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Airfix Austin K2 canteen van conversion


Simon

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Its an old OKB Grigorov set - probably long oop. Has about 60 on it and cost the princely sum of 90p! Can't ever think how I could use that many!

Thanks for the pm - will pop them in the post today.

Ben

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Much as I love the mugs I'm very surprised you haven't given yourself the challenge of scale teaspoons and sugar lumps. Go on, you know you want to...

Sugar lumps? SUGAR LUMPS?! Don't you know there's a war on?! :lol:

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As Boney once said, "an army marches on it's stomach", so does anyone want a doughnut? Or perhaps a nice bun to go with their tea?

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I came across the Milicast website a few days ago, and so I thought it might be a nice idea make a small diorama with the canteen van, a few figures and some other bits and bobs. I bought this section of cobbled street (ref DBS005):

It's a handy size - 14cm x 9cm, so won't take up much room, and I also got this set of British troops (set FIG061). One of them even is even holding a cup in his hand, which is helpful! I've started painting them up, and tried to add a little colour variaton in the uniforms to show the colour as having faded or washed out to different extents:

More soon...

Simon

"Char and a wad all round, please!"

Love this build - it's not only amazingly skillful work, but so full of character too.

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It's update o'clock again...

I've started work on painting up the base. Here the cobbles and pavement have been painted:

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The decals are now on the van. I've decided on making it a YMCA tea van:

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The back door is now in place too, complete with tin hat hung on it:

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The spoons from Badger (thanks Badger :thumbsup2:) arrived this morning, so I've added them, as well as a rack for the washing up:

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And as there's washing up to do, there needs to be someone to do it:

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I've also decided to alter the back wall on the base, adding in a water fountain from the Italeri Urban Accessories. The wall has been lowered, cut in two and the fountain inserted in the gap, with a water trough added:

 

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Here's the fountain and wall painted up and weathered:

 

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The cobbles have been given a dark wash to bring them out a bit more too.

And finally for today, I'll add some period posters to the wall - I've decided on France late 1944 for the whole thing, so I downloaded some relevant posters and printed them out:

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I think the posters may be receiving some period graffiti...

More soon

Simon

Edited by Simon
relinking images from Photobucket to Flickr
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Indeed - she looks a tad miffed!

More progress for today:

The cab doors are on, as are the steps for the cab doors and rear door:

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I've put the white stars on the doors and bonnet, as I came across a photo of a Salvation Army canteen van in Holland in 1944 which had them applied, and I thought they'd add a bit of interest.

 

Meanwhile, the diorama base is progressing:

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The locals have been getting rid of the signs (literally!) of the German occupation with a bonfire:

 

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and the water fountain is done, and the poster of Petain vandalised:

 

 

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Necessity is the mother of invention - need a table for you cuppa and newspaper

 

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Road signs will add a bit of interest too:

 

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Nothing has been glued in place yet, as I'm still not 100% sure about what goes where, but it will look something like this, I reckon, with the figures yet to be added:

 

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More soon...

 

Simon

Edited by Simon
relinking images from Photobucket to Flickr
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  • 2 weeks later...

Back with some more photos...

I've had a change of plan (too much time to think about things while I've been waiting for some extra figures to arrive...). The fountain has now been replaced with a French WW1 War Memorial. I've got a set of WDModels WW1 figures, including this chap who is perfect for the statue on the top of my memorial:

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I've painted him up and weathered him, and done a plinth for him to stand on:

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and a plaque for the plinth:

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Sainte Marthe is the patron saint of caterers, by the way... :whistle:

I've added a section of railing between the two walls at the back, and a couple of bollards, both being from the Italeri Urban Accessories set:

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Here's the memorial weathered up, and some new posters added to the walls:

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I've also added another section of pavement for the soldiers to stand on:

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Meanwhile, back at the tea van, the other member of staff is in place, and the serving hatch has been added:

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This is now how I'm thinking of put together:

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so all I need are those elusive figures...

More soon

Cheers

Simon

Edited by Simon
relinking images from Photobucket to Flickr
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  • 2 weeks later...

Missed this build.

Being that there are so many on show, but not to detract from others, having been through the WIP so far, its a very nice piece of work.

Excellent Diorama so far.

foxy :coolio:

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  • 1 month later...

...meanwhile, back at the workbench (clearing and carpeting out the loft is such fun...).

Finally (finally!!) the figures arrived, and then I decided I'd like some locals for the dio, and had a right faff on finding some suitable ones. Eventually I came across these American Pioneers by IMEX. I picked this young chap:

 

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and thought his little lady might be his sister, once I'd separated her from her mother:

 

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They're nicely moulded, albeit in a very odd translucent orange plastic. However they do look much, much better once they're painted in primer:

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Here they are painted up and in postion. I gave the little girl a French flag in her hand, and the young lad is sampling YCMA tea ('eaven 'elp 'im... :P )

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And with that it's all done.

I added a bevel border to the resin base with quarter round plastic rod, and the wooden base is an offcut from some board that's been lying around in the garage for donkey's years. The greenery is Joefix twigs with leaves, which it worked out cheaper to buy from BNA Model World in Australia than from anywhere in Europe - it's great stuff, but that's just daft really. :shrug:

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I've posted some more photos in 'Ready for Inspection.' Thanks for all the kind comments over the build - it's been much appreciated!

Cheers

Simon

Edited by Simon
relinking images from Photobucket to Flickr
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That's really rather a fine build. Enjoyed the whole WIP.

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