Chasseur Ardennais

 

 Chassuers Ardennais 1st Regiment 

Completed four more rifle companies of FAA and Blitz/Battlefield and Early War miniatures for my First Chassuer Ardennais regiment. These chaps have been awaiting completion since the end of March and as I am going through a completion and clearing of my desk I thought I should get them done 100% including company markings on the rear of the base. Really happy with the results. I still have another battalion to build, however I hope to use FAA for them too, but with the tariffs all over the place. I will need to continue my search online I think for used ones. 

1st company 

Second company 

Third company 

Fourth company 

Light mortar attached to HQ

LMG attached to each company 

Cheers

Matt

Belgian Chasseur Ardennais support battalion

 

Belgian Chasseur Ardennais support Battalion 

Each Regiment of the Belgian Army has four regiments, 3 rifle and one support battalion. It consisted of MG, mortar, infantry gun and antitank companies. Interesting the T13 and T15 light tanks were regarded as self propelled Anti tank vehicles. 

The Belgians had a wide mix of light and medium machine guns. The light squad weapons were the BAR 30 model, Lewis, and the Hotchiss M1909, Chauchat M1915. 

Bar machine gun

BAR lmg

Light Mortars were the  and the DBT 50mm, one in each company, in rapid fire one in the HQ company 

The medium machine gun included the Vickers, Maxim 08, Maxim 1911,  Colt 1914, FM 1914 and the Hotchiss 1914. 

Anti tank was the superb Fonderie Royale de Canons Modèle 1931 47mm

A interesting development of this gun, it used the same carriage and trail as the 76 FRC canon. The Chassuer Ardennais carried two barrels on their vehicle the 47mm anti tank and the 76mm IG on the Vickers carrier or Alvis Straussler Hefty so they could be swapped out as required. 

Bofors mountain gun, cannon 76mm model 34 infantry support gun.

Cheers

Matt

Chasseur Ardennais- Vickers Utility tractors and guns

 

 Chasseur Ardennais- Vickers Utility tractors and guns 

More additions this week for my Chassuers, these are lovely Vickers Utility Tractors and guns are from Early War miniatures, the seated gun crew are EWM also,  the drivers are SHQ though.  Markings are hand painted. 

Cheers

Matt

Chasseur Ardennais - FN 63 Trucks

 Chasseur Ardennais - FN 63 Trucks   

Additional pieces for my chasseur Ardennais. Completed three Early War Miniatures  FN 63 4RM trucks, really nice pieces, I am planning these to tow my 150mm Schneider gun battery, I need to add seated crew to one along with a towed gun. 

I have added SHQ drivers in two of them. I elected to darken the British scc2 green to more reflect to Belgian vehicle Colour. 

This vehicle will be the tow, I have set the rear lower and plan to add crew and artillery men in the rear. 

Cheers

Matt 

Belgian Alvis Hefty Chasseur Ardennes

 Belgian Alvis-Straussler Hefty truck

While I was researching my Belgians, I came across a reference to the Alvis designed hefty artillery tow truck, finding info on this beast is quite difficult as it seems a number of models were produced and all called "hefty".

The most common image is the trial version, but I believe the Chassuer Ardennes actually purchased the fifty vehicles of the C model. I could find little or no record of how many were built of each type, it seems several different were in production at the same time, all seemed to have the pivot in the chassis though. 

I know I started this beast almost 5 years ago but it is now complete and awaiting paint! 

WIP 1 from 5 Years ago

WIP 2

Finally Completed this year quite happy with it. Now to the paint shop! 

This year I want to complete a lot of my parked projects and get back to completing my 20mm early ww2 kit and armies.

The Belgians ordered fifty of these primarily for towing artillery and AT guns for the Chasseur Ardennais as far as I can research only thirty five were delivered before the war commenced. 

Alvis-Straussler Hefty gun tractor in Belgium

The C model Alvis Hefty, was conceived by Nicolas Straussler and presented to London Commercial Motor Show in 1935. It was powered by the Ford 3.6L V8 65 hp engine, weighing 2.2 T empty and was articulated and pivoted in the middle to make it possible to cross uneven ground.

cheers

Matt