Final pictures of 2016 ... Half Tracks II (and just made the ton up: 100 posts)

On the other side of the "transport track" is the redoutable M3 Allied half-track from Plastic Soldier Company (PSC), not as sexy as a Hanomag perhaps but functional (see below, three M3 half-tracks full of Tommies):

PSC also provide the US with a crew version to complement the British (see below, full of GIs):

This fills out a platoon or company worth of armoured infantry (depending if you play Chain of Command or Command Decision) In addition to PSC, Academy do a M3 half track which gives nice variation in models (see below, side mounted 30 cals being of interest, so points it to the US forces):

A couple of extra shots of the German Hanomags mentioned in the previous post (see below):

Another close up of the Hanomag 251/2 81mm mortar (see below):

That's a few plastic boxes of models shifted from the loft to the "to be painted" boxes in the cupboard ;)

A final note for 2016: 

I seemed to "struggle" with the blog this year, barely making 100 posts. Lots happening, mostly good, moving jobs and a growing (as in kids getting older) family makes inroads into hobby time. HAd fun and used some games to keep in touch with some old friends which was good

Best wishes to one and all in advance of 2017 ;)

More Luftwaffe planes ...

Just before I moved onto the Battle of Britain Spitfires a chance conversation with a fellow wargamer resulted in the dispatch of some unfinished Luftwaffe kits to my door as part of a communal "build" for a larger game. This will represent 1940 German "air assets". In total three Stukas and a Ju88 destined to bomb the French. A dibble and dabble of glue completed the part-assembly of a Stuka and Ju88 (see below):  

So two more Stukas to go before the RAF gets its second turn!

Note: There are a lot of bare plastic kits waiting at the end of the production ready for a mass paint.

P47 Thunderbolt

Just a beast of a machine. Pure power under the hood. Not as pretty as the Mustang but effective nevertheless.

However once it lost altitude it could never regain it quick enough.

 A tank of a ground attack aircraft. More lost to AA fire than enemy combat I believe. It roamed mercilessly on search and destroy missions behind enemy lines and in close cooperation with ground force.

This is a 1/144 Academy kit, used primarily as a Western Allies 1944 air asset marker for my 20mm games, although part of me hopes to be able to dogfight with it some day :)

A "Little Friend" for the 8th USAAF: 1/144 P51D Mustang

Saviour of the USAAF over the Reich, the fighter that defeated the Luftwaffe in the contest of the skies. Sure the Thunderbolt was the heavy-weight bruiser, but the Mustang could mix it and regain altitude to return to defend the bomber formation.

When "drop-tanked" its range was phenomenal, even visiting Polish airspace on operation sorties in late 1944/45. To quote from Johnnie Johnson's "Full Circle: The Story of Air Fighting":

There was great competition among American fighter pilots to get their hands on the Mustang, Don Blakeslee pleaded with his general to exchange their old Thunderbolts for them. But a great daylight offensive was planned, the Normandy invasion would take place within three month and so the general answered that he did not see how Blakeslee's group could become non-operational for several weeks while they retrained on to the new fighter. 'That's OK, General, sir," replied Don "We can learn how to fly them on the way to the target!" 

Not infeasible if you consider the length of the journeys to and from the Reich, but also a measure of how the American fighter pilots felt they had to so something for their compatriots flying in the daily massed bomber formations.

Meanwhile, this is a nice little kit from Academy, not much to it parts-wise but it paints up a peach.  

1/144 P38J Lightning

Flown in both European and Pacific theatres it came into its own in the latter, where the huge distances afforded its range to be utilised to full effect.

The wargame project associated with this model is the ambush (nay assassination) of the Japanese Admiral Yamato. The full battle would need six Zero close escort, two Betty bombers and four hunting P38J's.

As the close escort and bombers split up when "bounced" it is justifiable to half the scenario planes again. Therefore I am half way there with a Betty, a Zero and another P38J away from an interesting club-night game.

Another Academy kit.

RAF Home Defense: Spitfire's 1944 upgrade to Tempest V

Buzzing in from my 1/144 collection is a fighter pair of Tempest V's from Academy.

Nice little kits to make, though not as aesthetic and graceful as the Spitfire is packed a tremendously powerful engine and has a rugged ferocity about it.

Also as I am without a Typhoon marker is serves as an Western Allied Jabo attack marker.

The "grey and green" latter war RAF camouflage being more businesslike than the warmer early war "brown and green" of the Battle of Britain era.

Please note: I do get round to putting the decals on things, albeit very hard to leave them off  the planes ;)

Battle of Britain Summer: Me 110 "The Destroyer"

As the 70'th anniversary of the Battle of Britain is about to start, something from my 1/144 collection.

In formation, low over Britain coming in under the radar, Dowding and Keith Park's nightmare, an unseen enemy piloted by the Luftwaffe elite hitting key installations on the south coast of England.

A closer look:

Front on, still a sinister chap:

Luckily for the RAF not used to their strengths, but exposed in their weaknesses when trying to take on the Spitfires and Hurricanes of Fighter Command.