Swedish Ford Bronco

 Swedish Ford Bronco 

Another repaint of a matchbox car for my Swedish Cold War army collection. I simple strip and repaint, add colour to lights and number plate and base. Quite happy with the result. 

Cheers

Matt

United Nations vehicles

 I picked these two matchbox vehicles up recently and the last two weeks I have been undercoating vehicles and figures. I am back painting Congo units and some insurgents.  I thought I should paint these vehicles with my current batch of technicals and vehicles that are on the workbench. The decals were purchased some time ago for UN vehicles from . Quite Happy with the job

Cheers
Matt

Insurgent Technicals

 Technicals 

You can never have enough technicals for insurgency type games. Some modern technicals for more recent conflicts, I picked up these two prints from eBay with some Elhiem figures, the prints were a bit rough being PLA but with a bit of work look quite serviceable for my current Middle East insurgent collection. I need to add pigments next week when I complete the other four vehicles. 

Cheers

Matt

USAAF C-47 Para Packs

C-47 Para Packs and Pod

The USSAF Aerial Delivery Container were containers that were used by the Airborne Divisions to deliver arms, medical supplies and food. The C-47 "Skytrain" could carry up to six Parapacks in the Paracaissons underslung per flight. 

FORM B PARACHUTE, above photo.
The section pictured above is from the original manifest for C-47A 43-15137 for June 6th 1944. This manifest was known as the Form B Parachute. The document contained the aircraft number, chalk number, mission, crew, date, paratrooper names and cargo. It is signed by the chalk leader Lt. James F. Clarke.

"Chalk 40" carried four containers on June 6th 1944.
Container 1: Light Machine Gun (LMG) & Ammunition, 230 pounds
Container 2: LMG Ammunition & Anti-Tank (AT) Grenades, 220 pounds
Container 3: LMG Ammunition & Anti-Tank (AT) Grenades, 221 pounds
Container 4: S-4 Bundle (Rations), 150 pounds

All containers were cushioned by Griswold bags that were packed with cotton, horsehair or more Griswold bags for breaking down the loads into carry bags. 

Then wrapped in an outer canvas bag for slinging under the aircraft , these could have coloured ends to aid in identification (Arnhem campaign) 

A-4 delivery container 1m long by 60cm Width x 60cm depth 24KG capacity 

This pictures shows some of the combined equipment that would have been carried in the four delivery containers on "Chalk 40" during June 6th 1944: M-1919A4 Light Machine Gun, .30 Caliber Ammunition and M9A1 Anti-Tank Rifle Grenades.

A-5 Delivery container 113cm x 60cm x 60  90KG capacity 

The A-5 Delivery Container consisted of a left end and a right end. The center section consisted of parachute webbing that would be secured over the cargo or a modified Griswold pack at either end to cushion the weapons or ammunition center section. The markings on each end state: TYPE A-5 AERIAL DELIVERY CONTAINER CAUTION MUNITIONS. 

The end of one cover is marked: CO. F for Company F, 2nd Battalion.

A6 delivery container 

The A-6 delivery container was heavy duty cavas packed with stiff Cardboard boxes inside for specialist ammunition, 37mm antitank ammunition, bazooka ammunition, small arms ammunition or mortar rounds . Max weight 90 kg 70cm x 60 x 60cm 

A7 Special delivery container 

A-7 delivery container is a heavy duty canvas bag, and heavy cardboard packs for special weapons, 81mm mortar, tripod, bazooka, 30 cal and  50 cal machine guns. 2m x 60 x 60 max weight 90 kg

Type A-1 Aerial Delivery Container Identification Lamp Assembly, above photo.
The Type A-1 Lamp was used to mark the Parapack when deployed at night. The lamp, or light, aided the paratroopers to find and identify the equipment on the ground. Green lights were used for Quartermaster Corps Class III items - rations, water, clothing; Amber or Yellow lights were used for Ordnance Corps items - ammunition, weapons, spare parts; Red lights were used for Engineer Corps items - mines, explosives; and Blue lights were used for Chemical Warfare Corps items - gas related 

items, chemical grenades (AN-M8 Smoke, M-14 Thermite, etc) smoke shells, and the 4.2" Chemical Mortar and shells.

The Type A-1 Lamp was held to the parapack via two metal loops that could be tied to any part of the pack. A small piece of
plastic was placed between two metal electrical contacts, and when removed, the lamp would illuminate. The lamp was
powered by two BA-30 Batteries or Type "C" cell.

The lamp corresponded to the parachute color for visual identification, when the parapack was descending. Ordnance cargo would have a yellow parachute and yellow lamp. These colors were also used on the crates for shipping these items overseas. These markings were known as "corner markings". An Ordnance Corps crate would have yellow corner markings.

This restored 1943 M3A4 Hand Cart, Utility, in the QuestMasters Museum collection, was made by John Wood Manufacturing Company, Serial Number 19602. The cart is shown with an A-5 Aerial Delivery Container with A-1 Lamp with yellow lens and yellow parachute. The yellow color denoted that the contents of this container contained ordnance supplies, such as ammunition. Colored lamps and parachutes
were used for easy recognition of parapacks or containers during recovery.

The Merville Battery C-47 Skytrain is the only Snfau  Dday aircraft is the only one I have seen fitted with the containers and Cassions 

The only manufacturer of 1/72 racks and containers is the Aero Line brand. 

Cheers

Matt

DDay - 439th troop carrier group 2nd 506th battalion 101st airborne

439th carrier group serial “12” 2nd 506th

Chalk #19 in serial #6a. Under the belly is, like all patfinder aircraft and serial leaders, a radar SCR-717C. Pathfinders were from the 502nd PIR and their duty was to mark the LZ "E”

Serial 12 – 101st Airborne Division – 506th Battalion

Airfield: Upottery
Air transport unit: 439th Troop Carrier Group
Drop zone: C
Drop hour: 01:20
Transported unit: 2nd Battalion, 506th P.I.R.

Legend:

Douglas C-47 Dakota

Destroyed Douglas C-47 Dakota

This table illustrates the flight formation adopted by the air unit in charge of transporting paratroopers on June 6, 1944 during Operation Neptune, as part of the No. 12 serial. The position and the corresponding number (written in chalk on aircraft) are listed as well as the aircraft serial number and the pilot name when known.

 

				#46 42-100851 Tower
			#48 43-15046 Reid		#47 43-15211 Petty
	#52 42-100824 Hogan						#49 42-100825 Imschweiler
#54 42-100641 McCain		#53 42-100828 Smith				#51 42-100826 McBride		#50 42-100830 Blanton
				#55 42-100649 Morris
			#57 42-100837 Beebe (Winters)		#56 43-15087 Pedersen
	#61 42-100844 Ladd						#58 42-100876 Muir 3B
#63 42-100846 Brauer		#62 42-100843 Pender				#60 42-100874 Schultze		#59 42-100838 Beauregard 2nd batn
				#64 43-15213 Morton
			#66 42-93095 Capelluto L4 A		#65 42-100660 Schuman
	#70 42-100847 LePard L4 B						#67 42-100646 Sammons L4 E
#72 42-100885 Padon		#71 42-100818 Harris L4				#69 43-15319 Savercool		#68 43-15049 Francis
				#73 42-100855 Lorimor
			#75 42-100626 Patterson		#74 42-100862 Turner
	#79 43-100853 Berner						#76 42-100849 King
#81 42-100775 Hennicke		#80 091 Dobson				#78 42-93004 Neill		#77

Composition C-47 42-100876 

Piloted by 1st Lieutenant Marvin F. Muir and belonging to the 93rd Transport Squadron (3B), 439th Troop Carrier Group, shot down by the German anti-aircraft defense on June 6, 1944 over Picauville in Normandy while carrying paratroopers belonging to D Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.

It crashes near Sainte-Mère-Eglise.

The crew members died in the crash. The paratroopers had time to jump.

Crew

1 Lt  Marvin F. Muir – O – 541641 – Indiana
2 Lt Kenneth C. Bell – O – 705291
2 Lt John A. Marisay/Martsay – O – 697894
S/Sgt Clifford L. Burgess – 14140642 – Georgia
Sgt Philip Snyder/Synder – 13081009 – Pennsylvania

Paratroopers (D Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division)

Composition of C-47 42-93095 

Piloted by 1st Lieutenant Harold Andrew Capelluto belonging to the 91st Squadron (L4), 439th Troop Carrier Group, shot down by the German anti-aircraft defense on June 6, 1944 over Beuzeville-au-Plain in Normandy while carrying paratroopers belonging to Easy company, 506th Parachute Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division.

It crashed at Beuzeville-au-Plain.

All crew members and paratroopers on board died in the crash.

Crew
1 Lt Harold Andrew Capelluto
2 Lt John Joseph Fanelli
2nd/Lt Bernard Friedman
Sgt Albert R. Tillotson Jr
Sgt Norman E.  Thompson

Paratroopers (Easy Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division)
1 Lt Thomas Meehan
1st/Sgt William S. Evans
S/Sgt Murray B. Roberts
Sgt Elmer L. Murray Jr.
Sgt Richard E. Owen
Sgt Carl N. Riggs
T/5 Herman F. Collins
T/5 Jerry A. Wentzel
T/5 Ralph H. Wimer
William McConigal
Pvt George L.  Elliott
Pfc John N. Miller
Pfc Sergio G. Moya
Pfc Gerald R. Snider
Pfc Elmer L. Telstad
Pfc Thomas W. Warren
Pfc Earnest Oats

2nd Lieutenant Henry L. Harris, 91st Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group, sitting in the cockpit of his plane 'Sultry Sally'