Egyptian T-122 SPG - Blackdog 1/72 kit review

 

 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 67 or 73 wars. 

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 

Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil - Gecko Heavy Industries 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 the 3rd to the 7th of May 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 from 3rd to 7th May 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

Praga 53/59/70 30mm AA 1/72 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

Bundesgrenzschultz VW van

 

  Bundesgrenzschutz VW Van

While I was airbrushing a lot of vehicles last week (while the weather was pleasant) I quickly painted up my remaining Bundesgrenzschutz vehicles. For completed off the table is a van, pretty much match box recovery that had the front pillars missing, which I rebuilt with green stuff and styrene, plus the traffic light which is also green stuff. I have also molded a plastic windscreen in hot water from a vegetable pack, but cannot find it on my messy desk so a cleanup may occur tomorrow! 

I am planning also to add Bundesgrenzschutz writing on the sides in black, but will complete my helicopter and other vehicles first before I play around making up the transfers to be printed, then complete all of the vehicles at once.

 I only have the checkpoint and four more vehicles to come (one truck, one ambulance and Jeep , plus the helicopter and they will be completed. In the meantime I must complete some more vehicles before this weekends Yom Kippur anniversary game! 

Cheers

Matt

Terrain Tuesday -modern courier station

 Courier despatch building 

Completed the first of my model train HO scale modern buildings, I am quite happy with the result, I would like to add signage from 1980s West Germany, I was thinking Hermes perhaps. Also thinking about a magnetic one so I switch it out for several locations . 

I commenced by painting the brick with red and and the concrete in grey. I then used a sponge to put splotch's with lighter colours. Then a ink wash to bring it together. I then use Tamiya weathering paste and made a heavy wash to push into the brick work, then wiped off with a QTip working in sections, the guttering, down pipes and windows then were done. Finally a green wash to show moss then some flowers and shrubs. I made the roofs removable for figure placement. 

I am considering also building a security fenced yard and carpark, plus add box’s pallets etc and a garbage bin. 

Onto the next lot, iconic WW2 DDay buildings next. 

Cheers

Matt 

Whiskey on the Rocks -Cold War Wargaming Weekend event

 

French Wargame Holidays Wargames 

Campaign Weekend May 2024

Summer 1981 - “Admiral Ivan Kapitanets was relieved the briefing was over, finally the commands to launch the offensive against the West.  The political animal Major General Vladimir Platov’s 11th Guards army is to take the Swedish mainland. The Naval Infantry to the island of Gotland; the key to the eastern Baltic. Then there establish the installation of  Surface to Air missile batteries, controlling  the skies over the baltic and Northern Europe.” The Russians are coming….

I have been thinking about the Cold War and new Wargame to open the 2024 Wargame Holidays.  A Long weekend of Cold War Wargaming. The weekend gaming scenario - “What if the invasion of Gotland circa October 1981?  For those with long memories a Soviet Nuclear Whiskey class Submarine S363 grounded itself  off the coast of Sweden in October 1981.  The Swedes decide they want to to keep the grounded submarine and stop it from departing until investigations were completed. 

The game plays out the scenario’s :  The Russians commence operations to recover the submarine and invade Gotland and Mainland Sweden. The game will concentrate on the Russian invasion of Gotland, with airborne and amphibious landings.  The goal to take out the Swedish early warning radar, air assets, and the Naval gun 152mm emplacements defending the ports and channel. Capture the port, airfield and barracks of Visby, Närs coast guard base, the island of Faro with its anti shipping missile batteries and take out the Bunge airfield, all before the Swedish Marine and army reserve can arrive to tip the balance. 

I have researched available 1981 orders of Battle to create the game. To expand the scenario to a weekend game, some elements will take place on the board game ‘Next War, Deadly Northern Lights’. This will track off table Air assets, naval combat and reserves before the game commences etc. The table top will fight the ground actions with or without air support as per earlier map movement.

Gaming across 3 - 4 tables, broken into three phases, the opening moves are VDV spetsnaz assaults on radar installations, electrical supply, communications and the air bases. Followed by missile bombardment of the air bases, the VDV parachute - air landing assault, and Marine Sea landings. Each will carry over casualties and losses so the order of battle will be fluid. Each phase has the possibility to include a reinforcement phase for each side.  

Sign up to my blog to stay tuned for my next article covering 

 # The breakdown of the Orders of Battle

 # The tables layout using Force on Force 

 # The order of Battle for the small element games

 # Rapid Fire Able Archer for the larger games. 

To enquire about booking contact me 

Email lhoteldeherce@orange.fr 

FB Messenger

Mobile - +33 06 45 40 30 50 & What’s App

Www.lhoteldeherce.fr

Cheers 

Matt Williamson 

VW 181 Kurierwagen 1/72 Germania Figuren build

  As I start to complete my Bundesgrenzschutz units I thought I would find a 1/72nd scale VW181 to complete my command platoon. 

The Germania Figuren vehicle is made from resin and upon inspection is a very nicely cast model. Hardly and flash and no bubbles. It comes with two options roof on or folded back, plus driver (which is a bonus) with four head variants. It was a little pricey at €16.50 plus shipping but I added some more pieces to my Swedes which reduced price per unit shipping. I will post the Swedes in the coming weeks after I complete my American ww2 airborne build. 

I hope to get it together this weekend and get some paint on it this coming week as we have rest before the next Wargame Holiday tours and Wargaming. 

Cheers

Matt 

Bundesgrenzschutz patrol

  Bundesgrenzschutz Kampfgruppe

Completed my second part of my kampfgruppe of Bundesgrenzschutz, these are from the Plastic Esci NATO troops and Airfix ground crew make up this second group

I have painted these in a mix of splintertarn and green with ochre shirts, so they will be suitable for Warpac SF raids on installations and airports. I still have two pieces to complete the battalion, a 81mm support mortar, and a checkpoint set. For vehicles I have one police car, one VW van, an ambulance, and helicopter to complete the kampfgruppe. I also want to scratch build a armoured car at some stage. 

The fighting patrol

The dog patrol 

Happy with the mustache on this chap   

Cheers

Matt

WIP Wednesday - Saab Viggen

 Saab Viggen WIP

Another aircraft for my Swedish army, a Saab Viggen from Airfix again straight out of the box. A simple build with very few fitting problems (body and wings needed clamping) we shall see how the decals hold up when I paint it in late April. 

Cheers 

Matt 

Saab Drakker wip

 Saab Draken wip part 1

A relaxing afternoon after Gardening all day I decided to put a kit together in my stash. I selected a simple Airfix 1/72 Drakken to build. I will build this straight of the box ready for my Swedish Cold War project. 

As always I paint my pilot and interior first before assembly, all together tonight ready for paint next week 

Cheers

Matt

Australian M113s and variants in Vietnam

Australian M113s in Vietnam .

The Australian Armoured units had elements serving in South Vietnam for nearly six years. Between 1966 and 1972 the men served in every major operation conducted by the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF), including the Tet Offensive, the 1968 battles for Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral, and the battle of Binh Ba in 1969. Using Armoured Personal Carriers (APCs), the regiment's squadron was a highly mobile force that served throughout Phuoc Tuy province. 

Australian APCs had been serving in Vietnam since 1965: initially with the 1st Troop, A Squadron, 4th/19th Prince of Wales Light Horse Regiment, subsequently re-named the 1st APC Troop; and then with 1st APC Squadron. In January 1967 1st APC Squadron was split one half  became A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment the other 2nd Cavalry Regiment, with the 2nd remaining in Australia for training and rotation. A squadron's 3rd Cavalry regiment strength in South Vietnam at the time was 117: ten officers, 14 warrant officers/sergeants, and 93 other ranks. The squadron's strength increased over time and by August 1971 had grown to 169 men: 15 officers, 22 warrant officers/sergeants, and 132 other ranks. The scorpion symbol though was not adopted until after 1971, originally designed by the mortar troop as the “sting in the tail” of the squadron. 

I have collected the track (M113) in troop order, as much as I can

A Squadron 3rd Cavalry regiment 

“& Tears” call sign three one Alpha 31 ARN 134738

1 Troop

“Blood” call sign three one 31
“Sweat” call sign three one Bravo 31B ARN ……55

“& Tears” call sign three one Alpha 31A ARN 134738

“Tene - Nui” Call sign one one Alpha 11A ARN 134357 two 30 cals 74c turret
“UBEAUT” call sign one two Bravo 12B 

2 troop 

“Tinkerbell” 
“Miss carriage” call sign 
“The Pig” call sign two two Bravo 22B 

3 troop 

"the Good" call sign eight six 86 ARN 84343
"The Bad" call sign eight six Alpha 86A (two 30 cals 74c turret) 
"The Ugly" call sign eight six Bravo

Fire Support troop

In mid-1971 the squadron received six M113A1 Fire Support Vehicles (FSVs), a M113 carrier mounted with a Saladin turret and armed with a 76 mm gun. The majority of the FSVs crew were seconded from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and posted on strength to the 3rd Cavalry Regiments. More heavily armed, the FSVs were still only lightly armoured and were not intended to replace Centurion tanks in offensive tasks. It was felt however, they could relive the Centurions from their role in protecting the fire support bases, thereby allowing the tanks a greater role in supporting 1ATF's operations. 

1971 first four vehicles 
“SANDGROPER” call sign four two (42)
“DENISE” call sign 42A
“COMALCO” call sign 42B 
“TINY TEDDY” call sign four two Charlie 42C

Late 1971 a further two were delivered 
“BEWITCHED” call sign 41
“BEAST BOTHERED” call sign four one Alpha 41A ARN 134711 (on display in Australia) 


I have found one other, not sure if it a rename or new vehicle 
XXXX 

B Sqaudron 3rd Cavalry Regiment 

1 troop 

“The Glen” call sign one three 13  ( T50 Turret fitted )
"The Nympho" ( T 50 turret) one three alpha (13A), ARN 134305

2 troop

“Snoopy” call sign two zero (fitted with T50 turret)
"Denise"
"Shelly" 
“Bronwyn ” call sign two one Alpha 21A 
“Dehydrated” call sign 29 M later renamed in 1972 “Irish Power”

3 troop 

“Z” call sign three zero Alpha 30A
"Cherryboy" call sign three nine M 39M ARN134266
"Gaylord" call sign three three Bravo 33B 


Unplaced M113A1s with T50 turrets.
"Bewildered"
"Foul Boy" 

Support Troops 

106 Field Workshops Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME)


M113A1 Fitters vehicles

“White Winged Warrior” call sign nine eight Alpha 98A
"Puff the magic dragon"(ARN) 134377
“Miss Hellfinger” call sign 98B

Royal Australian Engineers

The 1st Regiment Royal Australian Engineers modified three carriers for anti personnel mine clearance operations, extra armour was fitted to the belly and the sides. Various contraptions were manufactured by RAEME workshops.

Her Majesty’s Armoured Personnel Carrier Flint RAE

1 Troop Royal Australian Engineers

HMAPC Flint ARN134226
HMAPC Steel call sign nine two S 92S was fitted with a small blade 
HMAPC George call sign one two Alpha 12A

cheers 
Matt

Musée de l’Air et espace

  I had a chance to visit with one of my Australian mates several museums in Paris over the last week. One museum that I had never visited before is the musee de l’air. All in all a fabulous museum and well worth the time. We spent five hours there. The shop is great although a little pricey and all books are in French. 

Some great displays of balloons, WW1, mid war, ww2, Cold War and modern aircraft and helicopters. Enjoy the pics guys.

As followers would know a big fan of ww1 aircraft and a number of rare aircraft there! Really impressed with the layout, but as usual hard to photograph IMHO. 

The best display by far was for ww2 was the Régiment de Chasse Normandie-Niémen, flying Yak3,5 and 9. The squadron, which served on the Eastern Front of the European theatre of World War II with the 1st Air Army, is notable as one of only three units from Western Allied countries to see combat on the Eastern Front during the war and was the only Western Allied unit which fought with Soviet forces until the end of the war in Europe.

Yak3 of the Normandie Niemen squadron

Tail of the Yak 3

Roundel Normandie Niemen 

Ww2 Hall

A nice number of aircraft in the hall the majority serving in the French armee d’Air or flown by French pilots. Only the one German aircraft there, would loved to have seen a French bomber but not to be….

Cold War beauties 

Lots of Cold War French, German, Warpac and Swedish aircraft on display