French & Belgian Artillery Tractors

 French Artillery Tractors 

While researching 155mm artillery tow vehicles for my Belgians I was pleasantly surprised to find a number of photos of tractors for towing pieces across country into position from a road. The lighter guns by 1940 had started to receive 4wd trucks and vehicles. The heavy and reserve guns however were still using them in 1940. This must of been a major frustration for mobility of heavy guns as only four tracked tractors was assigned to a battery of French guns and two for the Belgians, with other spare vehicles assigned to the corps artillery reserve. Tractors could be from a number of manufactures Pavezi, Renault HI and Ford for the heavy guns  Clétrac, Ara Alpha Prime 3 (only in Belgian service) and Ford for the 75mm guns, all tracked and mostly underpowered. Obviously this would have slowed the rapid redeployment of medium and heavy guns in a war of movement. 

Now to find a H1 Renault tractor …. Or scratchbuild one….

75mm canon with Cletrac tractor

Artillery school Bretagne, unloading a 75mm 

H1 Renault tractors for the 105mm and the 155mm

H1 Renault tractor 

Captured Belgian tractors in the foreground, behind is two T13 Armoured tank destroyers, and a FT 17 

On the rail car

Wip Wednesday- Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher

Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher

I picked up the PM models IAI Nesher while I was in the Uk. The kit went together well Although it does have a very basic cockpit and the pilot had a lot of flash. I had it together in one evening, filled and sanded. Be a while before I get paint on it I suspect! It came with some lovely transfers and a great paint guide. 

346th Infantry Division Normandy 1944.

 

346th Infanterie -Division 

The 346th was constituted on 21st September in 1942. Based in Bad-Hersfeld as a static division for the Atlantic wall. Originally deployed in Bretagne it was posted to Saint Malo. In December 1943 it was to be formed into a reserve division mobile type 1944 for the 15th Armee in the Somme sector. It was posted to Bolbec north east of Le Harve and occupied the sector with the 17th Luftwaffe field division and the 84th infantry division. 

Order of battle June 1944

HQ 346 Infantry Division Lt Gen E Diestel

Signals 

Fusilier Abteilung 346 (mounted cyclists) 

346 Pioneer Abteilung 

346 Feldersatz (field replacement) Abteilung 

346 Versorgungseinheiten (supply)

Nachrichten Abteilung 346 (communication)

Panzerjager Abteilung  346

I company 

14 x SP 7.5 pak

II company 

1346 Sturmgeschutz battery 10 x StuG III

III company 

12 SP 2cm flak ( sdkfz 10/5) 

Grenadier Infantry Regiment 857

I Abteilung (Ost Battalion 630 detached to 17 Luftwaffe Feld Division) 

II Abteilung 

III Abteilung 

Grenadier Infantry Regiment 858

I Abteilung 

II Abteilung 

III Abteilung 

Grenadier Infantry Regiment 1018

I Abteilung 

II Abteilung 

III Abteilung 

Artillery - Regiment 346

1st Abteilung 

1 batterie 4 x 7.62 FK297(R)

2 batterie 4 x 7.62 FK297 (R)

3 batterie 4 x 7.62 FK297 (R)

2nd Abteilung 

4  batterie 4 x 10.5 Lefh 325 (F)

5 Batterie 4 x 10.5 Lefh 325 (F)

6 batterie 4 x 10.5 Lefh 325 (F)

3rd Abteilung 

7 batterie 4 x 12.2 Sfh 396 (R)

8 batterie 4 x 12.2 Sfh 396 (R)

9 batterie 4 x 12.2 Sfh 396 (R)

Known vehicles

Opel Käptain limousine
opel blitz radio truck
Chevrolet vans
Italian trucks
Flak
Ford V3000 maultuer flak 2cm
Artillery tows
Latil
 Latil TAR H2(f) 

References 

Niels HENKEMANS, Defending Normandy Volume 1B, German Infantry Divisions on the Cotentin – Part II (264 pages) [Panzerwrecks, 2024]

Normandy 1944: German Military Organization, Combat Power and Organizational Effectiveness

The Other Partizan 2025

 Well another Partizan done and dusted, as always fabulous and I think the best event in the UK for historical Wargaming. This year I helped set up and play on “the Bunkers, Free State Of Jones” Brother against Brother ACW game. I also completed a bit of shopping and caught up with a lot of people from the Rapid Fire we2 world and from the Analogue Painting Challenge lads. I did a nice bit of shopping picking up the new 28mm 50 odd Perry Vendee and Chouan range, 2 cavalry box’s hussars, 3 boxes victrix French, two blood bowl teams halflings and goblins, front rank 6lb guns, loose 2000ad figs, Calpe Prussian landwehr cavalry, EWM Belgians and German bits, Britannia bits, gripping beast celts and Gringo 40 Mamelukes. 

A few pics from the day of ww2 tables and Vietnam table 

Cold War British Paratrooper Organisation

 Upcoming Project this winter is to add to my Cold War Brit’s using platoon 20 and Britannia miniatures for my Rifles, Paras and Irish 

Terrain Tuesday - Signage and bits

  A bit of ww2 terrain fillers this week, signage from the italeri 1/72 box set

Cheers

Matt

Mustang P-51D

 Completed another Mustang P-51D, built out of the box. Added Airfix pilot. I used AK real colour aluminum and steel  mix, panel lined, hand painted invasion stripes, then decals. I nice simple Revell kit. 

Syrian MiG 17

 Another Syrian aircraft off the desk. The MIG 17 is marked with pre 1962 Roundels, painted with AK interactive Real Colour aluminum and gun metal. 

Cheers

Matt

Terrängbil m/42 Armoured cars Part 1

Terrängbil m/42 ONUC

As part of the Congo build I am planning to build some equipment for my Swedes. In the stash I have a Terrängbil Gecko Heavy Industries model, I will paint it UN white along with a few jeeps, a VW ambulance, two trucks and a M8 Armoured car. 

Two terrängbil m/42 SKPF advancing upon Kaminaville, with two Swedish Pansarbil M8 during the Congo CrisIs