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Spudgun's progress will be recorded here.
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Spudgun · Posted: Wed 09 Apr 2008 15:54 pm Post subject:

Right folks, here's what I'll be building for this GB.

Using the Airfix Gun Emplacement and the Bofors kit, I'll be building an airfield anti-aircraft gun position.
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Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Wed 09 Apr 2008 16:34 pm Post subject:

That sounds like a very good idea.....I might have to steal it for future projects!

All the best

Spudgun · Posted: Wed 09 Apr 2008 19:27 pm Post subject:

Actually, I did think of two other options.

1: German urban 88mm gun position. I ditched that idea because the searchlight on the emplacement looked out of place.

2: Bristol Bloodhound missile emplacement. I ditched that idea as the launch crew would be killed from the backwash from the launching missile!
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Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Wed 09 Apr 2008 20:02 pm Post subject:

I think it's a clever way of taking advantage of the rather British styling of the emplacements and fitting a more suitable looking weapon.....With lots of sand bags, ammo crates and spent rounds scattered around it should look really good!

Will your emplaced Bofors have it's wheels fitted.....I want to build at least one of my guns without the wheels, but I'll be damned if I can find a picture of the mount with the wheels removed.

All the best

Spudgun · Posted: Wed 09 Apr 2008 20:06 pm Post subject:

The Bofors will be mounted on the lug where the original Emplacement gun went. So, no wheels will be present.
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Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Wed 09 Apr 2008 20:15 pm Post subject:

If you are not planning on using the gun carriage at all, could I possibly scrounge your axle parts do you think?

I destroyed a set on one of my Bofors guns while messing about trying to replace the plastic rods with steel wire to allow the parts to be fully moveable!

Hence why I was worried about displaying one gun with no wheels!

TIA & All the best

Spudgun · Posted: Wed 09 Apr 2008 20:25 pm Post subject:

Yup, no problem. You'll have to wait for a week while I figure out the parts that I'll need, but you're welcome to the leftovers.
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Collectable kits built here. Baggies, blisters or boxed. You collect 'em, but I'll build 'em.

Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Thu 10 Apr 2008 02:59 am Post subject:

Cheers Spudgun!

All the best

Spudgun · Posted: Tue 15 Apr 2008 15:50 pm Post subject:

Right, we're off. Before I begin describing the build, time for a quick preamble.

What I'm hoping to end up with (things may evolve) is a hastely knocked up concrete gun position that was built to hamper any German invasion early in the war. There were all sorts of defensive positions (Pillboxes, etc) built all over the Country at the time. When the threat of invasion was over, the position was then converted to a Anti-Aircraft post who's primary role was to knock out V1's as they flew overhead. So, we're looking at something that could've existed in the Kent area during 1944.

Now, since I've promised Sgt Squarehead the leftover bits from my Bofors kit, I'm having to built this in a slightly different order than I normally would. Under normal circumstances, I'd build the base (Emplacement) first, then add the Bofors. What I'm going to do is do the major alterations to the base first, build the bofors, then continue with the base. With that out of the way, it's time to start building. Back later tonight.
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Collectable kits built here. Baggies, blisters or boxed. You collect 'em, but I'll build 'em.

Spudgun · Posted: Tue 15 Apr 2008 21:03 pm Post subject:

Hmmm, checks calender..... Yup, it's April 15th, this GB has started, or has someone changed the date without telling me? Anyhoo, onto some buildy bits.

The Gun Emplacement was designed to be a playset. It has bits and bobs on it that look out of place if, or don't look right it was 'real'. They had to go. I tossed the gun, searchlight and that trapdoor thingy. The searchlight mounting and the hinge to the trapdoor was cut away. Where the trapdoor was, I glued some plasticard into the vacent stairwell so it was level with the surface. Next, I stuck some plasticard to the underside of the base so I could fill the holes left by the removed trapdoor hinges and the defunct searchlight base. Once filled, the base was put aside.

There's two buildings in the emplacement. One I'd say is a Command Post, the other is a radio shack (because it's got an ariel on it). I'm converting this building into an ammo store and I'll put the ariel onto the Comman Post. Both of these buildings don't have doors. I'll add them later. The only thing I did here was to fill in the ariel hole on the top of the old radio shack.

Last job of the day was to remove the mounting stud for the original emplacement gun. I didn't want the Bofors mounted at chest level for the crew. With the major alterations done, I can start work on the Bofors tomorrow.
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DavidM · Posted: Wed 16 Apr 2008 09:28 am Post subject:

Not many emplaced bofors on the IWM's site, I did find this one on Gibraltar.

Bofors

I vaguely remember finding another photographed on Crete, on the AWM site, which may have been one of the guns my girlfriend's late father took over when their Australian crews departed for points east.

David
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David Maynard. 1962-2009. Gone too soon but not forgotten.

Spudgun · Posted: Wed 16 Apr 2008 19:37 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the photo. Although (at the moment) I'm sticking with the Kent area emplacement, the picture has had another impact. Readon on as to why as I delve into todays buildy bits!

Before I started on the Bofors, I had a look at some of the pieces. Most noticeable was the lack of sights. Yeah, the arms are there, but there's nothing on the ends. Now, when I was building HMS Hood with the White Ensign etched fret, I noticed that White Ensign had provided an extra searchlight lens. This brass part looked just right to stand in as a sight. I'm going to rummage through the other etched frets that I have to see if there are any other spares I can use.

I assembled the footrests and other minor parts to the floor of the Bofors. Then the assembly was given a coat of H75. On the spue, the gun and the two supports were given a coat of H75. Now, I'm using H75 for the Bofors as I'll be using H30 for the cammo scheme on the base. I do like a little contrast and some extra colour on Military subjects. I put these bits to one side to dry.

I then turned my attention to the figures. It was out with the files to remove the seam lines and onto the fleshtone paint. I kinda thought about the number of figures for this GB. The Bofors will be fully crewed, but the rest of the emplacement will look a little empty. I'll have to rummage around in assorted boxes for more figures, so the gun position will look a little more busy (I did say that the photo had an impact!).

With paint drying, I did one small bit to the emplacement base. I took the base of the Bofors (That cross shaped bit that the gun and wheels attach to), cut down the arms until they became stubs and then glued the piece into position on the floor where the gun will finally sit. This took about 30 minutes to do, so the fleshtone paint was dry enough and could be given a second coat.

Coffee time....

With the sun streaming through the window, the paint dried quickly. The figures were given their first coat of H29, while the H75 painted Bofors parts were given a second coat. The sun was now trying to land on Lundy Island (Well, that what it looks like when I looked out of the window!). I thought I was going crazy and decided to stop for the day.
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Collectable kits built here. Baggies, blisters or boxed. You collect 'em, but I'll build 'em.

DavidM · Posted: Thu 17 Apr 2008 07:24 am Post subject:

I used to see Lundy from the other side, but more Flatholm and Steepholm since I'm from southeast Wales

Anyway, this should be one of the Australian emplaced Bofors on Crete for comparison.

Another Bofors

David
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Spudgun · Posted: Thu 17 Apr 2008 19:35 pm Post subject:

Ah soz. That picture link doesn't work. Anyhoo, onto todays buildy stuff.

The first job of the day (well, evening really) was to assemble the parts that I had painted when they were still on the sprue. This comprised of the gun and the two supporting brackets. Once done, the exposed areas of plastic was touched up with H75. My attention then turned to the figures

The gun crew were given a second coat of H29. They were then put to one side while I rummaged around in another box to find some extra figures to make the empty emplacement look a little more 'busy'. The only spare figures I have come from the Airfix Emergency and refuelling sets. On the whole, they're not all that useful, but I'll paint one or two of the RAF figures in Army colours and see what happens a bit later. Meanwhile, back at the Bofors......

I mentioned yesterday that I was going to use the spare searchlight lens from the White Ensign etched fret as a sight on one of arms of the Bofors. Well, it has been added and it looks rather neat. I also mentioned that I was going to look through my other etched frets to see if I could find another spare searchlight lens. I found one on the White Ensign fret for the Airfix 1/600 Repulse. When I'm ready to add the sights to the gun, I'll add that sight. I painted the front shield, crank handles and the crew seats with H75 while the parts were on the sprue. They'll get a second coat tomorrow. By this time, the touched up Bofors assembly was dry. I decided that the gun was a little to pristine. Time to make it look a little battered.

Using a fairly worn out brush, I dry brushed some aluminium (I don't like silver. It looks wrong for the scale) around the gun and platform. I looked at it and thought I'd overdone it a little. Battle worn is one thing, but it looked like it had spent five years in a scrap yard! To sort this out, I used another brush dipped into some thinners and a touch of matt black. I then brushed over the assembly. The soaked brush removed some of the alloy paint, while adding a little shadow into the cracks. It was an improvement. The Bofors now looks like it's been in a scrapyard for two years.

Coffee time....

Althought the H29 on the gun crew was well tacky (Why does H29 take so long to dry?), I went ahead and painted the helmets with H75 and the boots with matt black. Tomorrow, all I've have to do is paint the belts and gaiters with some khaki drill and that should be it. Ah, no. I forgot the Commanders bino's and some hair for the crew.

The last job of the day was to test fit the Bofors assembly into its position on the base. It didn't fit! Although the Bofors fitted the cut down gun base that I'd glued to the emplacement, the locating stud was longer than height of the Bofors base. The hole left when I removed the locating stud for the original emplacement gun was smaller than the hole needed to accomodate the locating stud on the Bofors. It was out with a knife and some files. To cut a short story even shorter, the Bofors now fits. It looks rather good.

More tomorrow.
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Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Thu 17 Apr 2008 20:57 pm Post subject:

Metallics are a tricky thing in small scale, I also use aluminium as my primary metallic, but I usually mix it with a lot of black before using it for drybrushed metal effects.....About 75% black 25% aluminium.

For what it's worth & all the best

Spudgun · Posted: Thu 17 Apr 2008 21:22 pm Post subject:

Hmmmm, I used it he other way around. But then again, I used the black to get rid of some of the alloy paint. It looks OK, but I'll let everyone judge it when it's finished.
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Collectable kits built here. Baggies, blisters or boxed. You collect 'em, but I'll build 'em.

Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Thu 17 Apr 2008 22:27 pm Post subject:

Any in progress shots?

I guess what you did in essence was put a really heavy black filter over the metallic. Think

All the best

DavidM · Posted: Fri 18 Apr 2008 08:12 am Post subject:

Have to go the long way round with the AWM

http://www.awm.gov.au/database/

Hit the 'Collections search' link on the page above then enter Bofors + Crete in the search terms (you can also pick Second World War as the period but this isn't strictly necessary).

Should bring up a couple of pics. Then you can search for lots of other things

David
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Spudgun · Posted: Fri 18 Apr 2008 19:30 pm Post subject:

Right, progress shots have been mentioned. I'll talk about progress shots a little bit later. First, buildy bits.

It's all gone pear shaped! Things were going well, then there was a sharp downhill slide.

The first job was to finish off the gun crew. I painted the belts and gaiters with some khaki drill, then I added some hair with a random tin of brown paint. The ammo that one crewman was holding was painted gold for the casings and copper for the heads. So far, so good.

The two seats were added to the floorplate of the Bofors and the canvass squabs were painted H30. Any evidence of glue was covered with H75. While the tin was open, I gave the front shield a second coat of H75 as well. This is the point where things went downhill.

Yesterday, I metioned that I was going to use a spare searchlight lens from the White Ensign Repulse fret as a second gunsight. Well, I've added it. However, it's a lot smaller than the Hood lens. Hell, did the Navy have different sized searchlights? Where's the standardization guys? The Hood lens looks great. You can hardly see the Repulse lens. Things were about to get worse....

I glued the ammo carrying crewman to the floorplate of the Bofors, then I started to add the two gunners. The first one went on perfect. The second one seemed to have legs that were to long. It's quite possible that I've used the truck driver instead of a gun crewman, however, that's not the end of the story. I test fitted the front shield to the front of the gun. It didn't fit. The shield is supposed to locate at the front of the floorplate and at two lugs on the gun supports. The lugs on the gun supports weren't a problem, but the shield wouldn't reach the floorplate. The crewmans feet were in the way! Now, as I mentioned before, it's quite possible that I painted the truck driver instead of the crewman as his feet went beyond the footrests. Sadly, I had to amputate the feet (Hey, there's a war on) in order to get the front shield to fit correctly. I then test fitted the shield again. It still didn't fit. The other crewman had both feet ON the footrests, but the shield wouldn't fit on his side. Off came this crewmans toes. Would you believe the shield still doesn't fit?

In my opinion, the seat locating pins are to far forward and the slots for the footrests don't go back far enough. At this nano-second, I tempted to junk this Bofors, go into my LMS and get another one and start again. Hell, it's only the first week of this GB, so it's not like I'm running out of time here.

Right, let's talk progress shots. Under normal circumstances, I'm reluctant to Post progress shots, as (in my opinion) they tend to diminish the impact of seeing the finished model for the first time. However, if I do start again, I'll Post a shot of the old Bofors as it won't form part of the finished article.
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Collectable kits built here. Baggies, blisters or boxed. You collect 'em, but I'll build 'em.