Centaur95

This was my attempt at their original Rolls Royce A/C: http://smallcoginabigwheel.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-rolls-in-theiraqi-desert-whilst-im.html

There is a resin kit available. I think it's a '28mm' (1/56) scale and is a wargames model - doesn't look bad but not my scale. http://www.hlbs.co.uk/product.php?id=817 Cheers, Centaur

A lot of components for British tanks were actually manufactured in the USA and then shipped across the Atlantic - anything from smaller electrical and mechanical components to complete track sets and turret castings for Matildas, Churchills etc. This was all before the USA entered the war and was straight commercial purchasing, not Lend-Lease. It would seem sensible to suggest that some form of protective coating might be applied for trans-atlantic shipping and paint would make more sense than an oil or grease substance. Cheers, Centaur

+1 for Tamiya Field Grey (XF-65). Cheers, Centaur

'Mandatory' is the current UK Registration Plate font (Civilian and Military) - It's available as a free, downloadable TTF format so you can create plates to your heart's content (a quick Google search will soon give you links to the download sites that carry it). Cheers, Centaur

Turretless Shermans were also used as gun tractors for 17pdr AT guns. Cheers, Centaur

For a basic Humvee (especially a soft/open topped SF version) - Tamiya every time For an uparmoured version there are so many other kits that I've lost track of which is the best. Centaur

It looks like an A3 to me. It belongs to D Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. Can't be sure but it could be Reforger '82 as 1st Infantry Div were part of Blue Force for that exercise and this vehicle has blue Reforger placards on the turret. Summer verdant was rare in USAREUR - most units stayed with the Winter Verdant camo (brown and green, rather than two greens). Cheers, Centaur

It would depend entirely on the time and resources available to the workshops doing the repaint - and the urgency of the requirement. Based on vehicles I've seen that went out for Operation Granby in 1990-91 (various armoured and softskin types) , the sand paint was applied thoroughly and included lower hulls, suspension and wheels. Did they miss the odd nook and cranny? - probably. However most vehicles were properly repainted rather than being given a quick (and rough) top coat. One UK-based tank transporter unit even contracted with a local civilian industrial workshop to have their vehicles re-done professionally. Cheers, Centaur

Somewhat ironic given that Brigadier General James Stewart (USAF Reserve) was type-rated on B-47s and B-52s but not B-36s if I recall correctly? Cheers, Centaur

Yes, there were IPM1s deployed during Desert Shield (the build-up phase) with 24th Infantry Division but as far as I know, none were deployed during Desert Storm itself. One reference I have suggests that 24 ID used both M1 and IPM1 but I haven't seen any direct evidence of the original M1s in use so I can't confirm their presence. However, late production M1s and IPM1s are very difficult to tell apart from many angles. The IPM1 had the longer turret shell used on the M1A1 but retained the 105mm gun and some of the M1 turret features. There were other differences too but that's the fundamental visual difference. There are no kits available of the IPM1 so you would need good references and some conversion skills to create one. The USMC deployed M60s to Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield and were later loaned a number of US Army M1A1s (although the Marines were already in the process of buying the M1A1 they hadn't taken delivery of enough to issue them to combat units). Cheers, Centaur

As Niall points out, the Ajax is a scout vehicle not an IFV so you aren't comparing vehicles of the same class or purpose. Nowt wrong with a 40mm cannon using modern ammunition and propellant technology but on a scout vehicle, opening fire on the enemy is a tactic of last resort because it means you've been spotted and need to escape rather than taking the fight to the enemy. Adding an ATGM (or similar) system to a scout vehicle does several things. It makes the vehicle more expensive; it makes it heavier and larger (you need space to mount the launcher and carry the spare missiles); it either increases the number of crew required to operate the vehicle (more space required) or increases the workload on the existing crew members and erodes their ability to carry out their priority task (scouting); it increases the training requirement for the crew (an extra specialism to learn); it may encourage the crew to duke it out with the enemy when they should be retreating and reporting their findings WITHOUT being spotted; it can encourage field commanders to mis-use the vehicle as a surrogate tank, at which point it becomes extremely vulnerable in a role for which it was never designed - armoured vehicle development is littered with examples of all of the above. Cheers, Centaur

The Trumpeter Challenger 2 is one of their earlier efforts so don't judge them entirely on this kit. I much prefer the Tamiya option in this case but many of the more recent Trumpeter kits are excellent builds. Cheers, Centaur

Keegan - ponderous? Yeah, you're probably right but my first exposure to him was through reading The Face of Battle and The Mask of Command and it was the level of analysis that attracted me. As an aside, Carlo D'este's books on the battle for Sicily (Bitter Victory) and Winston Churchill (Warlord) also make very good reading. Montgomery was most definitely a questionable source for a balanced viewpoint. His star has definitely waned since the '60s. Cheers, Centaur

I've read Beevor's book and whilst it's a good narrative, I'd argue that it doesn't have the depth that Keegan and D'este bring to the camapign. Ditto for Hastings - a good read but lacking some of the depth of the other options. D'este brings his experience as a career US Army Officer to the table, which to me is especially valuable as his perception is different from that of a pure academic. (it balances the academic histories. It's not better or worse - just different.) One book I did omit from my list was Rick Atkinson's third book in his trilogy on the US Army - 'The Guns at Last Light', The whole trilogy (An Army at Dawn, The Day of Battle and The Guns at Last Light) covers the development of the US Army in Africa and Europe through WWII and is a masterwork - readable, intellectual and also honest about the highs and lows of the army's development. The choice of books is a very personal one, so i appreciate others might have differing views on particular authors. Cheers, Centaur

Just because the towbar is supplied in 'most kits' doesn't mean it's an authorised stowage item for an Abrams. Kit manufacturers supply such accessories because they look good and it helps to sell their kits. Yes, crews might grab one if they can beg, borrow or steal it and hang it on their tank - just as they would do with anything else that looked 'useful' (especially in a combat arena, where the regulations are less strictly enforced), but that's very different from it it being an 'issue' item for the vehicle with a pre-defined stowage location. There's no reason you can't use it if you want to but because it's not a standard item, it won't have a defined location on the vehicle. Cheers, Centaur

Outstanding in my opinion -Six Armies in Normandy by John Keegan -Decision in Normandy by Carlo D'Este Very good, but not as good as the first two titles -The Battle for Normandy by Robin Neillands -D-Day by Stephen Ambrose - The Struggle for Europe by Chester Wilmott (very dated by today's standards) There are probably hundreds of other books that cover some or all of the Normandy campaign, but the first two titles I've listed are, for me, the most balanced and well written. Cheers, Centaur

The towbar isn't a standard fit on the vehicle. The normal towing apparatus consists of the two tow cables on the turret. It is rare to see a towbar carried on the tank . Not sure what you mean by the exhaust 'deflector'? If you mean the upwards facing unit that attaches to the exhaust vent, then that's actually part of the deep wading kit and is only seen on USMC Abrams as far as I'm aware (US Army M1a1 'Common' hulls have the mounting points for it - 'common' meaning a specific production batch of Abrams tanks that were manufactured for both the Army and the Marines that had the same fittings for manufacturing convenience). You also need to be aware that the exhaust of an Abrams gets VERY hot so it's unlikely that much will be stowed on it Others may have better info. Cheers, Centaur

Glad you found them useful Cheers, Centaur

Yes - they were new-build Polish hulls ordered specifically for the Marksman turrets. Cheers, Centaur

OK - PM me your address. I have some layout plans that will certainly help with the cupola shape (hexagonal, elongated on one side). The bridgelayer used the standard engine deck. The bridge could be partially raised to allow access as far as I'm aware. Cheers, Centaur

Might be worth checking out Gaspatch for some exquisite MGs. They do a variety of scales aimed primarily at aircraft modellers but the products are really nice. They don't do a .303 Vickers in 1/35 but offer several in 1/32 www.gaspatchmodels.com. Cheers, Centaur

That's a pretty vague request - what do you think is 'wrong' with the Airfix kit that would prevent it being a Mk VII? I'm not saying it isn't you understand, just that it's really difficult to work out what information you might need. Cheers, Centaur

Yep - so do the Italians, Argentines and the Spanish. However, a lot of those countries have upgraded their Amtracs to a similar standard to the USMC so it becomes difficult to be certain. I went for Brazilian because they seem to have been slower to upgrade their 'tracs. Happy to be proved wrong though Cheers, Centaur

That photo doesn't make sense. The USMC personnel are wearing modern MARPAT camouflage and it is a completely different timeframe to the MERDC scheme (about 20 years different). Those AAVP7s are not USMC vehicles. They are also original A1 variants and haven't been upgraded in any way. My guess is that they are modern Brazilian vehicles. The Grey and Red Desert schemes were used, as were the Winter options, but never as extensively as the Winter/Summer Verdant schemes - my personal favourite of all the MERDC options was the Grey Desert option. Cheers, Centaur