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

336-я отдельная гвардейская бригада морской пехоты - 336th Separate Guards Marine Brigade

336-я отдельная гвардейская бригада морской пехоты 

336th Separate Guards Marine Brigade

Another project running behind is my separate Naval Brigade project. I will be using my Esci plastic soviet infantry with a number Elhiem metal for this project with metal, plastic artillery and 3d printed resin, Diecast and plastic vehicles. 

The 336th consisted of three battalions of Naval Infantry equipped with the amphibious BTR 60 armored personnel carriers, a tank battalion with two companies of PT-76 amphibious light tanks and a company of T-55 main battle tanks. Artillery support was provided by a battery of BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers and a battery of anti-tank guided missiles, while air defense consisted of a platoon of ZSU-23-4 Shilka anti-aircraft guns and a platoon of 9K31 Strela-1 surface-to-air missiles. Support units included support, reconnaissance, engineer, and NBC defense battalions.

Brigade Headquarters

BTR-60 R-145BM 

MTLB tow 2B9 Vasileks

Bdrm-2 konkurs 

Gaz 66

Ural 4320 truck 

877th Naval Infantry Battalion

BTR 60 PB
BTR 60 PB

BTR 60 PB

2S9-1 Sviristelka (marine version)

878th Naval Infantry Battalion

BTR 60 PB
BTR 60 PB

BTR 60 PB

2S9-1 Sviristelka

879th Naval (Air Landing) Infantry Battalion

Parachutist Morskaya Pekhota would be GAZ-66 mounted

 Konkurs and SPG-9 teams UAZ 469

2S12 120mm mortars towed by UAZ 469

AGS-17 teams UAZ 469

884th Naval Infantry Battalion

BTR 60 PB

BTR 60 PB

BTR 60 PB

2S9-1 Sviristelka

112th Tank Battalion

T-55 AMD 

MTU-20 bridgelayer 

1st Company PT-76 x 3 

2nd Company PT-76 x 3 

3rd Company T-55AM x 3

887th Reconnaissance Battalion

BRDM-2's, PT-76's, Gaz 66 and Razv

2 x Mi8T

1612th Artillery Battalion

IV18 Erable -1 Command BTR -60

IV119BTR D 

BM 21 GRAD

BM 21 GRAD

D30 122mm Ural 4320

D1 152mm Ural 4320

Mor. 2S12 120mm  - UAZ-469 (airborne element) 

1618th Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion

ZSU-23-4M3 Biryusa and BRDM Strela-1.

1615th Multi-Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion

2 x 2S1 Gvozdika

1621st Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion 

2 x MT-12 Rapira 100mm's

2 x BRDM-2 Konkurs

2 x MT-LB Shturm-S.

Engineer battalion

Sapper company 8, 2 x flamethrowers 

UR -67  mine clearance vehicle 

Brem 2 recovery vehicle 

T-55O flame thrower tank 

MTLB x2

PTS-M Mun logistics vehicle.

Swedish Terrängbil m/42

 

 Swedish Terrängbil m/42 

Completed the Gecko heavy industries miniatures 1/72 Swedish Terrängbil m/42, a reasonable kit that requires some care to assemble, and requires. Hand rails to be added with wire or plastic sprue. A simple medium green with panel lining and some weathering chalks, Although I think I will add the panel lines again as they seem to be lost with the matt varnish. Stowage a mix of plastic and SHQ bits, Overall though quite happy, I have two more to build of these for my Swedes, one will join UNOC for my Congo project. 

Cheers

Matt 

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 

Katanga Airforce Fouga Magister KAT 92

 

 Katanga Airforce Fouga Magister KAT 92

Completed the Heller 1/72 kit, painted with AK real colours and added aftermarket MAV decals for the Katangan markings. Quite happy with the results 

KATANGAN  92 Fouga Magister 

Without a doubt, the most infamous of the Katangan Fouga Magisters, KAT 92 seen the most service and caused the most controversy. Kat 92 operated from September 14 to 19, 1961, against UN forces. Damaged by ground fire on the 18th but grounded while peace talks commenced and then came into effect on the 20th. 

On the 3rd December 1961 it was damaged during an air attack, Indian UN Canberra bombers permanently grounded it at Kolwezi. Damaged, it was evacuated by rail on December 5, 1961, to Kisenge where it awaited replacement parts.

Thanks to this single training aircraft, based in Kolwezi, the Katangese "hunt" caused panic among the United Nations. The KAT 92 carried out rapid overflights of UN positions, dropping a few 50kg improvised bombs here and there. These interventions boosted the morale of the Katangese Gendarmerie and mercenary troops and sowed consternation among the ranks of the ONUC troops. The Fouga were an excellent means of psychological warfare against the ONUC soldiers and forced them to deploy air support. This Fouga also played a vital role in the attack on UN Kamina Airbase on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th of September destroying one DC4 on the ground and killing two UN pilots. Then the strafing and bombing of the Irish at Jadotville between the 13th and 17th. During at ground attack on the Kamina Airbase on the 18th it received damage. 

José Magain “the lone Prowler”

The pilot of the Fouga 92 was the Belgian José Magain who had flown with the Belgian Air Force. Joseph Delin the commander of Kolwezi airbase accompanied him as co-pilot on several missions including the staffing of Jadotville But when the journalists and photographers showed up in Kolwezi, José Magain disappeared… because no one could know that he had piloted the Fouga Magister. In reality he should no longer have been in Katanga and should have returned to Belgium on August 28, 1961, just like the other members of Avikat expelled by the UN (Operation “Rumpunch 27th August - October 1961”).
 

Armament for KAT 92, originally armed with 7.50 mm guns and ammunition, it was re-chambered for 7.62 caliber as ammunition was readily available. for bombing ground attack missions required manufacture of 50 kg bombs from mortar rounds and a primitive dropping and aiming system organized with the means at hand. The Fouga KAT 92 flew about 50 missions, claiming a UN DC-6, a DC-4, a DC-3, a dozen trucks, strafing the positions Jadotville, and a UN radio installations was destroyed at Kamina. The end of each of these missions was punctuated by a message to the control tower manned by the UN: "See you soon, gentlemen; I will be happy to come and see you again!" 

Fouga Magister CM 170 - AVIKAT Katanga Airforce

 

Katanga Airforce Fouga Cm-170 Magister

The Fouga Cm-170 Magister is a first generation two seater jet trainer. Its distinctive V-shaped tail makes it easily recognisable to most aviation lovers. While primarily operated as a trainer aircraft, the Magister was also  used in combat as a close air support platform by 22 air forces. It saw action during the Six-Day War, the Salvadoran Civil War, the Western Sahara War, and the Congo Crisis. The Magister was also chosen by many aerobatics display teams, including the Patrouille de France, the Belgian Red Devils, Brazils Smoke Squadron, Austrian Silver Birds, the Luftwaffe flying school FlugzeugFuhrerSchule and the Irish Silver Swallows. The Fouga Magister was nicknamed "the whistling turtle" by the Belgian Air Force and the “whistling Rooster” by the Finns due to the motor whistling while in idle. 

The aircraft could be equipped with two 7.5 mm or 7.62 mm nose machine guns and had two hard points for bombs or missiles. 

The Fouga Magister in AVIKAT service 

In 1960, after the independence of Congo, the province of Katanga separated and became an independent republic. The President of Katanga, Moïse Tshombé, ordered 9 planes from Potez Air Fouga. Only three aircraft were delivered to Katanga at Luano (Elisabethville airfield). 

On February 15, 1961, the arrival of the three Katangese Fouga was announced by the "Daily Mail" of February 6, 61. 

The six Fouga Cm-170 Magisters that were still to be delivered to the Katangese government were in Pointe Noire (Congo Brazaville) in October 1961. But following the UN embargo, the ship brought them back to Antwerp where they were taken care of by customs. These were later sold to the Irish Airforce. 

AVIKAT Markings 

Katangan Fouga KAT 91. 

It crashed on June 23, 1961, during a maneuver over the old Eville runway. 
Very few photographic documents exist of it.

 

Katangan Fouga KAT 93

Its engine was being repaired when the UN launched Operation "Rhum Punch" on August 28, 1961, which aimed to expel foreign personnel from the Gendarmerie and the Avikat. KAT 93 flew a few missions but was seized by the UN at the end of August 1961. 

The most common depicted AVIKAT Fouga

KAT 93 in front of the Luano control tower.

KAT 93 on the tarmac at Luano. 

President Moïse Tshombe sits in the passenger seat

  

  

Standing next to KAT 93 the Swedish Air Force Colonel Sven Lampell, head of ONUC air operations and head of the UN fighter wing which included the "F22" Saab J-29 squadron, the Iranian Sabre jet squadron and the Ethiopian Sabre jet squadron. 

Katangan Fouga KAT 92

Markings for AVIKAT aircraft 

Without a doubt, the most infamous of the Katangan Fouga Magisters, KAT 92 seen the most service and caused the most controversy. Kat 92 operated from September 14 to 19, 1961, against UN forces. Damaged by ground fire on the 18th but grounded while peace talks commenced and then came into effect on the 20th. 

On the 3rd December 1961 it was damaged during an air attack, Indian UN Canberra bombers permanently grounded it at Kolwezi. Damaged, it was evacuated by rail on December 5, 1961, to Kisenge where it awaited replacement parts.

Thanks to this single training aircraft, based in Kolwezi, the Katangese "hunt" caused panic among the United Nations. The KAT 92 carried out rapid overflights of UN positions, dropping a few 50kg improvised bombs here and there. These interventions boosted the morale of the Katangese Gendarmerie and mercenary troops and sowed consternation among the ranks of the ONUC troops. The Fouga were an excellent means of psychological warfare against the ONUC soldiers and forced them to deploy air support. This Fouga also played a vital role in the attack on UN Kamina Airbase on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th of September destroying one DC4 on the ground and killing two UN pilots. Then the strafing and bombing of the Irish at Jadotville between the 13th and 17th. During at ground attack on the Kamina Airbase on the 18th it received damage. 

José Magain “the lone Prowler”

The pilot of the Fouga 92 was the Belgian José Magain who had flown with the Belgian Air Force. Joseph Delin the commander of Kolwezi airbase accompanied him as co-pilot on several missions including the staffing of Jadotville But when the journalists and photographers showed up in Kolwezi, José Magain disappeared… because no one could know that he had piloted the Fouga Magister. In reality he should no longer have been in Katanga and should have returned to Belgium on August 28, 1961, just like the other members of Avikat expelled by the UN (Operation “Rumpunch 27th August - October 1961”).
 

Armament for KAT 92, originally armed with 7.50 mm guns and ammunition, it was re-chambered for 7.62 caliber as ammunition was readily available. for bombing ground attack missions required manufacture of 50 kg bombs from mortar rounds and a primitive dropping and aiming system organized with the means at hand. The Fouga KAT 92 flew about 50 missions, claiming a UN DC-6, a DC-4, a DC-3, a dozen trucks, strafing the positions Jadotville, and a UN radio installations was destroyed at Kamina. The end of each of these missions was punctuated by a message to the control tower manned by the UN: "See you soon, gentlemen; I will be happy to come and see you again!" 

“The Ghost Sqaudron” a dummy aircraft on Kolwezi runway

 Hammarksjöld “affair”

.  

The event that has attracted the most attention regarding KAT 92 is the crash of Dag Hammarksjöld's DC-6 on September 17, 1961. Dag Hammarksjöld was the Secretary-General of the United Nations and was dispatched to the Congo to try to resolve the crisis. 
On the evening of September 17, his plane took off from Leopoldville for N'Dola. He was going there with the aim of meeting Moïse Tshombé...… The DC-6, "Albertina", never landed in N'Dola and crashed around midnight on a hill near N'Dola. Initially, the Fouga Magister KAT 92 was accused of having shot down the plane of the Secretary General of the United Nations, later it is thought a De Havilland Dove that did have night flying ability dropped mortar bombs onto the aircraft. 

DC-6 “Albertina” registered SE-BDY which transported UN Secretary General Dag Hammarksjöld on September 17, 1961.

The international commission of inquiry sent to the scene by the UN to analyze the causes of the crash concluded that the reasons were certainly accidental. This same international commission from Rhodesia went to Kolwezi on October 20, 1961 to monitor the activity of the Fouga KAT 92 on the day of Mr. Hammarksjöld's death. On site, Major DELIN proved to them that the aircraft's autonomy was insufficient to reach N'Dola and, what's more, the Kolwezi airfield was not equipped for night flights. This exonerated (officially), at the same time, the Belgian pilot of the Fouga, Joseph Delin... (unofficially) we have since known that it was José MAGAIN who was the jet's assigned pilot! 

Cheers

Matt

Mig 15 UTI Midget -Wip Wednesday

 A quick hobby boss Mig15 UTI midget build over the weekend in between battlefield tours. A very basic kit and simple rapid build kit. I completed the build on Sunday. I am planning a stationary build that I can use for a special forces raid. Hoping for paint job on Thursday or Friday as I need to complete another Mig 21 in the same camo!

Cheers

Matt

MiG 17 PF WIP

  MiG 17 PF WIP

As the summer sales are on at the moment I have gone a little crazy and pickup a number of kits for my collection from early war ww2 through to current. With that I continue my MIG obsession at the moment, another MIG15 and two MiG 17s purchased as commenced. Simple Plastyk builds, one will join my Egyptians and Iraqis.

SU -15 TM PM models

 Flagon SU-15TM

Last year in england I picked up the PM model SU15TM at Newark air museum. This is another MAYDAY build.

What can I say, one of the most dreadful kits I have ever built, the fuselage was bent, the fuselage needed so much filler I should of just scratch built one, one wing was offset and the canopy looks like a Mig 15 canopy and was so thick and was such a poor fit it is almost not worth placing on the kit. I built it anyway and three weeks ago before holidays I painted it. I added the decals on it, but still not my favourite at all. I elected to add 2 of the  K-8 missiles, I added KP models  S-5 rockers for ground attack role. My suggestion steer clear of this kit.

Cheers

Matt

Terrain Tuesday - Hot food van

 Hot Food Van

A Citroen  Hot Wheels car was picked up a few weeks ago whilst shopping, I opted to paint it in split colours. I do intend adding a table and garbage bin on the grassed area as soon as I find them in my model railway bits box, it will join my Cold War collection. Now I need a name for it! My wife suggested to call it Matts chew and spew….. as she detests take away….

Happy with the results 

Cheers

Matt

 A-10 Thunderbolt Hog 

An Academy A-10 Thunderbolt kit I have had laying around for more than ten years built but not painted pile of shame. This month I have been airbrushing madly to complete a lot of built kits, this chap made it to the front of the line last week. 

Reasonably happy with the results, marked up for Europe. I have another kit unbuilt, I will build that for Iraq in the future. 

Cheers

Matt

Luftwaffe F4 phantom

 Luftwaffe F 4 phantom 

This aircraft has been almost complete pile for 10 years at least, the interior and base coat was painted, but no detailing done, panel lines, weathering  decals or pilot.

 Last month I unpacked boxes of kits from storage to complete some for the 30 day kit build. In these boxes were a number of aircraft in various stages of completion, mostly built but no paint, or pilots. So my goal this month is to finish off as many as I can before moving onto armour! 

Now I also have 3d files for pilots, so I have started printing loads of ww2, helicopter and jet pilots and looking for or purchasing decals to complete a number of builds that had stalled along with matching canopies (which is ok for some but difficult for others….). So expect a lot of aircraft over the coming month as I paint pilots, airbrush built kits and add decals. 

Really happy with my results although I think I would like to build it again and be more careful within my fit and finish. Overall really good to have it completed. 

Cheers

Matt

Warpac NBC checkpoint

  A bit slow this week, after a month of assembly of plastic kits. This weekend I pulled out some Soviet NBC chaps from the moderns project draw.  The figure with rifles are from a old Esci box of Warsaw pact figures, the figure with the note board is from Airfix I think 

Cheers

Matt

Bundeszollverwaltung VW T1 van

 Bundeszollverwaltung VW T1 van 

Another piece from the hotwheels VW pack. A customs vehicle for my customs troops. 

Customs tax, best follow the number plate advice! 

Cheers

Matt

Civilian Cold War VW beetle

 VW beetle 

I am always on the lookout for civilian bits that will fit my Cold War scenes, I was excited to come across a hot wheels collection of VW cars which in due course will hit the painting desk. This one my my wife’s mothers car in the 80s. Very snazzy at the time in two tone orange and white. 

Cheers

Matt

Bundesgrenzschutz Part 10

 Bundesgrenzschutz Cars 

More VW vehicles for the Bundesgrenzschutz, again a mix of matchbox and hot wheels. Quite happy with them. 

Cheers

Matt

Terrain Tuesday

 A few more bits for the table , another wayside cross and a US supply dump suitable for ww2 and Cold War games and objective markers.

Cheers

Matt

Modelling US 155mm ammunition

 Modelling Ammunition for the 155mm

Building some 1/72 italeri 155 kits for my English and American heavy artillery batteries, the models come with a bunch of ammo so I needed to research US 155 ammunition. The US army technical manual images are a good resource for model builders who want to get correct ammunition for their artillery scene, and 1/35th scale modelers also. The 155mm was used by the heavy batteries in every theatre including the pacific. The gun is still in use today in a number of nations so this is also useful for Cold War and current conflicts. 

The simplest reference! 

155mm Transport

The shells were stored it was in a crate which was on a pallet. It was rare for a pallet to make it to the front as it was broken down into carry cases for delivery to the front, it was then broken down again at the gun supply point, a 2 1/2 ton truck could deliver 55 shells this way enough for at least one or two fire missions per battery. 

The Shell 

The 155mm High Explosive (HE) shell was the most commonly used ammunition for the 155, but chemical white phosphorus (WP) smoke and illumination shell was also available. The HE shell was green with yellow writing, the WP was blue grey with a single yellow horizontal band and yellow writing, the illumination shell (LU) had a white band and yellow writing. The shell was fitted a lifting ring on the nose and a rope (and later a rubber grommet during late 43 to Vietnam, then a metal/ rubber clamp up to current) on the end of the round to to protect the copper rubbing and movement whilst be transported. The round weighed 95 pounds/43 kilo so was a two man lift at minimum on a cradle. At 20mm it would be difficult to mark but at 28mm add D544 on the HE body. 

The Fuse Cap 

The fuse caps was stored in a OD green crate that carried 25 fuses with a spanner. The shell lifting cap was grey and  screwed out so the detonator Fuse cap could then be fitted, which is either gun metal, black or green before depending upon mission type before it was loaded into the gun. 

The Propellant Charge 

The cloth charge bag was carried in  fiberboard containers packed in three with a triangular protective box. Inside were either three :- M14 37.75 inches long and 6.38 inches diameter it held two M3 Charges, this charge could be reduced depending upon range required. Or the M13 27 inches long and 7.38 inches diameter this held one M4a1 charge. The powder bags are color coded; charges 1-4 are green, 5-7 are white, and 8 is red, the bottom of the charge badge has a red mark to face the igniter on the gun. 

Fiberboard transport container 

I hope that is helpful

Cheers

Matt