2024 Operation Market-Garden 80th Anniversary GB - 18 & counting

[drdjp11]

Update - up to 16.

 

Not so early any more, so sign up now!

 

Sorry I've been out of circulation for a bit - lots of family stuff going on and just no time but things are settling down.

 

Cheers,

Dave

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Early proposal for a 2024 Operation Market-Garden GB. Lots of opportunities for American, British and German armour and recce units, bridging equipment, ground support Typhoons, recce Spitfires, C-47's, gliders and such. Lots of diorama options, too.

 

Always been a fascinating subject and I'd like to see what interest there is out there. Kickoff ought to be September 17, leading to an end of year closure.

 

And honestly, given the subject matter, if there were a lot of incomplete builds by the end that would almost be a fitting tribute...

 

Interest so far:

 

@drdjp11

@Marklo

@Corsairfoxfouruncle

@vppelt68

@JOCKNEY

@IanC

@bigfoot

@Rafwaffe

@Robert Stuart

@MrT

@sampanzer

@Arniec

@CliffB

@Peter Lloyd

@John Masters

@wellzy

@Arniec

@LorenSharp

 

18 and counting!

Edited August 24, 2023 by drdjp11
Update interest list

[Marklo]

I’d definitely be interested. more likely than not some armour, but I do have a C47 and a few Typhoons in the stash that could serve just as well. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Not sure what I’ll build yet but add me to the list. 

[vppelt68]

On 15/08/2022 at 03:57, drdjp11 said:

Lots of opportunities for American, British and German armour and recce units, bridging equipment, ground support Typhoons, recce Spitfires, C-47's, gliders and such.

...plus certain heavy bombers that were used in daylight tactical precision bombing to support the ground attack:

"Eleven 533rd bombers took part in an attack on enemy tank concentrations and gun emplacements near Eindhoven, Holland, today. The attack was in direct support of American and Allied troops advancing in this sector. Bombing results were reported to be excellent. The bombers met no flak or fighter opposition."

(533rd Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group War diary, 17/9/44)

 

Oh, and I'm in with one 🙂. V-P

 

[vppelt68]

Also, B-17 44-6163 'Passaic Warrior' carried US General Brereton to view the invasion from the air. The aircraft also carried W.B. Courtney from Collier's Weekly, whose subsequent article appeared in its November 11, 1944 edition. An excerpt is attached.

 

"ARMY IN THE SKY
BY W. B. COURTNEY
R A D I O E D FROM LONDON
In the greatest airborne operation ever conceived and executed, 300 miles of planes, gliders, paratroopers, artillery, 
jeeps and supplies dropped out of the heavens onto Holland. The man responsible for this D-Day in aviation was 
General Brereton—or as his men know him, Number One Brass.
Within the Passaic Warrior, there is a business-like tension. In the floor amidships, the rounded top 
of the underhung ball turret moves restlessly as its gunner scans the air and ground. Looking back 
through the narrowing fuselage, as through the big end of a telescope, you make out a little airman 
alert on his jockey seat at the tail guns. When you go forward to join the general in the nose, you 
have to sidle across a tiny, slippery catwalk in the bomb bay and then crawl between the legs of the 
top-turret gunner. Forts are for killing, not for comfort.
To starboard the sun is behind high, misty cloud wrack, through which it filters in a blindingly
diffused glare. It's a proper "Jerry breeder"--an ideal ambush out of which bandits can dive on us 
with the dazzle at their backs. Our fighters, aware of this, are thickest on that side, and the eyes of 
our waist gunner, cunning with the wisdom of many raids, never leave that bad spot in the sun.
Our Fortress begins to move around the sky lanes passing up and down and alongside one formation 
after another. The general is carrying out an aerial review of his command. His small figure is 
perched solemnly on the bombardier's seat in the Plexiglas nose of the ship, and there is nothing to 
impede his view of the wide heavens and the hostile earth. Certainly this is the first time in history 
that a commanding general has carried out such an inspection on such a scale and in such
circumstances—of a battle-bound force hundreds of miles long.
Nothing is missed by those large, unblinking dark eyes behind the sunglasses. His lips are the only 
index to his displeasure or satisfaction. If a shadow of constriction passes over them, it signifies that 
a group is perhaps not quite as tight as it should be. But the proximity of the general's plane has a 
quick effect. Diagonally through the doorless gap in the side of each transport, you glimpse the kids 
sitting inside waiting to pour from those holes with their battle cry of "Geronimo" and their chutes 
blizzarding groundward like giant varicoloured snowflakes. On the ground just ahead, we spy secret
and brightly coloured signals. This is the 42d Street and Fifth Avenue of the expedition. This is where 
we turn north. We put on our parachutes. The pageant is over and the real shooting begins. 
Anything can happen now, for we are flying above enemy territory. On the flak map, it is marked by 
circles of deepest red—meaning toughest concentrations. We are beside one of the towing groups
as it turns the corner. The nylon ropes catch the fitful sun and glisten across the width of the column 
like a spider web on a June hedge. Suddenly the towline of the glider nearest us snaps. The broken 
ends of the line rear up, and there is a frozen moment like an arrested motion picture while they
face one another in mid-air like snakes in a fight. Then they coil and writhe away. The glider slides 
downward and you think at first that the pilot has it under control and will manage a landing. 
Abruptly the glide becomes a dive. 'Goddam!" our waist gunner yells. "The cargo's shifted." The 
glider flips over on its back, lurches right side up once more and finally plunges like a shot arrow to 
the ground. It hits nose first in a field beside a road, losing all definition in a sickening eruption of dirt 
and fragments. Its C-47 tow plane peels out of formation and returns to circle the spot, like an eagle 
mourning a broken fledgling. The dust cloud slowly blows away, and you can see there will be no one 
to save from that crash and nothing for anyone to do but carry on."

 

Citations from the 381st BG fb group, thanks! V-P

[drdjp11]

5 hours ago, vppelt68 said:

Also, B-17 44-6163 'Passaic Warrior' carried US General Brereton to view the invasion from the air. The aircraft also carried W.B. Courtney from Collier's Weekly, whose subsequent article appeared in its November 11, 1944 edition. An excerpt is attached.

 

"ARMY IN THE SKY
BY W. B. COURTNEY
R A D I O E D FROM LONDON
In the greatest airborne operation ever conceived and executed, 300 miles of planes, gliders, paratroopers, artillery, 
jeeps and supplies dropped out of the heavens onto Holland. The man responsible for this D-Day in aviation was 
General Brereton—or as his men know him, Number One Brass.
Within the Passaic Warrior, there is a business-like tension. In the floor amidships, the rounded top 
of the underhung ball turret moves restlessly as its gunner scans the air and ground. Looking back 
through the narrowing fuselage, as through the big end of a telescope, you make out a little airman 
alert on his jockey seat at the tail guns. When you go forward to join the general in the nose, you 
have to sidle across a tiny, slippery catwalk in the bomb bay and then crawl between the legs of the 
top-turret gunner. Forts are for killing, not for comfort.
To starboard the sun is behind high, misty cloud wrack, through which it filters in a blindingly
diffused glare. It's a proper "Jerry breeder"--an ideal ambush out of which bandits can dive on us 
with the dazzle at their backs. Our fighters, aware of this, are thickest on that side, and the eyes of 
our waist gunner, cunning with the wisdom of many raids, never leave that bad spot in the sun.
Our Fortress begins to move around the sky lanes passing up and down and alongside one formation 
after another. The general is carrying out an aerial review of his command. His small figure is 
perched solemnly on the bombardier's seat in the Plexiglas nose of the ship, and there is nothing to 
impede his view of the wide heavens and the hostile earth. Certainly this is the first time in history 
that a commanding general has carried out such an inspection on such a scale and in such
circumstances—of a battle-bound force hundreds of miles long.
Nothing is missed by those large, unblinking dark eyes behind the sunglasses. His lips are the only 
index to his displeasure or satisfaction. If a shadow of constriction passes over them, it signifies that 
a group is perhaps not quite as tight as it should be. But the proximity of the general's plane has a 
quick effect. Diagonally through the doorless gap in the side of each transport, you glimpse the kids 
sitting inside waiting to pour from those holes with their battle cry of "Geronimo" and their chutes 
blizzarding groundward like giant varicoloured snowflakes. On the ground just ahead, we spy secret
and brightly coloured signals. This is the 42d Street and Fifth Avenue of the expedition. This is where 
we turn north. We put on our parachutes. The pageant is over and the real shooting begins. 
Anything can happen now, for we are flying above enemy territory. On the flak map, it is marked by 
circles of deepest red—meaning toughest concentrations. We are beside one of the towing groups
as it turns the corner. The nylon ropes catch the fitful sun and glisten across the width of the column 
like a spider web on a June hedge. Suddenly the towline of the glider nearest us snaps. The broken 
ends of the line rear up, and there is a frozen moment like an arrested motion picture while they
face one another in mid-air like snakes in a fight. Then they coil and writhe away. The glider slides 
downward and you think at first that the pilot has it under control and will manage a landing. 
Abruptly the glide becomes a dive. 'Goddam!" our waist gunner yells. "The cargo's shifted." The 
glider flips over on its back, lurches right side up once more and finally plunges like a shot arrow to 
the ground. It hits nose first in a field beside a road, losing all definition in a sickening eruption of dirt 
and fragments. Its C-47 tow plane peels out of formation and returns to circle the spot, like an eagle 
mourning a broken fledgling. The dust cloud slowly blows away, and you can see there will be no one 
to save from that crash and nothing for anyone to do but carry on."

 

Citations from the 381st BG fb group, thanks! V-P

Ugh, that sounds brutal. I was just reading James Holland's book on Sicily and the airborne part of that op was a total cluster. At least D-Day and Market-Garden only had "ordinary" problems.

[JOCKNEY]

Captures the event perfectly @vppelt68, and trust you to get a mention of a B-17 in !

 

I used to work with a chap who parachuted into Arnhem, he didn't get to do much as he was shot 3 times on  the way down, having been dropped over a German position.  He said he pretended to be dead as most of his mates were killed in their shutes around him before they even landed.

 

I think I've got an Albemarle somewhere in the stash, would that be appropriate here ?

 

Cheers Pat 

[drdjp11]

On 8/19/2022 at 1:54 PM, JOCKNEY said:

Captures the event perfectly @vppelt68, and trust you to get a mention of a B-17 in !

 

I used to work with a chap who parachuted into Arnhem, he didn't get to do much as he was shot 3 times on  the way down, having been dropped over a German position.  He said he pretended to be dead as most of his mates were killed in their shutes around him before they even landed.

 

I think I've got an Albemarle somewhere in the stash, would that be appropriate here ?

 

Cheers Pat 

Absolutely! The more obscure the link the better, from my POV.

 

Manston and the Albemarle’s role are outlined admirably in the page below.

 

https://www.manstonhistory.org.uk/manstons-role-in-operation-market-garden-17th-september-1944/

 

And this story would make a great set piece:

 

”an Albermarle and a Horsa was flown back to Brize Norton to return with a load of WAAF waitress reinforcements.”

Edited August 24, 2022 by drdjp11

[JOCKNEY]

15 minutes ago, drdjp11 said:

Absolutely! The more obscure the link the better, from my POV.

 

Talking of obscure, how about Montgomery's Miles Messenger ?  

[drdjp11]

37 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said:

 

Talking of obscure, how about Montgomery's Miles Messenger ?  

If it was used in the planning or execution of the op it counts.

[drdjp11]

4 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Captures the event perfectly @vppelt68, and trust you to get a mention of a B-17 in !

 

I used to work with a chap who parachuted into Arnhem, he didn't get to do much as he was shot 3 times on  the way down, having been dropped over a German position.  He said he pretended to be dead as most of his mates were killed in their shutes around him before they even landed.

 

I think I've got an Albemarle somewhere in the stash, would that be appropriate here ?

 

Cheers Pat 

 

What I meant to say was "There's an Albemarle kit???"

 

<frantically checks Scalemates>

[vppelt68]

4 hours ago, drdjp11 said:

 

What I meant to say was "There's an Albemarle kit???"

 

<frantically checks Scalemates>

If there ever was one, @JOCKNEY has it 🙂

[JOCKNEY]

8 hours ago, drdjp11 said:

 

What I meant to say was "There's an Albemarle kit???"

 

<frantically checks Scalemates>

Valom make / made one, this is the one I have

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/valom-72008-armstrong-whitworth-albemarle-st-mkv--104488

 

If you fancy a challenge,  Contrail made a Vacform one 

 

Cheers Pat 

[vppelt68]

See, I said he'd have it

[drdjp11]

On 8/20/2022 at 2:05 AM, JOCKNEY said:

Valom make / made one, this is the one I have

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/valom-72008-armstrong-whitworth-albemarle-st-mkv--104488

 

If you fancy a challenge,  Contrail made a Vacform one 

 

Cheers Pat 

 

Vacform, you say...

 

Sounds like a slippery path to madness.

[IanC]

Great idea for a GB!

 

I quite fancy doing Michael Caine in his Humber scout car. 😀 I believe Bronco did one of these?

 

Or - maybe less likely - Hardy Kruger watching British armour rolling across a 1/35 replica of Nijmegen bridge. 😄

 

 

[drdjp11]

9 hours ago, IanC said:

Great idea for a GB!

 

I quite fancy doing Michael Caine in his Humber scout car. 😀 I believe Bronco did one of these?

 

Or - maybe less likely - Hardy Kruger watching British armour rolling across a 1/35 replica of Nijmegen bridge. 😄

 

 

 

Yes, I have that kit, and the AccsGB 1/72 kit, too. Thinking of doing a Firefly (Rye Field 1/35) & Humber ready to roll with a couple of rocket-laden Typhoons swooping overhead. Time will tell if what's in my head can be accomplished eventually 😃

 

Scale differences between the aircraft and armour shouldn't be a problem with a bit of separation.

Edited August 23, 2022 by drdjp11

[bigfoot]

Lots of options for this one, I’m in!

[Rafwaffe]

I’m in. So many  good options to choose from!

[Robert Stuart]

Okay ...
Well, I have this kit:

 

Going to pinch the trailer for a half-track in this year's Armoured Cars and Half-tracks build, but I could still have the Jeep and figures?
The British Paratroops' camo can't be as bad as the German Pea Pattern camo, can it?

 

[drdjp11]

11 hours ago, Rafwaffe said:

I’m in. So many  good options to choose from!

And a couple more years to think about it by the time it gets going...

[Mr T]

Well, for starters I have the Valom Albemarle and the Italeri Stirling IV and Horsa in the stash that won't build themselves and so count me in. 

[drdjp11]

On 9/6/2022 at 9:17 AM, Mr T said:

Well, for starters I have the Valom Albemarle and the Italeri Stirling IV and Horsa in the stash that won't build themselves and so count me in. 

 

I pity the fool who doesn't build those!

[sampanzer]

count me in

Cheers

[Arniec]

Count me in as well! As I am from the Arnhem region. I have got some models in my stash ☺️☺️☺️