2S1 Gvozdika in action... on the tabletop

 Some Photoshop work

and some wargaming shoots from 2018

2S1 Gvozdika (USSR)

The 2S1 Gvozdika (Carnation) is a Soviet self-propelled and amphibious 122 mm howitzer based on the MT-LBu chassis which entered service in the early 1970s. It is armed with the D-30 122 mm howitzer which has a 15.4 kilometers maximum range. Deployed in large number (72 per tank division and 36 per motorised rifle division) it saw service in all Warsaw Pact countries and around the world.

The 2 kits are resin one from a mysterious manufacturer (see my article on the MT-Lbu 1V13) with whom I never managed to reconnect after my initial purchase at Salute 2017. (made 2017)

M109A2 (Belgium) Part 2

Released in 2017 (already?), the Riich Model is a little gem but perhaps too complicated (number of parts) and fragile for wargaming... I still have a boxed one, but in the meantime Revell has gone through... (made 2017)

M109A2 (Belgium) Part 1

An American 155mm turreted self-propelled howitzer, the M109 saw its combat debut during the Vietnam war. The M109 family is still the most common Western indirect-fire support weapon in service. With a crew of four, the long barrelled version (starting with the A1 version) has a maximum range of 18,100 meters. Starting in 1984/85, Belgium received 167 M109A2 replacing his early M109 (short barrel) and ageing M108.

The two first models presented here are the basic wargaming models from S&S. At the time they had the advantage of existing and of not being too expensive. With a little work and a bit of staging, they play their role perfectly on the gaming table. (made 2014)

WIP BMP-1 KSh

I have finally finished building my BMP-1 KSh. The kits is the very fine but quite expensive Ogurets Projekt one with some conversion work to show the telescopic antenna erected. It was new and challenging for me but I am very happy with the result 😁. The crew is a converted Germania Figuren. Thanks to Tomáš from HrdlaRadarModel for all the inspiration and motivation 👍 

Once the model is painted, a full article will follow in the future.

BMP-1 (USSR)

The amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle BMP-1 was the first mass-produced infantry fighting vehicle of the Soviet Union. From 1966, more than 20,000 BMP-1 and derivatives were built in the USSR alone, BMP-1 being also produced under licence by Czechoslovakia, Romania and India. Alongside the T-64 and T-80 tanks and the wheeled BTR, the BMP-1 really epitomises the heart of Soviet units in Germany. Revolutionary for its time, the BMP-1 was conceived for a nuclear and chemical war environment in which it never fought, allowing the infantry to operate from the relative safety of its armoured, radiation-shielded interior. It was armed with a 73mm gun and an Sagger anti-tank missile launcher on the gun mantled. In addition to a crew of three, the BMP-1 can also transport 8 infantrymen.

The kits are from S-Model. They are nice and easy to build and a perfect base to some improvement and  conversion works. Unfortunately, my example below date from a time when quick wargaming production was the watchword and they could certainly have benefited from a few simple improvements. I will certainly do more BMP-1 in the future and I will then be able to give them my full attention 😎 (made 2014)