Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Conflicts that came in from the Cold => Topic started by: sundayhero on December 18, 2013, 10:50:13 PM
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Hi,
In this topic I'll show you the work in progress for one of my future 20mm french special forces vehicle, called VLRA SAS, from ACMAT company.
This heavy weight 4x4 truck design is old, but sturdy, reliable, and so it 's still used by french special forces. Some new vehicles should replace it in the future, but the VLRA SAS should be on battlefields to 2015 at least.
I bought for a fair price a seconds short wheel base resin VLRA, and prepared it roughly :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC180149_zpsdaf27b33.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC180149_zpsdaf27b33.jpg.html)
The goal is to make something like this :
http://i22.servimg.com/u/f22/11/22/36/28/vehicu11.jpg
This heavy weight vehicule is long wheel based, have a 12.7mm HMG (can be replaced by an automatic grenade launcher) and 2 or 3 7.62 LMGs. I've got all the weapons, bits, and crew members needed.
So I started by chopping the truck :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC180153_zpsa5f4c8e0.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC180153_zpsa5f4c8e0.jpg.html)
Then, I found some kind of fibrous plastic (PVC ? ), easy to cut. I used it to make the vehicle longer :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC180155_zps4ad014d4.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC180155_zps4ad014d4.jpg.html)
Then, observing the VLRA sas pics, I thought that extra lenght was also needed at the rear of the vehicle :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC180169_zps560edbfb.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC180169_zps560edbfb.jpg.html)
I finally sanded off most of the defects, reinforce the glued parts with liquid superglue. Now there is a bit more room for the crew :
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC190184_zps8f36a17d.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/PC190184_zps8f36a17d.jpg.html)
I'll finish tommorow with the dremel, and resculpt truck body details with green stuff. I'll also fix defects (worst defects will be hidden with camo mesh... ;) ).
Once it will be done, I'll add the wheels, and start the detailling.
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Very serious work when a lad gets out the razor saw.
This build should be great.
Do carry on!
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Looking good - you're powering through this.
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Thanks for the comments !
Today I glued the wheels, and also made a few modifications. Tonight I'll work on detailling, with rollcage, weapons and all ;)
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Trust the French to do commando actions in style - a stretch pickup. :D
Great work. The ACMAT's design is quite an acquired taste, IMHO, but it looks rugged and no-nonsense, pretty fitting for the purpose. I'm quite looking forward to see what you'll end up with.
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looks a great conversion already
shaun
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Thanks for your interest !
When I started historical modern miniatures, I wanted to show the underrepresented (wargames minis speaking) french army, and so some of our vehicles like the VBL, VAB, P4, VLRA...To make the modelling project interesting, I wanted to make conversions of most of the vehicles I have. So the P4 and VLRa will be SAS versions. When I made my preliminary researchs, I found pics like this one :
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc239/writchie_2007/VLRA/Stuck_in_our_truck_again.jpg
For me, it's the quintessence of the special forces action vehicle. :D
Back to the model :
I added the main rollcage bar, and some mesh (car air filter metal mesh) on the bed floor. It will be flooded in PVA glue to look like (I hope) these embossed anti skidding metal plates we see in the real truck (and allready hiding a big part of the modifications I made ;) )
Next work ;
finish the rollcage and weapon systems
create a rear bench for operators
add the side details and accessories (wich will be mostly here to hide the conversion additions)
correct some defects
create the crew (probably some conversions here too).
I hope to finish this week end.
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Here's the last progress for the day. It took me the evening, even if I didn't progressed that much.
I finished the rollcage (althought I simplified it a bit, due to scale and skills/material available lol), and started to work on the HMG turret.
Tommorow, once it will be dried and sturdy, I'll correct the defects on the mesh, and add triangles on each side of it to maintain the turret half circle (on the real thing, it's steel, on my model it will be plasticard), and then I'll finish the turret adding the 12.7mm weapon system.
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Your master plan is coming together quickly.
Tip of the hat to you.
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Thanks !
I finally finished the rollcage, adding a mesh behind the cockpit, and an extra greenstuff wheel, like the real thing :
http://www.jwdeboer.nl/pics/ml/vlra3.jpg
I still need to add the heavy weapon, but the difficult work is done. The only thing I still have questions is the truck bed just behind the turret. I know how to make the rear operators benchs, but I didn't find good pics of the inner turret, I don't know how it is. I will probably have to guess and invent.
Then, I'll add accessories, and work on my crew. On the pics, the "dirty" aspect is that I painted in flat black some aeras before glueing, because they would be too difficult to reach once the model finished.
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I wanted to show the underrepresented (wargames minis speaking) french army,
absolutely with You here
very inspiring project, keep going
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Very nice progress.
I assumed you've searched www.militaryphotos.net?
There's a lot their on Mali operations.
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Thanks,
No I didn't know this website. I'm new in military wargaming, and I'm not very good in google searching lol
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As dangerous as LAF. We'll see you again in a few days :D
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I didn't found anything on military photos for now, but I found some tiny pics on a miniature blog :
http://milinfo.over-blog.com/categorie-1180729.html
As I can see, the front bench is similar to some kind of olympic podium, with 2 side seat and a car seat on the highest stair.
The assembly is larger than the rear benches, wich is something I was also thinking.
I'll search a bit more, but if I don't find anything more, it should be suficient to finish the model, especially since my work is already not 100% accurate.
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Last pic for today, with this seat problem, I didn't progressed much lol
But I built the heavy machine gun assembly, and start detailling the sides with metal parts.
Tommorow, I'll finish the truck, and then I'll work on the crew.
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really nice job m8 !
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Really fantastic work on that! ;D
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Thanks for the comments !
I still didn't finish the inner truck bed, but almost finished the side accessories, mix of greenstuff, metal parts and lead sheet.
I'll post pics later on night.
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Here's the current progress. I finally made the gunner seat, with PVC and greenstuff. I also finished the vehicle side accessories, using metal bits, brass rod (used for fishing !), some lead sheet (from french rare millesime wine I had about 10years ago lol) and green stuff.
I also added another side rollcage bar. This is accurate (I found some 1st RPIMA pics in this setup), but it's also a way to protect the model details from my fat fingers once I'll play with, after all it's a wargaming mini first.
Tommorow I'll finish the truck rear benches and bed details. Then, I'll work on the crew. I believe I'll do a lot of work on the crew to make them perfect fit on this custom model.
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Superb work! May I ask who makes that machine gun? Looks very cleanly-cast and crisply-sculpted. I've been searching around for .30cal MGs for some conversions, and if that manufacturer also offers the smaller ones, I'd love to know.
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The machine gun and metal stowage are from Sandsmodels.
Thank you for the comments ! I hope I'll finish it today.
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The truck is completed !
Now I have to add some camo mesh. Not too much, I put too much efforts on the details to hide everything lol
I still have to work on the crew also.
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Excellent work! I agree re the camo webbing - less is more, as I found out by painful experience. :D Better to just do a small amount that is "just right" than to just smash it on.
What material do you intend to use? I've found extra-fine medical bandage gauze to be an acceptable size for 1/72, but am always looking into other stuff which could be useful.
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I'll use fine medical bandage also. I already use some on my technicals. Maybe I'll add a bit of fine modelling flock sprayed on the mesh too, we'll see.
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I glued the camo mesh. Once it will be dry, it will be (a lot) thinner (what I learned making the technicals), so I'll probably add an extra coat of pure PVA glue to obtain the right visual I'm looking for.
I tried to not overload it with camo mesh (keeping each accessory recognizable), but enough to give this "operational" look and feel...And hide defects of course lol
I can't wait to put the grey primer on these vehicles (technicals also). With the primer, any conversion (mini or vehicle) loose this typical "patchwork" aspect to become an homogeneous piece instead, which is rewarding.
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Hi,
The truck is completed. I added a coat of pva glue on the camo mesh.
Now I have to work on the 5 men crew. I will do conversions on them to fit my needs/poses, like making them bulkier, adding weapons, shemags, new hats, etc...
I'll post soon, probably tommorow night.
I also received my christmas gifts, a Cougar chopper (perfect for carrying special forces), an extra plastic kit VAB (french apc ) with 12.7mm HMG (so now my platoon is complete with 4 VABs), and some extra insurgent minis to complete my taliban force (Caesar minis urban insurgents and Elhiem specialists and leaders).
I also received Force on Force book , and I'm really impressed about the book quality itself. With Catalyst battletech range books (wich are beautiful too), it's one of the best game books I've seen.
I'll post on these too soon ;)
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Looking good. What's happening on the terrain side (I can't remember if this was also part of the project)?
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For now, nothing more than a 3'x3' desert board I made a few weeks ago lol
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=60466.0
Today I have currently 5 (6 if I counted Battletech, but because of lack of players and solid solo rules, it's cancelled for now) projects :
My modern warfare project :
My french platoon
My french special forces
My insurgents (taliban/malian rebels) force
afghan and malian scenery
My solo light fantasy miniatures RPG project (3D dungeon, old school 28mm)
My Super Heroes and modern post apoc city project
3 10mm armies projects
scifi urban miniatures light rpg
But no enough time to make significant progress (even if the fantasy and post apoc project are very advanced now).
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that looks fab, really good conversion
i am intending doing a similar thing to the acmat when it gets it's revamp
thanks
shaun
s&s models
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Thank you Shaun !
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Today I made some progress on the special forces VLRA. I'm still working on the crew, I already added a few details, more to come tommorow (tactical gear, and some body modifications).
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1050422_zps55153310.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1050422_zps55153310.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1050430_zpsb7170aff.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1050430_zpsb7170aff.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1050426_zps1be148f3.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1050426_zps1be148f3.jpg.html)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l8/slotdem/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1050428_zps8481ce62.jpg) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/slotdem/media/miniature%20heroes%20and%20villains/modern%20warfare/P1050428_zps8481ce62.jpg.html)
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Wow that looks great!
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That's insane (in a good way). Top job!
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Your whole project is great, can't find enough words for it. Lovely work indeed.
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Thanks !
Sadly, not much progress for now. I hurt my back a few weeks ago, and it takes a lot of time (I'm starting to be a bit worried... :-I) to heal, so I cannot work too much time sitting on my chair.
I just fixed the gunner legs a bit, added a few pouches to hide some defects. I still have a lot to do.
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The truck is finally completed. Enough talking, here's the pics. The project became a bit bigger than I expected lol
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Some nice scratch-building.
Just don't screw up the painting :P
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Some nice scratch-building.
Just don't screw up the painting :P
That will be the tuff job lol I'm completly new in this scale, in historical wargaming, and I didn't often paint vehicles (I'd say, a couple of times in about 20years lol)...
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I started to work on the P4 SAS (light patrol vehicle). I'm not sure I'll keep the front LMG, I've got a spare elhiem gunner I could use instead...We'll see. But the pics give the overall idea.
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Nice. Can you post reference pics please? I'd like to see that wire cutter in action.
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You mean pics of the tools ?
I'm mainly using a Olfa cutter (stanley heavy duty blades) and a Xacto knife, wich are used for the minis conversions.
Sometimes, I'm using a Stanley hawksaw blade (for example, to cut the VLRA chassis).
For brass rod, I'm using a cheap wire cutter, and I smooth the cutting edges with 120 sandpaper (water sandpaper).
For anything needing sanding, i'm using the same sandpaper in diferent numbers, from 120 to 1000. But I will upgrade my tools set buying realy jewelry/modelling files this year, I think.
As you can see, nothing unusual here.
I can make a pic later if you want ;)
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Sorry - I was being vague. I was referring to the vertical column attached to the front of the car that's used to cut wire.
I searched 'ACMAT VLRA SAS' and 'P4 SAS' in Google and found what I'm looking for:
(http://www.jwdeboer.nl/pics/ml/vlra3.jpg)
(http://www.phototheque.servir-et-defendre.com/materiels_des_armees_francaises/peugeot-p4/bi_x_peugeot-p4-sas_100_1896.sd.jpg)
As the driver you'd be hoping your gunner doesn't hit it in a way that ricochet back to you. Beats having your head cut off from (barbed) wire.
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Ok, now I get it :D
French soldiers are not afraid of ricochets. Or they would wear their helmet and body armor more often 8) :D
More seriously, since these are special forces units and vehicles, with the best soldiers you can find, I guess they are skilled enough to avoid friendly injuries.
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Here's the current progress pics. I added the other crew members. I still have a lot of work remaining, concerning sculpting to complete the model, but the overall idea is here.
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Hi,
here's the last sculpting jobs I did. The vehicle is almost finished, tommorow I'll add a few more details and fix some defects.
My driver arms are maybe a bit long, I realize it once I see the pics, but anyway, it's too late lol
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Very nice. I hope if anything you find a gaming partner on this dati... wargaming site. These are too good to only game solo with!
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Sadly, I never found any gamer in my aera. I live in french version of the bush lol Here's you can't find barely nothing except rugby and hunting, and some tourists on summer because of the ocean proximity.
My friends and family are not interested in gaming either. Hopefully there is internet to share around this hobby ;)
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Wow, so lovely! The customization of your force is simply amazing.
I'm starting a similar project in 28 mm (well, similar... not even close, I'm far, far away from your skills, of course, but you know what I mean). Where did you get the vehicle bits from? I'd be interested in a front wire cutter and a number of other bits (besides any other eye candy I would utterly end up buying ;D)
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thanks,
The stowage came from sandsmodels (the resin bare vehicles too). I don't know if they have a 28mm accessories range too.
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Thanks! I'll have a look :)
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I added some paper towel details (a cover for the windshield, and a folded cloth in the vehicle back). I will probably add some camo mesh too, to clearly identify the special forces vehicles from the regular ones.
I have to think about the car front too, maybe adding a rope like I saw on real thing images.
I'll post pics tonight.
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thanks,
The stowage came from sandsmodels (the resin bare vehicles too). I don't know if they have a 28mm accessories range too.
yes we do make 28mm modern stowage, it is not curretnly on the webshop
if you want details, please email me
sales@sandsmodels.com
thanks
shaun
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Here's the last pics of the P4 light vehicle before painting. The last details I added are camo mesh, and some dust cover cloth for the windshield. The PVA glue is still drying.
I also made a few pics with the "big bro" VLRA truck.
Now I'll make a break for a couple of days, returning back to 10mm fantasy (undead cavalry), and then I'll come back to this project. I still don't know if I'll start painting or first finish all the vehicles.