Bren Carrier Update

Moved on a bit more with the Bren Carrier. It's getting there. I added the trooper to give it it's sense of scale. I was looking at the old Airfix box artwork for their 1.72 scale model Carrier and the guy peeping over from the drivers position is tiny compared to the Carrier (a little artistic license going on there I think). Anyway, i've ended up messing around with the artwork as some kind of basic model packaging. I added a filtered parchment over the image and filtered it with color burn to scruff the look up a bit more (less computer generated). Text, well just rekindling my fondness for Akzidenz Grotesk as a header font. Lovely.

Bren Carrier

And another incomplete project. Been studying the ubiquitous little Universal Carrier recently. Used mainly for transporting men and equipment, around 113,00 of these little tracked vehicles were produced from 1934 onwards, making this the most numerous AFV in history. Also known as the Bren carrier, it would mount a Bren gun in the commander's position to the left of the driver, and often another Bren on a pintle mount in the back.

When I was young I used to think it was rubbish, and was drawn to the German heavy tanks like everyone else. But the little carrier has some charm about it, and I don't care if it doesn't mount an 88mm gun!

Drawn in: Adobe Illustrator. Vectors, using a refurbished carrier photograph as basic guide.

RAF Phantom FGR.2 (3)

Managed an hour or so on the Phantom. Work continues around the tail section. Got hold of some reference for the tops of the ejection seats, and these have been added.

Royal Marine, Falklands 1982 (2)

Royal Marine, Falklands 1982

Pushing the envelope a little bit doing some DPM camouflage, a tricksy pattern. SLR and a huge bergen to add in here.

RAF Phantom FGR.2 update

I've put some more time in on the 56 Squadron Phantom FGR.2 commission. Am pleased with the results so far. Next step will be all the work around the tail and back end.

Imperial German field gun

Next up in the works in progress is an illustration of some breech loading imperial German artillery. I'm working from limited sources on a C/64 8cm field piece with a Saxon gun crew. Its impossible to find a good reference for this particular gun type, which was used in the Franco-Prussian war, i've been able to muster a few shots of it, some poor and some so so.

Because of this, it's probably not truly accurate, but short of going to the military museum in Rastatt, Germany (where I think there is a fine example of the gun) it's the best I can do.

RAF Phantom FGR.2 nose

Saxon infantryman (1870) WIP (2)

Worked a little more on this chap. Working it as a DPS though I may just make it one A3 sized plate. It's going to take some time to finish the intricate helmet plate. Need to shoehorn the belt plate in if I can too.

The Blue Max

Not the George Peppard 1966 movie. The other day I saw a book on a militaria website about German medals with the Pour le Merite (Prussia's highest military order) on the front. I liked the layout and colours so much I drew it in my lunch hour.

Saxon infantryman (1870) WIP

Another colour plate i'm working on. Taken from a period photograph of the subject. I'll be adding details on belt plate, pack and mess tin to this one as well at some point. (Adobe Illustrator)

Homage to Rochling V

Fairey Swordfish MK I

Another work in progress aircraft profile i've been drawing. This is Swordfish W5856, one of the Royal Navy Historic Flight's aircraft. Sporting the livery of 810 squadron embarked on Ark Royal, 1939. I love the old 'stringbag', and have always been proud that these obsolete warhorses fought with courage right through WWII.

Hurricane MK I, 303 Squadron, Sept 1940

Something i've been working on in Adobe Illustrator. It's the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain this year, and Hurricanes and Spitfires have been flitting around in my head.

Reflecting the international composition of Fighter Command, this machine was Flying Officer Z K Henneberg's, a member of the famed 303 (Polish) Squadron.