Note to Self: Interesting Blog - Stephen Balagan

 https://balagan.info/

What's Going on with the Internet?

Ok so I am back blogging but I cannot understand the statistics (see below, why the spike when I was posting any new stuff?): 

So .. I think .. "There is weird stuff going on all over the Internet! Again see my blog's stats. Now remember - given the fact that I really stopped posting - not much in the last six months (from over 100+ posts to less that 20 year) and I have just started posting in earnest again (as a diary without mass interest content).These stats do not reflect interest in my blog but I propose rather a "scraping" of the blog sphere and Internet in general! Where did a 300k viewing audience come from since March - given I only have 243 followers (of which only about an estimated 60 or so I would call actively viewing new posts)!"

OK bloggers - anybody else see this pattern? Is it all those AI Large Language Models (LLMs) trying to get stupidly clever?

Audio Book: Prevail (The Inspiring Story of of Ethiopia's Victory Over Mussolini's Invasion 1935-1941)

As part of the monthly Audible subscription plan, you get access to a "free library" of titles. Skimming through these, one title in particular caught my eye, "Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory Over Mussolini's Invasion 1935-1941". I vaguely knew of the Italy's Abyssinian Campaign from my O-Level (not GCSE, so that ages me) history lessons about the League of Nations failure to act effectively in the interwar years. I was intrigued and felt ashamed for not correctly thinking of it as the Ethiopian Campaign. In my early Western Desert reading there were always references made to the East African Campaign. The "one" Wavell "diverted" resources to (see below, not only does the book describe the war, but also the fascinating political world events and personalities that became involved from Evelyn Waugh, Bernard Shaw, Joe Lewis, Laval and Eden but to name but a few): 

Still a "work in progress" for me .. but the shooting is about to start. 

Note: Ethiopia was the only African country that was a member of the League of Nations, partly because Mussolini's Italy championed its cause, thinking that France or Britain would block its membership, but they didn't. The irony of that cannot be lost, and a great exercise of double-thinking yourself into an awkward political corner! 

Note to Self: 28mm Warlord Games US M3 Lee Assembly Instructions

I am still wading through the Warlord Games AFV "sprue sale" bargains I picked up. I have to confess, despite my initial forebodings (post purchase click, "Did I need this?"), I am glad really I purchased this M3 Lee. It slotted together perfectly. which is a plus, as a very easy model build and the end product looks quite imposing. In fact it was far easier to build it in 28mm than the multiple Airfix and Hasegawa kits I have put together in 20mm (1/76 and 1/72  in old money). The M3 Lee is an intimidating beast despite its archaic sponson mounted 75mm howitzer (see below, in assembly you could be forgiven in thinking you were putting together a medieval castle): 

It suddenly comes together as a tank when the top is placed on (see below, the M3 Lee 90% there, or there until an 88mm gets the Lee in its sights): 

Complete with radio aerial (and like the Tiger I model I wonder how long the radio aerial is going to last) and a few more fiddly bits - front and rear lights, handrails (see below, the finished "monster", possibly for its crew survival potential rather than fighting ferocity, although a 75mm high explosive shell is highly respected by infantry and anti-tank crews on the Tunisian battlefield): 

Primed in The Colour Forges (Renegade Green) as a primer (see below, using this colour also as a shade colour, with a Vallejo dipping wash to follow in teh recesses, then a new set of greens [Olive Drab and highlights] should lighten its appearance up): 

 

Although "cheap" by buying a loose sprue these online assembly instructions from Warlord Games saved me from stupid errors. Despite the cleaness of the build I had to make study of these, particularly in reference to the turret build and the M3 Lee commanders hatch (see below, Warlord Games M3 Lee Assembly Instructions link): 

https://assembly.warlordgames.com/files/4070200017_M3_Lee_Grant_assembly_booklet.pdf

Another interesting Blog post comparing the plastic kit version (much better IMHO) versus the old resin version!

https://www.goonhammer.com/goonhammer-historicals-warlord-games-plastic-m3-lee-grant-review

Italian WW2 Infantry Platoon for Chain of Command (Wargames Atlantic Figures)

Two packets (32 figures each) of Wargames Atlantic WWII Italian Infantry allow a Chain of Command basic platoon plus some extra infantry supports (another squad, plus SMG upgrades and extra pioneers/engineers [people with spades] specialists). Altogether a nice entertaining project (see below, housed in the carefully "husbanded" [much to the annoyance of the long suffering wife] butter and margarine tubs - we seem to eat a lot of dairy products that might not be good for my cholesterol):    

The mass assembly complete and the weather outside favourable meant it was spray painting time (see below, attacked from four quarters the Italians take on the subtle sheen of Ghoul Grey courtesy of "The Colour Forge" [www.thecolourforge.com] 500ml spray can): 

Next stage is to grit the base (PVA, sand and grit) before putting over a Vallejo Brown "Dipping Wash". Please note the cute CV33 AFV tucked in amongst the infantry (see below, provided as a generous Xmas gift from Renko, to the chagrin of the Greeks): 

The intention is to paint the platoon up in "homeland european green" to fight the Greeks in 1940/41.

Another Fairey Battle 1/72

My fascination with the Fairey Battle aeroplane continues. I came across another manufacturer (Special Hobby) that did a "Battle of France" Fairey Battle in my loval hobby shop. In conversation with a friend I was informed that the Airfix Fairey Battle was a little inaccurate. Instead of technical design drawings the Airfix model designers apparently were given a Painting guide (based on a modified Hurricane diagram) rather than the true technical drawings, This was a simple admin error, but as a consequence the tail and wing areas are too small (see below, I need to make this kit and do a compare and contract):   

Watch this space!

Post Script: When I see a cheaper copy (than £40 - Kindle could be an option) I will but this book (see below). I managed to flick through a reference library copy. It is a reassessment of the potential of the Fairey Battle. It claims it was more strategically/operationally mishandled rather than being an implicitly bad design.

Note: More successful designs had "two engines" - it seems that it was being asked to perform too much with too little horse power, with too big a crew (three)!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fairey-Battle-Reassessment-its-Career/dp/1781555850

Big Man Spotted in Small Tiger II Turret

Hats off to Trebian for spotting this anomaly - from the same manufacturer (I think Tamiya, via Warlord Games) totally different scales of Panzer Commander - both of which are supposed to be representing a 28mm scaled figure (see below, the Tiger I Commander [on the right] seems to be the correct scale, whereas the Tiger II Commander [on the left] is a bit to much of a "big boy" and would really struggle to slip in and out the turret without being "greased-up"):  

I removed the "big chap" from the Tiger II and just "closed up" the tank for action! Problem solved!

Postscript: Excuse the blurry picture below - but he even looks big to other (Allied) tank commander figures from other Warlord kits (see below - and and superman?): 

It shows more clearly when you click and expand the photograph.