With all the discussion of Emhar, are there any decent replacement tracks ** currently available ** ? I think I asked elsewhere about a half-year ago, but my memory is that everything suggested wasn't for sale anywhere.

I forgot to mention that Scale Hobbyist also has the absolutely best search design anywhere on the net - I love the way you can quickly and easily add and subtract criteria.

I had tried to find a copy of the Destination Western Front book, but the usual U.S. suspects all said unavailable, and the copy on U.K. eBay couldn't be shipped to the U.S. - for whatever reason. It was then I discovered that the publisher has copies as a reasonable price AND will ship to the RoW at a downright cheap rate. I think the pigeons are all coming home to roost.

http://www.historicroadways.co.uk

From two reviews:
Destination Western Front tells the story of London's omnibuses during the Great War of 1914-18. Extensive research using the archives of the War Office, the Army Service Corps and the London General Omnibus Company has allowed the true and remarkable story of London's buses during WW1 to be told for the first time.

Over 100 genuine period images on 80 high quality gloss pages bring the story to life for the Western and Home Fronts, the pre-war military trials and the manufacture of buses and lorries for the War Office.

This soft-back book only reinforces my opinion that self-published works – at least in our field – are the equal if not superior to titles emanating from mainstream publishers – Classic Military Vehicle magazine.

Altogether a fascinating book from any number of different points of view – Vintage Roadscene magazine.

I believe that Accurate Armor and Panzershop make them for the Whippet, while Accurate Armor, Panzershop and Model Cellar make them for the Mk IV. If you are building a Mk IV, V, etc, you need to make sure that you get the proper width of track for the version you are building.

Thanks - MC does also have Whippet, but all of their's are "temporarily unavailable", along with a lot of other products - making me think that it isn't all that temporary.

For anyone interested in the Whippet, going with the AA version seems to make much more sense than getting the Emhar and adding the Panzershop details.

Ford T - LPC/Vickers Carrier.

Hi folks I've seen a lot of info on the Light Car Patrols in North Africa. Does anyone have any data on their deployment/use in NWE?

Thanks

Al

Hi Al,
All that I've been able to come up with is that Model T Ford light car patrols were attached to the Motor Branch of the Machine Gun Corps, together with motorcycle MG batteries and light armored car MG batteries. In the process, I did turn up a few interesting photos. I'm guessing the first one was taken during training somewhere in the UK, since none of the soldiers is wearing a tin hat. The photo is dated 1917.

The second photo is from the Australian War Memorial. The trees are shot up and the ground is cratered and looks like a battlefield, but the scenery doesn't look much like Palestine or Syria. The car's radiator has been replaced by a small drum serving as a condenser, with a return pipe underneath to carry the condensate back to the engine. Those Aussies would have had ample hot water for their tea, albeit a bit rusty.

The last photo is of a Ford artillery tractor built from Model T components. The oversize rear wheels appear to have dual tires with raised ribs added to improve traction. I don't see a pintle hook or any other way it could tow a gun or limber. Perhaps it was still in the testing stage.


Cheers
Dick

Hi Dick,

Many thanks for the pics. Yes, I've been reading up on the Machine Gun Corps and it's make up: Machine Gun Companies, Cavalry Machine Gun Squadrons and Motor Machine Gun Batteries.

Lots of interesting new stuff, for me anyway. The Heavy Machine Gun Branch of the MGC were the first to crew the early tanks who then became the Tanks Corps and subsequently the RTR.

Prior to the formation of the Machine Gun Corps, support came from the Motor Machine Gun Service administered by the RA. Lots of interesting reading but shortage of Ford T pics in NWE.

The MMGS, RN ACS and AC Sqns seem to have formed the basic of the Motor Branch of MGC and seems to have consisted of motor cycle batteries, light armoured motor batteries (LAMB) and light car patrols. As well as motor cycles, other vehicles used included Rolls-Royce and Ford Model T cars.

Lots more reading to do.

Thanks again.

Al

Motor Cycle rider with a difference! IWM for Reference Only



Al

I do like that Alan.



~ Jeff

Great photo Al,
If your bike breaks down, send a pigeon for help.

Dick

Will do, thanks James.

Chris

Hi Guys,

This chap may be of interest. Shown in Resicast's Hot Stuff and with some images form Gerard, a soon to be released British Tommy from WW1.







Beautiful detail.

Al

Ha! I agree on both counts! I have an Emhar tank ready for this campaign, but no AM Tracks. I also love the Scalehobbyist.com search tool.
I'll check back here for track ideas before I get started.
-Sean H

I'm ready!


In the spirit of the "Dawning of a New Age" theme, I'll be building the revolutionary French Schneider 75mm Model 1897. This will be my first attempt at a resin kit. I'm looking forward to getting started...I just have resist the urge to mess with it for another month!!

Chris

Alan: That figure's coat looks like a detail painter's dream come true! How has Resiscast's quality been holding up lately? I would hate to have to fill in air bubbles or remove any good sized seams from him.

Chris: That's a great choice! I'm looking forward to seeing how you like your first resin build, it looks like the castings are nice and straight

Hi Jeremy,

In the older figures you tend to find a weakness in the boot heel as that's most probably where they come off the mold. I haven't noticed the same issue with the newer releases and the equality of the casting has been very good. Quality would also be effected by how old the mold is and I've come across the odd weak arm in the past.

Quality of casting would be better than most IMHO and the detail certainly outshines any comparable figures I've used. You do come across the odd seem but that's as possibility with all figures. No major air bubble issues I can recall.

This is a pic of the chap the rifleman is based on.



Al

Here's the Gallery, to post your finished builds !

Campaign Gallery

We're good to go !!

Thanks!

Has anyone built any of ICM's 1/35 scale WW1 figures? I'd be interested to get your opinions on them.

Hi folks,

Slight miscalculation on my part started this one on the 12th Sep and finished it on the 15th Sep which on checking was the start date of the campaign

Oh well, you have to build when the time is available.







Still might give a bit of motivation for folks.

This one I started on the 15th Sep so it will be OK for the Campaign. Both will go into a small dio together.













Cheers

Al

Nice work on the T Al, can't wait to see how it all goes together in the diorama.

Cheers

Dick

Oh! I had forgotten this started already... hope I can still play.

I still need to get a tank and a dio set. Maybe I'll settle for a Whippet and not for the ultra expensive Little Willie, since I have a British Tanker set to go with it.

Really want that Accurate Armor kit though.






Jeff

Alan,
tell us about the trench railway set, who is the maker etc
Ian

Hi Dick,

Many thanks.

Hi Ian.

Both kits are from Resicast. The Ford T MMGS is the re-tooled version recently re-released and the Ford T Draisine is the older kit, that has been out for a number of years.

I did reviews on both here:

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showmaker&makerid=144.

They both are very nicely detailed kits. On the Draisine there was a little shrinkage on a couple of the parts that required some minor adjustments for a better fit.

There are build blogs on site too.

Ford T

Draisine

Cheers

Al

Some progress



Cheers

Al