FV103 Spartan (UK)

The Armoured personnel carrier version of the CVRT (Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance Tracked) family of armoured fighting vehicle, the FV103 Spartan has a crew of three and can carry four others men in the rear compartment. Used to carry small specialised groups, such as engineer reconnaissance teams, air defense sections or mortar fire controllers, 691 Spartans were produced for the British Army from the beginning of the 70s to 1986.

© C. Bray

© K. Postmus

© W. Bohm

The resin kit is from S&S Models. As always a little bit spartiate, but with some work and modifications to represent here an air defense section, it does the work pretty well (figures from RH Models). (made 2015)

 

Ferret Scout Car Mk 1 (UK)

Built for reconnaissance purposes, the Ferret scout car was produced between 1952 and 1971 and widely utilised by the British Army. A typical British vehicle, the Ferret was the direct successor of the Daimler Dingo famous WW2 reconnaissance car. The MK 1 version was turretless, open topped and only armed with a light 7.62mm machine gun (or Bren machine gun). The MK 2 version was equipped with a one-man turret mounting a .30" machine gun. Some 4,409 Ferrets were produced.

© Klaas Postmus

© C. Niesner

© C. Bray

The resin kit is from Cromwell Models. They are very nicely moulded kits with a good range of interesting subjects but are increasingly difficult to find. (made 2018)

Marder 1A2 (West Germany)

The Marder is the backbone IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) of the Panzergrenadiere units of the West German Army. Around 2100 were taken into service in the Bundeswehr from the early 1970s. At the time a modern but conventional machine, the Marder has proven to be a successful and solid design. Armed with a 20 mm autocannon mounted in a small two-man turret, the Marder can also be equipped with an external MILAN anti-tank guided missile launcher. From version 1A2 on, the Marder also received a thermal sight installation. With a crew of 3, it had a nominal capacity for 7 infantrymen.

© Christian Bray

© Christian Bray

© Christian Bray

The models are the Altaya diecast with some modifications and improvements as they are the only 1:72 scale model of the 1A2 version. (made 2015)

New arrivals

I would like top be able to post regularly (if I found the time 😂) a new type of article about my various new acquisitions. Here is the first one about my purchases from the last 3 weeks or so.

So, here we are by order of arrivals...

Soviet T-62 by James Kinnear & Stephen L. Sewell by Osprey

I already have the T-55 book by the same authors and this offering as the same qualities and faults that its predecessor. Qualities: it exist, is in English, give a good overall view about the subject and have a lot of details photos. Faults: the narrative/chronology is sometimes confused and/or repetitive (not helped by some misprints), the photos are definitively too small and not enough of the "in service" type for my taste. For a reasonable price, I am nevertheless satisfied to have it in my collection.

M577 A1GE - MT-LBu MP-25 - MT-LBu MP21 by Red Tank Miniature

My first 3 3D printed models by Red Tank Miniature. Let's just say that I am quite astonished by the quality of these printing as they are really fine and precise. I really hope to find the time soon to start on them. It also gives me a lot of hope for futur models that we might have access to through this increasingly sophisticated production method.

M60 A3 by Revell

My two first M60 models. I think I will keep one of them basic and the other one can serve to make an M60 A2 (with the help of the ModellTrans conversion)  following my next purchase inspiration...

M60 A2 by Sabot publications

A very interesting book on a particular subject, full of photos (mostly in action). Only problem: unimaginative captions and misprints (this seems to become the rule of a lot of recent publications... cost reduction?)

STORM-333 by Mark Galeotti by Osprey

A rather unnecessary book with few new facts and mostly off topic photos. I liked the cover illustration by Mark Stacey but much less the interior ones by Johnny Shumate who seems to have been producing works in a hurry for some times.

AIFV (Belgium)

The AIFV (Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle) was developed in the US as a replacement for the ubiquitous M113. While in the end the US Army was uninterested in the design, other governments were and among them Belgium. In 1979, they ordered 514 AIFV-B, 70% of them being produced under licence in Belgium. They were several versions, 228 of the AIFV-B C25, armed with a 25mm Oerlikon cannon under turret, 230 of the AIFV-B .50 armed with a 12.7 mm machine-gun cupola and AIFV-B Milan with a Milan anti-tank missile launcher on pintle mount, and 56 of the AIFV-B CP, a command post version with the 12.7 mm machine-gun cupola, a tent, generator and telescopic mast. Starting in 1985, the AIFV-B will begin to replace the M75 and AMX-13 within the Belgian Land Force.

© Christian Bray

© Christian Bray

© Christian Bray

The models are the S&S Models resin one. They are basic wargaming models but are available and affordable. With some modifications and improvements, they do the job while waiting for a hypothetic plastic kit version. (made 2015)