Pillbox Painting Guide

[Jack Render]

With the release of our Pillbox range I’ve decided to write a blog on how to give them a realistic concrete look. Historical pillboxes across the UK were made of concrete, and so this painting guide will help you both paint and texture the pillbox. It’s a quick method as well, taking an hour at most.  http://wargamesbuildings.co.uk/Hobby-Pages/Hobby-Blog/Pillbox-Painting-Guide

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Thanks for that.

My type 22 is currently in a "stacked" condition awaiting glueing.

I am contemplating using some ancient Citadel Roughcoat(textured spray paint released a long time ago) on one and some "suede" paint from Hobbys R Us on the other. Once the spray is dry your colour recipe sounds good.

Are you going to do the protective walls for the entry?

[carlos marighela]

With the release of our Pillbox range I’ve decided to write a blog on how to give them a realistic concrete look. Historical pillboxes across the UK were made of concrete, and so this painting guide will help you both paint and texture the pillbox. It’s a quick method as well, taking an hour at most.  http://wargamesbuildings.co.uk/Hobby-Pages/Hobby-Blog/Pillbox-Painting-Guide

Well, er, actually, pillboxes not only varied in pattern but varied in terms of construction material, brick varieties were common. They were also intended to be camouflaged at least the War Department went to some lengths to promulgate advice on the subject. Obviously not all were. Some local versions of camouflage were quite elaborate, including the famous pillbox disguised as a gypsy wagon, complete with straw horse.

Personally speaking I find sand to be a bot off scale for concrete, unless you want an aged variety or are looking for a pebble dash look. Watered down spackle looks better IMO and if you press balsa strips against it when smoothing the wet plaster you can achieve the look of the formers used in actual construction. Paint recipe isgood though.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

A number of them were brick or had brick formers that were left in place.

For the brick built ones, I did think about splitting the slices that make up the model into two sets (odds and evens) and taking a razor saw to make the vertical mortar lines. Put them back in order and you would have alternating courses. The bricks would be out of scale, but easier than cutting up brick sheet or sculpting it in Milliput etc.

I have a photograph of a brick type 24 somewhere, showing the rear protection wall. The only type 22 I know of was brick as well (they varied by location). The adjacent type 27 (hex or octagonal) is concrete or concrete faced (I have not seen them in 20 odd years).

I might have a photograph of a type 25 from Swanage. The slices might need beveling to get the full Armco effect.

[Arlequín]

I vaguely recall Terry Wise's old series in Airfix Magazine featuring one disguised as a promenade ice cream kiosk and concealed a naval gun that would swing out once the rear wall was dropped.

I've seen one painted with a taxi on its side, another disguised as a petrol station and garage. One had been cleverly inserted into the corner of a high stone garden wall, with the stones embedded into the concrete. Quite a few of the ones in more rural surroundings had turf or meadow grass on the roofs.

[carlos marighela]

http://www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk/defence-articles/pillbox-camouflage/

[Elk101]

The old Henry Wills book is still one of my favourites on the subject, well worth a read.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Type 25 at Swanage.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Brick former type 24.

Rather worse for wear, but now a bat residence.

[Chris Abbey]

Great stuff Jack... and of course they can be semi-buried in to terrain to reduce their profile.



http://wargamesbuildings.co.uk/epages/950003459.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950003459/Categories/Operation_Sea_Lion/WW2_British_Pillbox

[Sunjester]

Chris Abbey, nice looking layout!

[Chris Abbey]

Thanks.... It's built using the new Sally 4th Terra-Former kits. Laser cut frames with profiles for terrain features and rare earth magnets to hold it all together.

It's running on Kick Starter until 30th June... Funded in first couple of hours!


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/179272384/terra-formers-the-foundations-of-great-wargames-te

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Here is my type 22 in brick.


If I was to do another one in brick I would be more careful in getting the vertical cuts correctly offset. And cut them on the top slice leaving only the roof piece in concrete.

The type 24 will be concrete (Milliput then Roughcoat). And "painted".

[Ballardian]

 There's a Type 22 at Putney Bridge tube station in London (which I see on a daily basis) in classic London brick.