CHEAP VBCW TANKS (3)

In the search for cheap "Hollywood style" tanks for use in the VBCW, there are the occasional frustrations. So this is a short post about "the one which got away" - the Mundus 609 plastic tank: 

A treasury - nine mint Mundus 609 plastic tanks in their original boxes.
Picture from an auction lot some twelve years ago - well before
the Hereford VBCW was 'in the market' for such "60s plastic toys".
A rough idea of size can be obtained from the accompanying 54mm figures.

The problem with the "Mundus 609" tank is not so much that "it got away"; rather, that it seems pretty impossible to find at all. This is particularly annoying as it is known to have a length of 9cm, which makes it wholly compatible with other VBCW "Hollywood tanks".

Obviously, in historical terms, the Mundus 609 is of a completely unrecognisable design - but arguably, that makes it even better from a VBCW viewpoint. So we shall just have to plug away looking for them - if anybody reading this post has one, or knows where to find them, then please leave a comment below!

CHEAP VBCW TANKS (2)

Another 1960s cheap plastic toy to use as a "Hollywood style" VBCW tank: 

As with so many of these 1960s products, the plastic toy looks nothing like the dramatic box art, and although the tank vaguely resembles an M-4 Sherman, it is far too "chubby" and stylised to be anything close to a scale model of the real thing. Hence, a perfect product for a VBCW "Elstree Industries" tank:

As a clockwork "friction tank", the toy has 4 road wheels underneath the chassis and slightly 
raised tank treads. The wheels and clockwork mechanism are easy enough to remove, as is the
"trumpet oversleeve" over the barrel (compare first picture with these).

100mm - or just under 4 inches - long. This is about the right length
for a "28mm tank", and the rest of the dimensions follow on from the length.

Two early production models crewed by the BUF go in to action under the command of 
Major Everard (as the then was, now Major-General Everard) at the Battle of Winforton Pontoons

Later production models form the basis of the Ledbury BUF "Mailed Fist" Battlegroup.
For scale comparison, note tank commander, an old GW Imperial Guard Commissar.

A closer shot of the tank commander, whose tank has been converted with a
longer tank barrel (made of plastic tube). The crewed vehicles to the left of this photograph
are "Yone Tanks" from THIS POST, and helpfully "scale compatible".

Unless you are lucky at a car boot sale, if you wish to recruit a force of "Elstree Industries" tanks, Ebay is your friend. A search under "friction tanks" often brings up examples marked at about the £5 range...

CHEAP VBCW TANKS (1)

If you're going to manoeuvre big VBCW tank forces (and who is not 'a tankie'?), then you need the tanks to be quick to build - and cheap. Hence, Hereford1938 has mostly taken a "Hollywood tank" approach to armoured warfare (well, this is alt-history), and scratched around for suitable 28mm-ish scale models/representations. Hong Kong/Japanese toys from the 1960s have been found to be 'just the thing':

A tinplate AND plastic creation from Japan, marketed as a "Yone tank".

This type (the "Skeet Tank") not only runs on a clockwork mechanism, but also
shoots "safe disks". Wow !

The tinplate upper is easily removable, allowing the wargamer to ditch the clockwork
mechanism, key and gear. The resulting holes are easy enough to disguise with a little
plasticard and filler. Then underspray and paint to taste..

Et voila - "French Lend-Lease" tank destroyers in use with the 
Ludlow Experimental Armoured Brigade. 28mm crew figures in Adrian Helmets.
Clearly waiting for suitable transfers/decals...

Going the other way, and no shortage of transfers/decals - BUF tank destroyers
 with 28mm crews head along the road to Ledbury, passing a parked up BUF Tank Brigade.

These "Yone/Skeet" tanks are particularly fun, as the "open top" allows for some characterful crew figures. One of the "Safe Disks" provides an exact fitting base. Both these "tank destroyers" were sourced from Ebay, where such "Yone/Skeet" tanks occasionally pop up at about £5 a piece. Warning - some sellers clearly think such tanks are made from "unobtainium", and price accordingly - obviously to be avoided. Most, however, realise that they simply have an old and mass produced cheap plastic toy for sale....

ITALIAN TANKETTE COLOURISED

Following the startling news that the Ledbury BUF (the Kensington & Chelsea Armoured Infantry, aka "The Sloane Rangers") is equipped with new 2 man tankettes, their "coachwork" specially adapted courtesy of the deep pockets of Bendor, Duke of Westminster, an opportunity for a colourised photograph:

Not a "Sloane Ranger", but a tankette, a snazzy three colour camouflage scheme
 and a Death's Head logo....

...brought to life in a startling colourisation. An Italian made Fiat Ansaldo  L3 spotted
"somewhere in Herefordshire". Or perhaps Hungary - there's so much
static on these Fleet Street phone lines.....

For more information on the L3 series of Italian tracked vehicles, see WIKI here

RED FRONT TANK POWER !

In an effort to restore the Communist position in Herefordshire after the "Disaster at Dinmore", Comrade Moody of the Presteigne "Bureau Desinformatziya" has released these images of a "new Soviet Tank design" recently delivered in some numbers to Comrade Colonel Professor Winter's Second and Third Shock Armies:

The new design - a Mk.3A produced by Presteigne's
"Popular Revolutionary Organisation Light Engineering Yard No.1"

hence propularly known as a "Proley Tank" Mk.3A

The comrades have been working overtime to produce as many tanks as possible..

..and succeeding. This Tank "Brigade" will be of significant help to
Comrade Colonel Professor Winters as he attempts to "stablise the lines"
following the Disaster at Dinmore..

Comrade Moody has assured his contacts in Fleet Street that all Soviet tank designs have been thoroughly tested for battle:

[Notes] For the background and origin of the "Proley Tank", see this POST....

VICKERS Mk.6 LIGHT TANK

Some Koestlerian synchronicity to start the week, items simultaneously foraged by blind chance from the extensive "VBCW Army Surplus" store in Ludlow. First up, a lovely colourised photograph:

A Royalist Vickers Mk.ViB "somewhere in Herefordshire" 1938.
Or possibly near Arras, 12th October 1939.

and then another lovely, a 28mm Vickers Mk. 6B speeding toward VBCW battle:

Painted, not colourised - 28mm Vickers Mk.VIB

and finally, the real thing:

Vickers Light Tank Mk. VIB at Bovington Tank Museum

Notes:

(1). 28mm Vickers 6B found on the web years ago - if you wish to claim the credit for it, please leave a comment!

(2). For more 28mm 1930s (Very) British historically accurate stuff, see HERE

LEDBURY BUF (6) - SELF PROPELLED ARTILLERY

After Storm Leader Reckless' Reconnaissance Troop, and Storm Leader Dastardly's "BUF Tank Force" (all as recorded on THIS THREAD), here comes the next element of the "Mailed Fist Battlegroup" - heavy support in the form of a Storm Leader Shellmore's section of Self Propelled "Big Guns" - nicknamed "Bisons" - travelling along the A438:

Chassis - cheap plastic "Shoddy variant" tanks (with moulded in shells/bullets!) from Ebay.
Gun - chopped down 54mm vintage plastic "Army Men" 25pdrs (ish) from ditto.
Crew - variety of 28mm manufacturers. Decals - paper.  

Contrary to legend, these "Bisons" were not manufactured by Elstree Industries, nor by their disastrous Chinese sub-contractor, the Schezuan Ordnance Depot and Delivery Yards (see HERE), but by a sister company of the well-known Birmingham manufacturer, British Small Arms Ltd. ("BSA"). Incorporated around the time of the outbreak of the VBCW, British Really Rather Large Arms Ltd. ("BRRLA") specialised in the design and manufacture of heavy armaments such as "Bisons", selling the same on a promiscuous basis to whichever factions were willing to "stump up the necessary cash" (with order, buyer collects, no refunds).

There is an ongoing historical argument, reflecting a contemporary squabble, as to whether it was the Herefordshire Police or the Ledbury BUF who first placed their orders for this important VBCW artillery piece. There is no argument, however, that the German Heer (closely watching events within the VBCW, as ever) rapidly copied and adapted the BRRLA design:

German 15mm sIG 33 (Sf) on Panzer 1 Ausf B chassis.
The resemblance to BUF "Bisons" is clear from this rare photo.

A later design development. The 15cm gun is now enclosed.
Cheekily, the German Heer even copy the BUF name for this
SP Artillery piece - "Bison"

"Bison" in action. An attempt at advanced Herefordshire VBCW tank tactics.

Next up - BUF Bridging Column!

LEDBURY BUF (5) - PANZER JAGER !

Storm Commander Dastardly's BUF Tank Force has briefly "laagered" somewhere off the A438 Tewkesbury-Ledbury Road, waiting for the rest of his command to catch up with his swiftly moving armoured column:

"Ach, ja, Panzerjager!", Reichsmarshall Goering is reputed to have said
upon being shown a newsreel, in the garden rooms of the Castle Pool 
Hotel, Hereford, of the arrival of these Elstree Industries tracked AT guns.

The tracked AT guns join forces with the tanks of the
"Mailed Fist" Battlegroup....

..and Storm Leader Dastardly's armoured column is now
complete. "Move out!" is now the command...

The armoured column resumes its advance towards Ledbury...

Next time: the SP Artillery elements of the "Mailed Fist" Battlegroup make their appearance....

LEDBURY BUF (4) - TANKS

Storm Leader P.R. Mann's propaganda broadcasts are soon drowned out by the squeal and clatter of tracks. Lots of tracks....

The first of the Mailed Fist Battlegroup's tanks clatter down the Tewkesbury-Ledbury road

The leading tank swings left into an open field. It has its orders....

There seems to be no end to the number of "Elstree Industries" Mk.II cruiser tanks on the road.

Engines idling, the tanks await their commander....

Here he is - commanding a Mk.III Elstree Cruiser with 'extra long barrel'. Possibly a 75mm gun, alternatively a standard 2pdr with drainage downpipe welded on for effect...

Whatever the case, Storm Commander Desmond Dastardly is fond of boasting about his "extremely large cannon" (but less about his binoculars, which need a final paint!)

The Storm Commander at the head of his armoured formation. What can they be waiting for?

VBCW "PROLEY" TANKS

Comrade Colonel Professor Winters has become increasingly worried by the Government's rapid introduction into service of "Elstree Industries" tanks, apparently now being produced by his sworn enemies within the County (and the Automobile Association) on an industrial scale. Determined neither to lose face nor the Civil War, and following anxious consultations with Comintern, Winters has therefore established a "shadow factory" for new model tank manufacture at a secret location "behind the Black Mountains", based on a "flatpack assembly line" sent to him by secret freighter from Leningrad:

If Comrade Colonel Professor Winters had actually believed in Christmas, his secret delivery from Leningrad
might have given him that "warm Christmas morning feeling". As a militant Atheist, however....

......he was concerned only to establish the number and utility of the tanks contained in "the Leningrad package"....

and the speed with which they could be assembled. With a maximum of only six pre fabricated parts
 per tank, there was yet hope that the County Communists might catch up and even exceed the
 "Elstree Industries" output. Winters noted that a variety of tank marques could be made:

Comrade Colonel Professor Winters' Soviet flat pack factory was assembled in record time, and was officially christened the "Popular Revolutionary Organisation Light Engineering Yard No.1" (or, in Comintern records, "Narodnyy Revolyutsionnyy Organizatsiya Svetlyy Inzheneriya Dvor No.1"). Soon enough, Winters reckoned, his new assembly lines would be churning out "PROLEY" tanks in vast quantities, enough to bring the Hereford VBCW to a swift end in his favour.....

Following manufacture, only field testing of the PROLEY tanks would remain, and Winters was supremely confident of Soviet manufacturing techniques.

Field testing would no doubt demonstrate the unique capabilities of Winters new PROLEY Tanks (Mks.1 - V)

Notes

(1). The "PROLEY" tanks are in "approximate 1/48ish -1/50ish scale" and look fine next to 28mm figures, being almost exactly the same size and height as "Elstree Industries" tanks. They were obtained from this Russian Ebay Seller ("kotofeykotovich") and are made of hard plastic, costing about £4.00 each (INCLUSIVE of Postage & Packing from Russia to UK). Not quite as (ridiculously) inexpensive as the "cheep Chinese plastic tanks" from Elstree Industries used in the Modelling Challenge 2019, but of much better material and modelling detail - and you don't have to source an alternative tank turret for any of them!

(2). Unfortunately, it appears that Ebay seller "Kotofeykotovich" has temporarily shut his shop by reason of the Covid crisis, but no doubt he will be back, once things return to normal, for anyone wishing to order. Just as well that Winter's planning staff had the good fortune to have already "laid in" a goodly supply of PROLEYS....Onward to Hereford, Comrades! Death to the Fascist Beasts!

MODELLING CHALLENGE 2019 GOES 40K!

A (wholly self-indulgent) short note to record, via the annals of LAF poster and intergalactic time-traveller "Bearwoodman", the extraordinary future success of the subject of the Hereford1938 Modelling Challenge 2019, the (haphazardly) armoured products of the Shezuan Ordnance Depot and Delivery Yards ("SHODDY"):

A Shoddy Tank production line, no longer on Earth - but on some 40K Outer World.
Baneblades, Stormblades, Leman Russ, Chimeras - just who needs them now? 

It is clear that neither time nor distance has altered the fundamental VBCW design precepts of SHODDY, as recorded by Bearwoodman himself: 

"Despite the fact that the original Mark 1 was generally considered a bit rubbish even back in 1938, the SHODDY Directors have reasons to believe that the design could be a success in the 41st Millenium. Consider:

- A gun so inaccurate its maximum effective range is only around 100m (or 72 inches at 1/56 scale) - perfectly adequate for the futuristic battlefield;

- Slow speed and frequent breakdowns - mobility is less of a concern when most battles consist of both sides lining up in front of each other within shouting distance and blasting away;

- Thin armour - why do you need armour when you have the blessing of the Emperor/gifts of Nurgle/the benefits of Reanimation Protocols (delete as appropriate)?

- A turret so small it surely cannot accommodate both the breech of the main armament and the crew (38,000 years after the Shoddy Mk.1, this is now [GW] turret design orthodoxy);

- A very reasonable price - in fact buyers can acquire 52.42 Shoddy 40,000s for the cost of one Leman Russ (at current UK prices) making it attractive to Adeptus Mechanicus bean-counters and frugal xenos invaders alike..."

See the full LAF thread HERE !!

We're not in Hereford now, Dorothy. A long time after 1938,
a prospective customer eyes up a "40K Shoddy Tank."