As usual, I’m sort of just scraping in with my entry for the monthly community painting challenge over at Azazel’s Bitz Box. I’ve added “sort of” because I haven’t managed to varnish these items yet, but considering the title of this blog, the date and the fact that it’s pretty windy outside I’m going to consider them finished!
So, latest models finished are a pair of German Panzer 38(t) tanks from the 1940/41 period (the “(t)” indicates that these are Czech vehicles taken over by the Germans). These are in 1/72 scale and are fast build plastic kits by Pegasus Hobbies. I wanted to get these done for some early WW2 tank games, so they are meant to accompany the Panzer I, Panzer III and Panzer IV I got painted last month.
I’m not going to write loads for this post, since I really just wanted to get something posted because I’ve got them finished (ahem)!
I’m also intending to write group posts on the various tanks as I finish them and I’ve still got one more vehicle to do for my early WW2 Germans. As an aside, I actually know how many Panzer 38(t) models I have built in the course of my life (since it’s a fairly uncommon type for me) – one of the Fujimi kits back in the 70s when they first came out, two scratchbuilt from card in the late 70s for a Romanian army, another Fujimi kit in the mid-80s in Bulgarian markings (still got this one), a Plastic Soldier Company kit put together a couple of years ago and waiting in the “Neglected Model” pile and the two Pegasus models shown above! With important information like that in me head, it’s no wonder I can’t remember trivia like my wife’s birthday or our wedding anniversary!
Just Needs Varnish! 
They are really great. It’s a fine looking pair.
BTW- Romanians and Bulgarians eh? A man after my own heart with loving the lesser known combatants on the Eastern front….
Cheers,
Pete.
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Thanks Pete, glad you like them! For their size they took some time, mainly because of all the rivets! And it’s worse than you think with these “smaller” armies – Bulgarians were done in the 80s and need a complete re-do, Romanians were given away in the 80s (not many tanks) and need starting again, Hungarians were done in the 70s and need a re-do and Finns got two tanks in the 80s and need starting properly! Good thing now is that way more reference material and models are available, although I think the only Bulgarian infantry in 20mm are by Lancashire Games (they’ll do, but could be improved upon)!
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Many years ago I had the daft idea of collecting a platoon sized formation of everything on the Eastern Front… My Romanins are FAA, Finns are CP and Hungarians a mix of Elhiem, Shell Hole and RH models. – Shell Hole do some lovely Hungarian vehicles in metal too.
Bulgarians is about the only Eastern Front Army I’ve yet to get round too. I got a good book on their tank units so there is no excuse now really.
Cheers,
Pete.
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That doesn’t sound daft to me at all! I think we must be mirroring 20mm collections here, although my stuff is 95% waiting to be done! I have the Shellhole Toldi, Nimrod, Csaba and Zrinyi but my Turans are Cromwell models (and of course none of them are actually painted, although they are all primed).
I’ve got the Helion Bulgarian armoured forces book (brilliant) and just got the new “Red Wind Over The Balkans” by the same author – that is on my list of books to read soon!
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Nice work as always John but at least you met the challenge which is something I didn’t manage to achieve this month. Don’t be hard on yourself either, at least you remembered you were married and that alone has got to be worth a good few brownie points! 😉
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Thanks Dave! I think the last week conspired to be dull and windy so I couldn’t get ’em varnished and photographed, so I’ll aim to do that ASAP! I don’t think it’s a case of remembering that you’re married, since there’s usually some sort of constant reminder telling you to get on with things that you’d otherwise consider unimportant! 🙂
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Haha, so true, so true! 😊
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I’ve probably said this a couple of times already, but I really like your gray tanks. Your tones and subtle weathering are perfect! My only critique for these would be that the rusty exhaust pipes/mufflers could have a bit more texture. Now they look a bit flat, like they’re painted brown.
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Cheers mate! I honestly do think it’s more good luck that the grey and weathering comes out looking OK! Good point about the exhausts – even a bit of darker brown washed on and more of a highlight would probably have helped! 🙂
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Quick update for you on this! Taken your comment on board and stippled some darker brown on the exhausts, and then added some lighter highlights – not sure it’s great, but it does break up the monotone appearance of the exhausts well. Will get some pictures when I round up all the German tanks together! I’d thought about adding some surface texture but thought it might be too much – the silencer is only 3mm in diameter by about 12mm long, so pretty small!
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Sounds great! I had stippling in mind as well! And I agree, actual texture paint would probably be too much. The impression of texture is enough!
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It could maybe look better, but I’ll just have to work at these things! Appreciate your advice on this though! 🙂
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Great minds think alike John…
Thanks for the heads up on the Bulgarian book by Helion- I’ve only got an odd little volume I picked up from ebay as a reference currently.
My Hungarians are pretty much all painted … they were finished before I started the blog so I’ve no photos online of them really.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Nice looking 38 (t)’s John, as mcmattila said the tones are nice and subtle (whereas I’m always mudding mine up). I like both ways, but I’m a tank dirtier anyways, love your – only wish you were in 15mm scale, but I know your armies are all 20mm. What’s next, can’t wait to see!
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Thanks Mark! I think it only ends up subtle because I’m too lazy to shade all the running gear so I just paint the bottom half of the tank brown and drybrush it up from there! I’m more surprised that it doesn’t look half bad! I have tried 15mm but in the end it was the realisation that I’d need all the scenery/terrain as well and it’s that that takes up my room more than anything else. Last vehicle waiting to be done for my early WW2 Germans is a Panzerjager 1, but some other bits may get done before that!
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Ooh, nice – love a Panzerjager I! Looking forward to your take on that one. And with all you do, you could take off a couple years and still not be considered lazy!
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Unfortunately, Mark, it’ll just be a Panzerjager 1 in grey, but it’s the Britannia Miniatures/Grubby Tanks model and it comes with stowage moulded in and I’ve got a couple of crew for it, so I’m hoping it turns out OK! I’m working on the assumption that my “lazy” method of painting tank suspensions means I’m actually getting more painted (I think)!
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Probably John, but you results are impressive nevertheless
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Well done on meeting the challenge mate. They look great!
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Thanks IRO! Glad you like ’em!
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Great pair of tanks here – and no worries about varnish, either! Very proud to have these up in the challenge (when I finally get it posted!)
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Thanks Azazel! It was maybe just as well they weren’t varnished, since I followed up on Mcmattila’s comment by re-painting the exhausts! However, rest assured, they are now varnished!
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