Painted playing pieces

@trenacker
I’ve been painting some pieces the last two weeks. I’m having trouble with Rustoleum Lemongrass for the UK. The paint doesn’t apply very well. I use Eden for USA, French blue for France, rustic orange for Japan, flat gray for Germany. Lemongrass is just a pain for whatever reason.

@SS-GEN

Will do. Thanks

Ah, yet another good use for the coasters!

I was awarded the Customizer badge at some point unknown, but marked on my pictures post as to when I found out I was a recipient. There is a post somewhere on the forums that tells of the process and from what I recall one has to be nominated by someone to a moderator and there is some sort of review process. Here’s a link to the award discussion thread: https://www.axisandallies.org/forums/topic/24173/customizers-round-2

Glad you enjoy the pics and tips! We all inspire each other with our pictures, tips, and techniques, so keep sharing!

@655321 decals very small decals and I bought 3 of those sets so there is that. Lol

4E43E286-8F3E-4AC1-84BC-E732B0B7EB2F.jpeg CA95B30E-914A-4105-9C05-22B533ECF2FF.jpeg

Thank you for the positive feedback! I forgot to say that in the previous post, and it’s very important that I do. It’s very encouraging and motivating to get good feedback, and we certainly appreciate it. The above mentioned four Essex class carriers are complete, a long with several other ships of the US Navy, so its time to update the thread. Just ships by FOlewnik in this post. More aircraft are almost done but I haven’t put magnets in them yet (so not really done), so no aircraft pictures this post.

We’ll start with the two “odd men out” of the HBG sculpt Baltimore Class Heavy Cruisers. Why “odd men out”? Because in the below picture we have on the left, the USS Unnamed Baltimore Class Cruiser Wearing Measure 31a, Design 9C, and on the right is the USS Columbus (CA 74), which wasn’t commissioned until June 8, 1945. The cruiser with the long name is wearing a design that was never used, but was taken from a period design found at https://www.wikiwand.com/en/World_War_II_US_Navy_dazzle_camouflage_measures_31,_32_and_33:_cruisers. The USS Columbus is wearing a Measure 12 Modified designed by FOlewnik to match the pieces we’ll be using for the US Atlantic fleet. These will get aircraft added, but at the time of the photographs the decals on the wings of the aircraft were drying.
DSC_0510a.jpg
DSC_0511a.jpg
DSC_0512a.jpg
Pattern_sheet,_MS-31a_9C_for_Baltimore_class.jpg

Next up are some metal destroyers from GHQ. Below on the left, the very brave USS Johnston (DD-557) painted in MS-3_/6D as it looked when it was “Sunk by Japanese Warships off Samar October 25 1944,” and next to it is USS Van Valkenburgh (DD-656) painted in camouflage Measure 31, Design 9d. All Wartime photos taken from Navsource.org, a great resource for US Navy history buffs.
DSC_0514a.jpg
DSC_0515a.jpg
DSC_0516a.jpg

Below, the real USS Johnston shortly before her final battle, and the official design sheet:
DSC_0516a0555715.jpg
Pattern_sheet,_MS-31-32-33_6D_for_Fletcher_class.jpg

A great wartime picture of the USS Van Valkenburgh, which is the same on both sides:
DSC_0516a0565603.jpg

Now on to these two. From GHQ, USS The Sullivans (DD-537) painted in Measure 1, and the HBG sculpt light cruiser USS Marblehead (CL-12) who always wore Measure 2 throughout the war. If I can get FOlewnik to put the Shamrock on the first stack of The Sullivans when he puts the scout aircraft on the Marblehead, as seen in the below wartime photograph, I’ll come back and edit the post.
DSC_0520a.jpg
DSC_0522a.jpg
DSC_0519a.jpg
DSC_0520a0553740.jpg
DSC_0520a0401208.jpg

The post previous to this post showed four Essex Class sculpts from HBG getting prepped and started with a base coat. Those are now completed and I had too much fun playing with them and the aircraft (that are complete so far) while I was taking photographs. I’m pretty sure I didn’t make any wooshing sea or aircraft noises or FOlewnik would have laughed at me. I was tempted though, and here’s why:
DSC_0524a.jpg
DSC_0525a.jpg
DSC_0526a.jpg
Above we have the first of the Long Hull Essex Class, USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) on the left looking as she did after her April 1945 refit from suffering a Kamikaze Attack on January 21, 1945, and USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) on the right. The Bunker Hill is wearing Measure 33, Design 6A, of which Navsource says, “Her port side camouflage pattern was the most intricate design applied to any carrier.” One glance can confirm that!
DSC_0526a021772.jpg

The final two Essex Class carriers are the USS Essex (CV-9) herself, and the USS Bennington (CV-20). The Essex is wearing a unique pattern, Measure 32v6, Design 10D, adapted from a destroyer pattern specifically for the long hulled Essex. The Bennington is painted in Measure 32, Design 17A.
DSC_0527a.jpg
DSC_0528a.jpg
DSC_0529a.jpg
DSC_0529aPattern_sheet,_MS_32a_17A_for_Essex_class.jpg
DSC_0529aUSS_Essex_(CV-9)_in_MS_32_6-10D_camouflage.jpg

Finally, some group pictures just for fun:
DSC_0531a.jpg
DSC_0532a.jpg
DSC_0533a.jpg
DSC_0534a.jpg
Thank you for checking out the post! If you liked it, please click the little heart. I’m trying to figure out why our post is only rated with a 2 when it seems it should be a bit higher if the other likes are any indication.

I have opened my Airfix and find that, although the base/pedestal is shorter, the pieces are of a height with those produced by HBG. I’d feel comfortable using them on my board. My big concern is that the plastic is very soft, and some pieces so finely molded that you’re almost certainly looking at damage-in-storage, if not straight out of the box. They can also be a pain to cut cleanly from sprues, resulting in damaged to pieces during removal.

HaT pieces are in much harder plastic – so hard, it’s brittle. They are noticeably beefier than Airfix pieces in the same scale, but about as tall. I got a Serbian WW1 pack.

Waterloo 1815 miniatures in 1:72 scale are taller, also brittle, and beefier still, but are also acceptable. Sprues for special molds (e.g., machine gunners) are fiddly, creating risk of damage to pieces during clipping.

––Calling “Viracocha”----

––My friend,…it’s been way too long since I’ve heard from you. I ALWAYS enjoy my conversations with you.

Tall Paul