The Xmas Haul

I must have been a very good boy this year as Santa brought me some "clanky tanks" and much, much more:

These are two SHQ metal "early war" tank kits. The first being a French Char D2 (see above left) a French 1940 Infantry Tank (aka slow), a decent 47mm AT gun in a relatively medium/well armoured body, like a Char B1 bis without the 75mm hull gun. The other is the wacky German (original, see above right) Panzer V (no not the Panther aka 1942/3) but the 1940 "Propaganda Tank" version as shown in newsreels of the time. These were (three) mild steel prototype of the land-battleship multi-turreted "tank-ship" discounted from mass production and combat use after poor evaluation reports. The three fought as a unit in the Norwegian campaign, one being destroyed by German engineers after it bogged down in a Norwegian river blocking a German column. The "Propaganda Tank" was thought "so little of" by front-line troops that it was simply blown up "in-situ" rather than face a challenging salvage. The other two were sent back to Panzer training schools in Germany as static displays. I've always wanted them both so I am a happy lad. 

 
An unexpected model kit from my eldest brother, a 1/144 "Herky Bird" (see above), from Vietnam, to the Falklands to the realms of AK47 African and South American despots, a very, very useful acquisition indeed!

Something er, French from the wife (see above), I had asked or rather pleaded with her to pop by a local retailer who had unexpectedly started stocking a range of wargame period kits if she was stuck for a Xmas present. Imagine my surprise when I get a garbled telephone call while at work from wife in the said shop and I had to "talk her in on instruments" to the model isle and decipher the right ones from the wrong ones (if there is such a thing). I had mentioned my Napoleonic interests so I suggested something French and got the above box from Victrix. This is a long term 2012 project inspired by the artwork and painting prowess of Iron Mitten and other talented bloggers.

What I did not expect was that each of my children were also getting in on the act (the youngest son too young to choose was pitched in with the wife and the early Napoleonic French) and my daughter had selected a 15mm Flames of War piece of kit, Wittmann and his Tiger (see above). This puts me in several dilemma's, one scale 15mm versus 20mm, the Flames of War rules-set is one I don't possess (and has received many a bad comment in the press and wargaming fraternity, a game but not WWII simulation) and I do not knowingly chose to paint Waffen SS. Well I shall keep the model for "diorama" purposes and with an eye to acquiring15mm Plastic Soldier products and Zvezda 15mm vehicle kits for FoW and BFWWII, if you cannot beat it join it. Hmm, we'll see.My eldest son pitched in with a deliberate and well thought out purchase (see below):

I have dabbled in the kits for Warhammer 40K, out of more interest in the Sci-Fi figures than game system and my eldest son was always interested in my "good" reptiles (Tyrannids! Blame that on CITV and the animated karate dinosaurs and 'the like' for being "goodies", wait until Tyrannids start killing his Space Marine patrols is all I'll say!), in fact viewing them as part-ownership rather than Daddy's. He always liked the look of the flying ones and thus a squadron of Gargoyles.

All-in-all a bumper Xmas haul, watch this space for the pilgrim's progress  ;)