16
Showcase & Gallery / Re: US Army
« on: February 19, 2020, 02:43:12 am »
Beautiful, well done 
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17
Work In Progress / Re: Willys MB Jeep - Plastic Upgrades 200124
« on: January 25, 2020, 01:51:04 am »
Absolute beauties 
18
General Discussions / Re: Looking Back at 2019... 191230
« on: December 31, 2019, 07:50:31 am »
You’ve done brilliantly well, thank you
My main problem is that I can’t keep up with you. I have about six of your recent kits still sitting in their boxes that I haven’t got around to making yet, and that backlog is only going to grow at your current rate of amazing productivity!
Happy 2020 to all at Rubicon Models.
My main problem is that I can’t keep up with you. I have about six of your recent kits still sitting in their boxes that I haven’t got around to making yet, and that backlog is only going to grow at your current rate of amazing productivity!
Happy 2020 to all at Rubicon Models.
19
Showcase & Gallery / Re: Kettenkrad
« on: October 22, 2019, 06:03:50 pm »
Thanks gents
ripley: I think I'd struggle to get much onto a tyre TBH. The available amount of tyre around the circumference of wheels this small is so tiny as to be almost invisible. But I guess you're right, I could just put a darker wash around that rim, but honestly at tabletop distance it would be completely invisible to the naked eye.
Tracks: Yes, the driver and seated crewman are two of the three Rubicon figures that come with the kit, although I've given the driver a Perry field cap, and the passenger a Perry head with a Green Stuff haircut.
As usual, I'm afraid I have to criticise the Rubicon figures slightly. I really wish their crew figures were as utterly brilliant as their vehicle kits. The driver here is actually a pretty hopeless figure. His arms are anatomically too long, bendy looking and the sleeves way too creased and baggy. The face is narrow and amorphous with any detail on it thanks to the soft detailing.
The two seated crew figures are, to be fair, better.
But if we are to think of Rubicon as the Tamiya of the 1/56 military modelling kit world, then like Tamiya, Rubicon are going to have to make their crew and infantry figures as sharply detailed and brilliant as their AFVs and vehicles. I'm afraid at the moment, they're still falling short at times.
The two figures on foot are Perry plastic creations, although that is a Rubicon field cap on the NCO. I had to shave the back down a bit, but the overall shape of the cap is much better than Rubicon's previous attempts at this item of headgear, which is a step in the right direction, so a plus mark for that
ripley: I think I'd struggle to get much onto a tyre TBH. The available amount of tyre around the circumference of wheels this small is so tiny as to be almost invisible. But I guess you're right, I could just put a darker wash around that rim, but honestly at tabletop distance it would be completely invisible to the naked eye.
Tracks: Yes, the driver and seated crewman are two of the three Rubicon figures that come with the kit, although I've given the driver a Perry field cap, and the passenger a Perry head with a Green Stuff haircut.
As usual, I'm afraid I have to criticise the Rubicon figures slightly. I really wish their crew figures were as utterly brilliant as their vehicle kits. The driver here is actually a pretty hopeless figure. His arms are anatomically too long, bendy looking and the sleeves way too creased and baggy. The face is narrow and amorphous with any detail on it thanks to the soft detailing.
The two seated crew figures are, to be fair, better.
But if we are to think of Rubicon as the Tamiya of the 1/56 military modelling kit world, then like Tamiya, Rubicon are going to have to make their crew and infantry figures as sharply detailed and brilliant as their AFVs and vehicles. I'm afraid at the moment, they're still falling short at times.
The two figures on foot are Perry plastic creations, although that is a Rubicon field cap on the NCO. I had to shave the back down a bit, but the overall shape of the cap is much better than Rubicon's previous attempts at this item of headgear, which is a step in the right direction, so a plus mark for that
20
Showcase & Gallery / Kettenkrad
« on: October 21, 2019, 06:48:07 pm »
Rubicon kettenkrad and a few more DAK figures... It really is a delightful little model.
And with some new figures...
Mise-en-scene...
And with some new figures...
Mise-en-scene...
21
Showcase & Gallery / Re: Aufklarungspanzer 38(t)
« on: September 19, 2019, 06:33:49 pm »
Lovely job. I don’t know what it is, but I like the way you’ve done it
22
General Discussions / Re: The visual appeal of 1:56 (28mm) scale figures.
« on: August 24, 2019, 04:47:02 pm »
Thanks
I enjoy making and painting characters.
I enjoy making and painting characters.
23
General Discussions / Re: The visual appeal of 1:56 (28mm) scale figures.
« on: August 23, 2019, 11:14:02 pm »Although the size and stature is pretty close to the Perry 1/56 WW2 figures, the RM plastic crew figures don't tie in stylistically - which is why I generally kitbash my plastic crew figures with Perry heads, arms and weapons / equipment onto the Rubicon bodies.
Can you please share some pictures?
Here are a few...
Rubicon bodies with Perry heads and / or headgear, and / or arms, weapons and accoutrements.
It just makes them fit in visually a lot better with the Perry infantry...
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General Discussions / Re: The visual appeal of 1:56 (28mm) scale figures.
« on: August 19, 2019, 04:58:55 pm »
Tracks, I agree with all that. Rubicon's crew figures definitely have a mini-Tamiya design vibe to them. They look to be aimed more at modellers than wargamers.
I'm a wargamer and figure modeller / painter, not a scale model AFV nut. So for me, the figures are just as important as the vehicles and guns. I adore Rubicon. I love how they do business, the quality of their kits and everything about them. The only thing I have continuing reservations about is their human figures. The CAD precision that serves RM so well in the design and production of hard-edged vehicle and artillery models, just doesn't seem to work so well for the soft, organic forms of the human body and clothing. To be fair, I'm only talking about the plastic crew figures, as I haven't bought any of the pewter infantry miniatures.
But as far as the crew figures go, posing invariably looks stiff and odd; the detail on faces, fingers etc is too soft; clothing - especially sleeves - far too baggy with an overdose of folds and creases; and helmet and hat shapes are too often slightly wrong. I would say, in the spirit of constructive criticism, that if there's one area where RM could and should raise their game, it's in the modelling of 1/56 scale soldiers. I'm sure they will.
Although the size and stature is pretty close to the Perry 1/56 WW2 figures, the RM plastic crew figures don't tie in stylistically - which is why I generally kitbash my plastic crew figures with Perry heads, arms and weapons / equipment onto the Rubicon bodies.
To be fair, I think Rubicon's figures are a closer match to Michael Perry's WW2 figures than to the outsized, cartoony Warlord figures, which are much closer to 'traditional' wargames munchkins with oversized heads, hands and weapons. The Perry figures, as you say, are a much more successful compromise between wargames style and realistic human dimensions and poses.
I guess the main difficulty with aligning to the Perry range, is that with the exception of the recently released US plastic set, which is fairly generic for WW2, the rest of the Perry range is only concerned with the Western Desert and Italy / Crete / the Med, which is something of a minority interest in the WW2 wargaming sphere. Whereas Rubicon's range covers the much larger and, erm.. popular theatres of the Eastern Front and Western Europe from early war, through D-Day to the Ardennes and beyond. Until such time as the Perrys produce infantry sets for the Soviets and European theatre British/Commonwealth and German, I guess most people will still reach for Warlord plastics, or metals from Artizan, Crusader and the like. Which are way too big and chunky to sit comfortably with 'true 1/56 scale' AFVs, softskins and guns from Rubicon.
I'm a wargamer and figure modeller / painter, not a scale model AFV nut. So for me, the figures are just as important as the vehicles and guns. I adore Rubicon. I love how they do business, the quality of their kits and everything about them. The only thing I have continuing reservations about is their human figures. The CAD precision that serves RM so well in the design and production of hard-edged vehicle and artillery models, just doesn't seem to work so well for the soft, organic forms of the human body and clothing. To be fair, I'm only talking about the plastic crew figures, as I haven't bought any of the pewter infantry miniatures.
But as far as the crew figures go, posing invariably looks stiff and odd; the detail on faces, fingers etc is too soft; clothing - especially sleeves - far too baggy with an overdose of folds and creases; and helmet and hat shapes are too often slightly wrong. I would say, in the spirit of constructive criticism, that if there's one area where RM could and should raise their game, it's in the modelling of 1/56 scale soldiers. I'm sure they will.
Although the size and stature is pretty close to the Perry 1/56 WW2 figures, the RM plastic crew figures don't tie in stylistically - which is why I generally kitbash my plastic crew figures with Perry heads, arms and weapons / equipment onto the Rubicon bodies.
To be fair, I think Rubicon's figures are a closer match to Michael Perry's WW2 figures than to the outsized, cartoony Warlord figures, which are much closer to 'traditional' wargames munchkins with oversized heads, hands and weapons. The Perry figures, as you say, are a much more successful compromise between wargames style and realistic human dimensions and poses.
I guess the main difficulty with aligning to the Perry range, is that with the exception of the recently released US plastic set, which is fairly generic for WW2, the rest of the Perry range is only concerned with the Western Desert and Italy / Crete / the Med, which is something of a minority interest in the WW2 wargaming sphere. Whereas Rubicon's range covers the much larger and, erm.. popular theatres of the Eastern Front and Western Europe from early war, through D-Day to the Ardennes and beyond. Until such time as the Perrys produce infantry sets for the Soviets and European theatre British/Commonwealth and German, I guess most people will still reach for Warlord plastics, or metals from Artizan, Crusader and the like. Which are way too big and chunky to sit comfortably with 'true 1/56 scale' AFVs, softskins and guns from Rubicon.
25
Work In Progress / Re: New Project of the Month - Steyr 1500A/01 - 3D Drawings 190801
« on: August 01, 2019, 06:06:32 pm »
A nice project, but I’ve already got the Perry resin version, which is actually a very nice model, so I probably won’t be getting this particular kit.
If you were to produce some of the variants like the ambulance or radio truck versions, I guess I might though
Also, it’s in the same vein as your forthcoming Krupp Protze (which I am looking forward to).
If you were to produce some of the variants like the ambulance or radio truck versions, I guess I might though
Also, it’s in the same vein as your forthcoming Krupp Protze (which I am looking forward to).
26
Showcase & Gallery / Re: Various WIP
« on: July 29, 2019, 05:34:13 pm »
Very tidy job on the CMP truck.
Yes, WW2 French AFV camo schemes are completely nuts and seemingly endless in variation of colours and patterns. Tres Gallic
Yes, WW2 French AFV camo schemes are completely nuts and seemingly endless in variation of colours and patterns. Tres Gallic
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Showcase & Gallery / Re: Various WIP
« on: July 22, 2019, 07:46:09 pm »
Yes, the driver is not a good fit in this kit. i found the same thing. Stowage looks good though
I do think there are too many large items and not enough small tool boxes, crates etc in the two stowage sets. Hopefully there will be German and Allied stowage sets 2, which will include a selection of smaller boxes.
I do think there are too many large items and not enough small tool boxes, crates etc in the two stowage sets. Hopefully there will be German and Allied stowage sets 2, which will include a selection of smaller boxes.
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Showcase & Gallery / Rubicon Panzer IV Ausf E
« on: July 21, 2019, 04:19:15 am »
The new Rubicon Models Panzer IV Ausf E
This is a fabulous kit - my only tiny complaint is that the radio antennae base housing is so tiny and fine (and no doubt accurately scaled), that it can't accommodate an actual wire for the aerial. So I'm afraid, very unhistorically, I have bodged it by co-opting an unused auxiliary sand/air filter from the SdKfz 223 kit and making it serve as an antennae housing. Wrong, I know. Scale modellers, avert your eyes. I'm just a wargamer. I could at least get a fine drill into it.
I'm not sure if the plastic component provided to drape over the top of the turret (thoughtfully, RM provide folded and unfolded versions) is meant to be a tarpaulin, a Libyan rug, or a picnic blanket. I'm afraid I was unable to resist painting it for, um... air recognition purposes...
A plethora of other optional bits and pieces of stowage are included in this kit, which I didn't use. I did however, fairly extensively model the front of the tank to create a natural looking assemblage of spare track, spare road wheels, etc. (I prefer the 'on campaign' look, to the neat, flat section of spare track provided to bolt onto the front of the hull - you can see both ways of doing it in contemporary WWII photographs
The panzer commander is a metal figure from the Perry DAK tank crew set. Nice figure from a distance - although his fingers are pretty sketchy / vestigial... Don't look too closely.
This is a fabulous kit - my only tiny complaint is that the radio antennae base housing is so tiny and fine (and no doubt accurately scaled), that it can't accommodate an actual wire for the aerial. So I'm afraid, very unhistorically, I have bodged it by co-opting an unused auxiliary sand/air filter from the SdKfz 223 kit and making it serve as an antennae housing. Wrong, I know. Scale modellers, avert your eyes. I'm just a wargamer. I could at least get a fine drill into it.
I'm not sure if the plastic component provided to drape over the top of the turret (thoughtfully, RM provide folded and unfolded versions) is meant to be a tarpaulin, a Libyan rug, or a picnic blanket. I'm afraid I was unable to resist painting it for, um... air recognition purposes...
A plethora of other optional bits and pieces of stowage are included in this kit, which I didn't use. I did however, fairly extensively model the front of the tank to create a natural looking assemblage of spare track, spare road wheels, etc. (I prefer the 'on campaign' look, to the neat, flat section of spare track provided to bolt onto the front of the hull - you can see both ways of doing it in contemporary WWII photographs
The panzer commander is a metal figure from the Perry DAK tank crew set. Nice figure from a distance - although his fingers are pretty sketchy / vestigial... Don't look too closely.
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Showcase & Gallery / Re: Romanian T-4 Medium Tanks (second tank added)
« on: July 12, 2019, 02:36:03 am »
That is good. Testament to your excellent modelling and painting