Ich hab so Heimweh nach dem Kurfürstendamm

[carlos marighela]

On a temporary hiatus. Just moved house and still doing the treasure hunt. In addition my hobby room has magically become 'storage' and my sister in law is camped out in the sunroom at the front.

Normal service will be resumed... at some stage.

[Golgotha]

I think the Land Rover would look better in olive drab. I remember driving around in these with the Westminster Dragoons imagining they were Scorpions...

[CapnJim]

Ignoring the paint job for a moment, that land Rover might look OK (enough) for 28mm, even in 1:43.  The smaller the 1:43 vehicle, the less "too big" they seem, to me anyway...

[Grumpy Gnome]

After experimenting with a lot of vehicles from different companies in different scales I am using a number of 1/43 scale vehicles for 28mm but they may not work for others. It really is quite a subjective issue down to personal taste and perspective.

SJWi, thanks for the reminder… I do seem to have a hazy recollection of 432’s painted in the scheme in Berlin but not the landies, at least not in the Royal Welch.

[carlos marighela]

I’ll check my references but I’m not sure that many B vehicles were treated to the Berlin scheme. The problem is that it’s a sexy scheme and some restorers of vintage British Army kit have taken to painting this way. I’m pretty sure that’s the case with that diecast. It’s a  1/2 ton light weight and it just happens that there’s a bloke that restored one of those in the UK and painted in the Berlin scheme.

Not even all the A vehicles were painted in the scheme. There are photos of Foxes and Ferrets still daubed in standard green and black as well as Berlin scheme. Actually I went with a Fox in green and black because the Berlin version I have references for was an attractive angular scheme.

It’s a bit like restored SAS Pink Panthers and LRDG Chevvies, there are probably more of them about today than existed back then. 

[SJWi]

Carlos, I have seen period photos showing Chieftains, FV432s, Fox armoured cars and the FV432/Fox turret combo in "urban camo". I will confess the photos of landrovers all seem to be more modern so may be re-enactor paint jobs!

[carlos marighela]

Oh yes, the Chieftains and the FV432s, were definitely painted that way as was the singular ARV. Foxes and Ferrets got the treatment as well, at least some of them.

I am lead to believe that the Berlin Brigade made extensive use of locally purchased German trucks. I’ve seen photos of early model Unimogs ,towing Mobat, dating to the 1960s but never found anything later. If anyone has any info on what was in place in the early 1980s I’d love to know.

[majorsmith]

Gallant defenders of Gatow, Part 2.

The RAF. Wasn't sure what RAF Police/ security sections would be wearing if the balloon went up but Istumbled across some photos of snowdrops defending Greenham Common in 1984. They were wearing a mixture of combat trousers, the occasional lightweight trousers and shirtsleeves and  I thought well, that's good enough for me.

My dad was in the RAF police,  I think you’ve got it right with the use of DPM and lightweights mostly whilst on station duties my dad wore the lightweights, earlier on in the 80s DPM, he also wore the turtle shell type helmet on exercises etc

[Golgotha]

Those are lovely photos. Thank you for sharing.

[carlos marighela]

My dad was in the RAF police,  I think you’ve got it right with the use of DPM and lightweights mostly whilst on station duties my dad wore the lightweights, earlier on in the 80s DPM, he also wore the turtle shell type helmet on exercises etc

Much appreciated! Always nice to know one’s best guesses have some factual support.

[carlos marighela]

Bit of a hiatus but starting to get back on track with this project... and one or two others.

Converting a squad's worth of Copplestone baddies into some NVA paratroopers, to hit some key targets, like the massive US/British listening post on Teufelsberg (once I have worked out how I can make reasonable facsimiles of geodesic domes that is).

40. Fallschirmjägerbataillon Willi Sänger was, in reality a commando/ raider force,  rather than an airborne unit per se focussed on hitting priority targets.  In the eighties it was also tasked with providing a security detail for the SED Defence Ministry, so there should be a few hanging about in East Berlin.  It was expanded into the core of  airmobile brigade in the latter half of the 1980s  but that's outside of my 1984 time span.

There's an online monograph by the former CO or the battalion, which helpfully gives the basic structure. Squads were of around 9 men, with a couple of RPGs, an IMK LMG (RPK) and a Dragunov as an option with the rest toting MPI-KS (AKS). The CO notes that a couple of additional specialists could be added to each group.

Early work, basically as a  test of concept. WF donor AKs and various pouches and waterbottles nicked from WG , WF etc. In the field they seem to have worn a combination of standard NVA webbing along with some natty, pocketed battle vests. I'll get on to some of those soon.

[Grumpy Gnome]

Looking good. 👍

[AKULA]

Good work - that’s a really effective conversion   

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

Nice job 

[carlos marighela]

Cheers folks. More on the way soon. I'll post something when I've finished the squad and their ride.