Henschel Hs 129 Build part 1

Airfix Henschel HS129

In September we have a Nostalgia build for kits or figures designed pre 2000 and no longer in production. I have elected to build a Airfix Henschel HS129 kit. I actually already have two kits built for this aircraft, one 20mm cannon and one 75mm canon. This model will become a photo reconnaissance aircraft that was shot down east of Laval in August 1944.


Looking forward to the build if you want to join us here on The Wargamers Forum

Cheers
Matt

T-26 Tanks....... Вперед

 T26 tanks forward!

The last of the recent purchases of from Clive models, five diecast T26, these are absolutely lovely pieces and I suspect a little more robust for wargaming then the current plastic kits I have. Another pre purchase for nexts years project (I tell myself that!) 

I will only give these guys a wash and grime job, plus basing and they will join my Russian horde. 

Russian T26 tanks

cheers

Matt

T34 атаковать!

 T34 Assault !

I picked up some diecast T34s from Clive for my early Russian army, which I plan to paint next year. Further additions to the stash....... a repaint I suspect is on the cards too.

cheers

Matt 

JU86 d1 build Part 1

Junkers JU86 D1 build

Well a cold wet day kept me from doing external chores so I elected to pull out some kits from the stock and decided upon the Italeri Junkers JU86D1 and four others to assemble over the coming week of predicted wet weather.

 Originally I purchased this for SCW aerial dogfights, but as it is a little large I have decided to add it to my Luftwaffe for the invasion of Poland where I believe the JU86D1 flew its only combat missions of ww2 with Kampfgeschwader 1 /III, (I do quite like the 5th Staffel KG254 1937 colours below).

I will paint in the early war pattern I think, and as a wargaming flying model, as very little information exists for the JU86D1 service. 

JU 86 colour ideas

JU86 colour ideas

cockpit Interior 

looking at the forward bombardier/gunners position

The  dorsal gunners position; and within a retractable ventral position

Interior commenced RLM 02 brush painted

 

cheers

Matt

Leo 1 Bundeswehr

 Leo 1 Diecasts

So Clive (at Clives Diecast and kits) had some Leo 1s on sale recently and I could not resist picking up some to add to my Bundeswehr, so now a new complete battalion,  a second battalion for my cold war Bundeswehr army. I hope to get some games in this year and try to stem the Soviet and Warpac hordes...A repaint in the workshop over the summer months, some stowage and some crew added is on the cards!

cheers

Matt

50th Infantry Division Tyne Tees Project Part 2

 50th Infantry Division

This years big ww2 project is the 50th Infantry Division for D-Day to Holland. I have chosen my favourite 20mm figs for my Brits from my stash of Britannia miniatures. Painting has commenced and is more than halfway complete of the infantry figures after three days.

I will break this into the 69th division first, plus support elements, then perhaps another infantry Division later on. Rapid Fire rules so Battalions are around 40 figures.

69th Infantry Brigade Brigadier F.Y.C Knox

• 6th Battalion, Green Howards lt Col R.H.W.S Hastings
• red flash behind cap badge

• 7th Battalion, Green Howards lt Col P.H Richardson

• 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment lt Colonel G.W White

1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers (D-Day)
6th Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers

81 SQN 

Churchill AVRE fascine Built not painted
Churchill Avre Bobbin Built not painted

Churchill bridgelayer Built not painted

Royal Armoured Corps (D-Day)

Westminster Dragoons

HQ 

dingo built

M14 AA (not Purchased)

2 x trucks complete

M32 Sherman Armoured Recovery Vehicle (not built)

A sqn 2 x sherman crab flail tanks (not built)

C sqn 2 x sherman crab flail tanks  (not built)

141st Royal Tank Regiment (all of the regiments churchills names began with S)
I will model 

C Squadron commanded by lt Shearman 13 troop small turret number 13

Three crocodiles from 13 Troop landed at La Riviere where one floundered in a deep underwater crater and the other two crocodiles were able to get ashore.

1 x churchill crocodiles ("Sandgate" T173174H commanded by lt John Shearman MC) Built not painted

1 x Churchill crocodile ("Sandling "T173174  commanded by Sgt Reg Webb) (not purchased)

The two crocodiles supported the 7th Green Howards (69th Brigade, 50th Infantry Division) assault on the La Marefontaine gun battery (WN32) which contained four Czech 100mm guns located in fields outside the hamlet of La Marefontaine south of Ver-Sur-Mer.

Royal Marines (D-Day)
1st Royal Marine Armoured Support Regiment

A troop
1 x centaur

No. 47 (Royal Marine) Commando

HQ coy (partial complete)
4 companies (partial complete)

Royal Artillery

74th (Northumbrian) Field Regiment

296th (4th) Durham

298th (1st) Durham

102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Regiment

99th battery

2 6pdrs Guns and bren carrier

1 M10

288th battery

2 x 6pdrs and bren carriers

1 M10

198th battery (attached from 73rd AT regiment)

2 x M10

234th battery (attached from 73rd AT regiment)

2 x M10

25th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Polston AA 20mm gun and tow

1 x crusader AA

82nd LAA battery

Bofors AA battery

2022 project will be the DLI

151st Infantry Brigade Brigadier R.H Senior

6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry lt Col A. E Green
8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry lt Col R. P Lidwell

9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry lt Col H.R Woods 
(The 9th DLI left 30 November 1944, joined 131st Brigade, 7th Armoured Division)

231st Infantry Brigade Brigadier A.B.G Stainer

1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment lt Col H.D.N Smith

1st Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment lt Col E.M Norrie

2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment lt Col C.A.R Neville

56th Brigade Brigadier E.C Pepper

2nd Battalion The Essex regiment lt Col J.F Higson

2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment lt Col D.W Biddle

2nd battalion South Wales Borderers  lt Col R.W Craddock

Corps Elements 

61st Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps

plus assorted trucks, medical and bits

cheers

Matt

BAOR Chieftans

 BAOR Chieftain

Another purchase from my mate Clive, some more diecast chieftains  for my project, not high on the list but something I want to complete before next years effort to play a few more cold war wargames with my local south african mate Wilhelm.

Cheers 

Matt

cheers

Matt

 

Soviet Motorised troops Part 1 WIP

 

 Soviet Motorised Troops 

I have started to refocus to complete a number of my projects for 2021 and my Soviet motorised troops are next on the list for completion. I am using Elhiem miniatures Russians to fill out my recon and motorised battalions in camouflage suits. I will probably pick up a second regiment in the coming months to bring them up to a brigade combat group.

 I am following my previous recipe for the for camouflage. Vallejo Green with dark sand splotches, washed then highlighted in same with a hint of bleached bone. 

cheers

Matt