Lebanon 1982, 1/100th scale Syrian PT-76,

From time to time the 1982 Lebanon campaign comes to my mind. I remember beeing a teenager and watching the news and seeing Mig-21 crashing down in the Bekka Valley, long columns of Centurion MBT crossing roads and valleys and the news about hidden Syrian SAMs. Then came the Beirut siege and the horrors of Sabra and Chatilla. I never forgot those images. And, as many kids from those days, I wanted to be part of it somehow. The better was to make models, of course.

From the 90's on I´ve built more than 400 models in 1/87th scale, both for the Syrian and Israeli armies. The problem as that in those days 1/87th scale was the best scale to show this period of warfare, but also a very incomplete one. I started, remember pretty well, still as a student, ordering some BMP-1 and T-55 from CMSC after having some kilos of the normal Roco Minitanks that everyone had.

Then the 1/100th scale appeared in strenght, and I  already had a credit card! And a Fax and phone machine from my brother in the basement were I have my collection! Yuppiiiii!!! And Skytrex, Peter Pig, QRF, Trident and such became my best friends. A very large collection collection portraying in a 1 to 5 ratio the 1st and 3rd  Syrian Armoured Divisions; the 85th Independent Brigade and several armoured Israeli Brigades all appeared in a mixed 1/87th scale and 1/100th scale. Strangely the aircraft were 1/72nd scale - what a stupidity!!- recently the 1/72nd Syrian and Israeli aircraft turned into Iraqi and USA, and proper 1/100th scale came as replacements.  After all I remembered pretty well my 1st wargames rules for WWII happily mixing 1/87th, 1/76th and 1/72nd scale...

Nowadays I wouldn´t do it. I would stick to a determined scale, due to the abundant number of models that exist in all scales.  But this collection for me is always about nostalgia. In a recent trip to Spain (<3) I found these plastic Eko 1/100th PT-76 in a small toy shop and just had to have them. They are 40 years molds but still look nice. Some Greenstuff for the mantlets and accessories, the 3 colour scheme for the syrians,  and here we go.

Nice quality photos, hem , PC?

This one is the Skytrex 1/100th scale PT-76, also painted for the Syrian army, a far better product with just half a dozen years but far less nostalgic.

 Below there is just a tiny fraction of the collection. As soon as I base the models, as I usually do nowadays (damn RF!...), I will show them to you.