LATE WAR AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY IN THE PACIFIC 28mm

I was torn between portraying early war or late war Australian platoon. 
I finally decided to go with  Late war Australians sporting the greener uniform as opposed to the Khaki uniform of the early war Aussies. 
I purchased the 28mm Perry metal range to portray them,
together with a box of Perry plastic 8th army, which I purchased a while back during a bargain sale for less than half price. 
The plastic Perry figures would make up the numbers. 
What appealed to me about the Perry figures is there realistic poses and they look normal as opposed to the Heroic look.

  

Metal figures just out of the box ready to commence trimming the metal flash, I must admit there was quite a bit of flash to trim off.

Perry plastic 8th army figures converted into late war Australians using Green stuff putty, converting the shorts into long trousers. 

Perry metal slouch hats where also used to replaced about half the Platoons hard helmets.

I decided to scratch build some Owen sub-machine gun. 

I used metal wire, soldered together and trimmed to shape to form the Owen gun.

Figures undercoat with a black primer.

Figures completed.

All the riflemen.

All these figures are metal, the slouch hats were added by trimming off the metal helmets and gluing the slouch hats in position.

Added tuffs, I make my own tuffs using DIY static grass applicator. 

I decide to allow a bit more of the  brown to show on the base of the figure, so that they would be easier to spot in the jungle terrain. 

Four Bren teams, a mix of metal and plastic figure.

Bren team, first figure is a plastic the others are metal figures.

Junior Leaders with square bases, some with sub-machine guns others with rifles.

Senior Leaders with pistols, I could not make up my mind which one to keep as a SL, so I painted them both.

Metal figure on the left, plastic on the right.
Hexagon base was used to distinguish them from the rest of the troops.

Senior Leaders, one with Owen smg the other with a rifle.

Both are plastic figures.

Plenty of sub-machine guns for the Aussies troopers.

2"(metal) mortar team.

 

This plastic figure is matched up with a metal slouch hat. The PIAT is a spare part from the Warlord games late war British infantry set, I had to modify it to match the figure.

ATR team.metal figures.

This figure is from Eureka range of late war Australians, it was a pleasure to paint as is was sculptured with well defined lines and hardly any flash to trim off. 

I also added a rifle strap with Milliput.

It fits in nicely with the rest of the Perry figures.

Painting guide:

Metal Helmet:

1.Base coat: Vallejo Model colour Russian uniform.

2.Washed : Agrax Earthshade, once dry place a thin layer of Nulin oil wash around the rim base of the helmet. 

3.Dry brush with VMC Russian uniform with a touch of VMC Iqaui sand.

4. Add more VMC Iquai sand to the Russian uniform and drybrush the top of the helmet and some of the edges.

5. VMC Black Grey spots to add some wear on the helmet.

Slouch hat:

1. Base coat with Vallejo Model colour English uniform.

2. wash with Agrax Earthshade 

3. Highlight with VMC English uniform 

4. further highlight by progressively adding VMC Iquai sand to the base coat.

Uniform:

1. Base coat with VMC Olive grey

2. wash with Agrax Earthshade 

3. Highlight with VMC Olive grey

4. further highlight by progressively adding VMC Iquai sand.

Webbing,Gaiters and rifle strap :

1. Base coat with VMC Khaki

2, wash with Agrax Earthshade

3. Highlight with VMC Khaki

4. Further highlight by progressively adding VMC Iquai sand.

I just managed to complete my Australian platoon a day before  they were due to be shipped out to the Chain of Command event at CANCON 2019

Only posting a  couple images from CANCON,( as a lot were posted by different people on Facebook) 

I recommend visiting Mark's blog: Tactical Painter if you are interest in viewing some great images of the gaming tables taken by Mark. 

Anyway the Australians are  making their way across the paddy fields toward the Japanese JOP. 

Aussie section watching a Mortar Barrage blasting the Japanese.

Hard going thru Kunai grass. 

cheers John