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Re: North Africa artillery

PSC's 25 pounder does have some 8th Army crew, but the gun is incorrect for the desert. It has the muzzle brake that was added later in 1943 to enable it to fire charge super - and extra propellant increment that gave the antitank round more velocity and punch. To balance the weight of the muzzle brake, a large iron bolster was bolted on just in font of the breech and the PSC model (like the esci/Italeri kit) has this cast as part of the gun barrel. While the muzzle brake can be simply left off, this distinctive rectangular slab is extremely difficult to carve away neatly. There is also a second layer's seat on the right side of the trail that no 25pder ever had!

So the veteran Airfix kit is the most accurate model gun for the desert campaign, but needs a decent crew; likewise the venerable Airfix 5.5" gun - which can be turned into a 4.5" gun simply by lengthening the barrel, is extremely useful, but also in dire need of a crew - along with the great accessories such as ammo boxes, shells, loading trays etc that Strelets do such a good job of providing

Re: North Africa question, Strelets

Getting several gun crews for North Africa sounds great to me.

I also feel that Strelets' sculpting would be ideal for some civilian additions to the North Africa theme, like a Berber village with women, children and old men smoking pipe by a camp fire. Touareg on camelback. Italian sailors.

North African Wildlife would also be welcome, with majestic antilopes and desert foxes, libyan aoufads, leopards and arabian wolves there would be plenty of beautiful animals to depict..

Re: North Africa question, Strelets

North African Front has a lot of potential. But far east (Burma and especially Sino-Japanese war) has been neglected for years. Especially the first WW2 front which also was the last (Japan vs China and Chinese civil conflicts all between 1937 and 1945)... I think strelets must close this huge WW2 gap!!

Re: North Africa question, Strelets

Good idea regarding North African civilians and animals, I concur.
Frankly, any and every civilians and animals I would wholeheartedily welcome.
.

Re: North Africa question, Strelets

The comments here reflect my own thoughts and wishes for Middle East/N Africa and Far East!

Re: North Africa question, Strelets

The Middle East 1940-43 has lots of gaps, apart from the much requested LRDG/SAS sets, Africa Korps heavy weapons , Africa Korp artillery crews , Italian field artillery 75mm guns and crews, Commonwealth gun crews , and 4.5 and 5.5 guns, Engineers , the first wide spread use of mine detectors and mines in WW2 the Airfix pose needs lots of work to make it close to acceptable, and nothing at all for the Germans/Italians, Medical staff, Perry do an Ice cold in Alex set, how I wish that was 1/72 . I am sure there are others, but given for 35 months of the war the Desert was the only place the Western allies and Axis were fighting on the ground face to face it is quite under represented, and not just figures, the soft skin side of things has some big 1/72 gaps too.

Re: North Africa question, Strelets

You've just put my wish list into words!
Well, we can dream on.
However, on the subject of softskins, Plastic Soldier Company did some Steyr heavy cars at last and British and CMP softskins, also 25 pounder sets.
A company to watch is Butlers Printed Models. They are producing, and expanding a series of subjects across WW1 & 2 & post war AFVs, guns, and softskins - they can also "print" in a variety of
scales. If it's not economical for companies such as Strelets to produce lines of figures, etc, I reluctantly have to look at the soft metal companies to fill in the gaps, though I always seem to get superglue fumes in my eyes and hands but I always survive. When I was kid before elf'n'safety was ever dreamed up, i was always cutting myself, getting glue and paint etc everywhere and I just patched myself up and got back to models - I sometimes wonder what my fingerprints are like after all those craft knife scars.......
I've just placed an order for some American stuff, and a Japanese Sumida armoured car.
Maybe I'll send them a wish list...........
Stay safe
Richard

Re: North Africa question, Strelets

Please remember Vichy in North Africa and Libyans in the service of the Italian Army - colonial cavalry.

Re: North Africa question, Strelets

Giorgius
Please remember Vichy in North Africa and Libyans in the service of the Italian Army - colonial cavalry.
Vichy colonial could also be used for a wider field than just North Africa and Strelet already have some of the opposition who fought against the Vichy.They seemed to be fighting the Commonwealth troops in a variety of campaigns until France swopped sides when the axis started to stall.

The Levant and Madagascar against commonwealth forces is an obvious thought as well as US troops during operation torch. There is also the war with Thailand as well!