Humvee repaint (1 Viewer)

[Wraith]

Thought I'd do a roll along of a repaint I'm starting.
I can't bring myself to part with $4-500 for the K&C SF03 Humvee set, but I did spot a Maisto version of the Humvee. The scale is pitched at 1/27, but I figured it was probably close enough, so I stuck a bid in on one on ebay and picked it up for £2. These are at the better end of the toy vehicles rather than collector vehicles, but at this price, I could completely screw it up and it wouldn't matter a hoot.

The detail on the vehicle is pretty good and after doing a bit of research, appears pretty authentic. It's die cast and plastic mix with rubbery tyres. The MG is poor, but everything else should be workable.

Here's the Humvee out of the box, with an SF figure for scale comparison.

 

[Wraith]

Started by splitting the chasis and bodywork:

There is some interior detailing and more than enough once it's put back together again.

 

[Wraith]

On the research I did, I found that there's a mixture of vehicles in service both with and without the bullbars, but I decided the vehicle looked meaner and more purposeful without, so I chopped various things up to remover them from the rest of the plastic bumper.

Don't let children play with sharp knives. They're dangerous apparently, and that plastic was far harder than it looked.

 

[Wraith]

Next up was filling the holes in the bonnet. There's insuffucient detail (i.e. none) under the bonnet to leave the holes visible:

Just waiting for the first load of paint to dry now.

 

[aujj65]

Thought I'd do a roll along of a repaint I'm starting.
I can't bring myself to part with $4-500 for the K&C SF03 Humvee set, but I did spot a Maisto version of the Humvee. The scale is pitched at 1/27, but I figured it was probably close enough, so I stuck a bid in on one on ebay and picked it up for £2. These are at the better end of the toy vehicles rather than collector vehicles, but at this price, I could completely screw it up and it wouldn't matter a hoot.

The detail on the vehicle is pretty good and after doing a bit of research, appears pretty authentic. It's die cast and plastic mix with rubbery tyres. The MG is poor, but everything else should be workable.

Here's the Humvee out of the box, with an SF figure for scale comparison.

Simon,

I can't believe that you are going to repaint this I mean all this lovely GREEN is going to be covered in sand?

Jeff

Nah, what I really meant to say was a bargain for £2 and makes for a interesting topic. I’m looking forward to seeing the next stage.

 

[Wraith]

Simon,

I can't believe that you are going to repaint this I mean all this lovely GREEN is going to be covered in sand?

Jeff

Nah, what I really meant to say was a bargain for £2 and makes for a interesting topic. I’m looking forward to seeing the next stage.

Now that I've finally managed to get some green, I've lost interest in the colour. I've chucked a second coat of luuurvely sand coloured paint on. I'll get some shots up later.

 

[nmrocks]

Nice choice, I'll be following your progress. So it looks from the figure to be just a wee bit small versus K&C? do you have the K&C version to put side by side?
Ray

 

[Alexdakar]

Simon this should be a cool project. I've seen a 1/24 scale version and was thinking of getting it but I have never done a modern paint scheme so I'm watching to see how you do yours. Great so far.

 

[Wraith]

Scale wise, it looks about right for K&C. That figure shown is a bit on the beefy side compared with some of the others, but the rest don't look to far off. Unfortunately, I don't have the SF03 Humvee for comparison, but I've got a FOV and a Figarti one, and they are both noticibly smaller.

I peeled off the adhesive wing mirrors (cause they look pretty cool) to stick back on after painting. I also dismantled the vehicle a bit more. Hopefully be able to get it to fit back together again.

Here's the Humvee after a couple of coats of Games Wrokshop 'Bleached Bone' - my fave colour of the moment (it's no good Jeff, I've already bought up all the available stock - you ain't doing another 'green' on me )

Got some black in for the bonnet grill, ready for drybrushing over:

Plus interior bits:

Washing, weathering and wetail work next.

 

[Wraith]

I started off giving this a reddy brown wash, but it was too stark a difference, so I toned it down a bit. This wasn't picking up a lot of the detail so I drybrushed brown over raised areas to pick out the detail, then gave a sandy coloured streaky effect from front to back.

Used a heavy wash and wipe on the tyres and gave the interior a bit of a drybrush.

added a dash or orange and red for lights. Drybrushed base colour over the front and bonnet grills.
'Borrowed' a .50cal from the nearest US WWII tank I could lay my hands on, as I can't do anything with the MG that was provided with the vehicle - it just looks naff.

The driver is from the SF03 set. I managed to get this as a single some time ago. Now shoehorned in to the Humvee.

 

[Wraith]

Opening doors!

And 'real' mirrors

Back end. The lights are a little incorrect, so the closest I could get without more major surgery was by painting out the bottom half. I was originally going to ditch the aerial that came with it and use piano wire, but the photos I've been using as a guide show that the aerials on these things are pretty thick and substantial.

And finally with a couple of K&Cs Special Forces series, to give an indication of scale. I think it looks pretty close.

I'll have to have a think as to whether to put any decals on the vehicle. The photos I've seen of these in Iraq, don't show much in the way of stencilling or unit insignia.

Just bought another one of these. I'm gonna get me a convoy.

Simon

 

[thebritfarmer]

Looks at absolutely fab Simon and you couldn't really go wrong for the price you paid.

Great Job !!

 

[Alexdakar]

That turned out great and good weathering showing the details.

 

[nmrocks]

That turned out real well and the scale looks good as well. You've sold me! I'm going to start a search for one of my own to covert.
Congratulations,
Ray

 

[Wraith]

Cheers guys. Quick and straight forward.

Look forward to seeing what you come up with Ray. I might get a bit more adventurous and do a bit more cutting up on another one to go for a more open Special Forces type. There seem to be that many variations floating around in military service, that I don't think I could go too far wrong.

Simon

 

[nmrocks]

So I found a couple on line and there headed my way, Simon, got another question.
You ever see an equivelant Land rover to set up for modern use? thought it might be more likely in the UK?
Ray

 

[Wraith]

So I found a couple on line and there headed my way, Simon, got another question.
You ever see an equivelant Land rover to set up for modern use? thought it might be more likely in the UK?
Ray

Unfortunately not. There seem to be odd ones in 1/32 but nothing in 1/27 - 1/30. They'd probably need a bit more work to them to get them militarized, but I was looking out for one.
The other one I was looking for (and couldn't find anything suitable) was a Toyota Hi Lux or similar pick up, to use as an insurgent vehicle. I'll keep looking.
Look forward to you working your mod-magic on the Humvees. I've got a couple more heading my way also.

Simon

 

[Currahee Chris]

Simon

great work!!!

My understanding is that the SF troopers in Afghanistan are using soft or open tops when engaging hostiles (that may have changed lately though)- mostly because the IED threat isn't nearly as prevalent there as Baghdad. The open tops allow more freedom of movement to select your targets which is why we see the KC version like it is or even Elite Force with their 1:18th scale sporting a recoiless rifle in an open top.

But, as you say, there have been many variants in service so who knows.

If you are considering minor details- you could consider bumper numbers. It would read as such underneath the front headlights. Consider for example the following bumper number from a 506 hummer:

Left corner 2ID 1-506 INF
Right Corner D-24, D-22, C-6, etc etc

what does this mean??

The vehicle belongs to the Second infantry division, 1-506 Infantry regiment. The vehicle is with Delta company, second platoon, 4th squad. If you are planning to use it as part of a convoy, you will want to go with numbers like A-12, A-13, B 22, B24, etc. Numbers over 10 are typically warfighters and companies like A, B, C, etc are your combat companies.

If you want to use it as a command vehicle, consider HHC 6, 4, etc. 6's are typically your company commanders, 1-4 are typically your battalion command staff 1 being the LT Colonel, 2 being the XO, 3 being the SMAJ, etc.

Over 6 you are dealing with other support elements- medics, commo teams, etc.

Another little super detail you could add on- TP 20 over the front wheel wells, directly over the tires, and TP 25 over the rear wheel wells. This stand for Tire pressure and I have seen some really crafty WW2 guys do this with some 151 jeeps.

I'd double check this information as I am working off of my memory here which is sketchy at best right now

I'd be pretty impressed if you could pull that off- it would require a far far steadier hand than mine!! Perhaps Damian would be willing to give you a hand!!

Hope that helps!! Very well done!!
CC

 

[Wraith]

Chris,

Outstandingly helpful, many thanks for the suggestions and breakdown of what the letters / figures stand for. I'll get an insy tinsy brush and see what I can get sorted out. Or alternatively, I might get some dry transfers .

Just by coincidence, I've started dismantling another couple of these ready for priming and painting. I also got one of the Humvee S2 concept vehicles, which I plan to cut up for an open top SF vehicle. Won't be entirely realistic, but we could always describe it as a trial vehicle
And at £2 - £3 each, I'm not losing too much sleep if it's not entirely accurate. To misquote Mr G Clooney, "That's what makes SF so badass, we get the best Humvees"

Cheers again for the info.

Simon

 

[panda1gen]

Simon, great thread, inspiring! Thanks.