Tauranga locals help paint model soldiers for diorama

Here's another newspaper article about our project.  This time it is the Bay of Plenty Times with a story about our Tauranga crew. The journalist interviewed Bruce Balfour over the phone. The article included the above picture of Greg, who runs the local store and was the distribution centre for the models in Tauranga. 

Valleyboy signs off ...

Valleyboy from Tauranga has just added a great posting on his blog, as he readies his troops for despatch to Wellington:

I must confess to feeling a little sad yesterday when the troops left.

There were however, no tears from sweethearts and family or cheers from supportive crowds as my contingent left for the front. No waving arms or hats were thrown into the air and the band band music was conspicuously absent as there wasn't a bandsman to be seen anywhere. No loud blasts from steam train whistles or ships horns were heard by the throng that had come to see them off from the quay as would have been the case then. No troops crammed in large numbers in small cabins and not one of them elbowed another or stood on his mate’s toes in  an effort to get in a last wave to those on the shore

No it was all bubble wrap and a box as my wife and I carefully wrapped each figure for its journey to Wellington with fingers crossed that too many rifles don’t get bent, paint doesn't rub off helmets or boots  and that arms fixed with Araldite prove to be strong enough ...  read the remainder of this posting

Well done, that man!

Jono's last ten

"That one, second left in the front," says Jono. "He's number 53...my last one. That's why he didn't have time to shave!"

"Had a mate take a look at these. He's ex-army, old school, been around a while, knows a bit. Gave them a nod, then told me that back then they used put Brasso on the brass bits on the webbing then burnt it black...so it didn't shine. I guess mine are all non-smokers, so didn't have access to flame!"

"And for the record, all the painting has been done from this desk. Now, time to clear the MySky planner and get the surfboard back in the water. Bye from Tauranga!" 

Valleyboy's Turks and New Zealanders

The other day Valleyboy from Tauranga took a few more photos of his completed figures, adding a few recently finished Turks.

To date he has managed 18 Turkish infantry, and is now put the finishing touches to 9 Anzacs.  More info on his blog here.

The Turks have the high-ground, as they did at Chunuk Bair.

And some New Zealanders from Tauranga

Here are some pics from Jon Stewart in Tauranga.

Tauranga man with four eyes paints some Turks

Before someone has me on about the title, this was what Valleyboy himself called his posting on the Regional Forums!

"Thankfully after packing up for a house move, moving and then unpacking I've managed to get some Turks finished," he says.

Here are Valleyboy's first twelve figures - he's tried to get a bit of variety into the uniforms.

Turks keep rolling in

This must be the weekend for Turks.  They just keep on coming in waves.

 This latest batch comes from Bruce, who is a member of the Tauranga contingent.