ERC-90s from CinC

Wargames Emporium had their stock of models resupplied from CinC in the States and shipped out my Sagaie models, so here is the finished unit, the 1e Regt Hussars Parachutistes, three companies of three Sagaie platoons plus a HQ.  These seem to be allocated to larger formations by company, presumably to provide a bit of extra recce weight.

A couple of shots of the whole regiment.

One of the Sagaies in more detail.  These are really detailed models, although the barrel is a bit bendy, but fortunately doesn't seem too brittle.

The HQ stand, with a CinC Sagaie, I think a H&R VAB (courtesy of Ian Shaw - thanks Ian) and a command team from the Vietnam range by Irregular.

I've got some infantry on order from Mainforce to wrap up the legionnaires in VABs and some odds and ends from Scotia to complete a couple of HQ stands and that should be the French wrapped up ready for the megagame in September.

Now on the workbench is a whole bunch of 1980's British and Soviet armour.  I had a couple of armies for 1991 Gulf War, but was never happy with the paint job and it was never fun playing the Iraqis, so I've soaked them in Dettol and stripped them.  Unfortunately, the Howard Hues paints I used seem to have reacted oddly with the Dettol and turned into sticky goo which needed some scrubbing to get rid off.  Anyway, apart from the residual smell of Dettol, they are as good as I'm going to get and will be next on the workbench, although a Gripping Beast Saga army has been waiting patiently since Christmas, so it may be time to get them done as well.

Thanks for looking.

15mm WW2 British infantry

Not a lot happening on the painting table at the moment.  I've been putting together various Plastic Soldier Company kits that I picked up at various shows, so they will need painting up shortly.  I've been putting together the makings of a British infantry company for FoW games at the club, based mainly on various Skytrex packs that I bought probably 20 years ago or so, with some Peterpig and Battlefront figures, mainly specialist troops and crews respectively.

1st platoon, 6 stands of infantry, one each command, PIAT and 2" mortar stand.

3" mortar platoon, 6 stands of mortars, 2 observer teams and command.

Some very old Battlefront 6pdrs with command and PIAT team.

2 Sniper teams.

2nd platoon

 3rd platoon

 4th platoon

Vickers MG platoon, 4 MG stands and command.

4.2" heavy mortar platoon, 4 mortars, 2 observers and command.

Pioneer platoon, 3 pioneers and command

25pdr battery, 4 guns, 2 observers, command and staff team

17pdr battery, 2 guns plus command

Pheasant 17pdr battery, 2 guns plus command

2nd 25pdr battery, 4 guns, 2 observers, command and staff team plus a Universal Carrier observer vehicle.

The staff team, a despatch rider hands over an urgent fire request.

As above.

When I finish the Shermans and Cromwells I've been putting together, I'll post pics of the British armour.

Thanks for looking.

Airfix Sopwith Pup

It's WW1 week at school for my son at the moment.  He asked me what WW1 aircraft looked like, which took me aback at first.  For me growing up in the 60's, both granddads were WW1 veterans and I had several Great Uncles who were also veterans, plus a Great Uncle who as part of family lore had died at a place called Merville in N France in 1918.  As an aside, I found his burial place in Aval Wood Military Cemetary, just outside Merville, so family lore was pretty accurate.  Sadly, I found he died within 2 days of arriving in France, at the age of 19 - not enough time to understand what was going on!  Anyway, stories from my elders and a trusty Airfix catalogue, plus a copy of "Biggles Pioneer Airfighter" meant that I was up to speed with Fokkers, Rumplers, Albatross, Camels, SE5a, RE8s, Handley Paiges and Bristol Fighters before I knew my times tables.

So, as he was interested in what they looked like, I decided apart from internet pictures, I'd build him a model.  I looked at the next show coming up, which was Phalanx in St Helens.  I was surprised that no one there was selling Airfix WW1 model aircraft and mentioned this to Will from the Deeside Defenders club.  He mentioned he had a model he wasn't going to build and brought it along to the next club night as a gift for my son.  So, I found myself with a Sopwith Pup model to put together.  Although fiddly, it was surprisingly easy to assemble and a lot of fun to paint.

A change from the kits I remembered from my childhood was the addition of a pair of formers which held the upper and lower wings in lace to give the model the correct dihedral angle.  Still fiddly, but less so.

Painted up in Vallejo colours, Buff undersides, Chocolate Brown fuselage and upper wings, oily steel engine cowling, gunmetal MG and engine, English uniform prop, struts and undercart, neutral grey patch around cockpit, black grey wheels.  Varnished in Vallejo matt except prop and cowlings in gloss.

Slightly wonky under carriage.  Was slightly off before painting,, but seems to have worsened as the paint and varnish built up.

Fun to build and paint, I was seriously thinking of rigging the flying wires, but then remembered it was for my son, who's almost 6, so I figured it was probably a waste of time.  All I have to do now is hand it over and wait for the crunching sounds......!

Thanks for looking and thanks again Will.

7e (Fr) Armoured Division

I wanted to check that I had completed the project and an excuse to get all the models out to see how they look en mass so to speak.  I also took the opportunity to colour the back of the bases so I can tell which unit a particular stand comes from and to mark up transport stands carrying specialist loads like Milan teams, Stingers, 120mm mortar tows, etc.

The complete division covers over half a standard sized dining table.  On the left at top is the 35e Regt d'Infanterie (mechanised), then moving down the 3e Regt de Cuirassiers, 5e Regt de Dragons and at the bottom the 170e Regt d'Infanterie (mechanised).  On the right is the 30e Group de Chasseurs (motorised).  In the middle of the table is, from the top, the 19e Regt du Genie and attachments from the 6e (Fr) Light Armoured Division, the 1e Regt Etranger, the 1e Spahis and the 1e Regt Hussars Parachutistes.  There's also various heavy bridging equipment and vehicle ferries, divisional A/A assets, the 1e and 60e Regt d'Artillerie, a medical aide station, mechanics field workshop and supply depot.  Finally, all the air assets are also out, 6 Pumas, 4 Gazelles, 3 Allouettes, 3 Mirage IIIs, 3 Mirage F1s and 3 Jaguars.

Viewed from above

Viewed from the front

A slightly different perspective.

Viewed from the side.

The great thing is on checking I found I was two HQ stands short for the 1e Spahis and 1e Hussars and of course I still need to get hold of some ERC-90s to complete 1e Hussars, but everything else is complete and now on colour coded bases.

Thanks for looking.

WW1 aircraft

Here are a couple of shots of the first of a batch of WW1 aircraft I'm tinkering with.  On the left a Fokker Dr1 triplane (H&RGWA303) and on the right a Sopwith Camel (H&RGWA101).  The triplane is painted flat red with hand painted iron crosses,  The Camel is in khaki grey with hand painted roundels.  Both have been washed with army painter dark ink.

At last a chance to relive the stories that thrilled me as a boy, Capt W.E. Johns "Biggles" books, especially "Pioneer Air Fighter", "266" and "The Camels are coming", as well as Nordoff and Hall's "Falcons of France" and of course "Aces High".

I thought these were going to be really tricky to put together, but in the end they turned out to be surprisingly easy and look really good considering the scale.

Thanks for looking.

French light armour

 

I've been adding some light armour to my 1980's French battlegroup.  These will do as assets from 6th Light Division allocated to the heavy armoured division with AMX-30s I've already put together.  They will also be useful for the light armour assigned to the Daguet Brigade for the Gulf War in 1991.

1st Foreign Legion light armoured battalion in AMX-10RCs (H&RFM08).



1st Spahis light armoured battalion, also in AMX-10RCs.

The 1st Regiment Hussar Parachutiste.  These should be in ERC-90s (Sagaies).  I had two (rear left) in my spares box, as well as a couple of AMX-10RCs (rear right).  I ordered 8 from Scotia to make up the numbers but was told the mould is temporarily unavailable and they sent me 6 armoured cars (front row) as replacements which were incorrectly labelled.  I think they are VBC-90s (Scotia FM00015), but I'm not sure.  Either way, I found CinC do Sagaies, so ordered three packs from Wargames Emporium, but have just been told they are on reorder from CinC in the States.  Curses, foiled again.  Hopefully CinC will resupply before September, but if not these will have to do!

An ERC-90 Sagaie on the left and a possible VBC-90 on the right.  Close enough but I'd prefer to get the right vehicles if I can.

As ever, thanks for looking.

Soviet helicopters

A pair of Mil-8 Hips (H&RSMA508), painted in khaki grey with Russian green cammo spots.  Nice little models but a real pig to put together the sponsons with the weapons pods.

Same pair, slightly different view.

A pair of Mil-24 Hind Es (I think; H&RSMA505), the "flying tank" painted in the same scheme as the Hips, my attempt at the Crocodile camouflage pattern.  These should prove unpleasant if they get through NATO air defences.

Thanks for looking.