Sadurní tank painted samples

While still awaiting for the Trubia-Naval tank decals to come, I've taken advantage of the spare time I had for assembling and painting some IGC Sadurní tanks for my own collection. Not any master pieces actually, but I think they still look pretty nice anyway.

I haven't assembled them just as they were, but have drawn out some pieces form my spare parts box so as to customize all them at some degree. They all have been added mudguards, for instance (either coming from its tractor version, or from a cannibalized T-26 kit from Mirage. Or I have also tried equipping them with headlights in varying positions, as you can see.

Also, I was curious to see if this tank could have been actually improved by a better armament, so I replaced the MG of one for a small gun (a 37mm or so perhaps). Then I realized this would leave barely any room for the 2^nd crewman and gun altogether, so I enlargened its internal space rearwards. Well, there is room enough now, but no chances for a third crewman either. Well, at least I had some fun at trying!

Closing to a deadline

Quite a while without any significant enough news to show, certainly. Things have slowed down a bit with regard to the frantic pace we had been keeping last year. Things are happening behind the scene, though.

Our model the closest to its releasing is Trubia-Naval tank; we are now just awaiting decals to be printed and white metal accessories prototyping to be finished up. The reason for the delay was the weapons sprues you can see on the picture below, that were too tiny and fragile and had to be re-done.

Otherwise, BT-5 fast tank development has been progressing accordingly enough to its name (LOL). First resin hulls will be ready by the end of month, so that we'll only have to wait for the white metals accessories sprue too. Here below you can see its 3D-printed prototype:

Anyway, none of these will be our next release, for we've considered prioritary a new set of figures. Or I'd rather say "2" sets instead of just "1", that shall be released altogether in a very short time: both Nationalist and Republican heavy mortar teams. Pictures of these to follow next week!

BT-5 Fast Tank WIP

While awaiting the release of the upcoming 1/72 Trubia-Naval and 1/100 IGC Sadurní tanks (that shouldn't last too longer, both), we've been pressing hard lately the design work of another, much required, tracked AFV. This is BT-5 Fast Tank, that saw a lot of action in late SCW and early WWII. Here below you can see what it will look like at 1/72 scale:

Made basically of high quality resin with a few white metal parts, this model will consist of no more than 7 or 8 parts, with the aim of making it really easy to build, as it can be seen below:

We're still debating whether to make tracks in white metal or not, but we're starting to be certain this time it will be better to make them in resin too. Tracks width has been thoroughfully studied so as to ease at a maximum liquid resin flow in the mould, as well as to grant the part endurance. I'm excited at the chance of releasing it before Summer!

Heavy mortar teams

We're now working on a pair of SCW heavy mortars, as well as their matching teams --one for each side so far. Here below you can see a sketch on a Nationalist 81mm Valero mortar and crew:

On the other side, Republicans will enjoy a 81mm Stokes-Brandt mortar along with crewmen:

We expect to release both sets in a short time --bewtween March and April.

New SCW Buildings

I'm delighted to announce the agreement just met between Minairons Miniatures and Surus Creations, by which we start retailing now their "Belchite" range of Spanish Civil War 1/100 scale scenery. This particular range of multi-part resin buildings from Surus is intendedly suitable not only for SCW, but also for any 15mm 19th or 20th centuries wargame set in Southern Europe or Northern Africa.

But this is far from being it all, because our agreement includes good news for 1/72 scale SCW gamers too!

Under the terms of our recent agreement, Surus Creations is committed at creating a similar range of Spanish Civil War 1/72 scale scenery items closely similar to those above. Such new range will probably be christened as "Gandesa" so as to be distinguished from its 15mm sister range, and will be worldwide distributed by Minairons Miniatures --so that all our international distributors/retailers are able to offer it to you SCW fans! Development of this new 1/72 range will start pretty soon.

You'll understand now why I am so happy today!

Going for BT-5 now

Just a first shot on the tank we're planning to release soon --right after the Trubia-Naval, which is scheduled for late March or early April:

At this stage, not many things can be told about it: it will be mostly resin made, we'll try and cast its hull as a single part, cannon will be a white metal piece apart, and kit will comprise a set of decals --those same already used with T-26 tank, that include both Nationalist and Republican markings, besides of WWII Soviet and Finnish ones. Oh, I forgot to add that it will be released at 1/72^nd scale first, as usual! In a few weeks we'll be able to explain more.

More SCW heads

We've just made available three new sets of separate heads for Spanish Civil War 20mm figures customization. These are Maghribian turbans and tarboosh, and woolen caps:

The new sets are sold in 3-sprue bags (that is, 9 heads in a bag) at the price of € 2.95 each. You can check here our current listing of separate heads.

ERA Type B racer preview

Following the success of our former 1938 Grand prix racing cars set, we've thought it wise to start preparing a new batch of vintage racers, the first one of which is the English made ERA Type B. This is the look it is currently taking:

Just as other models in this range, kit will be quite easy to build, because it will consist of just one resin main part for hull, four also resin wheels and two white metal shafts. Ultimate model kit will be inclusive of driver as customary.