Rhodesian anti-mine vehicles & aircraft

[Leslie BT]

Mike.
Have you seen these books:
South African War Machine by Helmoed-Romer Heitman
The Elite by Barbara Cole,
The Chopper Boys by Al J Venter.

[Batko]

Oh, I like where this is headed.

[Mike Tanner]

Assembly looks challenging.

I built loads of Airfix kits to a high standard when I was a kid. These days I have hobby equipment which I could only dream of back then. I also have more patience which is probably the most important thing when it comes to building models. I don't envisage any problems assembling this particular helicopter. 

However, having said that, I want to cut a jump door out of my Doyusha Dakota model. As luck would have it I purchased a cheapo hobby drill and a bag of sanding, drilling, and buffing bits from Ebay last month (I was annoyed the drill came with a British plug even though the seller was based in Germany. Never-mind that particular problem is now solved).

I have included a picture of the Dakota but the camera has not picked up the door detail. Would you guys use a cutting disk followed by filing/sanding for this task? I would appreciate any advice you can give me.

[Mike Tanner]

Mike.
Have you seen these books:
South African War Machine by Helmoed-Romer Heitman
The Elite by Barbara Cole,
The Chopper Boys by Al J Venter.

Thank you for the heads-up on those books, Leslie BT. I purchased reasonably priced secondhand hardback copies of South African War Machine and The Chopper Boys from Amazon earlier today.

Al J Venter I had heard of before. There is a documentary on YouTube by him.

[Mike Tanner]

Oh, I like where this is headed.

I'm buckled up, let's go.

[Mike Tanner]

I have finished painting my first batch of just over 30 South Africans (I just have to flock the bases tomorrow). I am very pleased with how they have turned out and believe it or not they look a lot better in real life than in the photograph. I am currently feeling very pleased with myself. Thank you to everyone who helped me out with advice along the way.

[Colonel Kilgore]

They look very nice, Mike. And you may be surprised how much (even) better they'll look with a bit of flock on too - this can often really "set off" the figures.

I like the neat way that you've levelled off the bases without covering the boots - that's not always easy either.

Looking forward to see them flocked and in action!

[Mike Tanner]

They look very nice, Mike. And you may be surprised how much (even) better they'll look with a bit of flock on too - this can often really "set off" the figures.

I like the neat way that you've levelled off the bases without covering the boots - that's not always easy either.

Looking forward to see them flocked and in action!

Thank you for the flowers, Colonel. To base my figures I slosh on watered down PVA glue and then add the sand. I pick away any excess sand with a tooth pick under magnification. I do everything under magnification because my eyes are no longer as good as they used to be.

[Colonel Kilgore]

To base my figures I slosh on watered down PVA glue and then add the sand.

Me too. I often get gaps, though, especially around the edge of the figure bases - I blame the sand!

A recent tweak for me has been to mix paint in with the PVA - much less subsequent work and reduction in danger of subsequently sloshing paint over boots 

[Leslie BT]

For cutting your door in the plastic Dakota I would use the miniature saw blade for the dremel, you need to keep the speed low so as to cut the plastic and not just melt it. If it melts it will bind on the blade/disc.

[Mike Tanner]

For cutting your door in the plastic Dakota I would use the miniature saw blade for the dremel, you need to keep the speed low so as to cut the plastic and not just melt it. If it melts it will bind on the blade/disc.

Thank you, Leslie BT. This is the type of modification I am after. I might even put a paratrooper figure ready at the jump door if all goes well.


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[Mike Tanner]

A recent tweak for me has been to mix paint in with the PVA - much less subsequent work and reduction in danger of subsequently sloshing paint over boots 

I am a bit scared to mix the paint in with the glue just yet. Things are working out for my current painting method and I want to play it safe. I will give it a whirl on my 3rd batch of figures.

I will ask for assistance on painting my 2nd batch of figures tomorrow in another topic.

[Mike Tanner]

You guys have finished painting figures a thousand times before. But for me finishing my first PP Professionals painted as South Africans is a major event. To mark the occasion I even broke out my battle mat which has remained inside the packet it was first delivered to me in well over a year ago.

I am sorry some of the colours especially on the mat look washed out. This was due to bright sunlight and a dodgy handy camera.

[Leslie BT]

figures looking good, what have you mounted the figures on?

[Colonel Kilgore]

Very nice, Mike. What a difference a bit of flocking makes!