Navarone postscript

 Since yesterday, I've been playing around with an artificial intelligence ap.  I type in a description and images are produced. fine-tuning of the parameters will get the image closer to what I had in mind.

Here are two images of the before and after of Navarone Mountain.

My original description is the underlined text:

 a craggy, gray, forbidding mountain peak. there is a very large opening about two-thirds from the bottom of the mountain peak. extending, menacingly from the opening are the barrells of two huge artillery pieces. in the foreground, at the base of the monument is a WWII German military installation supported by pillboxes, bunkers, barbed wire and guard towers. German soldiers and tiger tanks are everywhere. all of this is under a gray and threatening sky

I got to a point of diminishing returns after too many modifications, and then the computer starts to drift away from the original concept.

But not to worry, Miss America is on the side of freedom.

The program is chat GTP.  Prepare to start wasting time.

Until next time...

Soldier on!

Mannie

Louis Marx exploding house

I think that CTS reissued these a few years ago, and they can still be found on ebay frequently.  It is made from the original Marx molds but comes without the essential mousetrap-style activating unit.

Frequently, when I go to the twice-yearly Gettysburg toy soldier show, I see these spring-loaded activators for sale at very reasonable prices, and with minimal filing and fitting you can install them into the house.

When a projectile hits the front door, the whole thing "explodes" in a very satisfying manner.

They also paint-up very nicely.  You may remember this Greek cafe from the Navarone scenario.  Several Nazi officers met their doom while sipping strong coffee on that morning.

It's a nice day to get outdoors.

Soldier on!

Mannie

 

Battle of Guam: little grass shack

To set the tone, let's give a listen to Don Ho singing My Little Grass Shack:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWlvYpJ5pRo)

The years-long Battle of Guam project is soldiering into its fifth year this spring with more construction.

Right now, I'm working on a bamboo hut, which will be a good all-purpose building that will suit many purposes.

I started with a foam core armature; the size will accommodate 1/32 soldiers.

The roof will be thatched and the rows of thatch were made of printer paper and cut with an X-acto knife.

I'm very satisfied with the effect.

I painted them in various shade of yellow and brown.

On Amazon I found paper, bamboo-pattern, drinking straws.  I made a jig to split them uniformly.

It's coming along nicely.  Eventually, it will be slightly elevated on stilts and the porch roof will be made to look like corrugated iron.

Come on inside, and...

Soldier on!

Mannie

WWII tankers in 1/16 scale

Did you see the Brad Pitt movie Fury?  I consider it one of the all-time top five of war movies.  Certainly liberties are taken to advance the narrative, but it is a gritty look at tank combat in WWII.  It is an incredible movie.  If you saw it, please share your review in the comments section.

Along those lines, I painted up some tankers to go with my 1/16 Pershing and Sherman tanks.  Unlike Brad Pitt none of them were once married to Angelina Jolie, but they are pretty cool nonetheless.

I found these resin figures on ebay; there were enough parts for four guys.  The parts were flash-free and highly detailed.  Assembly was very easy with super-glue, and following assembly I gave them an overspray of Tamiya gray primer.

I painted them with Vallejo paints, which I seem to be using exclusively these days.

I wasn't going for military miniature-style painting, but just a nice, detailed, toy soldier look.

A touch of panel-liner really brought out the detail, and also makes for some nice five-o'clock shadow.

He's no Brad Pitt, but I think he came out pretty well.

I also painted up these guys: they started in the Sherman, but moved to the Pershing.  Sadly, the loader got lost out in the shrubbery one autumn day when I was out in the yard tanking...MIA, I guess.

As always, I enjoyed painting these figures, it is relaxing, satisfying, and ultimately...fun; and isn't that what our hobby is all about?

Button up, and...

Soldier on!

Mannie

By the way...did someone mention Angelina Jolie?