I continue to remain relatively busy preparing loads of stuff and finishing nothing! Some of this is to do with side projects and long term projects that have hung around waiting to be realised and I might write a post on them at some point. But, back in the present, I’ve managed to finish off an armoured car!

This is a Straussler AC3D armoured car for my 20mm scale WW2 Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) force and it’s a 3-D print by Garden Shed Printing. This is one of those models that I’ve been after for a long time and represents another gap filled amongst those vehicles for which I thought I’d probably never find a model. The KNIL only had around a dozen of them in service at the start of WW2 and a different version with a more roomy hull (the AC3) was used to protect RAF bases in the Middle East in the early part of WW2.

Although a 3-D print, this model comes in kit form consisting of the hull, turret, turret pin, two axles, four wheels and two machine gun barrels. Printing the bits in this way allows items like the hull, turret and wheels to be printed on a bed plate and thus have smooth under/rear surfaces (not that I’m an expert on 3-D printing) and the fit of parts was very good.
With little detail on colours, I’ve gone for a Bronze Green finish with detail lined in black. The chassis and wheels were painted in German Camouflage Black Brown and then drybrushed in Dark Earth. The whole vehicle was then lightly drybrushed in a white/dark earth mix to pick out the highlights – this is a much less heavy finish than I’d normally use, to avoid picking up any of the printer lines that are inevitable on this type of print of a multi-faceted armoured body (print lines are there but not too obvious once a couple of coats of paint go on).
I’m really pleased at getting this done! I’ve still got a couple more KNIL vehicles and guns to do, but I don’t need any more armoured vehicles so I am making progress! It seems to be easier to paint the odd single vehicle in amongst preparing other stuff so I might try and keep that up for the near future at least!
Great work John, you seem to have covered the lines well, and another piece finished is always good in my book, and I bet you’ve been doing a lot in prep work by the sound of it
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Thanks Dave! π Once I’d got the basic colours on this it didn’t take all that long to get it finished, which makes me think painting a vehicle from time to time is a good way to make progress (as oppose to, say, a unit of 10 figures). I seem to be concentrating my prep work on my VSF/steampunk armies and I’m quite enjoying it, although I do need to make a move to finish more off!
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It can help, but not eliminate, with 3D print lines if you first spray paint with automotive primer/filler. Itβs that usual grey color, sandable, and with multiple coats can fill some of those fine print lines.
I do like the way you finished vehicle, as with most military vehicles less color is often the only choice!
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Thanks Eric! π I might take a look at that! With small vehicle models a couple of coats of paints usually work, but I hace sanded some models down before and found it worked well.
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Great work John
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Thanks Steve! π
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Nicely done John, I had to look close up to see the lines you were talking about, clearly you picked your techniques well! I do like what 3D printing has done for the availability of the more obscure vehicles, very handy!
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Thanks Nicolas! π The very angular body meant that the highlights weren’t quite as light on the edges, although the rivets came out fine. I’ve filled in a few vehicle gaps with 3-D prints (well, I will have once I get them painted)!
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Very nice – I thought it was the Hungarian Csaba at first glance.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Thanks Pete! π Straussler designed both the AC3D and the Csaba, the former being built by Alvis in Britain and the latter in Hungary, hence the family resemblance!
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Ah got you- that makes sense.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Great post. Love the model although it is not one that I have seen before. The Garden Shed have a great range of stuff. Thanks for putting me on to them.
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Thanks Dave! π It is a bit of a rarity! I think Garden Shed Printing are also on eBay and they sometimes have some different models there.
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As usual excellent brushwork John. Nothing like some angular wheeled armour π . Now are those early war miniatures Dutch troops and a machine gun in tow?
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Thanks Lorenzo! π Well spotted, they are indeed Early War Miniatures KNIL troops, although the weapon is the 20mm Solothurn anti-tank rifle (it’s a beast)!
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Nice work on the KNIL John. Prep work is never fun as far as I’m concerned but on the positive side it sounds like you are going to have plenty to paint further down the line. π
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Thanks Dave! π I’m maybe not balancing out the prep work and the finishing off, but it’s still progress!
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I’m glad we are in sinc Mate!! I still have three Irons in the fire and am running around like a headless chook! Nice little vehicle, seeing your Printed one makes me wonder why I still i still put myself through torture making them from kits!!
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Thanks Pat! π Feels like running to stand still sometimes, but I’d rather stay busy! I must admit, I don’t seem to have the time or patience these days for kits, so prints suit me I think (they still need cleaning up a bit)!
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May , just maybe mate we are getting wiser π€and recognising that it smarter to take the easy way π
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3D printing is coming on leaps and bounds by the looks of this; there’s some really nice detail on there.
Nicely painted John, it’s interesting that you have to adjust your technique when painting prints, I’d never really thought about it, not having done any myself.π€
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Thanks Justin! π Mainly have to be more careful with surfaces that are only a few degrees from the horizontal and brush more along the edges to pick the detail up. True horizontal and vertical surfaces are much less of an issue.
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Lovely work, I can’t see the print lines at all,. so well done there.
Not a vehicle I’m familiar with, though it is a very nice looking vehicle.
Cheers Roger.
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Thanks Roger! π It is actually a nice print for the shape and makes a change to paint something a bit more obscure!
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Very nice, John.
Always satisfying to find a rare beast and add it to the zoo π
Regards, Chris.
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Thanks Chris! π Agree completely! I’m not sure there are many vehicles left for me to track down now that I need (sorry, want) models of. Got one or two in the painting queue still!
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That’s a nice model.
So are we going to see your KNIL in action anytime soon?
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Thanks Frank! π That’s a good question – it’s about time they some action!
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Very impressive, even down to the shovel and rivets!
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Thanks Marvin! π Only one shovel, but more than its fair share of rivets I think!
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Ooo, nicely done! For a 3D print it looks amazing, and the Bronze Green β a colour I’ve meant to buy for ages but never got around to β works really well. Great detailing on the rivets too!
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Thanks Matt! π For a non-resin print it is very nice – although resin prints have a better finish, they are quite brittle whereas the PLA prints are much tougher! The Bronze Green is the Vallejo Model Color one.
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Looks great, John. I ended up looking up the armoured car and then got distracted instead of commenting – so I guess that’s a compliment on how well you’ve done with it! π
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Thanks Azazel! π I should really put links in, but I think I was rushing a bit with this post I’m afraid!
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Not a problem! I ended up going down a whole Dutch East Indies rabbit hole…
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I’ve still got a few bits to come for my KNIL forces that I’ve recently found as 3-D prints (Bofors 75mm howitzer and a light Vickers tractor for towing a 47mm gun) although when these make an appearance is anybody’s guess!
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I know what you mean there! I’ve still got a bunch of DAK things to finish my force but getting to them…. π
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It looks great to me. I would never have been able to name the army that used it but it looks good.
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Thanks Mark! π Sometimes some interesting stuff turns up in the smaller armies! Glad you like it!
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The AC3D looks great to me and that is a rare vehicle indeed! I’m glad you were able to get it in miniature form. I do have to say though if you don’t start getting some more painting done, I might follow through on my threat to send you a bunch of my unassembled minis and make you work on those! π
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Thanks Jeff, glad you like it! π OK, threat understood, I’ll try and get some of my own stuff done!
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Looks awesome! How you paint camo patterns on those itty bitty soldiers though…that’s got to be a challenge!
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Thanks Faust! π It’s about as small as I feel comfortable with for figures, but decent reading glasses help at my age! π
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My ugly cheap reading glasses are what’s kept me in this hobby! π
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Haha brilliant! π I know exactly what you mean!
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