Product Spotlight

France’s Land Battleship

DeAgostini’s 1:43 scale French Char 2C Alsace Multi-Turreted Super Heavy Tank – “Alsace”, 51e Bataillon de Chars de Combat, France, 1939

The concept of the battle tank was still evolving well after the lessons of World War I had been learned and put to bed. Many industrialized nations still weren’t sure what part the tank would play in a potential future conflict, some still believing it could do nothing more than accompany infantry at a sluggish pace into battle. As a result, all sorts of battle tanks and tankettes were produced during the inter-war period, some with merit, such as the German Panzer III and Czech CKD LT vz. 38 (later German 38(t)), while others were overblown carry overs from the Great War that had no place on the modern battlefield.

The Char 2C, also known as the FCM 2C, is a French heavy tank, later also seen as a super-heavy tank, developed during World War I but not deployed until after the war. It was, in physical dimensions, the largest operational tank ever made.

The origins of the Char 2C have always been shrouded in a certain mystery. In the summer of 1916, probably in July, General Leon Augustin Jean Marie Mourret, the Subsecretary of Artillery, verbally granted Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranee (FCM), a shipyard in the south of France near Toulon, the contract for the development of a heavy tank, a char d’assaut de grand modele. At the time, French industry was very active in lobbying for defense orders, using their connections with high-placed officials and officers to obtain commissions; development contracts could be very profitable even when not resulting in actual production, as they were fully paid for by the state. The French Army had no stated requirement for a heavy tank, and there was no official policy to procure one, so the decision seems to have been taken solely on his personal authority. The reason he later gave was that the British tanks then in development by a naval committee seemed to be better devised as regarded lay-out, ventilation and fire protection, so a shipyard might improve on existing French designs. Exact specifications, if they ever existed, have been lost. FCM then largely neglected the project, apart from reaping the financial benefits. At that time all tank projects were highly secret, and thereby shielded from public scrutiny.

On September 15th, 1916, the British deployed tanks in battle for the first time in the form of the Mark I, and a veritable tank euphoria followed. When the public mood in Britain had been growing ever darker as the truth of the failure of the Somme Offensive could no longer be suppressed, tanks offered a new hope of final victory. The French people now became curious as to the state of their own national tank projects. French politicians, not having been over-involved in them and leaving the matter to the military, were no less inquisitive. This sudden attention greatly alarmed Mourret, who promptly investigated the progress that had been made at FCM and was shocked to find there was none. On September 30th, he personally took control of the project. On October 12th, knowing that the Renault company had some months earlier made several proposals to build a heavy tracked mortar which had been rejected, he begged Louis Renault to assist FCM in the development of a suitable heavy vehicle; this request Renault obliged. Even before knowing what the exact nature of the project would be, on October 20th Mourret ordered one prototype to be built by FCM.

This development coincided with a political demand by Minister of Armament Albert Thomas to produce a tank superior to the British types. On October 7th, he had requested Lloyd George to deliver some Mark Is to France but had received no answer. Correctly concluding that no such deliveries would materialize, on January 23rd, 1917, he ordered that French tanks should be developed that were faster, and more powerfully armed and armoured than any British vehicle. He specified a weight of forty tonnes, an immunity against light artillery rounds and a trench-crossing capacity of 3.5 meters.

Meanwhile, Renault had consulted his own team, led by Rodolphe Ernst-Metzmaier, which had been, since May 1916, in the process of designing the revolutionary Renault FT light tank. This work had not, however, stopped them from considering other tank types. Renault, always expecting his employees to provide new ideas instantly, had by this attitude encouraged the team to take a proactive stance – setting a pattern that would last until 1940 – and to have various kinds of contingency studies ready for the occasion, including a feasibility study for a heavy tank. This fortunate circumstance allowed a full-size wooden mock-up to be constructed in a remarkably quick time. It was visited by the Subsecretary of State of Inventions Jules-Louis Breton on January 13th, 1917, who was much impressed and developed a keen interest in the project. The design was presented to the Consultative Committee of the Assault Artillery on January 16th-17th, 1917, after the basic concept had been approved on December 30th. This proposed tank was the most advanced design of its time; it was received very favorably, also because of the enthusiastic report by Breton, and a consensus began to form that the project was most promising and a potential “war-winner”. It featured a 105 mm gun in a turret, had a proposed weight of 38 tons and 35 mm armor. The committee decided to have two prototypes developed, one with an electrical transmission, the other with a hydraulic transmission. In this period both the French and the British military had become aware of severe mobility and steering problems with heavy tracked vehicles; the French designs paralleled extensive British experiments with all kinds of improved tank transmissions to solve them.

While the Char 2C will eventually be released under the Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II banner, it may be some time before it actually comes to fruition. As a result, we have decided to promote the DeAgostini version, which, apart from the lack of an acrylic display case, leaflet describing the vehicle and attractive outer packaging, is virtually identical to the upcoming AFV version. The DeAgostini replica is currently slated to arrive in very limited numbers in early June. Its massive when compared with a standard tank, and even some of the larger heavy tanks pale in size when compared to this ungainly land battleship. So, if you cannot wait for the AFV version, we strongly suggest you purchase the DeAgostini vehicle while it is still available.

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Product Spotlight: Be My Valentine

AFV’s of WWII 1:43 scale British Valentine Mk. III Infantry Tank – “Harry I”, 8th Royal Tank Regiment, 7th Armoured Brigade, Libya, November 1941

The Tank, Infantry, Mk III, Valentine was an infantry tank produced in the United Kingdom during World War II. More than 8,000 of the type were produced in eleven marks, plus various specialized variants, accounting for approximately a quarter of wartime British tank production. The many variants included riveted and welded construction, petrol and diesel engines and a progressive increase in armament. It was supplied in large numbers to the USSR and built under license in Canada. It was used extensively by the British in the North African campaign. Developed by Vickers, it proved to be both strong and reliable.

There are several proposed explanations for the name Valentine. According to the most popular one, the design was presented to the War Office on St. Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 1940, although some sources say that the design was submitted on Valentine’s Day 1938 or February 10th, 1938. White notes that “incidentally” Valentine was the middle name of Sir John Carden, the man who was responsible for many tank designs including that of the Valentine’s predecessors, the A10 and A11. Another version says that Valentine is an acronym for Vickers-Armstrong’s Limited Elswick & (Newcastle-upon) Tyne. The “most prosaic” explanation according to David Fletcher is that it was just an in-house code word of Vickers with no other significance.

The Valentine was extensively used in the North African Campaign, earning a reputation as a reliable and well-protected vehicle. The first Valentines went into action in December 1941 with the 8th Royal Tank Regiment in Operation Crusader. The tank first served in Operation Crusader in the North African desert, when it began to replace the Matilda Tank. Due to a lack of cruisers, it was issued to armoured regiments in the UK from mid-1941. The Valentine was better armed and faster than the Cruiser Mk II. During the pursuit from El Alamein in late 1942, some tanks had driven more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km) by the time the Eighth Army reached Tunisia.

The Valentine shared the common weakness of the British tanks of the period in that its 2-pounder gun lacked high-explosive (anti-personnel) ammunition and soon became outdated as an anti-tank weapon. Introduction of the 6-pounder in British service was delayed until the loss of equipment in France had been made good, so the 2-pounder was retained longer.

DeAgostini’s 1:43 scale British Valentine Mk. III Infantry Tank – “Harry I,” 8th Royal Tank Regiment, Libya, 1941

The small size of the turret and of the turret ring meant that producing mountings for larger guns proved a difficult task. Although versions with the 6-pounder and then with the Ordnance QF 75mm gun were developed, by the time they were available in significant numbers, better tanks had reached the battlefield. Another weakness was the small crew compartment and the two-man turret. A larger turret, with a loader position added, was used in some of the 2-pounder versions but the position had to be removed again in variants with larger guns. Its relatively low height was an advantage in a battlefield with little cover, allowing it to take up a “good hull-down position in any convenient fold in the ground”.

Currently, we have in stock the DeAgostini version of the Valentine tank. The AFVs of WWII replica is expected to arrive in early June. The difference between the two is that the latter comes with an acrylic display case, leaflet describing the vehicle and more attractive packaging. Cosmetically they are identical.

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Product Spotlight: Dance of the Macabre

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Bristol Beaufighter TF.X Torpedo Bomber – No.45 Squadron “Operation Firedog”, RAF Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, 1949

By the end of the Second World War, the Royal Air Force saw little need to retain the large number of Bristol Beaufighter squadrons it currently had in service, so most units were simply disbanded, a couple were retained for home duties, with the remainder prepared for deployment to the Far East. One notable exception to this rule were RAF No.45 Squadron, who replaced their wartime Mosquitoes with the Beaufighter TF.X fighter bomber, before moving out to operate from a new base in Ceylon. In August 1948, the squadron moved to Kuala Lumpur in response to the Malayan Emergency, where it would take part in the combined Commonwealth actions to quell the guerrilla activities of the Communist backed Malayan National Liberation Army.

Using the legendary range and hard hitting attributes of this capable heavy fighter, the unit’s Beaufighters would loiter over the jungle, waiting to unleash a withering barrage of rocket and cannon fire on enemy positions, once given targeting instructions from Commonwealth troops patrolling in the vicinity. These ageing WWII warhorses were replaced by the new Bristol Brigand ground attack aircraft by the end of 1949, leaving the situation in Malaya to rumble on for a further ten years and with RAF support very much moving into the jet age during that time.

Corgi’s second ever Beaufighter is now in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
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Product Spotlight: Hellcats of the Pacific

Hobby Master’s 1:32 scale USN Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Fighter – “Paper Doll”, VF-27 “Kangaroos”, USS Princeton (CVL-23), October 1944

Established at NAS Norfolk,VA in April 1942 flying the Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat, VGF-27 became one of the most traveled Navy squadrons of the war. Following Operation Torch against French Morocco in November 1942, the squadron remained aboard the USS Suwannee as part of CVEG-27 through most of the next eight months. Upon re-designation as VF-27 in March 1943, the squadron operated their Wildcats ashore at Guadalcanal until July, except for a brief period at sea, again aboard the USS Suwannee, in June. Among the 12 victories credited during April through July, were the first for future standouts Cecil Harris, and Sam Silber.

After refitting with the Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat in the U.S. in early 1944, and intense training in Hawaii during March, and April 1944, VF-27 embarked aboard the USS Princeton CVL-23. This would prove to be one of the most spectacular Light Carrier cruises of the war. Under Lt. Cdr. Ernest Wood, the “Cat Mouthed” Hellcats flew warm-up missions against Saipan, and Tinian, on June 11th and 12th of 1944. Within a week the squadron participated in the “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”, on June 19th. The Hellcats of VF-27 claimed 30 kills against Japanese aircraft attempting to strike Task Force 58. Squadron commander Lt. Cdr Wood was lost on this day however, his replacement was Lt. Cdr. Fred Bardshar. Future aces Bill Lamb, Dick Stambook, and Gordon Stanley splashed four enemy aircraft apiece during the operation. Lt. Cdr. Bardshar led VF-27 on a fighter sweep over Manila on Sept 21st, with VF-27 claiming 38 victories over IJN, and IJAAF aircraft. The days bag included 4.5 kills for Lt. John Rodgers, and 4 kills for Lt. Jim “Red” Shirley.

After strikes against Formosa in mid- October, the Princeton was back in the Leyte Gulf as part of Task Force 38.3 on October 24th. Near Pollilo Island in the eastern part of the gulf VF-27 wrecked havoc on the Japanese, destroying 36 enemy fighters that day. Four pilots emerged as “Aces in a Day” in this engagement. They were Lt’s Carl Brown, and Jim Shirley, plus Lt. (jg) Gene Townsend, and Ensign Tom Conroy.

However upon return to the fleet, “Sweet P”, the USS Princeton was found afire and sinking. At 9:38 that morning a lone Judy dive-bomber appeared suddenly out of thick clouds and dropped a single bomb on the Princeton’s flight deck. The bomb exploded amidst fueled and armed Grumman TBF Avengers on the hanger deck. The ship was rocked by multiple explosions, seven hours later gutted by fire the Princeton was scuttled by American torpedoes. VF-27’s 5 month war cruise was over. Of the 136 victories credited during the deployment, a staggering 104 occurred on three days. A record unbeaten by any other CVL fighter squadron during the war. Lcdr. Bardshar reformed the squadron in time to return to the Western Pacific aboard the carrier USS Independance. One more victory was scored before the war ended. VF-27 officially disbanded Nov 26th, 1945.

Like its counterpart “Minisi II”, Paper Doll is now available for immediate shipment.

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Product Spotlight: “The Fabled Fifteen”

Hobby Master’s 1:32 scale USN Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Fighter – CDR. David McCampbell, “Minsi II,” Commander Air Group 15, USS Essex (CV-9), 1944

Captain David McCampbell (January 16th, 1910 – June 30th, 1996) was an American aviator, who became the US Navy’s all-time leading ace with 34 aerial victories during World War II.

Following service aboard a cruiser, 1935-37, McCampbell applied for flight training and was accepted. He received his “wings of gold” in 1938 and was assigned to Fighting Squadron Four on the East Coast. Subsequently he became a landing signal officer and survived the sinking of USS Wasp (CV-7) off Guadalcanal in September 1942.

From September 1943 to September 1944, McCampbell was commander of Air Group 15, in charge of fighters, bombers, and torpedo bombers aboard the aircraft carrier USS Essex. From April to November 1944, his group saw six months of continuous combat and participated in two major air-sea battles, the First and Second Battles of the Philippine Sea. During the more than 20,000 hours of air combat operations before it returned to the United States for a rest period, Air Group 15 destroyed more enemy planes (315 airborne and 348 on the ground) and sank more enemy shipping than any other Air Group in the Pacific War. Air Group 15’s attacks on the Japanese in the Marianas and at Iwo Jima, Taiwan, and Okinawa were key to the success of the ‘island hopping’ campaign.

In addition to his duties as commander of the ‘Fabled Fifteen,’ then Commander McCampbell became the Navy’s ‘Ace of Aces’ during the missions he flew in 1944. In October 1944, he and his wing man attacked a Japanese force of 60 aircraft. During the mission, Captain McCampbell shot down nine enemy planes, setting a single mission aerial combat record. When he landed his Grumman F6F Hellcat, his six machine guns had two rounds remaining and the plane had only enough fuel to keep it aloft for 10 more minutes. Captain McCampbell received the Medal of Honor for that action, becoming the only fast carrier task force pilot to do so. During a similarly courageous mission in June 1944, Air Group 15’s planes routed a large enemy force and McCampbell earned seven kills.

For his brilliant record in command of Air Group 15, McCampbell was awarded the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit with Combat ‘V’, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Gold Stars in lieu of the second and third awards, and the Air Medal.

McCampbell’s legendary F6F Hellcat, produced in a mega sized 1:32 scale, is now in stock and ready for immediate shipment.

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Product Spotlight: In this Island Fortress

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Bristol Beaufort Mk.1 Torpedo Bomber – N1016 (OA-X), Pilot Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell, No.22 Squadron, RAF Cornwall, England, 1941

The Bristol Beaufort (manufacturer designation Type 152) is a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber. At least 1,180 Beauforts were built by Bristol and other British manufacturers.

Beauforts first saw service with Royal Air Force Coastal Command and then the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm from 1940. They were used as torpedo bombers, conventional bombers and mine-layers until 1942, when they were removed from active service and were then used as trainer aircraft until being declared obsolete in 1945. Beauforts also saw considerable action in the Mediterranean; Beaufort squadrons based in Egypt and on Malta helped interdict Axis shipping supplying Rommel’s Afrika Korps in North Africa.

As an Island nation, the protection of Britain’s sea lanes during the Second World War was a crucial battle which had to be won. Throughout the first few months of conflict, the German capital ship Gneisenau and her sister vessel Scharnhorst were posing a serious raiding threat and on receiving news that the ships had entered Brest harbor to undergo repairs in late March 1941, the RAF immediately planned raids intended to destroy, or at least damage the ships. On Sunday April 6th, 1941, Bristol Beaufort Mk.I N1016 (OA-X) took off from RAF St. Eval in Cornwall and headed for a rallying point off the coast of France, close to the entrance to the harbor. Even though the weather was poor, they were surprised to find that they were the only aircraft to make it and with radio silence crucial to the success of the mission, the crew faced the decision whether to press on with their attack alone, or return to base. Although the odds were seriously stacked against them, they turned towards the heavily defended harbor and began their attack run, descending to almost wave top height. Pilot Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell, expertly lined up his Beaufort for the optimum attack angle, passing so close to enemy shore batteries that they could hardly fail to hit their target, but only releasing the single torpedo when he was sure it would strike the warship.

Almost hitting the mast of the ship as the aircraft pulled away in a violent, banking turn, the Beaufort exposed its under surfaces to the anti-aircraft gunners, who raked it with everything they had. Having sustained heavy damage during its attack run against Gneisenau, Bristol Beaufort N1016 crashed into the harbor almost immediately, tragically claiming the lives of all souls on board. Unbeknown to them, their attack had successful and the torpedo had blown a huge hole under the waterline of Gneisenau, causing it to return to the dry dock from where it had only just emerged, in need of further repairs. It would be out of commission for almost six months following the attack and it is impossible to gauge how many lives were saved and how much vital cargo reached its destination as a result of the heroic actions of this single Beaufort crew. Launching their attack alone, the selfless actions of Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell and his crew would have probably gone unheralded had it not been for the intervention of the French resistance. Sending a report on the condition of the German battleship back to British authorities, they also described the actions of this brave Beaufort crew and how they had paid the ultimate price whilst heroically performing their duty. For displaying valor in the face of extreme peril and without regard for his own safety, Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest award for valor in the presence of the enemy, an honor he would surely have gladly shared with the rest of his crew.

Corgi’s first Bristol Beaufort is currently en route to us and will be available for immediate dispatch by the middle of April.

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Product Spotlight: A Sliced Bread Basket

JC Wings’ 1:72 scale Ukrainian Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29MU1 ‘Fulcrum-C’ Fighter – 2019

The Russo-Ukrainian War is an ongoing and protracted conflict that started in February 2014, primarily involving Russia and pro-Russian forces on one hand, and Ukraine on the other. The war has centered on the status of Crimea and parts of the Donbas, which are largely internationally recognized as part of Ukraine.

Following the Euromaidan protests and the subsequent removal of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on February 22nd and amidst pro-Russianunrest in Ukraine, Russian soldiers without insignias took control of strategic positions and infrastructure within the Ukrainian territory of Crimea. On March 1st, 2014, the Federation Council of the Russian Federation unanimously adopted a resolution to petition Russian President Vladimir Putin to use military force in Ukraine. The resolution was adopted several days later, after the start of the Russian military operation on the “Returning of Crimea”. Russia then annexed Crimea after a widely criticized local referendum which was organized by Russia after the capturing of the Crimean parliament whose outcome was for the Autonomous Repulbic of Crimea to join the Russian Federation. In April, demonstrations by pro-Russian groups in the Donbas area of Ukraine escalated into a war between the Ukrainian government and the Russian-backed separatist forces of the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republic. In August, Russian military vehicles crossed the border in several locations of Donetsk Oblast. The incursion by the Russian military was seen as responsible for the defeat of Ukrainian forces in early September.

In November 2014, the Ukrainian military reported intensive movement of troops and equipments from Russia into the separatist-controlled parts of the eastern Ukraine. The Associated Press reported 40 unmarked military vehicles on the move in rebel-controlled areas. The Organziation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission observed convoys of heavy weapons and tanks in DPR-controlled territory without insignia. OSCE monitors further stated they observed vehicles transporting ammunition and soldiers’ dead bodies crossing the Russian-Ukrainian border under the guise of humanitarian aid convoys. As of early August 2015, OSCE observed over 21 such vehicles marked with the Russian military code for soldiers killed in action. According to The Moscow Times, Russia has tried to intimidate and silence human rights workers discussing Russian soldiers’ deaths in the conflict. OSCE has time and again reported that its observers were denied access to the areas controlled by “combined Russian-separatist forces”.

The majority of members of the international community and organizations such as Amnesty International have condemned Russia for its actions in post-revolutionary Ukraine, accusing it of breaking international law and violating Ukrainian sovereignty. Many countries implemented economic sanctions against Russia, Russian individuals or companies.

In October 2015, The Washington Post reported that Russia has redeployed some of its elite units from Ukraine to Syria to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In December 2015, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin admitted that Russian military intelligence officers were operating in Ukraine, insisting though that they were not the same as regular troops. As of February 2019, 7% of Ukraine’s territory is classified by the Ukrainian government as temporarily occupied territories.

As of February 6th, 2022, Russia has surrounded Ukraine militarily, and its force presence and posture continue to raise concerns that Russia will invade its neighbor and ignite a new conflict in Europe.

Russia now has over 130,000 troops, as well as a significant amount of weaponry and other hardware, in positions around Ukraine. Though Russia has denied having plans to attack, many in the West remain skeptical. Russia has troops in Belarus, western Russia, and Crimea.

US intelligence previously suggested Russia had plans to launch a military offensive against Ukraine in “early 2022” with a force of 175,000. Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last week that Russia had enough troops and equipment in place now to launch an attack with “little warning.”

Ukraine is bracing for a Russian invasion as regular civilians train for war, and NATO is hardening its positions in Eastern Europe to deter Russia from pushing past Ukraine, should it decide to attack.

JC Wings’ recently released Ukrainian Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29MU1 ‘Fulcrum-C’ Fighter clad in a digitized winter camouflage scheme is now in stock and available for immediate shipment.

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Product Spotlight: Desert Furniture Vans

There were never very many Tiger tanks, less than 1,400 total. They were huge (German crews scornfully called them “furniture vans”), high maintenance, a gas-guzzler even by tank standards, and were more often out of commission due to mechanical failure than damage in combat. And, after its North African debut in a battle near Robaa, Tunisia, a Feb. 5th, 1943, New York Times article stated the Tiger “failed to impress military observers here.” According to those observers “a few well-placed shots even from a light anti-tank rifle” could immobilize it. That article for home consumption literally papered over the truth. Allied troops were scared to death of the Tiger.

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “121”, schwere Panzerabteilung 501, Deutsches Afrika Korps, Tunisia, 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine]

There was one very good reason for that fear: they didn’t have a weapon powerful enough to stop it. The reasons for that boiled down to differences in tank doctrine and philosophy based on tradition, prejudice, and circumstance. Despite a World War I flirtation with (other countries’) tanks, in practical terms the US Army was a latecomer to tank warfare, not fielding a mechanized armor corps until 1940, and was prejudicially influenced by horse cavalry advocates led by Chief of Cavalry Maj. Gen. John K. Herr (whose office was not disbanded until 1942). As such, though Army armor advocates studied writings by armored warfare philosopher Gen. Heinz Guderian and others as well as the Wehrmacht’s blitzkrieg battlefield successes, American armor advocates took away only that part of German tank doctrine that suited them: mass, speed, and maneuver. Accordingly, the American role of tanks was not to fight other tanks, but to smash through enemy lines and raise hell in their rear, the traditional role of cavalry.

Overlooked or ignored was the other side of the coin of German blitzkrieg tank doctrine expressed in Guderian’s 1937 book Achtung Panzer!, “The tank’s most dangerous enemy is another tank [emphasis added]. If we are unable to defeat the enemy armor the breakthrough has as good as failed. . . .” The Tiger was the ultimate expression of that tank versus tank doctrine.

To Guderian’s disgust, the Tigers first saw action in the siege of Leningrad. In his book Panzer Leader, Guderian wrote, “[Hitler] ordered that the Tigers be committed in a quite secondary operation, in a limited attack carried out in [swampy, forested] terrain that was utterly unsuitable. . . . The results were not only heavy, unnecessary casualties, but also the loss of secrecy and of the element of surprise for future operations.”

The heavy tank battalion s.Pz.-Abt. 501(Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 501) began arriving in Tunis in late November 1942. Kampfgruppe Lueder (named after its leader Maj. Hans-Georg Lueder), initially three Tigers and four Panzer IIIs, later three more Tigers, went into action on Dec. 1, 1942, participating in the Battle of Tebourba. When the battle ended in a German victory on Dec. 5, Allied troops under British Lt. Gen. Kenneth Anderson had lost 55 tanks, hundreds of vehicles, and more than 1,000 troops captured, with the Tigers knocking out most of the Allied tanks.

Soon the sight of even one Tiger entering battle caused the blood in Allied troops to run cold. The Tiger’s high-velocity 88 mm main gun could outshoot anything they had, and armor piercing shells bounced off the Tiger’s thick armor – even from ranges as close as 50 meters. In an attack against Allied positions in the Medjerda river valley of northwest Tunisia not long after, s.Pz.-Abt. 501 reported that “fleeing enemy columns and tanks were observed as soon as the Tigers appeared.”

Over time, the fearsome and intimidating reputation of the Tiger grew to mythic proportions. Maj. Christopher W. Wilbeck noted in his study of German heavy tank battalions that whenever a German tank appeared, regardless of type, “Among the Allied armies, units continually reported that Tiger tanks were in their sector or that they had destroyed Tiger tanks.”

Though destroying a Tiger was high-risk bordering on suicide early in the war, disabling one was not. The Allies’ most successful anti-Tiger tactic in Tunisia was a retrograde maneuver, laying anti-tank mines guarded by antitank guns. When a Tiger was immobilized by a mine, antitank guns could take it under fire, or artillery fire was called in. Later in France, tactical air – fighter-bombers using rockets and bombs – proved the most effective countermeasure. In March 1943, s.Pz.-Abt. 501 was succeeded by s.Pz.-Abt. 504. During the two months it operated in Tunisia before the surrender of all Axis troops in Tunisia, s.Pz.-Abt. 504 destroyed more than 150 enemy tanks and had a kill ratio of 18.8 enemy tanks for every Tiger lost. (courtesy Defensemedianetwork.com)

“Alwin”, Forces of Valor’s second 1:32 scale Tiger I heavy tank looks to churn up the North African desert some time in April.

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Product Spotlight: Vorrucken nach Norden

Corgi 1:72 German Junkers Ju-87B-2 Stuka Dive-Bomber – 3./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 “Immelmann”, Battle of Moscow, December 1941

Without doubt one of the most instantly recognizable aircraft of the Second World War, the Junkers Ju-87 Stuka may not have been the most effective strike aircraft to see combat during the conflict, but it was certainly one of the most feared. Capable of providing strategic, precision bombing support for advancing Wehrmacht ground units, the Stuka heralded the coming of war and as such, had been designed specifically to instill fear and confusion into enemy troops and the terrified population at large. Attaching a wailing siren, known as the ‘Jericho Trumpet’, to one of the undercarriage spats on the Stuka’s airframe, only served to enhance the reputation of this aircraft, with its distinctive gull wings coming to represent the fearsome manifestation of Blitzkrieg! Although the Stuka had been found to be vulnerable against the modern fighters of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain, it would go on to play a significant role during Operation Barbarossa, where its precision strikes were used to clear a path for advancing ground units along the vast front line.

This 3./StG.2 Stuka wears the standard camouflage of Black/green and Dark green over light blue, but has a roughly applied winter distemper to give it additional protection whilst operating during winter conditions. It also features a representation of gaping mouth artwork over the air cooler and above, which is described as ‘Ghost Bones’, making this one of the most distinctive Stukas to serve on the Eastern Front.

Corgi 1:72 German Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 “Gustav” Fighter – Black Double Chevron ‘Mickey Mouse’, Hptm. Horst Carganico, CO II./Jagdgeschwader 5 “Eismeer”, Pskow South Airfield, Soviet Union, Early 1944

Born in Silesia in October 1917, Horst Carganico was already a pilot with Jagdgeschwader 1 at the outbreak of WWII and would see his first combat action against the RAF whilst flying from Luftwaffe bases in Norway. Despite this, it would be on the Eastern Front where Carganico would have his greatest success as a fighter pilot, taking an active part in Operation Barbarossa and claiming at least 20 aerial victories by the end of September 1941. In the six weeks from the beginning of April 1942, he would go on a scoring run which would see him claiming a further 23 victories, but as Soviet fighter effectiveness began to improve steadily during the year, he would not have everything his own way. On two separate occasions, he would be brought down over Soviet territory following combat with the VVS (Soviet Air Force), luckily managing to evade capture and return to his unit both times.

Carganico was known for adding his personal “Mickey Mouse’ emblem to the majority of the Messerschmitt fighters he flew, including the rather elaborate example which adorned this II./Jagdgeschwader.5 machine, which surely made this one of the most distinctive fighters on the Eastern Front. He would survive the savage fighting in the East only to be killed in May 1944 whilst engaged in combat with USAAF fighters over Saint-Dizier – attempting a forced landing in his damaged aircraft, the fighter struck high tension cables and crashed. Carganico posted an impressive combat record of 60 confirmed victories from a total mission count of around 600 sorties, mainly on the Eastern Front.

Corgi 1:72 German Junkers Ju 88A-5 Medium-Bomber – F1+AS, 8./Kampfgeschwader 76, Orscha, Russia, December 1941

As arguably the most versatile German aircraft of the Second World War, Luftwaffe Junkers Ju-88 units were probably the most capable strike assets they had available at the start of Operation Barbarossa and they would be used extensively throughout the campaign. During the opening attack in the early hours of June 22nd, 1941, hand-picked, experienced Ju-88 crews were sent as pathfinders to ‘light up’ the Soviet airfields closest to the western edge of the invasion, illuminating targets for the main attack force which followed just minutes later. Immediately returning to their bases, they were refuelled and loaded with standard bombs, so they could head back to the target airfields and participate in the rout of the Soviet Air Force. In other sectors, the Ju-88s of KGs 76 and 77 reported the inexplicable loss of several experienced crews, losses which have since been attributed to friendly fire incidents during the melee of the initial attacks.

As the German invasion gathered momentum, Ju-88 units would be constantly employed in attacking Soviet airfields ahead of ground units, but would also become extremely proficient at targeting Soviet troop and armor concentrations which were threatening the flanks of advancing German columns. This attractive 8./KG.76 Ju-88 came down behind German lines during the early winter of 1941, probably due to engine trouble, as it was later recovered and returned to operational condition. Looking resplendent in its winter whitewash, it also features the distinctive wasp emblem of the unit on its front fuselage.

All three Corgi 1:72 scale Vorrucken nach Norden (Advance to the North) aircraft are now in stock and ready for immediate shipment.

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Product Spotlight: The Little Tramp

Corgi 1:48 Royal Flying Corps Bristol F2B Fighter – D8084/S, “Charlie Chaplin”, Capt. Sydney Dalrymple and 2/Lt. G. Beagle, RAF No.139 Squadron, Villaverla Aerodrome, Italy, August 1918

Great War Australian ace pilot, Captain Sydney Dalrymple, transferred to the newly formed No.139 Squadron at Villaverla in Italy during the summer of 1918, where he would be flying the Bristol fighter in an armed reconnaissance role. At this stage of the war, Dalrymple only had a single aerial victory to his name, however, this was gained while flying the Martinsyde G100 ‘Elephant’, an aircraft which gained its nickname due to its size and ungainly flying characteristics. Early operations with the Bristol fighter in Italy proved disappointing, as the aircraft were initially flown in a similar manner to the much maligned BE2c, flying straight and level to allow the observer to take his pictures.

Indeed, the squadron had lost three crews in action during this period and only switched to flying the aircraft much more aggressively following the arrival of famous ace, William Barker, as their new Commanding Officer, who understood the fighting qualities of this effective multi-role aircraft. On August 8th, 1918, Dalrymple and his gunner, 2/Lt. G Beagle, used Bristol F2B Fighter D-8084 to shoot down two Aviatik D.1 Berg fighters near Caldonazzo during the same mission and would dispatch two Albatros D.IIIs on September 13th flying a different Bristol. Now officially an ‘Ace’ pilot, Dalrymple was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on November 1st, 1918. Bristol F2B Fighter D-8084 was unusual in that it carried the “Charlie Chaplin” artwork on the port side engine cowling.

Corgi AA28802 is now in stock and ready for immediate shipment.

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