M6 Gun Motor Carriage WC-55 2025-06
- Thread starter BarleyBop
- Start date
... So I'm convinced that the non-standard camo was crew messily and quickly applied in the field.
This photo shows the soil near El Guettar ...
So a mixture of this soil and gasoline, spread with a rough broom or a mop might do the trick.
I experimented with different ratios of Vallejo pigment and binder, that I've had for years, and only ever used sparingly.
The thing about that stuff is it dries much lighter than you'd expect, so testing is a no-brainer!
I ended up adding a bit more binder to thin it out and tested a couple of 'hack' brushes while I was at it.
From left to right:
Too thick, too thin, just right!
The dark spots are bits of rust pigment that haven't been blended enough. Easy to fix.
This photo shows the soil near El Guettar ...
So a mixture of this soil and gasoline, spread with a rough broom or a mop might do the trick.
I experimented with different ratios of Vallejo pigment and binder, that I've had for years, and only ever used sparingly.
The thing about that stuff is it dries much lighter than you'd expect, so testing is a no-brainer!
I ended up adding a bit more binder to thin it out and tested a couple of 'hack' brushes while I was at it.
From left to right:
Too thick, too thin, just right!
The dark spots are bits of rust pigment that haven't been blended enough. Easy to fix.
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styrenemachine
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2024
- Messages
- 70
That is some serious work!
Haha, seriously enjoyable... Mostly!
go on
Ha, go on I did.
However, with Vallejo pigments and a couple of old brushes... Followed by a dusting of AK Africa dust effects with the airbrush.
Just one peek until the lads get their facials and man the gun.
However, with Vallejo pigments and a couple of old brushes... Followed by a dusting of AK Africa dust effects with the airbrush.
Just one peek until the lads get their facials and man the gun.
.. dunno, in this case they might have used water... but I'm pretty sure I read that it was done, possibly on the occasions that water was scarcer than fuel.
On the other hand, maybe it was those desert rats, crossing the desert from the east and not the Americans [who for the most part enjoyed better provisioning from the west].
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styrenemachine
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2024
- Messages
- 70
Just on a side note, I worked in Algeria a couple of times. The desert is still littered with remnants of abandoned vehicles from WWII, along with valves, pipes and equipment from gas and oil companies over the decades. Water was indeed a scarce commodity in the Sahara.
Jantk14
Well-Known Member
That's very cool
The lads are literally sitting on pins and needles waiting to see some action. 
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So the boys of the 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion, attached to the Big Red, are into the fray.
Up against the 10th Panzer Division, putting 37 tanks outta commission.
Next batch of pics will be vignettes in close.
Up against the 10th Panzer Division, putting 37 tanks outta commission.
Next batch of pics will be vignettes in close.
... It was an adventure for me, and for them, just the beginning, as many would move on to Sicily and up the boot.
Thanks for following along, and as always for your comments and encouragement!
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Postscript
Here they are again with another Weapons carrier...
Here they are again with another Weapons carrier...
Jantk14
Well-Known Member
Really good
Edbert
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- Joined
- May 16, 2024
- Messages
- 3,120
With those puny (37mm?) guns mounted on small trucks?
I seem to recall that after first engagement at Kesserine, the Axis weren't all that impressed with American soldiering.
That changed at El Guettar, and by the time they left Tunisia, they'd developed a healthy respect for American artillery.
That changed at El Guettar, and by the time they left Tunisia, they'd developed a healthy respect for American artillery.
kevin
Well-Known Member
I really like this build.
Your efforts are well rewarded. I enjoyed watching you scratch build, position figures, paint and weather, and strive for historical accuracy.
Your efforts are well rewarded. I enjoyed watching you scratch build, position figures, paint and weather, and strive for historical accuracy.
Thanks a lot Kevin.
Doubt I can do this with every build, but I found it very rewarding on many levels.
Glad you enjoyed it too!
Figures can be a pain in the you-know-what, however they can also go such a long way in providing context and focus to a vehicle, in a way that I find makes the build subject more relatable from a human perspective.
kevin
Well-Known Member
I bet that driver wakes up when they fire that gun. 
Absolutely fantastic! Love the detail and precision!
I think it adds so much to our hobby when we find a photo that resonates with us.
