Belgian Fairey Battle WIP part 1

 Fairey Battle build 

Next addition to my Belgian airforce will be a Fairey Battle bomber, I purchased the Azur kit for this aircraft, the kit has the decals for one of the six aircraft shot down whilst bombing the Meuse Bridges on the 11th of May. 

Quite a clean looking kit, we shall see if it assembles ok, most Azure kits I have recently assembled have been problematic. Good selection of Decals, I will need to add some more as the decal sheet does not have correct markings for the tail. 

T70, 5/III/3Aé at Evere, shot down on 11 May 1940 at Vlijtingen while attacking Vroenhoven bridge.

Hope to get assembled this month 

Cheers

Matt

Aérospatiale Alouette III. Ia French Gendarmerie

 A very old kit from the stash is finally completed, I elected to actually paint this one as a French gendarme helicopter, with a Force on force scenario in mind.  I have another two Alouette’s  which will join my French airforce and a mercenary unit in the future. 

A simple build, but the instructions leave a little to be desired, I added Elhiem civilian crew models and added a weight in the mid section so I can add a flying stand if required. The decals were a little old so I clear varnished them, only a few splintered, but not terrible. Overall quite happy with my build results. 

Cheers 

Matt

Egyptian SPG T122mm + review1/72 Blackdog conversion set

 Egyptian T122mm SPG

Another purchase being assembled for the Analogue Hobbies Winter Challenge. While picking up a few bits from my Favourite French hobby supplier during the Black Friday deals I picked up the 1/72 Blackdog conversion set for the Egyptian T34/122 self propelled howitzer, it may of been used during the 6 day war, but did serve during the Yom Kippur War. 

This beast was based on a T34 chassis, in the majority T34/85 had T54 road wheels added also. Two batterys of T122 of 18 guns each did see action in the Yom Kippur. I do note that Syria also done a similar modification of the old T34 chassis. 

The Blackdog kit has the turret, gun and wheels, barrel, baffles, and barrel rest, and finally two boxes. Really nicely cast, although some fine bits that will get damaged from wargaming (the equipment rings on the rear for example). Overall though quite easy to remove from the resin sprue, quite a bit of cleanup on the wheels though to clean out the holes and shape the pear, with two of mine have bad deformity flash from mold wear I suspect and I was supplied one incorrect wheel, although it could be easily modified. With a bit of patience everything cleaned up well and assembly was straight forward. The barrel baffles also need some flash clean up, but not too bad, be careful with the barrel alignment and the baffle assembly to ensure it is square.

T122 Egyptian kit

 The kit recommends the dragon T34/85 or the Italeri. I did note that some people have used the zvesda kit also. My kit was a Italeri and upon dry fitting I needed to sand more off the bottom of the rear of the turret to get it to fit correctly. I also removed my front guards as per the surviving example in Israel. 

Overall a great addition for anyone wanting to do something different or wanting like me to add it to your Egyptian army for the 73 Yom Kippur war.

Overall a simple addition armour build, scoring a nine out of ten. 

Plan to get some paint on it soon, when I do my next batch of Egyptians. 

Cheers

Matt 

Swedish Army Project - volvo c303 pansarvarnspjasterrangbil -Gecko 1/72 Kit review

Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil

As I start preparing for the Analogue painting challenge I have been focusing on building kits for our “Whisky on the Rocks” Cold War Wargames Holiday from in October 2024. My Swedes need quite a bit of anti armour to deal with the Soviet VDV division that will oppose them. The 

Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil 1/72 Gecko Resin kit

Another kit review of Gecko Heavy Industries 1/76th scale resin kit. The Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil 90mm recoiless anti tank gun. The only model of this kit that I am aware of for 20mm wargaming, I needed to purchase this for my Swedes for our Cold War event “Whisky on the Rocks” at French Wargame Holidays 4-7th October 2024. 

The kit is resin with four options for the build, a complete clear resin cabin with stowed gun,  a half cabin with stowed gun, a windscreen with roll cage mounted or a firing version with folded down screen and roll frame. 

The resin spruces were simple to remove, do take care though with assembly as the instructions are not that clear, and you will require a few images from the web to fully assemble it correctly, particularly the gun mount. The roll cage will need some work if you are to get close to an actual vehicle, so I opted to fold mine down in the firing version. The clear parts are not that great and I think I will scratch a new windscreen(which will be folded down anyway…. The front seats were also incorrect from what I could see, so I trimmed the kit pieces to suit. Overall a 8.5 out of 10. 

The kit was €22 from panzerfux and worth the price I think as it is such a rare beast. Looking forward to getting some paint on it and I will possibly convert some S&S miniatures Swedish crew. 

Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil Layed out

Cheers

Matt

Volvo c303 Tbg11 - Gecko Kit Review

 Volvo c303 Tbg11 - Gecko Kit Review 

Gecko Heavy Industries Volvo C303 TGB11

I purchased this beast earlier in the year when I started formulating a plan to conduct a Cold War wargaming event at French Wargame Holidays, this lead to our “Whisky on the Rocks” event being organized for October 4-7th 2024. 

This also means I need to build some Swedish Army vehicles for my Cold War Collection. Soft skins are a bit of a challenge, particularly the Volvo series of vehicles. So whilst perusing the web I stumbled upon the Gecko offering and duly purchased it along with a few other Swedish specific pieces. 

On first glance the kit is well cast in soft grey resin with two parts in clear resin. Removal from the sprue was done with ease for the grey parts however the clear was a tough job and I had to use my saw blade to remove the sprue from the main body, this was a challenge as the clear plastic was tough…. 

Assembly required hot water to straighten some pieces, the frame and suspension required quite a bit of work to straighten before I glued the frame. The clear resin is very disappointing and I cannot in anyway say that it is satisfactory, I think I shall paint the entire vehicle then add glass effect rather than mask it up and hope that it is translucent. 

Positives the kit looks like the vehicle but lacks fine detail for such a pricey kit €22 from Panzerfux. The instructions are basic with no images, but simple enough to work out. 

Negatives

Annoying small bubbles on the cabin and the solid clear resin body was problematic fitting and cutting, taking more than an hour of clean up fully. I do note that this was Gecko Industries earliest model and the later kits have separate clear parts. 

Overall a 7 out of ten kit. I plan to get some paint on it next week. 

The kit removed from sprue, note the alignment on the chassis 

Note the huge sprue knob on the clear cast resin 

Piece removed, then wet and dry to smooth to level, a good hour of work 

Cheers

Matt 

Praga 53/59/70 30mm Anti Aircraft gun - NB models kit review

Praga 53/59/70 30mm AA Lizard

History Praga 53/59

The Praga M53/59 was developed post ww2 and entered service in 1959, mounted on a armoured cabin, the cabin armour was quite thin 10mm on the front and 6mm on the sides making it small arms fire proof only. The vehicle was the Czech V3S 6 wheel drive truck chassis. The chassis, engine and electronic components were upgraded and improved in 1970, these vehicles became the M53/70. Further electronic additions were added in the eighties so electronic air tracking was available via connection to a battery command vehicle using the M85 Zirafa radar allowing it to remain in service for some time in the Czechoslovakian army until 2003. A large number of both models were exported during the Cold War and quite a number still remain in a number of armies today. 

The 30mm cannon was originally designed by Bruno for the kreigsmarine during ww2 as a submarine anti aircraft design. The Czechoslovak designation was the 30mm PLDvk viz.53. The top mounted magazines for the gun held 50 rounds, however weighed a hefty 85 kilos when fully loaded. The guns had a practicable rate of fire of 150-200 rounds per minute, AA effective range was 3500m and on ground targets 2000m. The gunner had optical sights only and manual trigger and hydraulic assisted traverse and elevation, until the 1980s when the upgraded system appeared for targeting. The twin guns could also be dis-mounted from the chassis into a fixed ground position. The vehicle had a crew of five, Commander, driver, two loaders and a gunner, and normally operated in a division of 6 vehicles, plus a command vehicle for the battery of two divisions. 

The Praga had the nickname the lizard due to its code name during its development and was widely used in the ground role during the Yom Kippur war and the Yugoslavian wars, where Praga became the nickname for all anti aircraft SP cannons. 

Review NB models Praga 53/59

A superb offering of the Praga 53/59 30mm SP AA gun by NB models. This is the 1/72 version, there is also a 1/35th scale available too. 

A very crisp 3d print with very little clean up, a bit of light filing and sanding where the supports were, predominately on the underside of the pieces and on the back of the Gun. A little sanding and it was ready to assemble. Assembly was simple and straight forward and  every thing nicely together with no problems, I used super glue gel for assembly giving me time to square up wheels and the gun assembly.

My only critiques are, I would of liked the tyre treads on the wheels to be more detailed, a posable gun for the deployed AA role with removable and spare ammunition drums plus the racks and finally the crew compartment to be open so I could add crew, a gunner and loaders. 

I will mount this on a base to prevent it being knocked about whilst it is on the game table as I can see the mirrors and rear steps becoming detached quickly.  I also left off the clear canopy for painting as it can easily be placed after painting. One will join my Egyptians the other my Iraqis, and I will possibly get them painted before Christmas! 

The Praga 53/59 NB models kit fully laid out, a very crisp kit

Cabin detail is excellent, a few delicate parts…. A few bits to clean up but overall great

The NB models Praga 53/59 Guns and cabin front, the light mounts and mirrors are superb

NB models Praga cabin side, the tools are superb, as are the lights, handles and mirror

The Armoured glass cupola and gun sight…. 

Cheers

Matt 
References 
AK interactive- vol III Arab revolutions and border wars. 
You tube training clip of the Praga 53/59 
Praga 53/59 walk around 
Yugoslavian wars use 

Kit Review -SU 15 TM

SU15-TM

I have been looking though my kits to complete some Soviet and Swedish kit for the big weekend Wargame Holiday game next May. I have a lot of aircraft kits to build and paint for both sides so I have decided to commence the assembly of my PM Models SU-15 TM which I purchased at Newark museum airfield shop in April. 

The kit looks quite simple as to be expected on a short run. The body is twisted it seems and the canopy seems to be a very poor fit. A little bit of rough casting around the engine intake and marbling around the nose  but with sanding it should clean up. The K8 missiles are oversize also.  I was disappointed that there was no pilot also and soft interior detail, I will add a 3d printed interior and pilot I suspect. 

I plan to get it painted this week in silver with a green nose and tail tip, while I am having a little summer break before our next Wargame holiday guests. 

Cheers

Matt

NB Models Kit Review

 New Company on the block NB models, Greece.

For those interested in the wars of Yugoslav wars of Serbia and Croatia a company has started to produce the local vehicles and guns. Most of these vehicles also were used by the Arab countries for the ARab Israeli war and the Iraq Iran war. 

The TAM series of trucks and cold war cars, plus some modern kit post cold war kit.

Releases so far include

Steyr Pinzgauer is13e 4x4 (used by a lot of other nations, so a useful kit)

TAM 110 20e Yugoslavian 4x4 light truck , TAM 150 25e Yugoslavian 6x4 truck  and the TAM 150 Plamen S 128mm rocket launcher on truck

Milos BOV MRAP 25e 4x4 multi purpose (modern 2015) MRAP vehicle

Lazar 3 Armoured personnel carrier (Modern 2015)

ZU23 light soviet designed 23mm AA gun, my purchase, really impressed with the detail on this two part kit

Nikolas has some new releases very soon, civilian vehicles a 4x4 pajero and soviet bloc cars for the conflict. 

Prices are from €8 to €25 more in line with models rather than wargames models, but rare and hard to find vehicles indeed, I have talked to him about a simplified kit for wargamers, time will tell.

I ordered and was delivered very fine resin 3d prints ZU23 AA guns, a quick turn around of the order too, awaiting his soviet block cars with interest.

NB models only have a facebook presence only at the moment or via email

Based in Greece 

Nikolas

email nibr88 at gmail.com

NB Models

cheers

Matt