Watermelons on the Road to Tobruk

The Italian Semovente with a 75mm L18 gun did serve the Italian Armed Forces fairly well. The HEAT shell could knock out most British tanks, and it served in both North Africa and Italy. This model is the Tamiya Semovente with markings from the Ariete armored division. Many details were added to the interior, for example radio, shelves, pistol ports, and levers in the driving compartment. Some photo-etch to the hatches and to the brackets for the pioneer tools as well as the engine vent. The figures are modified with various pieces, including a Hornet Carristi head, a fez and arms  from a Bosnian Gebirgsjaeger, and lots of putty. The Beretta is from an Italeri Italian parachutist kit, and I did not add a sling, since tankers tend to avoid things that snag in an AFV. The cart and the fruit is scratch-built. The base is a mix of plaster of paris with a dusting of baking soda. 

KLM McDonnell Douglas DC-9, an Airfix kit in 1/144 scale

The DC-9 was the aircraft that evolved into the MD-80, MD81s and other mid-range aircraft that can be seen all over the world today. This 1970s-era Airfix kit entertained me for more than a week while I was on a business trip and had some evenings in a hotel room. The decals were in very poor shape, but I had to make do with what I had immediately available, so there's plenty of patchwork and slight yellowing. The KLM livery was a nice change from military colors, though, and the kit came together rather nicely.