Marx Giant Blue and Gray pt 2

 Summer fun.

Pictured, is no particular battle, it's just the inventory of what I'll be working with in my all-Marx (mostly) battle scenario.

It'll be fun.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Shutdown memories, and time well spent

 In the season of government shutdowns, I recall a very productive few weeks when I still worked for the National Park Service.  I seem to remember that it was a four week shutdown and everyone was sent home to listen to the news and watch their savings balance dwindle.  I, however, had a pretty good experience.  I spent the time casting and painting what was to become my 3rd South Carolina Infantry Battalion (https://toysoldiersforever.blogspot.com/2019/01/third-south-carolina-infantry-battalion.html).  

This 202 man rebel unit is the foil to my 286 man-strong 3rd Michigan project (https://toysoldiersforever.blogspot.com/2012/02/old-third-all-present-or-accounted-for.html) .  Michigan took eighteen years to complete, and South Carolina only took seven, as I wasn't making my own molds as I did with Michigan.

The shutdown made for many fun, but chilly, days out in the shop casting, and warmer days in the studio painting.  

The men of the Palmetto State reporting for duty.

It was time well spent - among little pewter men, and far away from the hustle and bustle of working in Washington DC.

Have a happy new year, 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?