"I Must Get Back To The Doctor And Report To Him."

"There was a mechanical monster. And it moved, it just killed someone."

This 28mm metal single-cast figure is sold by by "Black Tree Design" and is available as Code DW151 - Ben from their "Doctor Who" miniatures range. Sculpted to represent "an able seaman on a shore posting", the miniature is clearly based upon the First and Second Doctors' companion Ben Jackson, who initially appeared in Ian Stuart Black's 1966 BBC Television story "The War Machines".

Originally primed using a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black, the Royal Navy sailor was subsequently heavily dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal and given a healthy dose of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then painted his trousers with a lick of "Two Thin Coats" Marine Blue, and darkened them down with a solid sploshing of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Lastly, I gave the pants some rough highlights by dry-brushing (more) Marine Blue by "Two Thin Coats" across the clothing's folds.

"Black Tree Design" WIPs - Whilst painting these Sea Devils I've noticed one is missing their right head-fin

With the basics completed I dabbed some "Vallejo" Gold onto the buttons of Ben's duffle-coat, before carefully applying some "Two Thin Coats" White Star and "Vallejo" Pale Grey to the top of his cap. At this stage I did also consider providing actor Michael Craze's character with some sort of jumper, as the 'official' paint-job appeared to show one poking out from under the top of his heavy coat. However, the figure itself didn't look as if it had any such garment on, so I simply stuck with the open neck look - which is actually how the time traveller appears on the small screen.

Considering that Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, the rest of His Majesty's Naval Base, the D-Day Museum and the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower are all local, I had thought this vintage (Sixties) sailor would be perfectly eligible for the Fourteenth Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC) and its Challenge Library's Local History section. However, my scoring minion felt it somehow didn't meet the criteria of being "something from the history of your own land, region or town", so frustratingly decided not to award me the twenty bonus points.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - This Marsh Beast has been primed, shaded and dry-brushed

Despite this disappointing blow to my AHPC plans, I have continued 'cracking on' with the five "Black Tree Design" Sea Devils I intend to add to my flourishing Reptilia Sapiens force. Having spent a session patiently applying some highlights upon the quintet's webbed feet, three-clawed hands, and prominent head-fins, as well as working on their blasters and eyeballs, I now only need to tidy up their fishnet clothing before they'll be ready for a coat of "Vallejo" Matt Varnish.

Sticking with science-fiction, though moving on to "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", I've made some significant in-roads on the Lincolnshire-based company's fair-sized Marsh Beast. This multi-piece resin kit is clearly inspired by the Arborian Swamp Creature from the cult 1980 film "Flash Gordon", and should prove a fairly straightforward mini-project to complete now I've finished pigmenting the bulk of the brute...

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