"GMC Bofors of 2e DB" Topic

Work in Progress and I admit not a lot to do with wargames so I will ask your understanding. It is a mixture of the Airfix Bofors, the Academy 2.5 ton with the enclosed cab and the Heller Deuce and a half. Plus much brass (especially Dan Taylor's barrel and gun sights) and plastic rods, scraps etc. Greenstuff too of course.

Photos just with a flash for convenience, so lacking depth of focus. Once painted and crewed this will appear in a Paris Street of course.

Nice work! Look forward to seeing it in that Paris street!

Nice! It looks wonderfully complicated!
Can't wait for the finale.

Cheers. Oh it is complicated. No two vehicles were the same. They only made 40 and even then only some had the outriggers, that I have created, they differed in the bodywork, some had a winch etc etc. I am dreading deciding which name this one takes…whatever, it will be wrong to the experts.

I meant to crosspost to the 20mm forum, but got the call to Sunday lunch….and that was many hours ago. Must go to the bottle bank tomorrow. Two sons at home is disastrous for the liver.

This is truly awesome! You certainly did capture the spirit of les gars de Leclerc, congratulations!

And as a Bordeaux native, may I add more kuddos for the barrel on the truck body! Hoping for some Château Margaux

Thanks,I too suddenly thought the barrel would capture the "spirit" of this unit.

Great progress today. Sprayed Vallejo Olive Drab overall (it is not really Olive Drab but it is a great base coat) Then their bottle of US Olive Drab. Then the various kit got painted, tyres, the barrel, the gun barrels etc. Then three different washes. Tomorrow is highlighting and weathering.

The real challenge is the choice of transfers/decals. I have access to several but it is matter of finding one with a winch, then with the early type superstructure and no rear shelf on the back. "Demon" I think…..not quite right. Then the crew!

Stunning build. I'm shocked it's a 20mm model! Outstanding details and build.

Deadhead, this is pretty amazing modelling, and the "Greenstuff"-sculpting is super impressive!!!

Thanks for showing us this model as WIP – it illustrates how much work and custom parts you put into your models…..almost a shame to 'camouflage' it all with a coat of OD.

It is now coated in OD, weathered and most decals are on. Weather them then a matt varnish to keep them on. All that is left is white mudguard ends and silver/gloss varnish on the rear view mirror.

Plus the crew of course! I have both Mort aux Cons II (a jeep), plus a basic GMC deuce and half truck finished, also needing a crew. Not to mention a Katyusha (seriously, it was based on the 1.5 ton GMC and that was used by 2e DB, so off come the rockets and on goes the truck body….much converted!). Did I mention the M4A3 and the same with HVSS?

Pandemic productivity, but complimented by some of your wonderful skills Doc!

Well it turns out that 2e DB also used some one and half tonners too (and I have some decals/transfers from Braillestrike). Simple enough conversion. It started with the PST Katjusha, the front half was a Chevrolet basically after all, but, in the end the kit proved….."challenging".

So the cab is the left over Academy 2 1/2 tonner hard top (the two used the same cab) but the engine needed some conversion. The cargo carrier is from the left over Heller cut down (do not count the vertical metal supports. There should still be five but now closer together. I plan to hide them with kit and fill the hold with a resin jerry can block from Millicast.

I had just masked the windows when I thought to photograph before spraying. An unambitious project, but much quicker than the Bofors GMC and mostly from left over parts.

A third Heller Deuce and half arrived today. Seems they also used them mounting two water cooled 50 calibres!

Now sprayed with Vallejo OD. Whilst not quite a match for the dropper bottle of OD, the spray is much better than suggested by this flash photo.

The Bofors is done and carries its 2e DB markings but I want to show that properly lit, with figures

I know there is some work to do to hide some bad joins. But I thought this would be OK.

Then I was shown an image of one of only the five of these vehicles used by 2eme DB;

I was sure that the mudguards were straight and that curved ones were for the Deuce and a Half. I was sure the front bumper always had that notch underneath. Nope.

Then I thought it does not matter. I could not sleep last night thinking about it and then getting up to watch two guys hitting each other at 0500 our time (UFC). So first thing I changed it all. How sad is that?

I must credit the help from a great forum on this iconic French unit (with very colourful markings and uniforms by WWII standards). Nice folk but I am entitled a "Bavard". My parents were legally married before I was conceived and I get on with most folk, so that puzzles me.

link

That's a lovely build, great work.