"Hudson and Allen Desert Fort" Topic

Just ordered this from Noble Knight. Had a bit of store credit so I decided to get it. Does anyone have this model?

Pete

I have it, and really like it. It does not come with a front gate so I made one for it using Evergreen plastic. It comes prepainted, but I gave mine a new paint job. You can see mine in pics 99, 100, and 101 of my 28mm African Adventure Gallery at link

Anyone know if Hudson & Allen products are still available?
I know Vatican Enterprises had them, but not sure if they are still in business.

VE's website is still up and running and was recently updated, also I ordered stuff from Ben within the last year so I'd say he's still in business. You can also order separate wall pieces to add to the fort as I did, just have to email Ben first and he'll give you pricing.

OK so I guess I'm getting old, the "recent update" to the website was almost three years ago!!! But I did check and my last order from Ben was July of last year.

@War in 15MM – that looks awesome. Love the painting.
Where does one get Evergreen plastic?

Pete

Pete, thank you. I get Evergreen plastic at my local hobby shop and my local model train shop. Evergreen makes plastic in many shapes and sizes. They make sheets of plastic that are just smooth sheets of plastic and they make sheets of plastic that are made to look like roofing and siding. The Evergreen plastic that I used for the gates was called V-groove. It comes with plank-like design (in different widths) already embossed in the plastic. In order to make it look more like wood, I scored the "planks" with with a hobby blade to give it the look of wood grain. I also made the little ladders you see in one of the pictures using Evergreen plastic. Good luck with your fort. I'm very happy with mine.
Richard
Richard

Sevastopol, let us know how you like the fort. I have my eye on it, too.

War in 15mm, just one word initially came to mind:

Wow!

"…and it was a great joy to assemble and paint. Hope you enjoy it, too."

Indeed, I did. Hammers may be your mentor, but you are now in a league of your own.

Condotta, that is a wonderful compliment. Thank you most sincerely! Richard

@Razor78--really? You can buy extra wall pieces? I had never heard that but it would be great!

@War in 15MM: thans for the info. Will check it out.

Pete

Pete, you are most welcome. Have fun with your fort. It really is a neat structure, but I think giving it a gate improves its look significantly because the entrance opening they provide is oddly small in relation to the rest of the fort. Richard

Mine is years old and came with a cast metal main gate.

gavandjosh02, those were the days. The metal main gate seems to have past into history. Neither Vatican Enterprises or Noble Knight (I think I bought mine from Noble Knight… good price) show the Desert Fortress with a main gate, and mine didn't come with one. The fact that it came with a metal main gate years ago explains the odd size opening for the main gate. Fortunately, making a main gate with Evergreen plastic is very easy. I actually made two gates because the wall is wide/thick, I made one gate facing out that I attached to the exterior wall and one facing in with the hinges and locking bar (all made from Evergreen) attached to the interior side of the wall. Thus it appears that there is a small tunnel through the wall and the wall has two gates. I think it worked out really well. Thanks for solving the mystery. Until your posting, I couldn't understand the size of the gate opening in the wall. Everything else about the desert fortress is so nicely done and shows an interest in detail but the main gate is just a hole. Richard

The fort has arrived and it looks awesome!

@War in 15mm – what did you paint yours with?

Pete

I painted their Keep Tower earlier this summer.
I used Army Painter Desert Sand as a primer-base color.
Washed and highlighted with acrylic craft paints.
Turned out great.

Pete, sorry I have been so long in responding but my wife and I have been on a vacation trip to Montreal and Quebec City for the last week, and I haven't been following the websites. Now for the painting I used on my Desert Fort:
I sprayed the entire fort flat black.
I then dry brushed the fort using Vallejo Model Colors:
The overall color is German Cam Orange Ochre.
The first highlight color is Ochre Brown.
The second highlight color is a mix of Saddle Brown and German Cam Orange Ochre.
The third highlight color is a mix of German Cam Orange Ochre and Beige.
The fourth highlight color is a mix of the same colors that are in the third highlight color but in the fourth Beige is the stronger element.
The fifth high color is Beige.
The stone is Saddle Brown.
Once the flat black base color covers the entire fort everything else including the overall German Cam Orange Ochre is done by dry brushing to your taste. It's a lot of painting but it goes pretty fast because you can use large, cheap brushes. Hope that helps. Richard

Thank you both for the info.

I hear Vallejo paints are good – there's a shop here that sells them but I haven't bought any…yet. :)