Blogging will resume after the Mark 1b Eyeball upgrades is succesfully completed.

 

 After having a scalpel jabbed into my eye (ywice) on Tuesday I now get to test my blinddtyping skills, cause I can't see Jack at arms length. First checkup was fine, the newly inserted lenzes are bright where they are supposed to be and the medication of finally wearing off, but I still have to look like a Top Gun extra for the next week or more.

No playing with scalpels, spraying with cans or working with superglue for a while. No lifting or gym for the next 4 weeks. All of my comms id now done with voice messages as I simply can;'t read the messages people are sendinbng me. 

Now if my Voice to Text could be a bit less buggy, that would be nice, but alas. 

I'll revisit this post in the future to see how well my blinddtyping skills really are.

Road Race - If you break an egg, you might as well make an omelette....

 So.......

Balls....

Anyway, I started bodging.

I replaced the front wheels of the wagon with Battlefront PaK-36 wheels, cut as much excess away around the dead horse and sanded that base as thin as possible. Glued into place and yes, this is ok now. Time to fix the wagon to the base as well, with a blob of Milliput and clean up all other areas.

I made a mould of one of the casualties, as soon as I have greenstuff or something like it again I can use these to change up the casualties for some variety, but this will suffice for now. 

I salvaged the original wagon and horse by giving it the same treatment, so removed a much base as possible and got a 30x60 base from my stash. Added the cast I made of the casualty after sanding that base as thin as possible too.

Once everything has set I'll round off the edges and make the base smooth with Milliput. As soon as I have a good replacement for Greenstuff I can do the horses tails as well. 

Road Race Progress - Civvies and a 232

 I did some more work and finished the 232, leaving the wheel sections unglued so I can paint them and glue them in last. I've added the 15 liter fuel canisters to the front after I took these pics (cause of course)

I received my Peter Pig order (not charged by Customs this time, jay) and washed all of the resin models and sanded the beases down to a sliver. Then washed them again, and based up the shot up Traction Avant on a Medium FoW base. Not sure if it needs any refugee items on it or leaving it as is. 

I recently grabbed a Warlord Epic ACW Ambulance on a hunch off of Vinted in a lot of other models, to use as civillian one. Still not a fan of Warlords resin casts, but with cleanup it was ok. Some pretty heavy casting sprues around the wheels, more metal in those gates than the wheels themselves. They got put into the spares bin for now as I wanted something more fitting the 1940 look. I have some spare 15mm truck wheels but those looked tiny compared to the cart (think wheels on a shopping trolley) so I grabbed my smallest size 20mm wheels off of a PSC Zis-2. Had to drill new holes for the front 2 wheels and it works...sort of. I now need to find my FoW blister of Destroyed cart so I can make a Oyumaru cast of the 2 dead horses for this cart. 

Same goes for the casualties from the Peter Pig pack, but...storytime.

I picked up 2 large rolls of Greenstuff from GSW 2 years ago. On arrival they already had partially set and the outer sections of yellow had already hardend. Complained, got a refund and got the same roll, nut in Brownstuff. marked it with the purchase date, August 2024. I grabbed this to do the sculpting for the refugees, but again, this one had almost completely set and had become useless. 

Really had it with GSW, had to ask for 2 refunds already this year and their quality is pretty much shit. 

It does leave me with the problem I have no sculpting material or filler material for the Oyumaru moulds. Milliput works as a base but I just can't work with that till it has set for a while, and with my limited time that doesn't work for me. So maybe Apoxie or something? I dunno.

Not that it matters, with surgery on Tuesday I won't be able to do anything for a bit anyway. Jay.

I picked up some ancient H0 Belgian rail markings for the abandoned truck, fingers crossed they still work. 

I think this scheme should work for it, with a nice Beige of Brown tarp on the back so the yellow decal shows up best. Might do another of these trucks but crashed and on its side? Different scheme of course, ripped tarp, spilled cargo? But that is something to do after the first ones are done. 

Tomorrow I'll grab the Milliput to fill up the underside of the cart, as the axles of the wheels are just too fragile. 

"I'm a little teapot, short and stout"

 Working on some 15mm civillian refugee vehicles for Battlegroup and could not resist making this.

Italeri 1/35 Porcelain Insulator from the power line poles I'm working on for Stalker, I have a whole bag of these surplus and I thought, why not....

Road Race, Calais to St. Omer Road, May 23rd 1940 - A Battlegroup Scenario for EW

 With the release of EW by Battlefront I picked up a German - French and British - French starter box and I had planned to start with a French - German scenario. Sadly that box wasn't packed in the correct manner and it contained quite a few damaged parts. BF Customer Service will get this sorted but that is going to take some time.

So, change of plans, and I selected the British vs German scenario "Road Race" from the Blitzkrieg supplement.

 

 It comes with all the details you would need, and the listing is quite simple.

For the Brits I have the following.

Starting Forces

• Staff Car - I have no model for this yet, currently looking around for options, most likely a printed model.
• Vickers Light Tank Platoon -  I'm assuming these are the Vickers Mk VI B. For this I can take 3 models out of the Battlefront Dunkirk box as it comes with exactly 3 lights. 

 British Main Force

• A10 Platoon (3 tanks) - I've managed to find a seller in the EU that still had several boxes of the PSC A9/A10 so I just bought them all. Battlefront only does a blisterpack with 2 A9's and that gets expensive really quick.
• A13 Platoon (3 tanks) - The Dunkirk box comes with 5 A13's so that is sorted.
• Vickers MkVI C Platoon (3 tanks).  For this I have picked up another Dunkirk box, this also gives me additional British troops and 2 Pounders. 
• Additional A13 (Commander) that I can get for the original Dunkirk box. 

So besides the staff car, they are all in my collection and I can start to build them.

For the Germans I have the following:

Starting Forces

• 1x SdKfz 222 - I have loads of these in resin from Battlefront, so not a problem. I even have a Zvezda one that would make a nice wreck if I am honest.
• 1x SdKfz 232 -  it does not say if it is the 6-rad or the 8-rad, but the only one I have in my stash is the 8-rad from PSC so that is a moot point.
• 1x Panzer II - in my stash from BF

German Main Forces 

• Panzer II Platoon (3 vehicles) -  I can take these from the Maginot starter box (the German side was properly packed unlike the French, so undamaged apart from some damage to the Siocast crews.
• Panzer 35(t) Platoon 1 (3 vehicles) - I do not own any 35(t) but I do own several 38(t) boxes from PSC so I'm afraid these will substitute for the 35(t). After this those can be used for Barbarossa etc.
• Panzer 35(t) Platoon 2 (3 vehicles) -  Same,
•  Officer in Panzer IV (which assume is the D) - I have a blister of this model in my stash. 
• 2 offtable 88 shots. I have tons of 88's but I will need to check if I have Early War crew. I could get away with a counter but a real model (with a counter next to it) is more fun for me.  

And that is all the scenario needs.  

Limited in build time, I'm looking forward to building, painting, and finishing these. I have no set deadline for this project, so it will most likely come and go like the others before it. I've already looked at doing additional bits but those can wait till these are done. 

Why shipping models as letterbox mail is a bad idea...

 Sure, why not. Looking forward to the sellers reply. 

Edit 28/3 - Seller refunded the entire order, no need to return it. Now to find a way to hide the damage. 

AK-47 "Animal" Group Build - Cannery plated and fixing something I forgot

 I've been working in the front yard relaying the pavers and widening the driveway a bit (as far as my body and limited skills let me) cause my parents and brother drive SUV tanks these days.

Finished today and to say I'm tired is an understatement. Gotta love getting old :) But it is done and I am happy about it.

Anyway, plated all of the factory earlier this week, but.....

To seriously misquote Sir Cain, I forgot the bloody loading door!

<sigh>

Ripped off a building from my H0 scrap pile, washed off 20 years of sigarette gunk, cut a sateh stick and some scrap MDF et voila, loading door. 20 minutes of work.

Now that I look at it I might add some trim beneath the door....but that's for tomorrow.

Tetrapods based up

 This enough for now. Sanding next, then Mr Surfacer.

 

 

First full plate print succes since starting - Anti Mecha Tetrapods

 Jay!

Sofar I've never managed to line up a full plate of stuff and got that to print without issues. Today I finally crossed that hurdle. Ok, granted, printing so many of the same item helped I reckon, but still, WIN :)

The support helps with keeping them glued down on their base, so I did not remove them. 

Now to base them up in two's and three's, and give them a coat of Mr Surfacer.

Running a test print of a 15mm version as well so see how it works out. 

Edit: Awww, so cute.....

Recycling

 I picked up this resin water tower ages ago for my 20mm stuff. I tried to do something with it a few years backj, made a fence for it at some moment, but that got nowhere. Now I need one for 15mm, so with some scrap MDF to remodel a new door and a new base....

 

 

Now to let the lot dry, sand the edges and coat everything with Mr Surfacer and get on with it. 

Hobby night continued

 After skipping Tuesday due to health related issues I was keen to get something done today.

Mier did a grand job on her church, she's really on the home stretch now since she started weathering it. Sjors keeps amazing me with the highly detailed slide mould Gundam parts he has to assemble, and I based up some trees and glued the 2 story as the creator intended....

....and then promptly found out the roof can't fit like that, so I need to modify 2 nubs. But that is for tonight.

 

 

The trees as is are pretty massive, but meant for Verrotwood so no issue. I might print 2 more off at 75-80% scale to fit in with my regular scenery. 
 

WIP power line poles for Zona Alfa part 2 -Edited 10/3/2026

 Look at those 2 weeks fly by. Lots of things happend here, mostly stuff that gives hope for the future, but put the hobby down a few notches.

I've assembled but not glued the tallest building (for now) in my 28mm collection to see how well it goes with the planned size of the power line poles and I think I will trim them down a bit. Also helps with storage and stability.

And I've blanked off the first floor window above the entrance so I can glue in a metal plate so I can tack on a pub sign, or a bar sign, or a end of times sign. You know, a sign.

 

LAF BSC 2026 "Wheel" - cargo net with barrels WIP

 As I'm not 100% sure about the first crago for the crane I'm still looking to finetune that. But time is also short, so I looked for a easy printable barrel  and tested that. Too small. Gave it another try. Too big. Printed that off at 80% and perfect.

Now to do a test with various gauzes I have in my First Aid practice kits (expired stuff so no worries) to see how many barrels I need to get the look I am after, and then glue the barrels into a blob and paint that, then cover it with the net. What I don't need can go into my spares box for later scenery. 

The file for the barrel can be found here: Rocket Pig Games Barrel

It comes with or without studs, and 1 inch (the big ones) or half inch (the small ones). The small ones will make nice gunpowder barrels, the large ones are just a tad too big for me. 

AK-47 "Animal" Group Build - Expanding the cannery

Next to Canned Fish we will now sell Canned Squid as well, with extra ink in each can, cause we can. Only for Wadiyans of course. 


As Erik just said:"Calamari-inna-Can! Food, paint and eco-friendly O-rings"

My new vice is Vinted, it seems...

 Picked up this lot in Italy.

 

Gates for Gaslands, a sewer grate for Zona Alfa, a raised platform for Mordheim and yet another 1900's Warehouse. 

Hobbynight was spent well.


 

Changed the gates by reversing the Finish and Start signs (the 2 sets are identical) and using the big ol bag of lasercut letters I picked up a while back. My Start gate will just be 2 girder columns, a bit more space for a crowded start is always fun :)

Sarissa Ruined Village - adding Chimney pots

 I found a H0 scaled file for various Chimney pots, enlarged them by 155% and printed them off.

I think they work fine!

I'm still waiting for my Sarissa delivery which PostNL insisted would be here last wednesday....thursday....friday....saturday. And they now plan on delivering tomorrow. Uhuh. Famous last words?

It's only 4 buildings and only 2 are ruins. I plan to build one a day, 2 of them are 3 stories tall so they involve a wee bit more time. I'd love to have the lot done by sunday evening though. I'll try to do a testfit then to see how they all line up. 

WIP power line poles for Zona Alfa

 Technically something I've had in my WIP box for ages, but in parts and unbuilt.

1/35 Italeri Power Line Poles glued together and liquid plastic slop added to fill the seams and removed the insulators. Took a 40x40 base and glued a square washer on them but just off center so I could drill a hole for the toothpick to go through. I cut sections of the smaller kind of firearrow and drilled those for the toothpick, and glued them on the bases with superglue. I took zero care to alingn them at exactly 90 degrees. It's a shithole overthere. This will be a set of 12 which should be more than enough. 

Tomorrow add wall filler to cover the base and metal and let that set, and sand the poles smooth. I'll be using the crossbars that has the insulators on a metal pole (cause more fun to weather).

Once these are done I'll make the same set of 12 for WW2, so less weathering and more splinter damage. 

Then the set I have the parts for for 15mm as well as that is one I have postponed for ages as well. 

Burning Rubber

 I picked up some gates useable for Gaslands cheap, and they should be arriving next week. To keep me busy I picked up some stuff to re use the wheel as bumpers for the track.

 I feel like it is time to play Gaslands again. 

LAF BSC 2026 "Wheel" - Crane done. Now comes the rest.....

 Calling the crane done. Johann standing as a size reference. Yes, she is a big girl!

My dinner table is a disaster zone, so tomorrow clean up so I can do the next set of drawings and vacume a gazillion small bits of wood from the floor. 

 My estimated time for the crane build was 3 weeks, same for the cargoes. I'm actually 1 week ahead which is nice for a change. 1 week per cargo is doable, and then paint all of them combined so I'm ready ahead of time.....cause I have a lot of other things to do, like take a ton of photo's of all of the 20mm stuff I need to sell. Ugh. 

LAF BSC 2026 "Wheel" - Wheely good now

I managed to add extra support inside so it now turns as it should, without a wobble or magnets. Pressure fitting wood for the win. Used scrap MDF rounds from the scrap box for the rollers, then used lollypop sticks for the guides. 

Keeping parts seperate for now will help with painting.

Tomorrow fine-tuning of the angle of the wheel and adding most of the iron banding.

Extra strength, but these will trimmed back to about 1-2 mm before painting.

Justifying the reason whey I have a MDF scraps box.

Lollypot sticks added, and those got sanded down so it sits flush with the crane beam.

Slowly getting there...

LAF BSC 2026 "Wheel" - Wood gets longer and stronger

 After a long hard day installing another cabinet and prepping my display cases for pick up tomorrow (as I sold them) I fell asleep on the couch till SJors rang the doorbell for hobby night. Oops.

Tonight I used up all of the fireworks wood I had left, so I need to search my attic for the remaining stash to finish this. The balsa I have won't cut it as they are way too thin.

But progress is good.

LAF BSC 2026 "Wheel" - Wood gets nailed

 I've been spending a bit of time every day snipping the heads off of dress pins. This is very taxing on my hands so I do about 20 or so and then call it a day and insert them in the desired places.

Right now I have made a platform and nailed that and got the main beam glued up, as well ad the crane arm laminated but not yet stripped or sanded. Need to do some more eyeballing to see how tall I really want it to be. 

 Recycle kids! The future crane arm, double thickness wood now.