Cheap VBCW(ish) Tanks

[leadboy]

The Hereford1938 crew have been experimenting with conversions of a cheep (so cheap it can't even afford two vowels) Chinese made plastic tank, sourced via Ebay, into a variety of VBCW(ish) creations.

The base model, together with VBCW backstory, can be found here:
http://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2019/02/armour-modelling-challenge-2019-free.html

The varied results of our efforts can be found here:
https://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/2020/01/armour-modelling-challenge-2019-results.html

While unlikely to appeal to VBCW gamers who require strict "historical authenticity", we've had a lot of fun producing tanks that might have been manufactured in 1938, and at less than £1 a tank, there was nothing really to lose...

[FramFramson]

Roo's not far with his idea, funny enough!

Off-centre guns were semi-common up until the postwar era (and even afterwards for some counties, like a few French tanks designed to drop with airborne troops).

[Bearwoodman]

That looks great fun! I love the imagination and sense of humour! I might copy the idea (although to appeal to my circle of hobby friends/son I would probably have to make the theme 40k/sci-fi) and then maybe have a game using What a Tanker.

Would a space marine squeeze into one of those tanks?

[Roo]

Cheers Fram😉...my intention all along😂😂😂😉

[leadboy]

Thanks all, and as to which:

(1). Fram - I didn't know that ! Can you give me a couple of examples so I can start some research on "offset tank guns"?

(2). Roo - pull the other one, mon ami.....

(3). Bearwoodman - I think GW's Space Marines have "grown" in recent years, so "squeeze" might be the word. Traditional GW Imperial Guard would fit, though, IMHO. Probably the best idea (which is what I did originally) is to invest a tenner for everything you need for a What a Tanker game and then resolve to bodge away until it does work! (I'm investigating other suitable pre made turrets now, so will blog the results in due course).

[FramFramson]

Thanks all, and as to which:

(1). Fram - I didn't know that ! Can you give me a couple of examples so I can start some research on "offset tank guns"?

(2). Roo - pull the other one, mon ami.....

(3). Bearwoodman - I think GW's Space Marines have "grown" in recent years, so "squeeze" might be the word. Traditional GW Imperial Guard would fit, though, IMHO. Probably the best idea (which is what I did originally) is to invest a tenner for everything you need for a What a Tanker game and then resolve to bodge away until it does work! (I'm investigating other suitable pre made turrets now, so will blog the results in due course).

Well, in WWII, there were the early-mid war Grant/Lee American tanks and the French Char B2, both of which featured a mostly-centred turreted secondary gun, but an offset Howitzer or higher calibre gun up front. The American tanks saw significant combat and the B2 was France's strongest tank during the Battle of France (argued by some as the strongest tank any nation had in the field in early 1940).

For a cold-war example, there's the French ELC Even, part of the ELC (Engin Léger de Combat) project, which as I mentioned was meant to develop a tank of about 6 tons weight which could be dropped with airborne troops. Its configuration was WACKY:

[Bearwoodman]

Thanks leadboy, I have placed an order with the 41st millenium's equivalent of SHODDY and am looking forward to bodging away!

My son seems to have a surplus of poxwalkers and some of the more diseased ones are quite skinny so should be able to wriggle through a turret hatch. I plan on adding milliput tentacles, horns and festering sores to my tank to Nurgle-ify it. I look forward to the fruits of your turret research!

FramFramson that ELC looks fun! Not sure I would like to drive it into a battle but it would liven up the commute (and it looks like it would fit into a parking space).

[leadboy]

Fram - thanks for the reply. It was only after I'd written my original post that I thought, of course, of the Lee/Grant - but then dismissed it on the basis that the "offset gun" was in a sponson rather than offset in a turret. Ditto the Char B2. But I'd never heard of (let alone seen) a French ELC ! Incredible - and (as with so much in the Hereford1938 campaign) clearly based upon the early design work undertaken in the VBCW . Mind you, after this photo is circulated as proof of Roo's design concept, someone in the campaign is no doubt going to try to cram a tank gun into a Renault 2CV or the like...

Bearwoodman - gosh, SHODDY is still going in the 41st millenium? Quite how they've continued to trade given the quality of their products (let alone their health and safety record), goodness knows. Glad you've invested and look forward to seeing the Nurgle-fied results (if you can send me a photo in due course, I'd love to put it up on our blog!). Will keep you in touch on the critical issue of pre-made turret research and any further developments!

[leadboy]

Bearwoodman - as a post script, there is a second type of "Shoddy" on Ebay - see here for example:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5Pcs-Plastic-Military-Cannon-Tank-Mini-Model-for-Home-Table-Decoration-Gift/163942395968

Its compatible with the first type of Shoddy - slightly narrower, but looks right to the eye. I like it because you'll see that it has "moulded in" shells on the rear plate, and my idea is therefore to remove the (undoubtedly too shallow - this time - turret) and then plate up an open topped firing compartment for an AT gun. Probably take me some time to get round to it, though!

You'll probably want to wait until you receive your Ebay order for the original "Shoddy" design, but if your bodging goes well with them, there's always this one as an addition/alternative. Mind you, an absolutely outrageous price of around 95p each!

[Bearwoodman]

Bearwoodman - gosh, SHODDY is still going in the 41st millenium?

In a future where there is only war tank factories do reasonable business, although (given the delivery times) it appears SHODDY have relocated to some distant forgeworld away from the prying eyes of the Emperor's Health and Safety Inspectorate. If me and my group manage to come up with anything half as good as you guys did I will definitely share the photos.
Good luck with the SHODDY Mark II (Gun Carriage)!

[FramFramson]

Mind you, after this photo is circulated as proof of Roo's design concept, someone in the campaign is no doubt going to try to cram a tank gun into a Renault 2CV or the like...

Those crazy French Paratroopers seem to have that one covered too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespa_150_TAP



Shades of the Croyden Crusher!

[vodkafan]

  awesome piece of military design. There is even a front rack to put the gunner's sandwiches on 

[flatpack]

I think they will turn into toasted sandwiches if they sit under that recoilless rifle thing too long. 

[has.been]

I never realised that  when I called scooter riders  'Mods' ,
 that it stood for 'Ministry Of Defence'

[LazyStudent]

Is there any records of it ever seeing combat?? It looks crazy, but at the "so crazy it might just work" end of the scale!