The Marine Corps birthday segues into Armistice Day

The Marine Corps birth, famously at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, was 238 years ago.
To quote General James 'Mad Dog' Mattis "No better friend, no worse enemy." Semper Fi brothers.

Could be friendlier maybe.

Definitely could be worse.

Armistice Day, the end of hostilities in WW1, was 95 years ago. For New Zealand WW1 was probably its biggest sacrifice. (We remember on ANZAC day, April 25.) For the Marines it just got worse after Belleau Wood, (their first engagements in WW1). Much worse in fact, through the 'total war' of the Pacific, as well as Korea and Vietnam, before it got 'better'.

The point is on the 11th month, on the 11th day at the 11th hour, the Great War ended.
Hostilities will cease. You made it. There is an end to the madness.

Get back to work.

Copy.
I am keen on some interesting aspects of WW1. Analogue Hobbies had some cool Spanish Civil war stuff as well...

War trophies from WW2

Came across these the other day. A very nice flag marked with what would have often been the name of the soldier or the unit. Which is interesting, as well as some 6.5mm Arisaka ammuntion. Yawn.
But the Type 92 MMG feed strip is really cool. Most of these had a hard getting to the machinegunner in this condition, and its over 68 years old!

Nice size comparison between the 6.5 and 7.7 Arisaka rounds

Any translators out there? Soldier name or unit? Something else?

Did somebody say Bolt Action? Urah!

ANZAC Day; "always completely reliable and brave"

Complete text:
Infantry Brigadier Howard K. Kippenberger
Signed with pleasure for a good and faithful soldier whom I should have mentioned more than once. He drove my Bren carrier during the Bier Chleta and Bethamed period, always completely reliable and brave.
H.K.K.
Wally Kimber Carrier Platoon, 20th Btn.

This may have been a note in a year book after the war or it may have been on the official NZ history of WW2 which Brigadier Kippenberger was the editor in chief. He had commanded the 20th battalion in Crete and Africa before moving in to command the 5th Brigade and finally the 2nd NZ Division. He was severely wounded by a mine at Monte Cassino


My 'Aunty' gave this to me the other day. It was her Uncle's keepsake from the second world war.
To me it was very interesting as a time capsule, when a note from Brigadier Kippenberger was probably better than a resume.
The campaigns he cites are hard for me to make out. "the Bier Chleta and Bethamed period"
Anyway good on ya Private Kimber, one of many we won't forget.

Red Team Museum - Revisited

Inspired by Poochies brilliant photo collection, I have been trolling through my unpublished pics from my visit to the Great Patriotic War Museum, in Kiev, Ukraine, earlier this year.
When you are in Kiev it isn't hard to find. Look for the statue of the 'Mother of the Fatherland'.

She is over 100M tall

 From the bus station you walk down the street and you know you're there because you can hear Shostakovich from a few dozen all weather speakers as you walk down the wide stairs flanked by Zis-3's.

Much lighter and more transportable than a Pak-40, also artillery...

On the right is a wee sideshow museum slash tank parking lot. It contained dozens of vehicles from pre WW2 to late Cold War.

T-27

Under license. Soviet. 1930? WTF Very early light tankette.

SU-100

Katy

SU-122 and Mum ready to bring the noise

Locally fabricated 'Terror Tank'

Translated signage: Homemade light tank, "The Terror"
Resembling the tanks produced by the soldiers of the 25th Chapaivsky Division and the workers of the Odessa factory "January Uprising" during the defense of Odessa.

There was obviously a lot more, including the SCUD launcher in the background. Unfortunately my phone decided to FREAK out and use the whole battery. Said phone was my sole commo link to my wife... worked out fine of course.;-)

On the way down, after the tank parking lot there a small museum dedicated to veterans of the other wars. Vietnam, Afghanistan, Mozambique, Namibia etc. really neat, and only recently done. Most vets were from Afghan of course and the bulk of the exhibit here was as well.
Plus side, lots of leather hand made vests for .303 and 7.62x54 ammo, radio sets, slouch hats, and cammies.
Down side, remembering how close we got so many times.
Comical, a US helmet with a Mercedes sign instead of a Peace sign.

T-10, logical evolution of the IS-2, the last heavy?

BMD, Soviet Desantniki can roll around in this

BMP-1, the forerunner of all MICV's

 I would like to point out that the main gun was changed because it didn't have enough elevation for Afghanistan specifically. Steep country, crap roads and few of them.

BMP-2, product improved for Afghanistan

T-55, good enough for the Naval Infantry

I grew up fearing the T-64

T-62, I could handle, (With a Dragon team attached).

Our Glorious Spring Victory! (PT-76 and Gorgeous wife)

So wow, lots of cool shit I found. There were a lot of Afghan memorials, at least one in most cities. Usually wth a BMP, sometimes with a statue. Kiev had a very nice and more famous one being near the Great Patriotic War museum and the Pechers'ka Lavra Monastery.

Afghan Memorial, Kiev

My dead camera missed this pic, so not mine. This is in the middle of the bus circle.

Thanks Chris for reminding me of this by your awesome post. Always raising the bar!

Battalion Landing Team

I wonder how long since they've had liberty?

Yeah, this has become my latest 6mm project. I won't do the whole thing as I'm not Pooch, but I should have enough to throw down.
We just finished cranking out a list for them circa the 1990's when we realized that the Marines still used the M60A1's in 1991 and even a bit later. All kinds of up modded of course but jeez, penny pinching or what.
In the picture is the ground combat element of an MEU. The Battalion Landing Team which is an infantry battalion of three companies plus a weapons,( of 8 81mm mortars, 6 TOWs, and 12 HMG's) and an HQ company,(Admin, Comm, STA, Motor Transport, Aid Station etc). A tank platoon, a LAV-25 platoon(?), an Amtrac platoon of 12 LVTP7's and an artillery platoon of 6 155mm howitzers.
What you can't see in this picture is the Air Combat Element of the Marine Expeditionary Unit. It would be about 4 CH-53 Sea Stallions, 12 CH-46 Sea Knights, 3 UH-1N's and 6 AH-1 Cobras.
There are also a few ships involved, three or so in fact.
One of the Marine Corps rules of gunfighting is of course,"bring a gun". Another one is,"bring ALL of your friends with guns."

Klein Panzerfaust 30

Also known as Gretchen. Really.
The published ranges are interesting, this is from an OSS produced opposing forces manual.

 

1944 U.S. ARMY BULLETIN ABOUT THE PANZERFAUST: The great majority of
the German non-recoil weapons are devices known as Panzerfaust. There
are three of these—the little Panzerfaust klein 30 (formerly the
Faustpatrone I), the Panzerfaust 30 (formerly the Faustpatrone II),
and the Panzerfaust 60. The little Panzerfaust is called Gretchen for
short, while the 30 is known simply as Panzerfäuste. The tubes are
similar, and have a sight and firing mechanism. The tubes are 1 3/4
inches in diameter and 2 feet 7.5 inches long. The projectiles are
very large hollow charges. The charge for the Gretchen weighs 3
pounds, 4 ounces; that for the complete Panzerfaust weighs 6 pounds 14
ounces. Each projectile is mounted on a wooden tail rod fitted with
spring-steel vanes. These vanes wrap around the rod when the rod is
inserted in the muzzle of the launching tube, and spring out to guide
the projectile after firing. The tubes are expendable, and contain the
propelling charge fired by percussion. The range is very limited, and
is indicated by the designation (30 means 30 meters range, or 33
yards; 60, 66 yards). The operator must take cover after discharging a
projectile. Also, he must wear a helmet as protection against a rain
of fragments and debris, keep his eyes closed, and keep the front edge
of his helmet against the ground. The jet of flame to the rear is
fatal up to 10 feet; the operator must take this into account when
firing, and make sure that no walls or other obstacles will block the
jet. The tubes are held under the right arm. The left hand supports
the front of the tube, while the right hand is free to pull out the
safety pin, cock the striker, and press the release button. Sighting
is effected by aligning the top of the sight and the top edge of the
projectile. To date, all the Panzerfäuste have proved dangerous to the
user. It is believed that every effort will be made to improve
them—especially with regard to increasing the range. Armor penetration
is good; the Nazi and SS an propaganda claim as much as 7.9 inches for
the Panzerfaust 30. It is estimated that actual penetration is around
6 inches.

Chorniy Morskiy Flot!

The Black Sea Fleet will be remembered by me. For several good reasons in history, not least of which is my visit to it's harbour. (Potentially also another 28mm skirmish unit for FoF!)

 This is a monument to the defenders of Sevastopol. Despite sinking their ships to block the channel, extensively fortifying the hills and arming them with guns taken from those ships, as well as turning every sailor into a gunner or infantryman *and* holding out for nearly a year. Though, in the end, they couldn't hold any longer than 340 days! Ask Von Manstein...

 Excellent Social Realist logo of the Naval Infantry! Ppsh41 and Maxim belt for the win!

These are two guys I want in my unit. The cover of the book, "Proud Heroes!", has the classic Maxim belt and RGD-33 hand grenades. While this hard charger with the 'papasha' is probably wearing a cute stripey shirt under his camouflage scout suit. (From Great Patriotic War museum, Kyiv)

 The price you pay. Over 400 Iron Crosses 2nd Class (or better) make up this Iron Cross. Not collected from yard sales... (From Great Patriotic War museum, Kyiv)

This mill wheel is from the memorial for the "Holodomor", what we know as the Ukrainian Famine. (Kyiv)

 Ruth modelling the size of the Golden Gate, the anchient southern entrance to Kyiv. Built around 1037 it represents the apex of the Kyivan Rus'. My SAGA army will hang out here between campaigns;-)

"Semper Fi Mac!" The Whaling Group [FoF]

Here's the first squad for the Whaling Group. Unfamiliar?
An 'extra' Colonel called Colonel Whaling realized that the Marines needed better patrolling skills. Being a keen hunter and outdoorsman, he found like Marines, brought them together and trained them. The Japanese Army had upped the ante so much with it's camoflauge, stealth and patrolling that even the Marines with their recent experience in Nicaragua and Haiti needed to get much better and fast.
"Marine scout and sniper personnel (called the Whaling Group after its commander Colonel William J. Whaling). "

First up the BAR gunner.

Then a lead scout.

Corporal and second fireteam leader.

Second scout.

Blouses are optional in Bolt Action miniatures land.;-) But not in my Corps!

Boot Marine.

Move Private!

Lance Coolie showing the boot how to do it.

 Showing off the cammie blouse.

Squad grenadier with a special delivery.

 Belt kit all in order.

Sergeant with a Thompson, needs a bloody shave. The old breed indeed!

He's scrounged a cammie blouse from somewhere as well!
Pretty stoked on this campaign.
Poochie's Aussies will appear here soon!
Jason's Imperial Japanese Army

'Settling' for Italian sports cars

When I was a wee sprog, I remember staring lustily at a particular photograph of an obviously specially designed desert fighting vehicle. For a long time I thought it was a German vehicle, or maybe a captured SAS vehicle of some kind.
Nope.
I was looking at an AS42 Sahariana.

This is what I was looking for my entire life, and here is an interesting write up.
Here is another guy with the same idea that I'm working on.
I got one box of each, AS37 and AS42! So now all I need is your extra British, German or Italian trucks.;-)
Oh and a couple Caproni Ca 309 Ghibli's would be sweet.

Also on the table are my M3's, (GMC's and Scout Cars, thanks Pooch!) and a bunch of 57's for my MW Recon boys.

Kiwi Ingenuity and Automatic Rifles

In the Second World War the number of automatic rifles were always low in New Zealand and Australia due to a small number of precision firearms factories in the region. (One really, at Lithgow in Oz.) So a machinist in Hastings came up with a conversion for the ubiquitous Lee Enfields. Changing a very reliable bolt action rifle into a selective fire one! Basicially a gas port is added halfway along the barrel and and action rod is attached to the bolt, so every time you fire, it cycles the action, reloading and cocking it.
Meet the Charlton Automatic Rifle , this example is a locally made reproduction, nearly every one of the original lot of 1,500 were destroyed in a postwar fire!

The trouble with Jerry...[Daily Panzerfaust]

Or, "Panzerfausts, Veteran Infantry and Stormtrooper moves, make him a tough nut old boy."

Translation of caption follows. (with artistic license after Google)

30th October, 1944 Memel, Prussia (Lithuania). 
Sd.Kfz. 251 / 9 Ausf D armored personnel carriers, (7.5 cm 37 L/24 gun), and landsers of Panzergrenadier Division "GrossDeutschland" prepare for the counter-attack to retake a town occupied by the Soviets in the Memel bridgehead. Photo: Otto war correspondent, 30/10/44 [Release Date] Transocean Europapress German Federal Archives Photo 146-1995-081-15A