British Heavy Artillery Units Normandy 1944

 

 British Heavy Artillery units Normandy 1944

This month I have been completing some British artillery crews and decided to do some heavy pieces, so a little research had to be commenced, so I thought I would share my documents.

59th RA 7.2 inch howitzer in action 2nd September 1944.

The British artillery units who landed after DDay made up 18% of the total 21st army British and Canadian troops on the ground, more than the actual fighting infantry percentage. the heavy regiments were general reserve assigned to army corps.

The heavy artillery regiments in Normandy were:-

1st Royal Artillery Heavy Regiment 

Batteries 

3rd Battery 4 x 7.2 inch Howitzer Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s
5th Battery 4 x 155mm Howitzers Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s
16 Battery  4 x 155mm Howitzers Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s
28 Battery  4 x 7.2 inch Howitzers Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

Location

Assigned to the 2nd Canadian group in July in support of operations including Tractable and Totalize 
tactical plate 1 white, on corps artillery tactical plate

51st Royal Artillery Regiment, Lowland (city of Edinburgh)

1st Battery   4 x 7.2 inch Howitzers Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

2nd Battery 4 x 7.2 inch Howitzers Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

4th Battery  4 x 7.2 inch Howitzers Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

6th Battery  4 x 6 inch Howitzer rubber tyres Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

Location

4th Army Group Royal Artillery in June 1944, supported 1st corps assault on Caen in operation Charnwood, then assigned to support the 1st corps in operation Estonia and the assault on Le Havre. Most commonly used in the counter battery role.

tactical plate 187 white, on corps artillery tactical plate

52nd Royal Artillery Regiment Bedfordshire Yeomanry 

417th Battery (Bedford) 4 x 7.2 howitzer. mk4 Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

418th Battery (Bedford) 4 x 7.2 howitzer. mk4 Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

419th Battery (Bedford) 4 x 155mm M1 long tom Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

420th Battery (Bedford) 4 x 155mm M1 long tom Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

Location

5th Army Group Royal Artillery

tactical plate 187, on corps artillery tactical plate

53rd Royal artillery Regiment 

8th Battery   4 x 7.2 howitzer. mk4 Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

9th Battery   4 x 7.2 inch howitzer. mk4 Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

24th Battery 4 x 155mm M1 long tom Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

25th Battery 4 x 155mm M1 long tom Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

Location

8th Army Group Royal Artillery

tactical plate 194 white on corps artillery tactical plate

59th regiment Newfoundland 

20th Battery 4 x 7.2 inch howitzer. mk4 Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

21st Battery 4 x 7.2 inch howitzer. mk4 Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

22nd Battery 4 x155mm M1 long tom Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

23rd Battery 4 x 155mm M1 long tom Scammel Pioneer trucks or Albion CX22s

Location 

3rd Army Group Royal Artillery

Tactical plate 179 white, on corps artillery tactical plate 

Available models in 20mm- 1/72- 1/76th

I am happy to use what I can get but do prefer 1/72 and 20mm to 1/76th scale, budget is always a consideration too.

7.2 inch howitzer

Early War Miniatures 7.2 inch Howitzer resin simple kit

Milicast 7.2 howitzer resin mixed media kit

SHQ 7.2 Howitzer  metal model

Thunder model plastic model (coming this year)

155mm M1 long tom

A number of plastic, metal, diecast and resin available

SHQ 155mm M1 metal

Wespe models 155mm M1 resin

Hasegawa 1/72 155mm long tom howitzer any model shop

Atalya diecast towed model only hard to get

Alby models 155mm resin 1/72 (closest to actual measurments)

Marusan 155mm a rare plastic kit from Japan

AHM 155mm a rare plastic kit model 

6 inch Howitzer

SHQ miniatures 6 inch Howitzer

Milicast QF6 rubber tyres 

Scammel Pioneer

a few models available

SHQ scammel artillery tractor metal model

wespe models scammel resin model

IBG models plastic Scammel Pioneer plastic

Thunder Models Scammel Pioneer (not seen this kit yet)

Albion CX22s

One model that I am aware of 

Fankit models Albion CX22s resin mixed media kit

Albion CX25 

only one model I am aware of

SHQ Albion CX 25

I hope that is helpful to 20mm wargamers

cheers

Matt

Israeli special forces - IDF skin divers

IDF Skin Divers

Next few off my desk for my continued Arab-Israeli war build are some Israeli special forces, some 20mm skin divers from platoon 20 range, I will use these for other games also wherever a port facility or bridge needs to be taken out! 

I tried to paint camouflage on the faces in the typical 1980s vertical lines which was common in movies and magazines, the skin suits in black bit with some light grey joint lines which was common in 1970s skin diving suits. Overall pretty happy with the result 

cheers

Matt

ZSU 23-2 aa gun

 ZSU 23-2 AA gun

A 3d printed piece I purchased two months ago to give my rebels, Soviets and Egyptians some light AA cover.  

A simple speed paint and highlight, yet to purchase some 1/76 crew for it though. 

Cheers

Matt

IDF infantry Arab-Israeli war

 

 IDF infantry part 2

The new IDF battalion was completed this week when my basing colours arrived, this has held up a lot of posts this month so expect a lot of completed stuff this coming fortnight. 

I have done a painting guide also on my ww2-modern blog Kampfgruppe Willow for those interested it is  here. 

I still have some paratroopers, plus some support weapons, and a lot of vehicles to complete this project, but I am no rush to get the on the table until next years anniversary.

IDF battalion

My regimental colonel in a typical 80s pilots leather coat, with two female drivers! I need to add the 2 man radio section, jeeps and command half track at a later date

Two Browning M1919 MMG 

A basic squad, a mag 58, bazooka and mortar

Battalion HQ, missing  a radio man

my paint colours are 

Helmet with cover Vallejo khaki 988

Uniform Vallejo grey green 886

Webbing Vallejo Khaki 988

Boots and rubber Vallejo german grey

weapon stocks Vallejo mahogany brown

Barrels black Vallejo Black 

Rank stripes Vallejo shadow grey

ammunition Vallejo brass

cheers

Matt

M60a3 markings Cold War

 American M60a3 Cold War markings 

Cruising eBay which is always dangerous I picked up 6 Altaya M60a3 tanks at €3 a piece from Spain. This now gives me two M60a3 battalions to take on my Warpac for Cold War games.

 Even though they are marked up already for a infantry division it got me thinking about tactical markings for the M60a3 had things gone hot in the mid eighties in Europe. So the search has began!  

Cheers

Matt

Bundesgrenzschutz Kampfgruppe

 

Bundesgrenzschutz Kampfgruppe

Completed my first part of my kampfgruppe of Bundesgrenzschutz, the uniform of the Elheim figures works from 1967 to 1990. The Female figures are only suitable after 87. Very happy with my results even the shoulder patch’s worked out well. 

I have painted some in checkpoint colours and some in port and airport khaki trousers, so they will be suitable for Warpac SF raids . I still have two companies in camouflage to complete, plus support mortar, dog section, and bomb disposal. For vehicles I have one car, one VW van, an ambulance, and helicopter to complete the kampfgruppe. I also want to scratch build a armoured car. 

Bundesgrenzschutz painting guide

 

 Painting guide Bundesgrenzschutz 1976-1990

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Below is my Uniform colour suggestions for 20mm bundesgrenzschutz from 1976-1990.

M53 Helmet dark Green Vallejo German Camo dark Green 70979

Beret dark green Vallejo reflective green  70890

Service cap green, black visor and leatherwork Vallejo reflective green 70890

Dress Tunic green Vallejo reflective green 70890

tie green Vallejo 70967

reed green trousers Vallejo reflective green 70890

Khaki trousers (border crossing, customs and port and airport troops) Vallejo Khaki 70988

General service trousers green Vallejo Olive Green 70967

ochre yellow dress shirts Vallejo Green Ochre 70914

boots black grey Vallejo black grey 70 862

skirts (female) green Vallejo Reflective green 70890

leather belts, straps equipment black  Vallejo Black Grey 70862

Webbing black green  vallejo military green Vallejo 70975

bread bag green Vallejo Olive Green 70967

Water Bottle green Vallejo Olive Green 70967 or old style brown Vallejo Beige brown 70875 black cup 

mess tin black old Vallejo Black Grey 70862 or green new model reflective green 70890

shovel handle dark timber Vallejo flat Brown 70984, shovel black Vallejo Black Grey 70862

Great coat green Vallejo reflective green 70890

Waffenfarbe white vallejo 70951

Camouflage uniform 

The camouflage uniform was being phased out in the eighties and completely gone by 1987. The latest photo I have is 1983. 

My colours suggested are sumpfmuster camouflage uniforms
Basic Grey beige shade: RAL 1019 Vallejo German camo beige 821

Reddish spots: RAL 8012 red brown Vallejo 8012 red brown or Mahogany Brown 70846

Dark gray spots: RAL 7006 beige gray Vallejo beige brown 70875

cheers

Matt