Hi all,

I’m getting close to the finish point in the build-up on my Canadian Firefly VC and thought I’d try to tighten up my shot-group on the markings and unit modifications for the Fort Garry Horse (2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade (Independent), 10th Armoured Regiment). So, I thought I’d solicit some observations and thoughts from my fellow modelers before I committed myself on the paint bench.

I think I’ve got the basics covered. The time period that I’m going for is late July, early August ’44, specifically Operation Totalize (the Laizon River crossing north of Falaise, ca. 14 August, 1944).

My working assumption right now is that the FGH tanks employed during this time were mostly ones that crossed the beach during the invasion. So, most of the tanks would have been marked during the lead up to D-Day while still in England. This would probably mean a more or less textbook / regulation application. For the FGH, this would have been the brigade sign (yellow maple leaf on black-blue-black background) with a unit serial (white 52 on red box with white line under). The FGH was the second senior regiment, so the squadron markings would have been yellow. All good, so far, I think.

Questions that remain are: Did the FGH use squadron markings on the hull / turret rear and hull front? (Late-war FGH tanks seem to have had small squadron markings on the hull rear – sometimes the turret storage box – and transmission), and did the FGH use any kind of troop numbers (for example, inside the squadron markings)?

I also have some questions about the tank serial numbers. I can’t find any photos of FGH Fireflies in NWE with the “CT” preface. I’d like to use that since it’s so cool and uniquely Canadian, but without any references, I donno…. Also, I can’t find any photos of Firefly VC serial numbers for the FGH. I understand that these would have been somewhat random given the nature of the British conversion program, but still, some numbers to go by would be nice.

I’m also looking for some thoughts and observations on unit specific modifications. I have some pretty good photos of FGH tanks later in the war, but photos from the summer of ’44 seem a bit scarce. Right now I’m planning to add a couple of “field applied” 25 pounder ammo boxes to the turret rear, a bit of extra Sherman track to the hull front, hessian cammo net on the turret and 17 pounder, and only a modest amount of crew storage on the hull rear. My thoughts are that the elaborate modifications and extensive amounts of crew storage are more indicative of later war vehicles. The Canadian tanks that I can find in my references seem more or less as-issued during the summer after D-day and show progressively more changes as the war progresses.

Late-war FGH tanks are distinctive for their use of “horse hair and wire” cammo all over and extensive extra track armor, but what about the earlier period?

Any input you guys might have on these questions would be appreciated.

TIA,
Mike

Mike

PM and will help out.

Anthony