A dirigible model for GASLIGHT - part 5

Some better photos of the dirigible, now I've sorted out the camera functions. The model itself is complete. All that needs to be added are the two crew figures. The national marking on the rudder has the right number of stripes but there was no way I was going to paint 35 or so stars without going "batchy" in the process. In the end I settled for a representative trio.

The stand is made from a pair of craft sticks glued in cruciform pattern, with a length of plastic tube stirring stick set vertically to take the end of a kabob skewer. I wrapped paper around the tube to reinforce it and add stiffness. It also takes paint better this way. As a further reinforcement and extra weight I added a rough cone of modelling clay around the base.

So there we have it, a two-man scout dirigible attached to a cavalry command somewhere in the Old West. The craft has seen heavy use, judging from the weathering of the gasbag fabric, but the stars and stripes are kept bright and fresh!

Some thoughts on construction. I think the model turned out okay. It was a learning curve - after all, this is the first dirigible/airship model I've made. There are some things I would (or will) do differently on a similar model. The fins would be about as long but turned 45 degrees to run along the rear of the gasbag, more like historical prototypes. I would also come to a better arrangement for the engines and mountings, as this one is a little weak for a gaming model. The only other thing I would do differently is to make provision for the stand to be inserted in the gasbag. Food for thought - for another time.

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Below are four characters from Dixon Miniatures' Old West wagon train collection. The two guys with shotguns are train guards, but the duo of "Cookie" and customer for coffee are my favorite.

Off the reservation!

I've got a heap of Western native figures, mostly Apache as seen above. Far more, in fact than I need for my own project, so the above lot is up for sale. I have a lot of unpainted figures, both mounted and dismounted natives and dismounted US cavalry for sale too. Contact me for details.

20x Apache Indians on foot, 25mm Dixon's Miniatures (no huge heads!)

A dirigible model for GASLIGHT - part 4

On with the motley. Cotton thread was glued lengthwise along the top and sides of the gasbag to represent various rigging lines and joins in the fabric. I painted the whole using a 400ml rattle can of The Army Painter color primer (bought for only $1 sale price in a local model store!) It's listed as Color Primer Necrotic flesh yet it makes for a decent canvas color.

Everything has now been glued in place and painted. Although I used a tripod to steady the camera, for some reason the images have still come out blurred. Huh! The nose and tail cones are made from air-dried modeling clay, painted with the excellent (and cheap!) Folk Art acrylic, in this case 664 Metallic copper. It covers well even in one coat and gives a nice rich lustre.

I added some scratch decals using a computer word processor program, which I printed off then cut to shape. The paper was treated with a thin coat of sepia ink to get the worn canvas appearance, and pasted into place when dry. To ensure the ink didn't run or smear I gave the paper a coat of Future/Pledge polish. The whole gasbag was then given a thin coat of sepia ink to get that weather worn appearance. I may paint the struts between the fins a different color, perhaps light or mid-gray.

The pennon came from warflag.com , a useful free source of flags from combatants through the ages. The writing on the side of the gasbag reads US Aerial Cavalry, a Victorian ancestor of the famous Sky Cavalry. Underneath is the pennant number of 001. Just below the copper nose-cone (and barely visible) is the vehicle's name - Bird Dog. I figured it would be a good name for an aerial scout vessel designed to sniff out the enemy.

All that remains to do for the model itself is to paint the rudder in a variant of the pre-WW2 USAAC tail colors. I'm thinking in terms of a broad vertical stripe with alternating red-and-white stripes running horizontally to the edge of the rudder.

I've got various ideas for mounting this model. The choice is clear acrylic rod, bamboo kabob skewer or even a telescoping car aerial, all of which would be fixed to a weighted base. The two crew figures will be painted separately. At the moment I have some work coming up so they may have to wait for a while. When all is done, I'll post pictures.

Off the painting block - 4

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The last batch of figures I'm painting for a fellow gamer are finished. In the photo above are General Custer in two variations, his brother Tom, two officers and a native guide, all by Wargames Foundry. A Dixon's Miniatures guidon bearer lurks in the background. Looking on is a figure I call "Aunt Ella," from Dixon's Old West range. From all accounts Custer no longer wore his hair in long flowing locks as he'd done during the Civil War. Rather it was said to be close-cropped, so the above figures are a touch romanticised.

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Next up on the block will be the rest of the gang from the Old West collection, and some ACW Union and Confederate infantry. After that, I have plans for a small, two-man airship for GASLIGHT. Watch this space...

Off the painting block - 3

Lt. W. W. Cooke leads the way to Greasy Grass.

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The mounted figures for the US cavalry I've been commissioned to paint are now complete. I have to say, the task was much easier to paint than most of my previous attempts at painting cavalry, all thanks to the painting block method. I'm not too keen on the Dixon's cavalry mounts, as they seem to resemble shire horses rather than ponies. Only the Lieutenant's mount and that of the guy with his hat folded into a bicorn (at the rear-right) seem to have the right proportions. The photos show the figures shinier than in real life due to the flash. No guidon is fitted; my client will supply his own.

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Next up, various dismounted figures of Custer and supporting cast. Someone close to me, who has Blackfoot and Cree blood in her veins, says it's nice to have a dismounted figure of the General. That way the good guys will be able to get at him... ;)

Off the painting block - 2

US Cavalry riders - undercoated

Cavalry horses ready for riders.
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Some further progress on the current project, the US cavalry. My method is to undercoat riders and mounts seperately with a coat of black paint into which I mix a few drops of Future/Pledge/Klear floor polish. This has exactly the same properties as an acrylic gloss varnish, but comes in 27 fluid ounce bottles for the price of only two or three ounces of commercial model acrylic varnish. It also mixes with ink and acrylic paint. Adding a couple of drops helps the paint spread easily.

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Once this coat is dry, I paint the horses and riders as usual using Vallejo acrylic paints, then attach the riders to their mounts using crazy/superglue. I complete the process with an ink wash and a coat of matt varnish. With luck and a following wind, I should finish these in a couple of days.

The Cavalry horses

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With the first set of US cavalry dismounted figures complete I'm now making a start on the horses. A spot of Aileen's glue on each rod is enough to hold the beasts in place while I work. I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of painting cavalry, but this method does simplify the process for me. I'm using black undercoat for chestnuts and black mounts, brown for bays. Hopefully I'll have these done by the weekend when I'll make a start on the riders.

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Wargamers all over the world tend to have that "Ooh! Shiny!" reaction to new figures in new periods. I'm no different, except the period I'm tempted by is one I've already got. I'm talking about Colonial gaming, specifically the Sudan.

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I first went Up the Nile at Peter Gilder's wargames holiday center back in the mid-80's. I was hooked from the first moment I saw those huge tables set out with desert terrain, scrub, low hills and occasional villages. The sight of the lonely square of khaki and red-coated troops proceeding through the wilderness toward the town where they would rescue the Governor was quite stirring, especially when the Mahdists began to gather just out of rifle range. The Incident with the Egyptian Garrison: The Governor in the Rowboat: The Little Gunboat that Could - all fodder for fond memories.

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Not being able to afford the 25mm ranges at the time I opted instead for 6mm, and built up quite a collection of British, Imperial and Mahdists, along with terrain and gunboat. Now, having seen Peter Pig's range I'm tempted to start all over again in 15mm...

Off the painting block - 1

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The first sixteen figures out of sixty-plus dismounted US cavalry are now painted and varnished. Foot figures never take that long for me since I began using the block system. I also paint to the "Three Feet Rule." In other words, if a detail can't be seen from more than three feet away, it doesn't get painted. It's much easier on aging eyes this way.

Next up are the mounted troops, and they're horses of a different color.

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I will replace the guidon staff shown with brass rod. I have no quibble with Dixon's miniatures on the whole, but their white metal alloy is rather soft. Practically breathing on flag staves causes them to bend like a willow rod.

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Incidentally, does anyone know of a US source of horses compatable with Dixon's Miniatures 25mm Plains Wars range? I've tried Wargamesminis.com but they've sold out. Any help will be appreciated.

On the painting block - 1

Plains Wars - US cavalry. Painting under way

A view of my painting block

Almost finished
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Here's my current project, a batch of 25mm dismounted US cavalry of the Plains Wars era, which I'm painting up for a fellow gamer. The sharp-eyed among you may spot two versions of General George A. Custer lurking somewhere in the middle!

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The figures are on my painting block, an idea adapted from the test tube racks found in laboratories. Each figurine is glued to a dowel rod using Aileen's Tacky Glue or similar. This allows me a firm grip, prevents paint dribbling onto my fingers, gives me the ability to reach any part of the figure at any angle, and I can also dip the figure into Pledge/Future & ink mixture for shading without mess. Once the figure is complete, I simply cut it free of the rod using a box cutter knife. I chose a sixteen rod configuration simply because this is a number I can paint in one go without growing tired of the process!

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Next up will be a batch of US riders and horses. Painting horses is something of a chore for me, but since only a dozen are required it shouldn't be too difficult this go around.

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Since I have a number of figures in this period, I'm going to use some of them for GASLIGHT games set in the Old West. The rest are up for sale, so anyone interested - contact me for a list!

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Amongst the figures I have is a wagon train camp set depicting a rather nice "cookie," complete with coffee pot and ankle length apron, and a man holding out his mug for a refill! These are just begging to be used in a game. I aim to build a steampunked Connestoga wagon and chow wagon, along with another Explorer vehicle to tow them. As for the natives, I have something in mind for a "force equalizer/multiplier" to take on the US cavalry. Watch this space...