From time to time I’ll reach into the hobby vault to feature models painted before I started this blog.

Let’s take a trip back in time. My wife had been doing a lot of shopping at the craft store, and I had been eyeing a F-15 plastic model kit like one that I lusted after as a kid. I never really got into model airplanes as a kid. It turns out that $30 is unimaginably expensive to a nine-year-old but quite affordable to an employed adult. So I bought it and put it together.

With that done, I thought I’d try some 40k again. I had a bunch of stuff in the closet from when I briefly played in the 2nd and 3rd edition era. While I made some attempts at painting back then, most was unpainted, including this squad. I read some articles, watches some videos, and bought some paints.

Then, with a handful of painted models, I had an excuse to try playing again. I found a pickup game at the local shop with a kind soul who was willing to put up with my ignorance. Things kind of snowballed from there.

From time to time I’ll reach into the hobby vault to feature models painted before I started this blog.

These metal sniper scouts were part of my original second edition foray into 40k, but left unpainted until 2009 or so. If I recall correctly, there were only two sculpts for the single-piece models, so a full squad would include duplicates.

These models represent an early attempt at camo. The cloaks have some blotches of gray. Not particularly effective, but at least it’s subtle enough to be ignored.

From time to time I’ll reach into the hobby vault to feature models painted before I started this blog.

The Stormtalon was released as part of an early wave of Flyers, and painted at about the same time.

While trying to get the struts painted on the transparent canopy piece to match the finish on the rest of the model, I held it too close to a rattle can of varnish, giving it the frosted appearance shown. That was not the plan. On the plus side, that saved me from needing to paint the pilot and cockpit.

In honor of Tanksgiving, I present this Vindicator.

This model would have been purchased in around 2000, during my third edition foray into Warhammer. Then it sat unpainted until around 2012 when I got back into the game.

The kit is the old plastic Rhino kit with a substantial metal upgrade pack. The side armor consists of six separate panels, giving the model real heft. The figure sticking out of the top is a lot smaller than a standard marine, highlighting the inconsistent scale of vehicles and infantry.