Mayenne city build : Maison particular WIP

 

Mayenne Ville Build

This year I want to commence my Ville Mayenne city tiles that can be used for any major French city really on a river. one side will be predominately intact with a few damaged buildings the other side heavily damaged to represent Ville Mayenne in August 1944.

My main focus for the build will be the main buildings between place de Cheverus to the Pont McCracken where a majority of the fighting occurred in the city.

Maison Particular

This week a new work in progress of a recent second hand purchase of some model railway buildings I picked up at a market very cheaply. The first building is a Vollmer post office which I will convert to a town house (Maison Particular ). This building will represent Dr Morrisett’s house which was the headquarters for the German commander of the Oisseau radar station. First up I washed the building in warm soapy water, then cleaned up the glue and prepared the rear of the building for render treatment. As I want it to represent the actual building a little more. I did think about cutting it up but have decided against it. I also need to scratch build a garage for the Maison and front gates.

Dr Morrisets House, the commandant of the Oisseau radar station 3 klm north west of the city.

Garage detail

The dependencies

a 20mm figure sitting on the steps

Building rear, I will render this and add plastic card under the floating verandahs or add steps. 

cheers

Matt

WW2 bits Russian Sniper and Rad Flak Maidenhauptführerin

Rad Flak Maidenhauptführerin  and sniper

additions to the 20mm collection again for the analogue painting challenge.

First up a Rad Flak Maidenhauptführerin  officer, the miniature is from Minaron miniatures and I think is listed as a librarian from memory, but this one will join my fall of Berlin collection 

Next up is a Russian female sniper, again a entry for the analogue painting challenge. the miniature is from the AB miniatures range.

The Black Devils

Established in 1665 Dutch Marines were the only volunteer regular unit in the Dutch ground forces. On the tenth of May the Marine Regiment was preparing to depart from Rotterdam to the Dutch East Indies and join the other marine units already posted there. About 650 marines were in the barracks in Rotterdam when the invasion began with a further 200 as part of the training and recruit centre. 

 They became famous for their action during the invasion when the marine regiment in Rotterdam consisting of 100 marines, some artillery, Armoured cars and Naval personnel defended the Willemsbrug traffic bridge across the Nieuwe Maas river and prevented the link up for four days against the German Fallschirmjager who had tried to take the bridges by surprise on the 10th of May. 

The name the black devils was thought to be christened by Oberstleutnant Von Choltitz “ die schwarzen Teufel ” when the 6 marines who were still alive defending the Willemsbrug bridge surrendered. 

I have decided to build a complete battalion for the regiment, structured at full strength like a infantry regiment with support elements, a 81mm mortar, MG section, AT rifle and RHQ and recon coy. The miniatures are all SHQ. 

Regimental Head Quarters 

Co plus 7, AT rifle, reconnaissance platoon cycles. 

RHQ command element, radio trailer and car to be added

Reece platoon

AT rifle platoon 

Battalion Head Qauters

BHQ OC plus 4

1st company

10 figures, Lewis lmg

2nd Company 

10 figs Lewis lmg 

3rd Company 

10 figs Lewis lmg

Support Heavy weapons

81mm mortar 4 crew

MMG 3 crew

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