Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 20mm - Last two battalions of Georgian Infantry

These are the last two battalions for the Georgian Light Infantry Brigade of 2008. The unit is more or less complete. It has up to now:

-  Three battalions of infantry like the two in the picture plus the mortars that are already shown.

- Three BMP-1, three BMP-1U Shkval and three land Rover (last two groups in this big picture) as IFV and infantry transport. 

- One battalion of T-72 SIM tanks (6 models, maybe one missing for command).

- One battalion of MLRS (3 BM-21 models).

- Six Dana 152mm SPG's.

- One Humvee and three Digdoris  for reconnaissance. 

The infantry is the usual mix or Revell and Esci moderns with a few old metal Skytrex in the command stands. 

Next: ACW and for quite a long time as I will be posting the armies of Gettysburg for the Fire and Fury rules systems. 

Rapid Fire! Contemporary Russian wars in 20mm - Converted Georgian BMP-1U Shkval

During the '5 Days War', the Georgian Invasion of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in August 2008, the Georgian used 15 BMP-1U bought from Ukraine in one of its brigades. All were apparently lost, captured or destroyed. But apparently Georgia rebuild its force of Shkval as there are now some 30 in its army.  From pictures of captured vehicles they were plain green which is OK as like this I can also field them also as Ukrainian IFV's. 

The basis for the conversion is the Fabbri  BMP-1. The main changes to obtain the BMP-1U are in the turret as you will see. 

First I used the turret backwards after extracting the 73mm gun which will be also the basis for the new ZTM 30mm gun of the Shkval. Then details like hatches and vision slits were taken out with an X-Acto. Some bulbs of two component fast drying paste are glued on the turret which is the main station of all new stuff this version has to offer. 

15 minutes later the paste can be cut and sanded to shape and the first details can be added as the gun, telemeter and other details. 

Time for the ATMG launchers made of EverGreen plastic tube. 

The tip of the gun tube is increased and some thin EverGreen is placed on its sides to give the illusion of the rotating gun. 

Time for the increased side protection on the hull made of thick card applied with hot glue.  

Final details on the back, new hatches and smoke dischargers. 

Figure, headlights, vision slits and its ready to prime. 

After priming they always look much better!

This lot was painted together with some two Die-cast Toyota Hilux. In fact they are Chevrolet but some careful painting can make them very similar. 

Next: Concluding the 26th Volksgrenadier Division. 

Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 20mm - Georgian Dana SPG Independent Artillery Brigade

The Georgian Independent Artillery Brigade splits in two in the vicinity of Zhinvali during the invasion of South Ossetia in August 2008. 

The models are the new BPM Dana SPG. BPM is making better and better models. True there is a little bit of printing lines but they are getting less visible  with each model they produce. Each takes five minutes to deal with the extra plastic printing material and one minute to glue the gun to the turret with the hull being the third separate part.

I just added the mirrors, antenna, crewmen and a Dskh also from BPM with a few extras as a longer barrel, aiming point and ammo box.

The crew is either German PSC with the cap slighly carved out or copies of Irregular Miniatures Russian WWII paratroopers.

Next: More Somua for France 1940 . Another batch arrived in 5 days. CTT is back in all its glory so praised be the lord!

Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 20mm - Georgian Didgori 2

For a long time I've been looking for  non-russian based vehicles to equip my Georgians. I already placed a few BMP-1 with them and some BTR-70 are on the cue but something different would really be ... different. Georgia used Turkish Otokar Cobras on its invasion of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in 2008. I looked for 20mm minis of these things and nothing. Then I looked for the Georgian made Didgori series and I found them! Well, not exactly as you can see in the photo of the real vehicle but close. Didgoris were not still made when the 2008 war happened so this is a compromise. 

The Didgori 2  APC looks to be quite impressed having won a number of orders and faring very well in international trade events. Besides the new Georgian camouflage is just great.

There are obvious differences between the Didgori 2 and my fake Didgoris but my cheap solution catches somehow the main lines of the real vehicle.

The truth disclosed: I found them in a Chinese shop and had to scratchbuilt the firing area in Evergreen and place an ESCI torso to man the Minigun. The Die-cast Humvee that joined the group can be seen in its awful colours trying to flee the picture.

Next: British aircraft in the Gulf 1991

Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 20mm - 2008 Georgian Infantry Battalion

The first Georgian Infantry battalion is ready to enter their BMP's and Land Rovers and invade South Ossetia. The figures are mostly ESCI modern US Infantry and a few Revell modern Germans and US. The use of american figures is suitable because the Georgians used plenty of M-14's assault rifles in the 2008 campaign which are fairly close to the M-16 of the figures. All figures are using the camouflaged uniform and bulletproof of 2008 and a small Georgian flag in the shoulder.

The M-60 MG was cut in the bipod and a small box added close to the trigger in order to look like the Russian PK MG in use in the Georgian army.

The command stand has a Skytrex US figure in the middle (the helmet in this metal figures looks more to the old Georgian/Russian helmet still in use in 2008) and a M-47 Dragon transformed into a PDM-1 of Georgian manufacturing or the several smaller Russian RPG's (18,22 or 26).

The Revell German PanzerGrenadiers have the Panzerfaust 3 which is firly similar in this scale with the RPG-7, only needing the tip of the ammunition to be cut.

The SVD sniper is the ESCI Spetsnaz with US helmet and painted bulletproof vest.

Next: The story the world has been waiting for, the '2008' context and wargaming possibilities.

Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 20mm - Butler's Printed Models T-64BV

 

 A few more good models from BPM. These T-64BV easy to clean,  and quite detailed. I only added the antennae, some stowage, figures and the small basket for the discarded MG ammo cases. The only problem with these printings is generally around the tubes of the MG's always too large but on the other hand quite robust.

 

 

 

Due to the amount and time for printing these models become more expensive than most of other BPM models  (11.50 pounds) while a M113 APC is less than half price (5 pounds) probably due to its simplicity.

 

 

Next: The  British 6th Guards Tank Brigade in Normandy or some F-16 for the Portuguese Airforce.

 

Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 20mm - First few Butlers' Printed Models (BMP's fom BPM) and a few more repainted Fabbri tanks.

 

 I've showed you my first experience with printed models when my friend Mario Laranja printed for me 10 T-72B2 that I used for Georgian and Russian forces.

 

A few weeks ago I went to Butler's Printed Models (BPM) site to discover that these guys make a wide range of vehicles for WWI, WWII and modern periods. And nice they are. Not only the plastic is strong enough to cope with rough wargamers hands and their sons as the level of detail is very good. But you can judge on yourself by the picture of these BMP-2.

 

With only two pieces, hull and turret, you have all details necessary from headlights to Spandrel missile launcher. For now you can always find some lines from the printing process of nowadays printing machine. The next batch I ordered will have those lines covered - hopefully- with GW Liquid Green Stuff.

 

 

I took advantage of the primer cloud to paint the last three Fabbri tanks of my T-90 battalion.

 

 

Also one repainted 2S9 Nona from Fabbri already joined the VDV unit.

 

 

Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 20mm - Repainted Fabbri for Russians and Georgians.

Recently I've been collecting some Fabbri models from Clive Diecast and also from the short collection of 10 models that we had here in Portugal last year.

In order to have a few T-62 BAR still present in the 2008 Georgian conflict I used some plastic net I had around and added the usual crew member, antennae and a Butler Printed Model DSHK Mg.

This is the last of the seven T-80B I needed to complete this battalion. Now... let's start another battalion!

I painted a few BM-21 with Georgian colours as in internet pictures from a parade a little time after the war. In the war itself I think all these were plain green but they get more lively and distinguishable like this.  

Also a few BMP-1 were repainted. To the right a few are in Georgian colours and to the left in Russian colours. These last ones completed the battalions of S-Models BMP-1's I started months ago.

Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 1/72nd scale - Troposphere Relay Station vehicle for SS-25 Topol already painted

                              

The TRS vehicle is already painted. I used a camouflage close to its SS-25 partner, only using Russian Tan from MIG colours instead of Iraqi Sand from Vallejo.

 

 

Most of these vehicles I found pictured are not in fact camouflaged but camouflage also helps conceal some mistakes in the making of the model.

 

 

 

At the same time I built another ModelCollect T-72 this time a T-72B3M. This one has no camouflage to go along the Russian T-72's 3D prints I have  from Mario Laranja.

Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 1/72nd scale - Troposphere Relay Station vehicle for SS-25 Topol

I wanted something to go along my 4D Topol. Two different vehicles work together with the Topol: a Launch-Assisting Support vehicle and this Troposphere Relay Station vehicle. Both have the same vehicle as basis, the MAZ-543. So I used another 4D model from China, this time the radar vehicle of the S-300 system, as the basis of this conversion.

 

The parts of the original vehicle are in a distinctive grey while most of the scratch built parts are white plasticard.

 

 

The WWI buffs probably recognize the green Airfix wheels of the Mark 1 tank on the flat bed of the truck used here as the power wheels of the relay system.

 

 

As usual I prefered to replace the flimsy structure of the Relay Station with sturdy plasticard.

 

A few other parts were taken from the surplus parts of the Matchbox Flower Corvette, as the stairs and several boxes.

 

                             

 

 

The radar itself was taken from a plastic Chinese toy of a small truck with radar and then carved until the desired shape was reached.

 

 

 

 

Rapid Fire! Russian Contemporary Wars in 1/72nd scale - How to make your own figures for aircraft and some other additions.

In order to produce quick WWII planes and to reduce its stash I don't place any figures on them for a long time. Like this it's much quicker to have new aircraft as you only need to paint the exterior parts.

Somehow I started to do exactly the opposite for modern aircraft. The problem here is that many of the brands don't carry the pilots and this is specially true with the Die-cast models. Besides the surplus pilots you may have don't sit well in the cockpit forcing you to brake, heat or destroy them while trying.

So I made up this way in order to have the missing pilots:

1- Model the full body in cheap and fast drying two-part paste (the one you buy at supermarkets) as it dries quickly and allows you into next step;

2- Model the helmet in GreenStuff;

3- (This is really worthy of Hannibal Lecter's talent) carve off the face of a soft plastic figure and place it deep on the front of the helmet;

4- Model the helmet again, glasses or other details you may want to add and they are ready for painting.

 

As  a proof of the crime I exhibit evidence number one on the top right side.

 

 

As confidence grew  I made others without plastic faces. Soon I regreted it as the first ones with plastic faces are much better. Some of them are even better for Planet Of The Monkeys, as faces are really tricky to do correctly. Only the pilots of the F-16 got well as they have their faces completely covered.

 

 

Having found a reasonable way to make pilots I built a few more Altaya Helicopters. This Mil Mi-24 was repainted with Georgian colours with hand painted symbols and numbers.

 

 

Two more Hinds with added missile pylons.

 

                                 

 

And a Mil Mi-8 with no additions but the crew.

 

 

 

Next: Arab houses, Iraqi helicopters or Russian T-72's. At least its what I have closer to completion.