Hungary 1945 a 6mm Project continued.

This project is always simmering in the background, the look I'm after for both sides is a cold wet Hungarian winter. Here's a shot from Operation Konrad in 1945, cold, wet, bare trees!

The photo below is one of my Soviet command stands and I've never been happy with the trees I'm using.

Like the majority of wargamers I buy trees as a bit of an afterthought, the ones I get are ok, the photo above is a pine tree and they do deciduous as well in a couple of colours, however, what I was really after was a deciduous tree in winter, bare without leaves.
Now I've tried different things, making the trees from wire as described on the GHQ website but they didn't look right.
For my middle east 6mm forces I'd used some superb palm trees from the model tree shop, these are expensive but brilliant, check out the photo below

Anyhow I contacted the model tree shop told him what I was after and for deciduous trees in the size I was after he mentioned some brass trees that came in a number of different foliage colours. The colour wasn't important and the proverbial flash of inspiration came and I asked him if he thought the foliage would come off ? He wasn't sure but suggested sending one out so I could experiment. As normal with the model tree shop a package arrived the next day! Before I go any further here's the link for the company, they are excellent to deal with, have superb products and their service is outstanding!
http://www.themodeltreeshop.co.uk/
The tree arrived I looked at the attached foliage and was sure burning would get rid of it! The photo below shows a tree on the right before its been napalmed, the tree on the left is after.

All it required was cleaning and a very minor Trunk thickening. Because the trees are etched brass they are 2 dimentional now this isn't a problem when the foliage is on but without they need a bit more substance, this is easily achieved with semi circle section plastic rod glued to the trunk and then it and the minor branches thickened up with liquid greenstuff.
This next photo shows the rod and greestuff added to the tree and it ready for paint and planting

Heres a photo of the same Soviet command stand from above but with one of my bare trees replacing the pine.

More like it! This is more the look I was after. If you order any trees for my treatment let Mr. Model tree shop know you've read about it here! The latest stand to have the tree treatment, a Soviet CO stand.
Later, Dougie