"PSC halftracks with AB crews" Topic

I've been adding some AB crews and passengers to a couple of halftracks and a driver for a truck.

The halftracks are from PSC. The first is as it comes out of the box but with a crew and passengers from AB.

This second one is midway through a rather lazy conversion to an M16. I've simply taken the AA gun mounts from the old Matchbox M16 and put it into the PSC halftrack. The crew are again from AB.

Finally a driver for a Pegasus truck.

WOW very nice work1

This second one is midway through a rather lazy conversion to an M16. I've simply taken the AA gun mounts from the old Matchbox M16 and put it into the PSC halftrack.

I understand what you're saying, having had my own struggles with coming up with an acceptable conversion of the M16 that fits in well with the rest of my halftrack "fleet". The problem with dropping the Maxson into a halftrack without the folding side/rear flaps and cut-outs is that it looks like an M16A1 – which I think were only used in Korea. In these the turret was mounted higher so the tombstone ammo cans completely cleared the hull to allow rotation. Also, it looks like the vehicle is an IHC version from the flat-pattern mudflaps, whereas M16s were M3-based.

Your other halftrack is also an IHC version so actually Lend Lease only …

Your other halftrack is also an IHC version so actually Lend Lease only …

Yeah, hear what you say. These halftracks are all left over from my British project. I started collecting Americans by default when I picked up some AB figures at a very cheap price so I'm using up what I have rather than buying more. For gaming purposes the differences are minor. I save my rivet counting for my 1/35 modelling. For gaming purposes I'm a lot more relaxed, I like to get it dead right if I can, but if not…..meh.

I think your painting of the M5 International Harvester product is superb. The weathering and highlighting of detail is great. I used to be so sceptical about the PSC kits, assuming something that price and two to a box could not be made into a decent model. I have seen great work recently here.

The IHC M5 Half Track is distinguished by the simpler front mudguards, the rounded rear corners and the reversed vision slots in the driver and commander's door flaps. The M5 could carry troops as you show (and they are brilliant figures BTW) if you are prepared to totally transform the M5 into a thing of beauty. Put it into Free French markings (ideally RMT of the 2eme DB) and place it in Paris, August 44.

Failing that, a quid says no-one will notice anyway.

I came back to this again (couple of times actually and saved the pics).

This should be rubbish…

The mudguards on the front wheels are massively too thick, as is the raised armoured front screen, or even the sides of the troop carrier.

But, thanks to superb painting, it looks terrific. I compared it tonight with my M3 converted to an M5, for the Free French, and now want to go back and revise my work. Mine was the "state of the art" Academy kit, to start with. Yours looks far better, even without the Free French markings (but they would look great now and no-one could challenge you then)

I have learnt one other thing. Wooden parts of tools…that colour you used …exactly right. Mine are an awful brown.

The mudguards on the front wheels are massively too thick, as is the raised armoured front screen, or even the sides of the troop carrier.

Thanks for your very generous comments, glad you like it. To be honest I don't disagree, I find many of the PSC kits far too chunky in much of their detail, although I feel in some cases this is a deliberate compromise to produce a robust model for gaming. In that sense they certainly succeed. As I said earlier I'm okay with fudging a few things when it comes to the gaming table and much more fussy with my larger scale modelling. Form should follow function.

The PSC kits are good value and with some extra detailing and a decent paint job can find a role. I used their Firefly as the base for this version with camouflage netting:

I have a few of the Armourfast kits which also suffer from poor detail but a bit of detailing and a decent sculpt for a crew figure and much can be forgiven.

Here is their Cromwell and the M4A3(105):

To be honest I don't disagree, I find many of the PSC kits far too chunky in much of their detail, although I feel in some cases this is a deliberate compromise to produce a robust model for gaming. In that sense they certainly succeed.

Fair points. I have a lot of PSC kits and I was eagerly anticipating both the US and Commonwealth halftracks. But unfortunately they really disappointed me, especially compared with all of the PSC German halftracks and variants kits which I would rate as excellent.

I guess I wasn't so much put off by the "chunky" detail as other elements like the completely bogus rivet detail, cartoonish panel lines and crews bizarrely moulded with German Y-strap webbing. I also think proportion-wise they don't mix well with allied HTs from any other manufacturers so I would have only used them to build a complete fleet from scratch.

But to echo deadhead, the AB crews really lift and your painting and results are great.

Handsome stuff :)

The reason for some the chunky detail seen on some of the PSC kits is that they do the original design for the 15mm version and then upscale to the 20mm version. Obviously what looks fine in 15mm when up scaled gets to be a little too thick, rivets being particularly noticeable. Sanding them down helps a lot.
Most things can be moderated, scraping along mudgaurds to reduce the thicknes for instance, I reduced the bonnet hinges on my M3's and they look better for it.
Its the double sided curse of CAD work lol
Seeing things in 'virtual' form not the same as seeing it in 'real life'. This is where 3D printing comes in useful, least that way you can get a 'proper' hold it your hand version before expensive injection moulds get made.
L

I never knew that about designing for 15mm. But I continue to be impressed by PSC kits for quality and value for money. Dragon or Academy any day for a showpiece, but limited availability in 20mm, much work to build and obviously pricier.

Love that Firefly

Great work! Really nice painting…

the painting is fantastic, I have three different manufactures half tracks, the Airfix, the PSC and some metal diecast (zylmex)ones I got of car boot sales/ ebay, which are perfect in 1/72 with plenty of stowage, new front wheels pasticcard armoured screen across the windows. and at about 50p each are really cheep

Great job – those AB Americans are really tempting. Do you use a black wash to get such clear clean lines on things like edges of the door and armour flaps?

They are not American, trust me, they are Free French. These are Lend Lease (or was it the other way round Lease-Lend, I can never ever remember) M5 half tracks. Never used by US Army. He will eventually cover these in FF markings and totally transform them. The top vehicle, flying a Spanish Republican flag, as it enters Paris in August 44 for La Nueve.

I know what he does for painting, because I now copy it, even today, on an M4 (105) VVSS of 2eme DB. You learn here from the experts. I have!

Great job – those AB Americans are really tempting. Do you use a black wash to get such clear clean lines on things like edges of the door and armour flaps?

Thanks. The AB Americans are lovely figures and there's a big range.

I do a wash on the vehicles using oil paint, but it's only one part of the process. There's a step by step post on my blog on how I did the Cromwell that shows all the stages and you can see that here 1/72 Cromwell with camouflage netting

Very nice work !!!

Great work

Cheers
Matt