Accurate Miniature Equivalents for Custom Painting your 1940 E&P

So I’ve started the massive task of painting my Pacific 1940 set. Because a) I love WWII and A&A, b) I have to make everything I do as authentic as possible, and c) I love self-torture; I’ve been researching what the closest equivalent piece of equipment for each faction would be. I thought this would be a good forum to post the list, as there’s some speculations as to what the Europe 1940 unit-makes will be.

A bit of the info I got from some the older A&A rulebooks (listed under unit descriptions), but too many of those were vague or inaccurate. So using the intraweb, books, and a lot of coffee, I’ve composed this list… Note that some of the items are repeats as nations would have borrowed technology from each other. Also I haven’t started on France - feel free to post your own ideas for their units.

I’d love to get everyone’s reactions, input, links, pics of their own painted sets, and in-general comments.

Thus:

Russia

-Artillery - M1938 122 mm Howitzer
-Mech Infantry - M3-A1?
-Tank - T-34
-Fighter - Mikoyan MiG-3
-Tactical Bomber - Ilyushin IL-2 Shturmovik OR Petlyakov Pe-2 Peshka
-Strategic Bomber - Tupolev SB2
-Submarine - Srednyaya class
-Transport - R class? (from UK)
-Destroyer - Gnevny class
-Cruiser - Avrora class
-Aircraft Carrier - Illustrious class? (from UK)
-Battleship - Sovetsky Soyuz class

Germany

-Artillery - 88 mm FlaK 36
-Mech Infantry - Sonderkraftfahrzeug Sd. Kfz. 11
-Tank - PzKpfw V Panther
-Fighter - Messerschmitt BF 109G
-Tactical Bomber - Junkers JU 87 Stuka
-Strategic Bomber - Junkers JU 88
-Submarine - Type VII class (U-52)
-Transport - Westerwald class
-Destroyer - Von Roeder Class
-Cruiser - Leipzig class
-Aircraft Carrier - Graf Zeppelin class
-Battleship - Bismarck class

UK

-Artillery - Ordnance QF 6 pounder
-Mech Infantry - M3-A1?
-Tank - Cruiser MK VI Crusader
-Fighter - Supermarine Spitfire
-Tactical Bomber - Fairey Barracuda
-Strategic Bomber -Handley Page Halifax
-Submarine - T class (HMS Thunderbolt)
-Transport - R class
-Destroyer - V and W class (HMS Westcott)
-Cruiser - County class Heavy Cruiser (HMS London)
-Aircraft Carrier - Illustrious class (HMS Illustrious)
-Battleship - King George V class (1939)  (HMS Prince of Wales)

Japan

-Artillery - Type 92 Battalion Gun
-Mech Infantry - Type 1 Ho-Ki
-Tank - Type 2 Ke-To
-Fighter - A6M2 Zero-Sen “Zero”
-Tactical Bomber - Aichi B7A Ryusei
-Strategic Bomber - Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” (G4M2E Model 24J)
-Submarine - I-400 class
-Transport - Hakusan Maru class
-Destroyer - Fubuki class
-Cruiser - Takao class
-Aircraft Carrier - Shinano class
-Battleship - Yamato class

USA

-Artillery - 105 mm Howitzer M2A1
-Mech Infantry - M3-A1
-Tank - Sherman M4
-Fighter - Lockheed P-38 Lightning
-Tactical Bomber - A-24 Banshee / SBD Dauntless
-Strategic Bomber -Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
-Submarine - Gato class (USS Ray)
-Transport - Liberty class
-Destroyer - Fletcher class (Johnston)
-Cruiser - Portland class
-Aircraft Carrier - Wasp class
-Battleship - Iowa class

China

-Artillery - M116 75mm Howitzer
-Fighter - Curtiss P-40 “Flying Tigers”

ANZAC

-Artillery - Ordnance QF 25-pounder Short
-Mech Infantry - M3-A1?
-Tank - Cruiser Mk I Sentinel?
-Fighter - CA-12 Boomerang
-Tactical Bomber - A-31 Vengeance
-Strategic Bomber -Halifax
-Submarine - O class
-Transport - R class?
-Destroyer - V and W class (HMAS Vendetta)
-Cruiser -    Leander class Light Cruiser (HMAS Sydney)
-Aircraft Carrier - Illustrious class?
-Battleship - County class Heavy Cruiser (HMAS Australia)

Italy

-Artillery - Obice da 210/22 Modello 35
-Mech Infantry - Sonderkraftfahrzeug Sd. Kfz. 11
-Tank - Fiat M13/40
-Fighter - Aeronautica Macchi C.202 Folgore
-Tactical Bomber - Savoia-Marchetti SM.84
-Strategic Bomber - Piaggio P.108
-Submarine - Type VII class?
-Transport - Westerwald class?
-Destroyer - Soldati class
-Cruiser - Zara class
-Aircraft Carrier - Aquila class
-Battleship - Vittorio Veneto class

Oh, and here’s a pic of my first completed set: China.

Well, I definitely am interested in doing this for a living, so I suppose I could entertain offers. I will say that it wouldn’t be cheap as the 30 Chinese soldiers took about 12 hours of work. The single “Flying Tiger” fighter turned out awesome and I should finish off the ANZAC soldiers tomorrow. Pics coming soon.

Since it’s a very maddening thing to do (staring at one 20mm space for 24 minutes is sort of like working on old watches), the supplies, research, and self-discipline it’s taken me to get to this point, I’d charge $15/hour. I think that’s very reasonable (less than most professional house painters charge).

By the way: here’s some more pics: one ANZAC infantry and China’s “Flying Tiger” fighter (I used a British fighter for this because it more closely resembles the P-40).

I also could do a " dumbed down" paint job. Basically this would involve priming the pieces, coating them with their respective solid colors, dipping them into inks washes (which works sort of like “antiquing” furniture - the ink sinks into the crevasses bringing out the miniature’s details), and then coat them with either a matte or satin varnish.

I’d charge the same for this, but could probably pump out a full set in a few days so many, many less hours involved. I’ll do a few sample pieces of this and post the images.

@Lozmoid:

do you use any kind of eyeglass or some such equipment?

No, just good lighting, my eyes, and a few very fine brushes.

More progress… I had to do some patching with epoxy in the helmets of some of the ANZAC units. Apparently that’s where the punch occurs with the British infantry mold and a lot of them punch off too low.

By the way, for 4 hours, that ANZAC crown was the bane of my existence.

@Lozmoid:

Tell me, do you apply any kind of matt finish varnish to the minis? If not, do they chip easily when stored together in a box or bag? I’m loving those Anzacs…

I am going to use a varnish when finished, I just haven’t decided on matte or stain yet. And yes, they do chip when stored if not sealed.

Here’s more progress… ANZAC ground forces are finished! Two separate camouflages too (I plan on doing two or three finishes for each of the other nations as well). You can see the ANZAC symbol and base color (gray) on each of the units.

@i:

is there away to make them not chip??

Even perfectly painted miniatures can chip or flake from very minimal use (finger sweat can be enough to make the paint itself start to “sweat off”).

Sealing them with a spray varnish is the best approach. They come in the several finishes similar to paint - matte, satin, and gloss. I recommend using a matte or satin as gloss is a bit much. Also remember that most varnishes make the color of your paint a bit darker, so it’s best to paint them a shade or two lighter.

I’ll post a comparison between varnished and unsealed paint jobs after I finish the full ANZAC series.

@i:

there cool though.

Once they’re sealed they shouldn’t chip at all, much like furniture.

@i:

so will the paint still "sweat off’’

No, once the miniature is sealed the paint will hold off pretty major wear and tear. You’ll have to really either want to get the paint off or be completely neglectful.

@Brain:

Beautiful work. Have you come up with a price yet. I want somebody to paint my future FMG pieces.

I’m still working out exactly what kind of price range and how long it would take to do sets.
It seems like they’re becoming a bit more streamlined now and painting is going much quicker. I’ll let you know within the week.

More updates: ANZAC Air Fleet