Sticking to the Dutch 3D Print theme...

 Just as the title says, today I'm sticking to the Dutch 3D printing theme. 

As part of an ongoing, soon (I hope) to be revealed project, I needed a couple of Dutch Leopard 2A4s.  Fortunately I had a couple of very old Matchbox Leo 2 kits, which I was able to "quickly" make.  As if I do anything quickly!

One of these kits came with West German smoke dischargers, which would look like these:

Originally I thought I could convert these to look like the Dutch smoke discharger layout, which I knew to be different, but couldn't quite remember how.  So I looked it up:

or a bit closer:

So not much chance of converting what I had to look like that!

Fortunately I stumbled across a designer in Cults3D who had already designed a set for 3D printing.  It can be found here.

Now what follows are not the 2 greatest photos I've ever taken, but you should get the idea of my new Dutch Leo 2NL turrets, with proper smoke dischargers, an FN MAG (just blu-tacked in place for now), cam nets and a wire reel like in the photo above.

I will take better photos once the model is complete, but the 3D printed smoke dischargers are exquisite and came out beautifully.  Once again I'm very chuffed with the result.

Thanks

Richard

The Shape of (Dutch) Things to Come

 I've always wanted to do a Cold War Dutch force in 20mm but with no plastic kits available for their primary IFV, the YPR-765, I'd always put if off.  I'd found some resin kits out there, but these were way to expensive, and I didn't like the quality of the 3D prints I'd seen available for sale.  None of the STL files I've found looked particularly great either.  I'd even talked to a couple of 3D print designers about doing a YPR-765.  But that never went anywhere so I was happy to simply hold off.

However, after some email chatting with Mr M. Bergman of Thingiverse and Wargaming3D fame, all this is about to change.

Here's my first print of his soon to be released line of YPR variants:

This is an early version of the YPR-765 PRI 25mm.  A later variant will also be available, along with the PRAT, the PRGWT and you can easily make the PRI with the .50 cal cupola instead of the turret, the various command vehicles etc.

The print is not 100% perfect, but that's down to me (and my total lack of expertise) and the issues I'm having with my printer.  I'm going to reprint the turret to hopefully fix the rear of it, and I'll be cleaning up the lines on the side as best I can - but beyond that I'm totally chuffed with this model.

Just for comparison purposes here's the Bergman YPR beside a Bergman M113:

So if you've been holding back from running Dutch, or Belgians or any of the other nations that fielded (or min the case of Ukraine, are now fielding) these terrific little vehicles - think again and keep a look out for the STL files.

Happy hunting!

Richard

The Berlin Project - Infantry and Urban Bases - Part 3

 OK... This is a little embarrassing.  Part 1 and Part 2 of "The Berlin Project - Infantry and Urban Bases" happened back in October 2017.  Those of you paying attention to things like, time, will quickly realise that its been almost six years between parts 2 and 3!

To start off with back then I painted 3 figures (loosely forming a Machine-gun Group) and here's the photo to prove it:

Today those figures look like this:

Not much has changed.  However, I've finally managed to finish the other members of their section - the Rifle Group, lead by their NCO.

Put them together and you have a whole section:

Here's a couple of contextual shots:

I also completed the Machine-gun Group of the next section.  It's kind of a little vignette.

That's it for now.  I have a big WW2 painting project coming up, but will still add some more Cold War models shortly.

Thanks

Richard