WELCOME TO BATTLEFRONTMODELS
Tank Gallery 5
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''Desert Break''
By Ernie Oliver of Welling, Kent UK
Ernie has extended the barrel from a short 75 to a longer Higher Velocity 75 Kwk Barrel with a muzzle break and also added some slick spare bogey racks on the side.
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A Brief History
The Panzerkampwagon IV (Pz.Kpfw.IV) commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tankdeveloped in Nazi Germany in the late 1930's and used extensively during the second World War. It's ordinance inventory designated was Sd.Kfz.161.
Designed as an infantry support - tank the panzer IV was not origionally intended to engage enemyarmour ..that function was performed by the lighter, faster Panzer III,. However with the flaws of the pre war doctrine of seperate 'infantry' and 'cavalry' tanks becoming apparent in combat, the Pz. IV soon assumed the tank fighting roll of it's increasingly obsolescent cousin. The most widely manufactured and deployed German tank of the Second World War, the PanzerIV was used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including tank destroyers and self propelledanti aircraft guns. Robust and reliable, it first saw service in all theatres, and has the distinction of being the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war with over 8,500 units produced between 1936 and 1945.
Upgrades and design modifications often made in responce to the appearance of new allied tanks, extended it's service life in the field. Generally these involved increasing the Pz.4's armour protection or upgrading the weapons, although duringthe last months of the war and with Germany's pressing need for rapid replacement of losses, design changes also inclued retrograde measures to simplify and speed up manufacture. The Panzer IV was the most widlely exported tank in German service, with around 300 sold to partners Finland and Bulgaria.
After the war the French and Spanish sold numerous units to
Syria where during the 1960's they saw combat against Israel
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DID YOU KNOW
The youngest US serviceman was 12 years old Calvin Graham, USN. He was wounded and given a dishonorable discharge for lying about his age.
His benefits were later restored by act of Congress.
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''Vietnam M41''
From Peter Symonds of Nottinham UK
Excellant H/L M41 Walker Bulldog with lots of care and detail note the canvas mantle cover made from printed canvas cotton fabric and stained to give that combat look, also some brilliant stowage items.
You can smell the exhaust fumes from here.
Nice job Peter.
The Vietnam War
In 1964 the M41 light tank was selected to replace the ARVN (Army Republic of South Vietnam) M24 Chaffee light tank, which they had inherited from the French, who in turn
had received it from the United States during the French Indo China War 1946 - 1951.
The French were eventually driven out by the Communists and the US stepped in to prop up the Free Vietnamese Gov.t
It was at the time looked upon as a Military Policing type War but soon escelated into a major conflict which went on for many years.
The Walker Bulldog ''M41'' was an instant success with the Vietname Armour crewmen who found the small interior to be just perfect for there stature, which had been a principal criticism by US tanker crewmenwho had been assigned to that particular vehicle. This combined with the tanks mechanical reliability, simplicity, and excellant handling made te Bulldog a worthy war machine.
In 1971 the Vietnamese ARVN forces commenced operation 'Lam Sum' 719, a disruption of Communist supply lines in neighbouring Laos, a combination of armour and air mobile attacks on thre axis into enemy territory.
The ARVN armoured brigade accompanied by two air battalions and two cavalry regiments penetrated approx four miles into Laos on 8th February. enemy action was swift and violent.
With this first engagement between NVA and ARVN tanks the 17mM41's destroyed 22 communist tanks, six T54's and 15 PT76's, at no loss to themselves.
By 1973 over 200 M41's light tanks remained in service with the South Vietmanese Army.
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''105mm StuH 42 Sturmhaubitze Ausf G
Sent in By Lou Petherbridge of Cornwall UK
Lou has really cracked this one an unusual build for modellers based upon the Pz III chassis with bogey wheel racks and sporting an Mg 42
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Jo Canastrari -Quebec, Canada
Here's a few photo's from our friend in Canada, Joe Canastari who sadly passed away 2017 from Heart Complications.
R.I.P
Battle of the Bulge tanks in a snowy landscape using Joe's Large scale model railway as a back drop,
Tree look's a bit large there. Joe!
Jo Canastrari -Quebec, Canada
Here's a few photo's of Joe's Model tanks proudly displayed in his den and featuring some BFM stowage items 200 Ltr Fuel barrels.
Jo Canastrari -Quebec, Canada
A work in progress a Tiger 2 tank being equiped with barrels and mounts etc.
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''The Don Campaign''
David Grey, Dallas Texas US
This Tiger has been painted as TIKI 8
s. Kz.Kp. 'Das Reich' May 1943.
It is equiped with the latest Tamiya I.R System.
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''A Bridge Too Far''
Peter Symonds Nottingham UK
This has been a very large project for Peter he has heavily converted a Std. Tamiya Sherman into a Firefly adding a rear turret compartment and a cullen cutter just for good measure.
Visit Peters own site -
www.precision-panzer.moonfruit.com
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DID YOU KNOW
The muzzle break was developed to allow the explosive gases to disipate quicker after the shell left the barrel, this was developed to allow smaller tank turrets to be made cheaper and shorter hence the less recoil required to extract the spent shell.
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15cm Sturm- Infanteriegeschutz 33
Scratch built onto a Pz. III chasis by Lou Peterbridge
of Cornwall UK
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