Ricks' Ramblings

[Rick Lowe]

Thanks, guys. 

[Rick Lowe]

1/76 Hanomag Sdkfz 251/22D **real world**

Based on a Matchbox kit; the rear end, bonnet sides and front end were replaced with scratch parts to convert it into a D version.

The interior was altered with reference from the Osprey book on the 251, and the gun came from the Airfix 234 kit, on a scratch mounting.
Details from bits and pieces.

Humbrol Panzer Yellow with Red Brown camouflage, and a Black wash.

Could add markings at some stage, but then the late war stuff was pretty plain, so...

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[Old Wombat]

 

[buzzbomb]

Catch up mode... love the Mal's Pistol.

Notch me up as a closet Brown Coat as well.

[Wardukw]

A very nice little Sdkfz 251/22 Rick matey   
Be glad your not or was addicted to to WW2 german half tracks bud ,, i had all 25 versions of the 251 ,,and all the others ,,mate that's alot of models   

[Rick Lowe]

Thanks, fellas.

Phill - I do have a few still to do, in both scales... Some time... 

[Rick Lowe]

Heller 1/72 Hughes OH-6A Cayuse *Real World*

I read the Squadron Signal book "Gunslingers in Action" and from then on, I wanted a 1/72 Loach model. There wasn't one readily or cheaply available; so, I resigned myself to waiting and/or going without.

Then Heller released a range of Clic-Clac models, and in amongst them was a Hughes 500 which was close enough to 1/72.
Once I managed to get ahold of one, it was all go.

I basically only used the body, interior floor, front transparency, skids and most of the rotors.

The rest of the interior was scratchbuilt, and on the outside I opened up the transmission hole for the scratchbuilt main rotor shaft.
I cut out the doors as they usually flew without them.

Inspired by the 'In Action' book I added a couple of carbines and a bag of ammo magazines between the front seats, as well as some smoke grenades strung behind the front seats, and a box of grenades by the rear seat.

I shortened the skids' height and pinned them to the body.

I left off the D-model 'T' tail and made the correct earlier angled fin and brace.

I made a new main rotor hub and attached four of the five main blades to it. I also tweaked the tail rotor.

The gatling barrel is from the ESCI Huey kit with a scratchbuilt rear casing. An ammo box was cut down from the Huey's unit.

A Minitanks M-60 was hung from a piece of cotton.

Paint is Humbrol enamels and markings are from the spares box.

It seems to compare pretty well to the Italeri kit I got later, so I'm happy.

(I couldn't find a shot of the Heller kit, sorry...)

The book 'Low Level Hell' is also well worth a look.

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[NARSES2]

That looks very good mate   

[Old Wombat]

Excellent job, Rick!   

[Rick Lowe]

Thanks, fellers. 

[kerick]

Nice job!

[The Rat]

  

[George the Cat]

 

[Rick Lowe]

Thanks, guys. 

[Rick Lowe]

Sci Fi Drop Pods

A good friend is a big Battletech fan but he stopped playing it when Life Stuff took precedence.
When things went a bit awry for him and he stopped doing a lot of other things too, a couple of us decided to try and get him interested in wargaming again.

I thought something he could use as scenery, or mission objectives, could help.

I started with a couple of different sized single-serve rice cups. I screwed the bottom one onto a placemat, then scraped a hollow in a second one to allow for the screw head, and glued it on.
The rim of the lower cup was cut away to allow the upper one to fit, and a collar of cardboard was glued under the rim to fill the gap and give the two parts more area to grip.
That also saved on filler & sanding.

The legs are runner inserted into tubing, and fitted into holes cut into the cup; this was easier than trying to cut the legs to the correct angles.
The feet are buttons and circles of card.

I added detail from cardboard – hatches for the mechs to emerge from, weapon mounts.

The antenna farm on the top is a few pins and bits of wire stuck into half a toy truck wheel rim. With a bit of grooved card around the base, it fitted nicely into the indent in the cup.

I glued a bit of sand onto the bases and the models got a sprayed black base coat.
I didn't do any more painting, as I'm not sure which Clan or House he plays, so decided to let him choose his own colour scheme.
Same with any extra detail; he can decide what he wants, if any.

As I understand, he's recently started getting back into the game; but whether these helped or not I don't know and won't take any credit for.
But it's good to hear he's taking an interest again.

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