Winter of '79 Urban Camo Land Rover Cheat!

A quick and easy cheat for you if you want to get into Winter of '79 with little fuss is this Oxford diecast Land Rover Defender in Berlin urban camo scheme.

The Defender went into production in 1983 but the demands of conflict may have seen it brought out sooner. For some of you a Land Rover is a Land Rover and it won't matter anyway.

Being hard top it makes a great proxy for an armoured Land Rover. A bit of wire mesh on the windows, headlights etc - job done. Yes, I know the spare tyre should go on the roof but it leaves an unsightly indentation in the bonnet. Let's go into 'squint' mode and say it's a rush job by the local REME to meet the huge demand for internal security vehicles.

Cheers
Mark

Land Rovers from Heaven

The most prevalent vehicle in any Winter of '79 scenario set in the UK or beyond has to be the iconic Lannie. Sean over at S&S Models (http://www.sandsmodels.com/) has released a whole clutch of Lannies to augment your Winter of '79 forces!

From open and soft top 109s, FFR (Fitted For Radio) 1 tonne FC and radio wagon to ambulance, Recce and airportable 1/2 ton Recces. All there ready in the online shop for your government or rebel vehicle park.

The bobby basic Lannies are £7.50 and Recce wagons £11.00, which includes crew, weapons and stowage.  Hop over to http://www.sandsmodels.com/ and check them out.

Matt at Elheim has BAOR vehicle crew as does Rolf of RH Models but Rolf also has some Urban Meltdown armed civvies with SLRs to crew these beauties.

Cheers

Mark

East Whittington

The old industrial housing area of our fictional East Whittington is beginning to take shape........

I hadn't wanted to go the Metcalfe terraced house route....... however, they're a relatively inexpensive route to filling a table quickly (2'x3' in above photos ) to represent the industrial heartlands. Some of the buildings need a tidy up, but the overall effect is good - just need to finish the road, add pavements, street furniture and job is a good 'un.

More Winter of '79 action from Wayne and the lads to follow.....

Cheers
Mark

Orkney Saga

Just back from a solo trip to Orkney, which proved to be a great opportunity to relax, clear the mind and reboot.

I found the people were very welcoming and friendly. Food was good quality and surprisingly cheap. Plus of course there's history by the bucketful from Neolithic times through to WW2. My firm favourite was the moody yet magnificent Ring of Brogdar. Set in a dramatic landscape you were instantly transported back in time. 

Already planning the return trip! 

Cheers

Mark

You can't park your tank there!

No need to be alarmed "Worried of Wordsworth Avenue". The forces of Law and Order have been recruiting........

......Armed Traffic Wardens

from Elhiem BAOR13 & 14

The Emergency Government announced today that all Traffic Wardens would be subordinated henceforth to the new National Police Service. They would receive additional powers and training in the use of firearms. It is expected that they will accompany and both police and military personnel and aid them in carrying out their duties.  

 A spokesperson for the National Police Service said that this step was "an important contribution towards protecting lives and property".  In other news.....

Got these figures finished today and wanted to share. The photo doesn't show the nuances very well but I'm pleased with how they turned out. I painted the Traffic Wardens with Vallejo Black Grey over the black Gesso primer, leaving plenty of the black showing through as shadows. Citadel Fortress Grey was then applied with a small brush and very light touch to prominent highlights. 

I toyed with the idea of giving these figures overcoats by extending their jacket skirts with Green Stuff, but to be honest, in the end just didn't think the effort was worth the final result. And BTW, there should probably be a yellow crescent flash on their shoulders with the words Traffic Warden in black, but the yellow hat band and double yellow lines say it all in 20mm, in my opinion.

For info, the female officer in BAOR14 can be used as a Traffic Warden too, as that style of cap was used into the eighties, at least in London.

Hope they gave you a smile at least......and another use for Elhiem's BAOR 12,13 &14.

Cheers
Mark

Rule .303

Enough's enough! Just look at this picture from Surbiton, sent to me by "Worried of Wordsworth Avenue". These are typical glue sniffing, trot loving, work shy, fifth columnist, guardian reading, NME letter writing, disloyal, car stealing, labour voting, anti British elements that are rampantly strutting our streets, spitting at World War Two veterans, swearing at your grandmother and molesting your dog.......

 Rick, the People's Poet (2nd from left)

leads his cohorts...and Vyv.

 .......If we don't stand up, be counted and take a stand to say "up yours johnny punk", a tide of bile spewing, pogo dancing, safety pin fondling, unwashed yobs will swarm into the dreaming suburbs and spit upon your aunts goldfish while the poor silver haired dear looks on, clutching her dead budgerigar to her bosom. Do you want that? Does anyone? That's why today, I, you, WE say, "Take this punk scum. We are arresting you under Rule .303, trying you under Rule .303 and putting an end to your anti British, punk rock, Trot evil, under RULE .303!"

Wing Commander (retd) Neville Strappon-Gusset OBE
O/c Surbiton Brigade For Common Sense and Sanity
Amritsar Villa
Wordsworth Avenue
Surbiton



Cheers
Maff

More Office Space

I've picked up a new OO gauge office frontage from Dave aka eBay seller "Harleycat".  This half relief model was just £8.95. Given the blood, sweat and tears, especially the latter, I'd shed printing and building something along the same lines I thought it was a complete bargain!

I have a feeling this may get a canopy over the door and become a Police Station in the mould of 'Sunhill' from the popular TV series The Bill. This building could also be a Polytechnic, a science laboratory, an Insurance office, DHSS or Unemployment Benefits office - you get the idea.

Dave's buildings are great quality, well constructed and importantly, well packaged when they come to you. 

Cheers
Mark