Rapid Fire! Normandy 1944 in 20mm - The British Motor Battalion for the 7th AD

The British Motor Battalion of the 7th AD disembarks from its M5 Halftracks under the protection of the organic 6 pdr. The five Carriers are far ahead in a reconnaissance mission … well, they are not I confess. They are still in Alentejo inside the printers of Pedro Pato,  the Minigeneral big boss. 

This organisation is from the RF! 2nd rules book, a bit different from the one proposed by the Normandy Battlegroups book (the later proposes less figures in the infantry companies and one extra 6 pdr AT gun). 

One of the Loyd Carriers will go to the Motor battalion of the Sherman equipped division and its just here to show off. 

The HQ White Scout Car is Italeri (ex.Esci). I just added the crew (Airfix and Matchbox), an antenna and the usual stowage. You may recognize the second figure with bonoculars from the Airfix Bofors gun. Originally the figure is looking to the sky but after some seconds very close to a lighter assumed a more 'infantry' look.

The HQ group, all big and beautiful Valiant. 

The company Halftracks are, left to right, an Hasegawa M3A1 with Valiant crew, an Italeri M3 with Valiant, Britannia and Hasegawa US conversion crew and an Airfix M5 with Matchbox crew. 

                           

All three companies are Valiant and the first row of this one has several conversions. The most distinctive figure is the running Bren as the original is in a too relaxed pose that wouldn't harm anyone if he had to. 

Two FO stands from Valiant for the artillery were also added.

The Support Company. More Valiant minis. 

Both Loyd Carriers are PSC but I scratch built this 6 pdr AT gun in EverGreen plastic card and tubing a long time ago and I'm using it finally together with a Valiant converted crew. The two 6pdr from PSC will go to the US Paratroopers that are still  inside the boxes for a project I have of building the 101st.   

This Valiant figures are not the new 20mm figures. Even if they are a bit big they are detailed beauties, excelent material for conversions and they paint extremely well.

Next: Impetus CP Hungarians for Mohacs 1526.

Rapid Fire! 20mm scale British 7th Armoured Division in Normandy - 4thCounty of London Yomanry

This post completes 22nd armoured brigade and refers to the 4th CLY, the famous unit almost destroyed single handed by the even more famous Michael Wittman and his Tiger.

Here they come along that narrow lane...

The M-3 Stuart are Frontline Wargaming with plastic MG and sand bags.

The Fireflies are Armourfast with Valiant commanders with styrene headphones.

Some of the Cromwell have the PSC Sherman commander, the best around in my opinion.

C company joins the other...

Once again Hessian Tape  is made out of putty. Stowage comes from all possible places, including putty, surplus parts and  different positioned parts.

Rear view of the unit. The houses are cheap resin castings repainted to look northern France. 

The Cromwell CS 95mm have their gun made of Evergreen tubing and plastic surplus parts. I used for measurements the Centaur (Revell) I´ve made for supporting Lord Lovat´s Commandos on D-Day.

 The Cromwell CS and the CO Cromwell  didn't fit the initial photo. These two brings the total of the unit to 13 vehicles.

This unit also received several Valiant British infantry backpacks spread throughout all vehicles, both in the turret and in the hull.

Huiii... Look who is coming for a visit directly from Hasegawa, Japan...

Rapid Fire! 20mm scale British 7th Armoured Division in Normandy -5thRTR

Continuing with the 7th armoured division/ 22nd armoured brigade, and freshly from the paint brush, here it is 5th RTR in a peaceful rear area in the Normandy bocage country.

A photo of an US tank battalion in the latest RF! rule set served as inspiration for this picture.

Usual Armourfast Fireflies with Britannia crew and Hessian tape made out from repair putty.

Matchbox Firefly with extra rear turret box, MG and Hessian tape.

The crew of this Cromwell are resin Frontline Wargaming torsos kindly sent by Tim Wade.

Frontline Wargaming M-3. The yellow markings and the number 52 denotes 5th RTR.

Airfix Scammel.

I stole this diecast Fuel Scammel from my father´s peaceful car collection. It was painted in red and yellow metallic colours and when my father discovered its absence it was already based and primed...

Hey, look at these heavy drinkers coming from the party! They are bailed  out crew made of Esci British infantry with carved out parts and NATO Esci beret heads.

20mm Rapid Fire! 7th Armoured Division in Normandy - 1st tank regiment

My 22nd armoured brigade was hanging around with its models put together for  some 1 or 2 years by now. The models were already built, primed and there was just some few more models to built for a total of 39 vehicles.

The first regiment to be painted was the 1st tank regiment with its red markings and 51 as brigade number (oldest regiment).

Most of the Cromwell are Armourfast, with one Revell and one Altaya.

 

The crew models are mostly Britannia heads in plastic bodies.

The M-3 Stuart are Matchbox (L) and a turretless Frontline Wargaming(R) with plastic Rocco and Frontline Wargaming  resin crews and MG.

All company vehicles have Hessian Tape as camouflage. This was made with cheap repair putty modelled while drying up to this shape.

Fireflies are Armourfast too, simple vehicles but rendering nicely  this famous and effective tank.

The Hessian Tape/putty on gun barrels have to be applied carefully and in small parts. A normal X-acto models the crevices and simulates the tape.

This crew member has a metal Britannia head and his body is modelled in putty. Making crew members like this you can place them in the exact place you want. This one is saying: " Let me out before I     

shit my pants" to which the rest of the crew reply "Please do it!!"