Swedish C303 PLTGB 903

Finally completed this during the week during my down time between guests I have been airbrushing and catching up on my kit builds during the year. I do need to add crew from elhiem when I find them in the pile of opportunity. 

The Volvo c303 pansarvarnspjasterrangbil was armed with a Pvpj 1110 90 mm recoil-less antitank gun. I picked up the Gecko models 1/72 model last year and finally assembled it this week for Mad March build, so has been a while between build and painted but until I complete the renovations on my workshop upstairs I will need to be patient until I get my airbrush studio space completed. 

This chap will join my Swedes in the anti armour platoon of my infantry regiment for my Cold War game later in the year. 

Cheers

Matt

Swedish C303 car

  Additions for my Swedish army is a passenger truck, the Volvo C303 TGB11 these small vehicles were commonly referred to as the Puppy in Swedish service and were used in a variety of uses. 

The C303 was designed and built by Volvo and was designated the Laplander L3314. It came in hard top, soft top and the specialized anti tank version. I picked up the Gecko heavy industries model, which to be frank is not that good for its price, with lots of air bubbles and a clear cabin in very hard resin. See my previous kit review Here 

I am quite happy with the result though and was a simple dark green airbrush job then hand painted windscreens, tactical signs and lights etc. 

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 game. 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. 

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 for Swedish-Soviet encounter  

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 mauled 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. 

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. The solid resin body was problematic fitting and cutting, taking more than an hour of clean up. 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 

Whiskey on the Rocks - Cold War Wargaming

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….

 A  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 decided they wanted to keep the grounded submarine and stop it from departing until investigations were completed. 

The game plays out the scenario's: The Russians begin 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 locations 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 begins 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.  

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. 

Cheers 

Matt Williamson 

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