Falklands War - Early Wip pics.

[Nosher]

If he was (were ?) running, would he then be more likely to hold the barrel up ?

Probably not. All of the rifle training dcotrine when on the ranges and on exercise/ops was pretty much focussed on keeping the barrel pointing down so that should a round be let of accidentially ie. ND (Negligent Discharge) the risk of hitting your mates was reduced.

The pose you have reminds me of WW2 US Rangers/Marines coming off the LCT?LCI where the purpose is to keep the weapon muzzle high and free of water. 

Looking again at the picture he would probably have his right hand holding the weapon by the pistol grip which was a common grip given the ease of being able to slip the finger into the trigger guard nice and quick.

Check out the guy on the left of this picture
http://www.roguegunner.com/2011/12/falklands-war-film-to-be-done-in-isle.html

[Techno]

Thanks Nosher.

Cheers - Phil.

[TimeCast]

Re Helmets

The Paras wore their own style helmet very similar in shape to the WW2 para helmet. The marines and army wore the 44 pattern steel helmet, but in nearly all cases the helmets were covered with hessian and a scrim net with bits of hessian/sandbag aterial or scrsps from cam nets to break up the outline. The nearest I have seen in the existig Pendraken ranges is the kneeling WW2 British Bren gunner. If the helmets can be made to look like that they will be spot on for both the Falklands and central Europe (NATO).

The 44 pattern helmet looks like this:
http://www.militariarg.com/uploads/4/2/2/1/4221080/2344518.jpg?691
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh63/jeep442007/S6000428.jpg

The para helmet was also usually camouflaged with hessian or snadbag material but tended to be less cluttered with scrim.

Here is an example: http://www.bugbitten.com/images/45ececbb4fa848ad3a87f3ee17919755/Falklands_War_March_June_1982_Aged_17-60822/Falklands_War_March_June_1982_Aged_17-2358683.jpeg

The figures in berets look spot on as regards headgear (looking forward to painting one with a green Int Corps beret!).

Phil, if you have any queries about the British uniforms and how they were worn please e-mail me direct at sales@timecastmodels.co.uk

All the best

Barrie
TimeCast

[Techno]

Hi Barrie.

That'll be far more than very useful !
I'll be in touch very soon....And many thanks for those links !
Just quickly...Am I right in assuming that the only real difference in a metal figure for the berets is that all the British forces' berets sloped down towards the right ear while the Argentinians sloped theirs down towards the left ?

Thanks again - Phil.

[Dropship Horizon]

Glad to see these figs. They may even make me abandon 20mm! Who knows.

Some good points have been made. I agree that teh helmet is too Fritz. Wrong wrong wrong. Here's from my blog:
http://winterof79.blogspot.com/2011/02/british-army-helmets-in-1979-part-2.html

best bet is scrim them up, loads of cam and you can't go wrong.

Packs etc. Great for the yomp/tab but not for fighting a hill battle. I consider all non SF troops with back packs to be marching not fighting.

Wavy rifles - gets my teeth on edge - we were indeed taught to point down. Figures pointing their weapon skyward should be wearing tricorns, kepis etc and not about to blat some Argies.

Berets - A beret is not the same as any other beret. We wore then to the right, Argies wore them to the left, Para vets wore them like Andy Capp.

Regards the SLR, Id personally drop the sight whether night sight or SUIT.

LMGs (BRENS) were also used by Marines and SF.

I take it the guys in the bottom row of the main photo are Argies?

Cheers
Mark

[TimeCast]

Hi Barrie.

That'll be far more than very useful !
I'll be in touch very soon....And many thanks for those links !
Just quickly...Am I right in assuming that the only real difference in a metal figure for the berets is that all the British forces' berets sloped down towards the right ear while the Argentinians sloped theirs down towards the left ?

Thanks again - Phil.

British soldiers are required to wear the beret pulled to the right, with the cap badge worn above the left eye. The beret band is 1" above the eye IIRC. However regiments have their own styles for berets...

Parachute regiment (usually worn with the cap badge somewhere near the left side of the head or sometimes above the left ear - this is the Para ally look)!





Guards - the preferred style is for the beret close to the head:



Royal Marines - it should look like this


but some like the "old school" two-way stretch...


Officers...well, they tend to do their own thing and some never get it quite right...



Argentine berets. Johnny Gaucho does it completely arse about face...





But then again, a lot of foreigners have trouble with the beret...







Actually, regarding the last photo, they are Belgian Chasseurs Ardennais, and are pretty tough chaps, being a members of a elite unit with a hard reputation. As a rule of thumb, it is always best not to make comments about the more outrageous styles of beret worn by some European soldiers, as they tend to be worn as distinguishing marks by units like the Foreign Legion etc, who will take a dim view of anyone laughing at their head gear...

Hope this helps...

Barrie

[Dropship Horizon]

"Officers...well, they tend to do their own thing and some never get it quite right..."

So true, so true........LOL!

Mark

[nikharwood]

As a rule of thumb, it is always best not to make comments about the more outrageous styles of beret worn by some European soldiers, as they tend to be worn as distinguishing marks by units like the Foreign Legion etc, who will take a dim view of anyone laughing at their head gear...

Cue one of my favourite motivational pics:

[Techno]

Well...
Only just noticed  this !
Do my old eyes deceive me, or is Johnny Gaucho none other than Russ Abbott ?.....I think we should be told.
And why are the Venezuelan paras using guitar hero poses ?...Looks like the chord D 7th from the finger placements.

Cheers - Phil.

[weredoomed2003]

Very interesting stuff and I love the beretmania...  Is there any update on when the range will be released as I'll need to speak to the bank as I'll probably need to remortgage!  Also is tjete any air support planned eitjer metal or sourced kits for Sea Harriers, Skyhawks and Daggers?  I've had a look around ebay and there are a few kits around but I guess everyone will be wanting at leasr a couple of each and some helis??
Rob

[Leon]

For releases, I'm estimating sometime around July or August I think.  I've got a load of odds and ends to get released in March, then Sci-Fi in April, ACW in May, and I'm leaving June spare just in case!   

We won't be getting the aircraft designed, as the costs are too much for the potential sales, so we'll be looking to source some suitable kits from elsewhere and sell them alongside the range.

[Leon]

Latest pics from Techno!

[Techno]

Thanks for posting those up Leon.
Top Row L/R...Radio Op.(sans 'antenna'....too small to cast a realistic size one.... but I know a lot of you will add a fine bit of fuse wire!)..Engineer Looking down at exposed mine...Advancing with SLR....Firing SMG from shoulder....SAS advancing with SLR....SAS with grenade launcher....SAS firing M16.

Bottom row.
L/R. Milan Team .....Prone GPMG team....Prone engineer probing ground with bayonet.

Cheers - Phil.

[Nosher]

Nice...

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Superb Phil!