Molemen for Flash Gordon

A recent thread on The Lead Adventure (LAF) highlighted a set of three 28mm Malifaux Molemen by Wyrd Miniatures. See;

http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=13816.0

and

http://www.miniaturemarket.com/inc/sdetail/631416

I have been wanting to model a group of Molemen for my 40mm Flash Gordon collection. Cliffhanger already have a group of four in 40mm scale, but I have never liked these figures, see;

http://www.monolithdesigns.co.uk/update030405/CH020.jpg

My thought is to use the arms and possibly the heads from the beautifully sculpted Wyrd Miniatures Molemen and either 'scratchbuild' the bodies, or use existing 40mm scale or large 28mm scale miniatures to produce Molemen conversions. My problem is trying to find a suitable donor or group of donors figures to perform this surgery. (Please note, I'm working in 40mm - and can see these converted figures being anywhere between 36mm - 45mm!)

Has any reader suggestions as to which model or models I could use or have any further comments relating to this planned project? Comments and suggestions would be greatly welcome.

Thanks in advance, Tony

LAF's Build Something Competition

The Lead Adventure Forum (LAF), one of the modelling forums that I regularly visit and support are running a simple - Build Something Competition that I came across earlier this week. See;

http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?board=48.0 This afternoon, while listening to the football on Radio Five I thought I would produce an entry. This 1/300th scale model of a Rutledge Flier Mk II. based on a computer generated illustration by Mateen Greenway. See;

http://mateengreenway.com/steampunk/Space1889UK.htm

Photo One - Shows the finished model, well the modelling finished, but still awaiting paint. The model is 80mm long.

Photo Two - The rough sketch on which I based the model.

Photo Three - I used a resin cast hull that was left over from an earlier modelling project. The red hull is cast in cheap car repair resin.

Photo Four - The same resin casting, with a built-up hull. I used layers of 3mm thick plastic card, superglued together and than trimmed and sanded to shape.

Photo Five - As above, but showing the hull shape in greater detail. The wheel-house is situated to the side, again built from plastic card.

Photo Six - Shows the wheel-house in place and the beginnings of a boiler to the rear.

Photo Seven - The construction finished, plastic card and rod detailing, a plastic ladder strip and yellow sticky-back labels for hull and surface detail.

Overall the model has taken about three hours from start to finish. I will undercoat with spray paint and brush paint the detail. See part two - coming soon.

Tony

Front Rank 40mm AWI Continentals

I have purchased five 40mm Continental soldiers from Front Rank, mainly to use as a scale comparison against the 40mm AWI buildings I have been working on. The first two were painted up some time ago as I wanted them to accompany trade show displays for Grand Manner. These two were sitting on my workbench, based and undercoated for some time before I picked out the paintbrush and painted them. They were finished and flocked last night.

These are absolutely beautiful sculpts with perfectly proportioned bodies and subtle but detailed uniforms, a real joy to paint.

The bulk of the range come with a separate head and headgear sprue, which allows you to vary the uniform and add some tilt or turn to each characters head. The face detail is very well done - as you can see. At COLOURS, Newbury, last month I saw a full cabinet of painted figures on the Front Rank stand, regiments of between 16 and 20 models mounted on to square bases and four figures to a base. These are the same figures that Dave (at Grand Manner) has used in his catalogue shots - see; http://www.grandmanner.co.uk/shop/prodtype.asp?PT_ID=84&strPageHistory=cat

For the last ten years I have collected and painted a whole range of 40mm figures, Graven Images, Flashing Blades, S&S etc. I can honestly say that these are the best I have come across and have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them. For more details please go to; http://www.frontrank.com/5_lev2_40mm_AWI.asp

I am looking to purchase another group of British 'Red Coats' and I'll comment on these once I have them.

Tony

Guilford Courthouse by John Hairr

In my quest to gather as much background information as possible of various American War of Independence battle sites, I saw this particular reference book of E-bay.

The 144 page, card-backed book is written by John Hairr and is part of the BATTLEGROUND AMERICA GUIDES published by Leo Cooper/Pen & Sword Books. A quick first glance gives the impression of being a very well researched and in-depth summary of this important battle. I will comment further once I have studied it in greater detail.

With a published price of £12.95, I feel I have had a real bargain via E-bay, paying just £2.99 plus postage!

Tony

TMP Workbench Article - Thor

The TMP Workbench article - Thor from Bronze Age Miniatures is now up and running. See; http://theminiaturespage.com/workbench/662510/

The miniature was painted some months ago and now resides with my 40mm Flash Gordon collection. As you can read in the article, the figure was a real joy to paint, full of detail and character. A second Bronze Age Miniature - this time Odin is due to be featured in a Workbench article very soon.

The miniature is mounted on to a 40mm round base and stands 45mm tall (head to toe).

Tony

Blog update

It's been a while coming but I have updated my Blog by adding my followers. Many thanks to all who have support my Blog, you are now immortalized as icons on my front page!

Web stats are claiming that the Blog gets over 100 hits a day. Not bad for my various ramblings!

I have a number of articles that are planned for publication and they should be up and running very soon, four are for TMP - various workbench articles, two or is it three? for Alternative Armies and a short comment for Wargames Illustrated, linked to the 40mm AWI/ACW range from Grand Manner. The 40mm range continues to take up a good part of my modelling time with further releases due before the end of the year. However you will be pleased to know that 'other' modelling projects (maybe even a new terrain board) are being planned.

I am not planning on attending SELWG, but am looking to visit CRISIS, Antwerp in November. This will be my first ever over-seas show with a walk across the Waterloo battlefield on the way back.

More news as it happens, once again thanks for all the support.

Tony

"I have just seen that this is my 333rd post - Halfway to Hell :)"

A Tale of Two Towers

Firstly this particular entry is very picture heavy!

As part of the 40mm AWI/ACW range I designed and Dave at Grand Manner has cast up, I have produced a 40mm Lexington Belfry or The Old Belfry at Lexington. (Code AMC-40-12).

The title, a Tale of Two Towers relates to the fact that I intend building two different versions of this particular model, firstly a modified casting to show the re-built, reproduction of the Belfry, as seen below and a later one showing the same casting built as the White Belfry would have looked in 1775.

Photo One - Shows the finished reproduction, based on a wooden plaque with modelling and historical notes.

Photo Two - Takes a step back in time and shows the original model during construction. The base is a 3mm plastic card box with lollipop stick weather boards.

Photo Three - The finished 'master' ready to be moulded and cast-up in resin.

Photo Four - The inspiration for the model - the battle of Lexington with the Lexington Belfry in the right background.

Photo Five - Yet another illustration, again showing the Belfry to the right.

Photo Six - A coloured postcard showing The Old Belfry, Lexington, MA. This is the illustration I used to build the modern reproduction.

Photo Seven - The first ever resin casting of the Grand Manner 40mm Lexington Belfry (AMC-40-12).

Photo Eight - The model is cast in three separate pieces, a main body, the roof section and the bell tower roof.

Photo Nine - The re-built Belfry, with a revised bell tower and a new diorama base built from sheets of broken cork, DAS modelling clay and stones from the garden.

Photo Ten - A close-up of the bell tower.

Photo Eleven - The main building painted over a black undercoat, using various acrylic paints and GW washes.

Photo Twelve - As above.

Photo Thirteen - Painting - halfway through. Note the white wooden plaque - a feature of the reproduction, which details the history of the original and reproduced tower.

Photo Fourteen - The bell tower nearly finished.

Photo Fifteen - The main building nearly finished. The figure is an O gauge figure from A C Stadden, a 1/43rd scale figure (40mm tall) of C B Collett. I wanted a contemporary figure rather than use a 40mm AWI Continental as I have done in the past. You can also see the beginnings of foliage on the base, made from ground foam and static grass.

Photo Sixteen - As above.

Photo Seventeen - A photo of the finished display piece that has been produced to be used at trade shows by Grand Manner.

Photo Eighteen - The finished diorama.

The plaque says;

The Old Belfry, Lexington, MA.

The Old Belfry in Lexington was built in 1762 and originally stood on a small hill adjacent to the village green. In 1768 it was moved to the common and between the hours of 1.00 am and 2.00 am on the morning of April 19th, 1775 the bell was rung to summon the local militia after Paul Revere and Willam Dawes had alerted the village.

In 1797, it was removed to the Parker Homestead in the south part of the town. In 1891 it was brought back to this hill by the Lexington Historical Society. Later it was destroyed by a gale in 1909 and rebuilt in 1910.

This particular model is a re-built and detailed model of the 40mm Lexington Belfry (AMC-40-12) model from Grand Manner. It is modelled and painted as it appeared in a colour postcard around 1919.

Tony