BREM-1 (USSR)

The BREM-1 is an armoured repair and evacuation vehicle developed on the T-72 tank chassis and adopted in 1975 in the Soviet Army. It was intended to support the T-64, T-72 and T-80 equipped units. As to 1990, 342 BREM-1 have been delivered, which is not much considering the number of Soviet tanks.

The kit is a conversion resin from ModellTrans on a Revell T-72 base. It gave a very good impression of this vehicle which is an original and important (in wargaming term) addition to my Soviet vehicles. (made 2021)

T-55AM2 (East Germany)

The ubiquitous T-55 was the main battle tank of the NVA (East German army) which, from 1975, received some 1600 of them from Czechoslovakia and Poland. Starting in 1986, 291 were upgraded to the AM2 standard, receiving notably a new version of the engine, improved suspension, additional armour to the hull and turret for increased protection against the mines and anti-tank missiles, a thermal jacket for the gun, 8 Tucha smoke grenade launcher system and a new sighting and firing system coupled with a laser rangefinder mounted over the top of the mantlet. Furthermore 50 were modernised to the AM2B standard, receiving a new guided armament complex enabling the tank to fire the 9K117 Bastion through the gun launched ATGM, thus providing the tank with a way to accurately engage target from 500 to 4000 metres.

The kits are from Revell and with some additions and modifications give a very good result. I made the first (left) in 2017 and the second one (right) in 2021... resulting in more attention to details and a better painting result for the latter 😉

2021 one...

and 2017 one...

New arrivals

Lots of new things since my last "new arrivals" in June (!).

Firstly 3 packs of very nice 3D printed figures by Germania figuren.

Some NVA AFV/Tank crew and motor rifle troops. It was my first buy by Germania figuren and a test to see how they look and if they are compatible with my 20mm wargaming figures. Test passed ! They will come handy in my futures NVA projects.

Next, a very nice book by the Belgian Mirage 5 Pilots Association (MPA). The Mirage 5 attack aircraft was an important asset of the Belgian Air Force in the 70/80's and the MPA does a great job in keeping the memory of this wonderful aircraft. It's last book "Pictorial story of the 106 Mirages M5 B of the Belgian Air Force" is literally packed whit fantastic photos. The book can be obtained by ordering via Pictorialstorybook@gmail.com.

During my family holidays in Germany last August, I bought 2 hard to find old kits:

The MT-LB by Siga Model (futur ACE)

and the Topas-2AP by ACE

Since back from my holidays, I also bought

The Revell early M109 (with the short barrel)

2 very nice BM-1K conversion kits for S-Model BMP-1 from SP Designs, a one man Ukrainian company first 1/72 scale conversion as they normally do 1/35. Unfortunately, with the new EU import taxe rules and the shameful profit our postal service derives from it, it will be my last Ukrainian purchase.

and finally, quite unreasonably given the height of my "to do" stack, the all new S-300 from Hobbyboss

T-80BV (USSR)

The T-80 was the second tank in the world equipped with a gas turbine instead of a diesel engine to enter service after the Swedish Strv 103 but before the US M1 Abrams. The use of a gas turbine give the T-80 a very good power/weight ratio but a very high fuel consumption. The T-80 is similar in layout to the T-64 with a crew of only three due to the use of an autoloader. The BV version entered service in 1985 and was equipped with explosive reactive armour Kontakt-1 giving him an added protection of 400mm equivalent armour against HEAT warheads. Between 1986 and 1987, some 2,256 T-80 of different versions were stationed in East Germany were they were the most modern Soviet battle tanks in service.

The kit is the old Revell one, still good for me with some extra work even if, the t-80 being one of my favourite tank, I would like to try some of the new kits on the market... but I still have some boxes of the Revell one on my stash 😎 (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.