Wednesday, July 30, 2014

1:56 Spanish Civil War Hispano Suiza Armoured Car & 28mm Moroccan Regulares Tank Hunter Team


'Pretty' or 'sexy' are not words you typically associate with an armoured vehicle, but I think those words just might apply to this wonderfully curvy and characterful Hispano Suiza MC36.  This 'tiznao' (roughly translated as 'smudgy' in Spanish - thanks Juan!) was a cannibalized armoured truck manufactured by the Republicans during the early period of the Spanish Civil War.





This model is from the very talented folks at Minairons Miniatures in Spain. In a flurry of credit card induced euphoria I picked up this kit at Atlantica Hobbies in Madrid this past spring. The model shown here is 1/56 scale, but it's also available in 1/72 and 1/100 as well. It's a very simple kit, with perhaps 10 parts in total, including a nice up-gunned variant which features the turret from a T26 tank. 



Compared to my good friend Greg, who is a complete whiz with painting and detailing vehicles, I always have a tough time getting my head wrapped around how to best approach the buggers. Probably if I worked on more of them it would get easier. Anyway, I plodded along and went with a Soviet green foundation and weathered the bejeezus out it, thinking it appropriate based on the rustic environment of Spain at the time. The decals were a bit of a bear to work with, and while my application of them has a lot to be desired, I admit they certainly help to finish off the model.



I put on a SCW game last week for a few of the guys from the Fawcett Avenue Conscripts and Dallas rolled out this bad lad for a bit of mayhem. Funny thing is it didn't even blow up, which completely floored me, being a new model and all. Of course this means it will end up as a expanding gas cloud sometime during the next scenario...



I also completed a few other units in the lead-up to the game. One was this Moroccan Regulares tank hunter team. Excellent Paul Hicks sculpts from Empress Games. 



You know, nothing says HARDCORE like a of pair of loons who think effective 'tank hunting' means being solely equipped with a crowbar, pistol and a couple sticks of sweating dynamite. Yup, completely mental.



Pistol? Check. Crowbar? Check. Dynamite? Check.  Right, we're off.  Now, where's that pesky tank...
These guys are a welcome addition to my existing Regulares unit



Next up: Something for August 1914 and then Guardia de Asalto!

40 comments:

  1. Great armoured car! So the Miniarons kit is nice?

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    1. Thanks Phil! Yes, the kit is very good. I plan on picking up the Chevy 1.5 ton truck sometime in the future (good for Pulp games as well, I think).

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  2. Something out a 1930's imagining of Mad Max! Beautiful!

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    1. Haha! You're right, it would make an excellent Road Warrior vehicle.

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  3. That is sensational Curt, I love it! What a gorgeous (did I really use that word?) piece of kit.

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    1. Haha! I could hear you saying that in my mind's eye - thanks very much Michael.

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  4. Excellent work, Curt.
    The car turned out really well and so did the Maroccans.

    Cheers
    Stefan

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  5. Lovely armoured car Curt and very nice Regulares :)

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  6. Fantastic painting, work, congratulations
    I'm also working now in my SCW Porpular Army of the Republic forces, looking into putting in play during the autumn-winter season at my club

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    1. Thank you Benito! I look forward to reading about your upcoming campaign. Perhaps next time we're in Madrid I can get in a game with your crew.

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    2. Don't have a doubt! And you'll be invited to more serrano ham!!!

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  7. Somehow not as clunky-looking as most extemporised armoured vehicles of the mid-20th C - it actually has a rather dashing look to it! A lovely kit, excellently built and painted.

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    1. Exactly, it's quite svelte for a improvised armoured vehicle. Thanks for dropping by Ev!

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  8. Fantastic work - I love the armored car

    How to you find the Empress Miniatures - they look top flight to me and I'm searching for a bit of a break from Perry's

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    1. Thanks Miles!

      I think you'd really like the range. I place Paul Hicks' work on the same level as the Perry's. I'd like to see you give it a go.

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  9. Very nice as usual Curt, SCW certainly appears to be quite popular now.

    John

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    1. Thanks John! Yes, I think you're right, the SCW seems to experiencing a bit of a resurgence.

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  10. Lovely work on the armoured car.

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  11. Fantastic painting work, Curt. The vehicle is really nice! This one was one of the better of them and the Minairon´s model is very good.

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    1. Very kind of you Juan. Yes, the design is very elegant and Minairons did a wonderful job with the kit as well.

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  12. It looks outstanding dude, and the decals really, really finish it off - excellent work!

    And I can report it looks even cooler on the tabletop. Curt ran a fabulous SCW game for us over the past weekend, and this beast saw some action. Of course, I should warn all readers here that reports of the Republican success in that particular engagement will be pure propaganda *cough*...

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    1. Thanks bro! It was too bad that your Carlists were all experiencing some sort of rare lung ailment which made them move no faster than a lethargic crawl. The stars will align next time!

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  13. "Expanding gas cloud". We must use the same mechanic!

    Lovely work mate, she's an absolute beaut. Flash Gordon wouldn't look out of place behind the wheel.

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    1. Haha! Indeed. Thanks for taking time from your blogzine project to pop by Millsy - much appreciated.

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  14. These are absolutely amazing. The armored car looks like something out of the movie Brazil.

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    1. Ah, a great movie that! Thanks for the thumbs up Cincinnatus, much appreciated.

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  15. Excellent work yet again Curt! You nailed the weathering on the car!

    Christopher

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    1. Very kind of you to say Christopher. I always cringe when I start a vehicle as I'm always afraid I'll botch it. Good to think I may have dodged the bullet with this one.

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  16. That is cracking work Curt, a real beauty!

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    1. Cheers Francis, I'm quite taken by her as well.

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  17. Lovely painting on the Hispano. I think you've hit the nail with your decent but effective weathering. The tank hunters are very nice also. I really like the irregular look of these guys.

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    1. Thanks Nick! As I've mentioned before, vehicles are not my strong suit so I'm always happy when one turns out reasonably well.

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  18. Replies
    1. Cheers Clint. I'm now tempted by your 10mm path in this period for larger engagements - Must. Fight. It....

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    2. I am likewise tempted to do some 28mm SCW skirmish having seen your work.

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