Lebanon 1982 - Latest 1/100th scale T-72's and Phantom's

A few more Syrian T-72's for the 82nd bgde of the 3rd AD.

The command T-72 had their telescopic mast made out of a metal sewing needle as I run out of that size of Evergreen tube. The spider web structure are plastic broom threads. Exceptuating the Zvezda T-72 close to you  all others are Battlefront.

The Phantom to the left is a repainted Fabbri model with an elongated nose made of GreenStuff. The one to the right is a straight-from-the-box Tamiya kit.

The 3 colour scheme is made of Vallejo Iraqi sand, GW Mournfang Brown and Warboss green.

All markings are, as usual, hand painted (Uauuu...) so it's good to keep some distance not to see the flaws :)

Lebanon 1982 - 1/87th and 1/100th scale Israeli army

This is the Israeli army I managed to put together up to now. One of the Merkava was painted just a few days ago but most of this collection has already many years. 

The same is happening to my Syrian army were I also use both 1/87th and 1/100th scales. If I had started these armies recently I would have stuck only to one of these scales. 

But in the late 80's and 90's the variety we have nowadays didn't exist and I was mixing all 'small scale' (these two I'm referring) and keeping the 'big scales' (1/76th and 1/72nd ) together for other modern conflicts like Vietnam, Angola or the Gulf. 

Starting with some heavy stuff I managed to build up to two battalions of Merkava I. They are all collectable Salvat 1/87th scale from a nice collection we had in Portugal over 15 years ago. This collection was made by the Italian Andrea Miniatures company. I run to all paper shops I could find even in other towns. 

When the Salvat Merkava came out the collection was maybe in its middle and these guys were already hard to find opposite to the number 1 which normally floods the market. 

The M577 command vehicles and the M152 jeeps are Roco Minitanks. 

The Salvat/Andrea Miniatures were very nice models made in both metal and resin. The original painting was not very good but it was a useful primer and detail is good enough for washes and dry brush. 

Only the second M60 Magach to the left is Roco, all others are Chinese copies I found don't remember where. As the Magach was covered with Blazer armour most of the inacuracies are hidden with plasticard pieces. The top right M60 is the only Salvat model I could place my hands on with added plasticard grading it to Magach. 

This is the final result of the Chinese copies.  The commander is a resin copy from the set of US vehicle commanders. 

The Centurion Sho't are also Salvat covered with Evergreen Blazer armour. 

The M109 are old 1/100th scale Eko while the Lance recharger, the truck and the M107 are 1/87th scale Roco. The crew for the M107 is 1/100th scale Peter Pig. 

I built a set of two frontal stowage equipment for the M109 and cast a few copies in resin enough for an artillery battalion. 

The Vulcan to the right is a CMSC model. Years later CMSC was closed and I scratchbuilt the one to the left on a Roco M113. The figure is a soft plastic Atlantic 1/87 taken from their small naval and  landing craft box. 

The Israeli mechanised infantry is made from 1/87th Atlantic infantry with loads of conversions as charged arms and added backpacks, antennae, Dragon missiles and RPG's from Esci ( yes, different scale but only you know). The M113 are Roco and the M125 mortar versions are Eko. 

The Roco M113 have added extensive stowage all over, rear fuel drums, MG's and an Evergreen exhaust pipe to the right side. 

The RPG's conversions. Parts from Atlantic and Esci and arms from GreenStuff. 

And the Dragon conversions (Roco Dragons and Atlantic bodies). 

This other mechanised infantry group is all 1/100th scale metal mostly Peter Pig which makes some very nice Israeli infantry and vehicles. I base the 1/00th scale vehicles in the same base as the 1/87th if, as it is the case of M113, I use both scales to the same vehicle.

The Chaparral is Roco as well as the other M113. This group is the beginning of a divisional command and/or other divisional assets. 

Still to be found/done: 

- 2 Merkava (1/87th scale) for the command of those tank battalions. 

- 1 M60 Magach (1/87th scale) for the command of its tank battalion.
- 2 M48 Magach half made and 5 new ones I have to find somewhere.

- 3 Sho't (1/87th scale) to finish the battalion. 

- at least 2 other Vulcan and one Chaparral. 

- 2 M109 (1/100th scale) on the way from Zvezda. 

- 3 M577 and 3 M125 in 1/100th scale to complete the vehicles for the last 3 infantry battalions.

- enough figures for 2 infantry battalions. 

- some helicopters, Defender and Cobra  in 1/100th or 1/87th scale.
- plenty of planes in 1/100th scale, Mig, Phantom, etc...

Let's begin the work and may the Force be with me. If the Force isn't, I'll return to the AWI...

Lebanon 1982, 1/87th &1/100th scale Syrian SA-2 and SA-3 AA Missile systems

The main missile AA systems used by the Syrians in the Bekaa valley were the SA-2 Guideline and the SA-3 Goa attacked by the Israeli aviation in Operation Mole Cricket 19. The problem of using models of these things , as usual in 1/87th scale in particular, is availability  and price.

As my collection mixes 1/87th with 1/100th scale, scratchbuilding models to these scales is nice as can can always say the model turned out in "1/90 th scale" or in "1/88th scale", who knows.

The model above and in the next two pictures is the Low Blow radar attached to the SA-3 batteries.

The wheels are metal Irregular Miniatures from their Useful Range Artillery. The central control box is a piece of styrofoam (don´t forget to protect it with a thick coat of PVA glue before spray, or you will get a really small box...). The ladders and such are metal. 

The Radars themselves are Made-in-China toys and most of the details are the trustable Evergreen plastic tubing, sheet and rod along with other styrenes.

 This is the way how I produce quick reference for scratchbuilding: Google + attach images to word page + print =  that´s it.

 Try to capure images from the best angles and particularly B/W  and almost-to-scale images. Many times you can even use a ruler for measurements if the pic turned out in the wanted scale.

 The SA-3 themselves: several parts of 1/72nd aircraft missiles until you are satisfyed; Evergreen and other styrenes for other parts and you are done with it.

Same recipe for the Sa-2 radar, the SNR-125 Fan-Song. Much more complicated than the previous radar, this one has more parts in styrene. Superglue and Hotglue bonds everything in its place. The figure, a kneeled Skytrex 15mm already glued, gives you the size of the thing.

Next: SA-2 Guideline.

Lebanon 1982, 1/87th &1/100th scale Syrian T-62

My dear friend JMM, the artillery was not the last post for the Syrian of 82, but this one will be: the T-62, which by this date was the most important tank in their arsenal, at least numerically, and the mainstay of the 1st armoured division.

First some of the T-62 , left the T-62A (without MMG), transformed from the excelent Petner Panzers plastic kits from the USA in 1/87th scale and right, the T-62M, . This brand I think no longer exists, and I only know two kits made by them: the T-72 (same mould as the one once made by Roco...) and the T-62. I remember building the T-62 plastic kits (18 of them) and feeling glad on how all pieces glued so well, making me think these were the best kits ever. Besides the tracks were one piece, and some 15 years ago were some of the first to be seen (ahhhh... the Airfix Bren Carrier is some 40+ years old, right...?).

 The Petner Panzers T-62 fleet, is this case the 76th brigade of the 1st armoured division.

 A different camouflage, without the grey colour.

The Salvat 1/87th scale T-62. Each I find turns into a command vehicle with a little Syrian flag added.

 The Skytrex 1/100th scale T-62. This is the beginning of the  91st brigade for the 1st armoured division.

The full T-62 armada.

Lebanon 1982, 1/87th &1/100th scale Syrian APC and Soft Skins

 The Syrians use many different soft skins, even civilian, and APC.  These are Skytrex (1/100th scale) BTR-60´s painted for the 85th bgde that stood in Beirut during the Israeli siege.

This camouflage is based on a photo of the 85th bgde leaving Beirut under the eyes of an Israeli high ranking officer. The photo is B/W but it seems something like this:

The command version.

Different BTR-60 camouflage schemes, along BRDM-2 (all Skytrex 15mm) and Land Rover Van (Roco 1/87th scale).

The paint scheme on most of the Syrian AFV´s: base russian green; camouflage light grey and sand. There are small patches of brick red as they seem to show on pictures whether from previous paint jobs (1973 schemes for instance) or even rust. Some light green also appears from time to time and I used it on the BMP-1´s.

 
The Land Rover 109.

The BMP-1 were used by both the 3rd armoured division and the 85th bgde. Thse models are CMSC 1/87th scale.

Soft Skins: the two on top are cheap Made-in-china trucks and the one below is the Peter Pig model of the  Ural 4.5 truck.

The crew is a mixture of Irregular Miniatures; Skytrex and Peter Pig 15mm figures.

Unimogs by Roco 1/87th scale.

Unimogs by Peter Pig (1/100th scale). The one to the left carries a 23 mm ZU gun.

These are Diecast Unimogs in 1/82nd scale, a bit bigger than they should but cheap and passable. Two of them had no canvas cover so the canvas of two Roco Opel Blitz were adapted to this Unimogs.

BTR-152 and a UAZ-469, all from Peter Pig.

Infantry is closing in, JMM...

Lebanon 1982, 1/87th &1/100th scale Syrian Missile battalions and Self-Propelled Artillery

The Syrian Scud B were also placed in Lebanon, but kept as  a strategic reserve. These models are QRF.

Same with the Frog 7, both role and brand.

The BM-21 are QRF and uncamouflaged as some photos I saw.

These are Made In China trucks transformed into BM-21. They are roughly 1/90th scale and fit nicely with the previous QRF´s.

The main changes were new resin wheels (from 1/43 cars) and Evergreen rocket tubes, alongated sides and side exaust tubing.

 These are refuelling trucks of unknown origin, with a new paint job inspired on recent photos of these kind of trucks.

T-34 122mm SP are  conversions from the Kopro T-34  in 1/87th scale. The 122mm had to be scratchbuilt and some rectangular boxes and other details were made in Evergreen. The figures are 15mm Peter Pig Syrians.

The BRDM-2 AT-5 Spandrel are Skytrex.

The 2S1 Gvozdika and  2S3 Akatsyia are also QRF. The latest were not in Lebanon in 1982 but are nice models.