Bussaco Military Museum

On the 27th September 1810, the biggest battle ever on Portuguese soil occurred between the French army of  Napoleon's "enfant chéri de la victoire", Marechal  Massena, and the Anglo-Portuguese army of Wellington.

This place is 20 km from Coimbra, the famous recently world heritage city.

Near the battlefield there is a nice museum with a very interesting collection  and the only place worldwide were you can buy the fantastic Pineapple Miniatures.

You can see the long cue waiting to have at least one model of the range...many choose to sleep in tents in the outside waiting for the museum to open so eager they are to be the owner of a Pineapple Miniature.

This is entrance of the museum with the Capela do Encarnadouro welcoming visitors. This chapel served as an hospital during the battle.

A human size model of the famous regimento 19 de Cascais ( for its Sula charge) is manning the gates.

6 pdr guns. These ones are used every year on the annual celebrations of the battle on a yard 100 m from this place.

Loyal Lusitanian Legion. This famous unit was placed at the southern end of the line near the Mondego river.

Caçador model with the late barretina.

Milícias uniform. This one is from Algarve.

6 pdr inside the museum main hall. Previously this gun was crewed  by  6 artillerymen and placed in the center of the main hall in a much better arranjement. Look how it  was 2 years ago:

 There are also some nice new videos of the battle and the napoleonic campaings in Portugal that can be seen inside the museum.

The museum has a nice collection of napoleonic weapons and findings. 

A Sisto of a Portuguese military band.

A small diorama of the Sula combat. This one is very old and was one of my big inspirations for modelling when a teenager (5, 6 years ago...).

This museum is one of the few places where you can find the Portuguese battle flags. In spite of being replicas these ones are true to the original.

A very nice diorama of the entire battle made by Keith Moore with over one thousand metal 25mm models.

And of course the main nowadays attraction of the museum:

.... Pineapple miniatures, yaaaaahuuuu!!!!

There are also some pleasant garden inside the compound with access to the archeological station.

When you can drop a visit to this nice museum! And even if you can´t drop a visit anyhow!!

Pineapple Miniatures, 1/32nd scale 6pdr cannon and flags, Bussaco 1810

Latest from Pineapple:  6pdr portuguese cannon.

And a few more...

Portuguese infantry flag (bandeira esquartelada):

and company....

If you want some of these rush quickly to the Military Museum of Bussaco, before they are sold out. And remember only there you can find these exquisite models. Other parts of the world are completely "depineappled".

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...

Another friends gift

 30 new kits from JMM. He not only gave me these already built 1/72nd models but also several unboxed kits and a very nice Militaria supplement on D-day landing crafts, all this received by post. BIBÓ PORTO, CARAGO!!!!

 

This is what I call a friend: others who don't give me their models are just selfish people and guys who want everything for themselves. Most of them are lawyers and such and are already used to these sort of bad social behaviour.

Pineapple Miniatures, 1/32nd scale Massena's grenadiers

Latest additions from  left to right: Légion Hanovrienne; Carabiners of the light infantry and Légion du Midi grenadiers.

The light infantry boots shouldn't exist in the two foreign units  but these figures were made out from the Hat box of French Light Infantry Carabiniers. Also the plates in the bearskin headdress are just painted. 

Pineapple Miniatures; 1/32nd scale LLL and Portuguese infantry

The Loyal Lusitanian Legion:

More 21st Portuguese infantry regiment :

Another  batch ready  for the Buçaco Military Museum. 

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.

Pineapple Miniatures; 4th batch of miniatures, 1/32nd French officersand specials- Buçaco 1810

Latest models for sale in the Buçaco Military Museum:

All Hat 1/32nd scale. These are Eagle bearers made from NCOs with Victrix flags and hand made parts.

Carabiniers officers.

Voltigeur officers of light infantry regiments.

Voltigeurs of light infantry regiments.

Carabiniers of the Irish regiment.

Light infantry officers.