P38J droop snoop

 370th Fighter Group P38 part 2

Finally got some time to complete this model, the P-38J from the 401st reconnaissance squadron of the  370th fighter group USAAF.  I have always wanted to build one of these for my European theatre ground air support as this unit was the close support for Pattons 3rd Armys breakout through Pays de Loire in August 1944. The droop snoot nosed aircraft was used coordination for targeting and low level rockets and bombing by the rest of the group, targeting the German support elememts and retreating convoys to the north and east into the Falaise pocket. 

As Wargamers we like to think that air support was easily available, with ground to air contact regularly. Pattons 3rd army was the first time that units at the front had direct radio liaison between the ground and the target liaison aircraft during the breakout. US aircraft were available every 8 mins to be targeted on the Germans units directed by these aircraft in constant contact with the lead elements of Pattons Armoured units. The P38s were flying out of Cardonville in Normandy so were over targets in the Mayenne region in around 5 mins as they chased the German 7th army east towards Paris then the border. The unit was also the first to drop Napalm incendiary bombs in Normandy on the 17th of July on a German fuel depot at Coutances west of St Lo. 

My kit is the superb Dragon model, only complaint no pilot….. so a Revell one was used, markings are for the 401st squadron of the 370th Fighter Group, fuselage code 7F. 

Cheers

Matt

Painting Spot

  We have been renovating for 8 years now, so finally I will get a full time painting spot by the end of August (if things go to plan). My current space will change (in a bathroom with no natural light) to a 3rd floor office space. Hopefully in before autumn begins. Still will not be as good a view as my first location view on the first floor, but very close! 

Cheers

Matt 

Wehrmacht Bus

 

 Wehrmacht Bus 

This month cracking on completing some late war transport for my Wehrmacht. The first Sicherung Division transport was predominantly buses. The buses though will be also used for any unit may require them. I have  four more to complete, 3 French Paris buses and a Mercedes Ambulance.  

Cheers

Matt

HYW mounted archers

 HYW mounted archers 

Completed a few generic HYW mounted archers for my English, Scots or French. Figures are from the Perry miniatures plastic range, mounted knights and foot archers pieces. 

Cheers 

Matt

Terrain Tuesday

 Some more bits another wayside cross, a statue of the Madonna and some hay stacks  

Cheers

Matt

Wehrmacht transport

 Wehrmacht Trucks

A few pieces completed this week as additional  transport for my 708th Infantry Division. 

Two resin and one plastic, I have another resin and plastic still on the workbench. I plan to add removable passengers also. 

 

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

 

 A-10 Thunderbolt Hog 

A 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

 

Israeli Dassault Super Mystère

A very old Airfix Dassault Super Mystere B2 kit, a very clean build but the decals were not in great shape so aftermarket were added. It will serve in my Arab Isreali games nicely. Really happy with this one as part of my May Day aircraft builds. 

Cheers

Matt

Vichy Armee de l’Air Bloch 152 “Potent Pedro”

 

 Vichy Bloch 152

As a palette cleanser this week I completed a Bloch 152 for the Vichy airforce, I already have two Bloch 152 in the collection so I thought I needed to do something different, and here it is. 

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

Omaha Beach Wargame and Tours 2025

  This years Omaha Beach Tour and Wargame 

Three nights accomodation, one full 10 hour  day fully guided, a private tour for one to four guests 10 klms of touring, beach, gun emplacements, one museum and the cemetery. 

One day Wargame, we Wargame a section of Omaha beach and inland using 20mm miniatures on specifically built terrain and landing craft. 

For your dream Wargames holiday Book Here for July and August 2025 

“Walk the battlefield in the morning, Wargame in the afternoon” 

From Caesar to WW2

Mayenne, France 

KGB border guards

  In between completing some decals on aircraft last week I completed some Esci warpac figures. I intend using them as KGB border police I think as they do look different in the Parker style uniform to my other Warpac figures. 

Cheers

Matt

Russian Tank Crew

  A few pieces from Mars plastic figures, escaping tank crew, perfect for rapid fire. Simple blue overalls and black tanker caps 

Cheers

Matt 

Soviet NBC road 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

 Falaise Pocket Tour 2025

A full guided 10 hour day, We follow the route of the US 1st infantry, 90th Infantry,  2e division Blindée  to the positions on the south side of the pocket driving north to Argentan Normandy from Mayenne, Pays de Loire. We then switch over to follow the Canadians and Polish routes to close the pocket. We complete the day with a 3 course dinner in the spa town of Bagnolles de l’Orne, before retiring to the chateau in Mayenne. 

Available dates in July, August and September Book or enquire here 

Battle of Serabaeum October 1973

 

Battle of Serabaeum October 1973 

 Pedro and I played a simple Rapid Fire Able Archer.game based on the Israeli attacks west of the Suez in 1973 around the village of Serabaeum. We are play testing the new Able Archer rules before their release later in the year. We are planning English, French and German language release, then Finnish, Spanish and Chinese (as these languages cover all of our French Wargame Holiday guests) 

Village is considered as hard cover, observation to fire required, auto observation at 6 inches, armour must morale test to enter village, artillery observation by Observation team and infantry commanders only. Isreali infantry and centurions elite.

Israeli Order of Battle 

243rd Paratrooper Brigade

After taking the village the Orders hold village of Serabaeum for 10 turns against Egyptian counter attack. Support infantry and armour arrives on a D10 turn.

1st parachute battalion (in village) 

HQ 

OC + 5 radio, light mortar team, anti tank team vehicle 

1st company 

8 figs, lmg, grenade launcher 

2nd parachute battalion arrive Radom D10 turn 

HQ 

OC + 5 radio, light mortar team, anti tank team 

1st company 

8 figs, lmg, grenade launcher 

2nd company 

8 figs, lmg, grenade launcher 

Tank Company 

2 x Sho ‘t Meteor Centurions L7 105mm, class 3 gun, class C armour, medium 

Egyptian order of Battle 

Egyptian orders are to recapture the village and prevent the Israelis from taking the high ground to the west of the village. 

73rd Sa’iqa Parachute Regiment  

1st Battalion 

HQ 

OC, radio, sniper, observer element + 2 vehicle 

1st Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

2 Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

3rd Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5

Support coy 

HMG, 81mm mortar, sagger AT vehicle 

2nd Battalion (arrive on D6 turn)

HQ 

OC, radio, sniper, observer element + 2 vehicle 

1st Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

2 Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

3rd Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5

Support coy 

HMG, 81mm mortar, sagger AT vehicle 

Armour Battalion (arrive D6 turn) 

Morale tests per company for armour 120mm class 2 gun, D class armour, slow

HQ 

1 x JS3

1 x zSU 57-2

1st company 

3 x  JS3 

Rocket battery 

BM13 Katyusha rocket 132mm 10 points table 4, unguided rocket templates 4 rounds, after observation, use rocket template.

The village of Serabaeum

Egyptians arrive, the HQ Armoured coy arrived with the first battalion 

The first IS 3 falls victim to antitank fire

The Egyptians assault 

Isreali reinforcement arrives turn 5, immediately the first centurion is knocked out by long range fire from the IS-3

Israeli reinforcements arrive in the village turn 6

Second of Egyptians battalion arrives 

A draw,

Israelis lost one company of Para, and both centurions, but held two buildings at the end of turn 10

 Egyptians held the one building of the edge of the village, and contested another, lost one JS3 however one battalion lost a commander and was down to below 50% but managed to pass its morale check. 

Next game more armour and add reconnaissance by air, then air support. 

Cheers

Matt