurate Armour, and Verlinden.

If you are interested in wheeled AFV's, do check out Patrick Keenan's excellent site www.warwheels.net.  Wheeled AFV's can be a little neglected in the modelling literature, so if I'm even contemplating a wheeled AFV I check out what's available by way of reference on warwheels. If they haven't got the photo, it usually means it doesn't exist!

SdKfz 234/2 "Puma"

This is the DML Puma. It's pretty much OOTB but I mixed up the wheels with some different patterns from the other 231 series kits, and some resin late war wheels from Tiger Model Design. The crew are by Hobbyfan and Firestorm. I chose them to re-create that "where the ???? are we" moment that any one who has served will empathise with - especially if there's an officer near the map.

It's painted in Tamiya acrylics, with oil based washes and filters. Weathering is with Vallejo acrylics by and large, and some MiG pigments. The decals are a mixture of kit decals and Archer rub-downs. Archer do a nice little selection of German uniform items - waffenfarbe, collar patches, epaulettes etc - and I used these to good effect on the crew figures.

If you are interested in wheeled AFV's, do check out Patrick Keenan's excellent site www.warwheels.net.  Wheeled AFV's can be a little neglected in the modelling literature, so if I'm even contemplating a wheeled AFV I check out what's available by way of reference on warwheels. If they haven't got the photo, it usually means it doesn't exist!

Sherman III, Royal Scots Greys, Italy 1944

Let it not be said that Dave only makes German stuff!

This is my rendition of the famous Royal Scots Greys Sherman III, "Sheik". It features the DML Tarawa M4A2 kit, with Eduard sand skirts/fenders, a Resicast cupola and drivers hatch, and early M34 mantlet from the DML Sherman III kit and decals by Echelon and Bison. The figures are by Pegaso and Ultracast.

There is some degree of conjecture over the track type and the tranny cover (no frontal pics exist of Sheik that I know of), but many RSG Sherman III's had welded hoods / one piece tranny cover so I opted for those. Ditto the tracks. One common unit feature was the addition of half a cupola hatch welded in front of the drivers hood as extra armour. 

Dennis Olivers' "British Sherman Tanks" provides a highly accurate side profile of Sheik and her spotty camouflage, which came in very useful.

As an aside, my model of Sheik is currently languishing in a box marked "for repair". I was transporting several models - including this one - from my modelling shed to the house through the garden on a tray. At the very instant that I said to myself "Hey - better not launch this lot into space, eh?" I tripped and sent the lot on what seemed to be a slow-motion parabola into space and then impacting onto the lawn, patio area, into plants, troughs, you name it. I almost wept, and for once, my wife felt some small measure of pity on me. Modellers --- feel my pain.....

Anyway, here's Sheik:

Panther Ausf A (Bf) LSSAH France 1944

I thought I'd post a few pictures of my LSSAH Panther. It's the DML "Premium Edition" Ausf A with resin zimmerit. It's quite a famous vehicle with "LSSAH" scratched into the zimm on the turret sides. 

Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind

The Wirbelwind completed, after oil-based filters, washes and a light drybrushing with Humbrol Linen. This was followed by weathering with Vallejo acrylics.  The figure is by Cromwell models and the accessories on the back deck are from the kit or the excellent Tristar 20mm Flak accessory set.