In the cover story of the October 2009 FineScale Modeler, Jim Wechsler shares five simple steps to paint fantastic faces. He says, “Though I don’t consider myself a figure painter, I love to put figures on my armor models.”

Here is a gallery of Jim’s armor, all enhanced with well-painted figures.
Jim’s 1/35 scale Tamiya M4A3 (76) HVSS Sherman “Thunderbolt VII” represents the command tank of Col. Creighton Abrams, namesake of the modern M1 Abrams main battle tank.

This Resicast 1/35 scale British Sherman V duplex drive with flotation collar has an AFV Club suspension, Tiger Models hatches and road wheels, and RHPS track.

Jim’s Light Horse Brigade M1025 Humvee was built from the 1/35 scale Tamiya kit. Jim added the motorcycle and Eduard photoetched details.

Jim calls his model of a Ukrainian T-84U Oplot “almost a scratchbuild.” The 1/35 scale model features parts from Skif, Dragon, Miniarm, SP Designs, Eduard, and Armour Track Models, with lots of scratchbuilt details. The Oplot is based on the Russian T-80 but features an enlarged turret with an autoloader. Jim marked the model as one of the prototypes.

Jim added a scratchbuilt interior, an Accurate Armor engine, Eduard photoetched parts, and Fruilmodel tracks to his Cromwell Mk.VI representing the 1944 British army.

Don’t miss these FSM Direct armor collections:

• “Paint and weather scale armor”
• “Modeling realistic Sherman tanks”
• “Modeling realistic T-34 tanks”
• “Model modern American armor”
• “Build, detail, and weather a Tiger”

Browse FineScale.com’s archive of armor how-to articles.