BRIGADA TRIPEIRA

Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik

2012-03-10T15:14:00.000Z

Foi um avião da Força Aérea Soviética criada para o ataque ao solo, fortemente blindado e que contava com 2 canhões de 23 mm. Foi um dos aviões de maior produção na história, com mais de 36.000 em todas as versões. A infantaria russa chamava-lhe o tanque voador, no entanto as suas verdadeiras capacidades nunca foram verdadeiramente determinadas.

O Sturmovik podia voar em condições de pouca luz e levava armas capazes de derrotar a blindagem dos tanques alemães Panther e Tiger I.

O modelo aqui apresentado é à escala 1/144, da marca Zvezda, e foi pintado pelo nosso conhecido JPeixoto.

Um dos seus contributos para o torneio Ambush Blitz – Kursk 1943, que se realiza em Setembro, em Espinho. "As colunas alemãs vão sentir o seu poder de fogo".

Sturmovik em altitude

A fazer curva de 30º preparando o ataque

A metralhar uma coluna alemã de Wespes

O regresso à base já com pouca luminosidade

Na minha modesta opinião , mais um excelente trabalho.

JMM

1:1 Scale Plastic Soldier

2012-03-09T10:27:00.002Z

Green Stuff in natural scale!

Kursk Campaign 2012 - by Mário Laranja(7)

2012-03-06T17:24:00.003Z

Well, well, ML's Kursk diorama saga continues at last!

The pic above shows were we left off, and now you will see the continuation.

A terrain feature, with a bridge and a small creek

Check out the muddy water under this bridge.

My guess is that this could turn out to be a perfect spot for some light infantry skirmishing.

Another great piece of artwork ML!

Now ML and CB are tied up one again in the current competition to measure the best modelling output in town.

By the way, JMM has also been given some points with all the work he put out related to the Pendraken competition. Come on JMM, you are not going to give up now, are you?

Keep it up and you might be able to leave ML and CB behind !

Spanish Civil War & Locomotives - by Carlos Briz

2012-03-05T17:07:00.000Z

(Class 4021 locomotive - Madrid-Zaragoza-Alicante Railways)

CB brings us back to the Iberian Peninsula and to one of the worst civil wars of the XX century!

Here we have a Republican deposit of hardware, ready to be transported by train to the front lines.

The Trubia Naval was a light infantry tank of Spanish origin, based on the French Renault F-17.

A tank crew considered itself fortunate when there was none of these vehicles available to fight with...

(Class 4021 locomotive - Madrid-Zaragoza-Alicante Railways)

And now, of course, a similar harware deposit, this time on the Nationalist side.

The average quality of Nationalist hardware was superior to that of the Republicans, even if sometimes there was a perfect mix in material used by both sides.

Nevertheless, stuff "made in Germany" made all the difference even then...

Great job CB!

Locomotives & War (Vietnam) - by Carlos Briz

2012-02-24T09:52:00.000Z

(Class GP 20 locomotive - U.S. Army Transportation Corps)

Good morning Vietnam!

CB brings us another outstanding king-size dio, this time related to the Vietnam War.

That fine Douglas AC-47 gunship over there (aka Spooky, to his friends) brought something new to the modern battlefield, when air superiority was possible.

This slow moving World War II vintage aircraft provided the possibility of delivering accurate fire with heavy weapons in direct support of ground troops, blunting many Vietcong offensives.

One of measures of the sucess of this particular weapon was the Presidential Unit Citation given in 1968 to the 14th Air Comando Wing, where two squadrons of AC-47's served.

Italian Camel Troops - Meharisti in WW2 (Pendraken Painting Competition)

2012-02-22T10:30:00.000Z

The Italian (like other colonial countries) in their respective North African territioire (Cyrenaica and Tripolitania) locally recruited camel corps.

The Italian Camel Corps was considered very effective. It was officially called Meharists, after the Mehara camel it used. Camel-mounted troops were mainly employed by the Saharan Command for desert patrol purposes, however attached to his armored group General Bergonzoli, XXXIII Army Corps (September 1940), had a Saharia Libyan troop comand. The units were composed of libyans and included a Saharian batallion, a Camel battery of 65/17 guns.

Since there are not specific models for creating a meharisti ww2 troops, I´ve used and adapted the colonial Pendraken range, some ww2 Italian officers and some Pithead models for my artillery.

I´ve used some of the models below (from pendraken (10mm) to participate in the Pendraken Painting Competition 2012.

Camel troops with italian officer (riding in the middle)

Meharisti with their transport (camels)

Camel battery of 65/17 guns (Pithead and Pendraken)

Best Regards JMM

76 mm AA - Model 1931/38 (Pendraken Painting Competition)

2012-02-20T09:38:00.000Z

The Soviets used the 76 mm model 1931 and model 1938 mainly for air defense purposes. Model 1931 has been credited as design of G. P. Tagunov, the improved version called model 1938 was created by the Soviet artillery designer M N Loginov. The main difference between the two models was the introduction of a new driving device and some smaller improvements.

During World War 2 both of these guns saw a lot of use with Soviet military.

The Germans also captured these guns in large numbers and armed large number of their anti-aircraft gun units in air-defence of home front with them. German names for these guns were 7.62 cm Flak M 31 (r) and 7.62 cm Flak M 38 (r), after running out of captured ammunition Germans modified the guns to 88-mm calibre. In that new calibre these guns were known as 7.62/8.8 cm Flak M 31 (r) and 7.62/8.8 cm Flak M 31 (r).

In some cases the Russians used them as AT weapons, the gun had a hitting penetration of 78mm at 500 meters and 68 mm at 1000 meters.

The Finish (who captured about forty guns and also bought some more from the Germans) developed an AT round that increased the hitting penetration. Until the introduction of the 7.5 cm Pak 40, in May of 1943, these anti-aircraft guns were the most powerful antitank-weapons in Finnish inventory. (http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/AA_GUNS3.htm)The model below is from pendraken (10mm). It belongs to my soviet army and I used it to participate in the Pendraken Painting Competition 2012.

Best Regards

JMM

T -28 SOVIET TANK (Pendraken Painting Competition) - by JMM

2012-02-16T09:11:00.000Z

The T-28 was a Soviet medium tank. It was an infantry-support tank intended to break through fortified defences. The prototype was completed in 1931 and production began in late 1932. The tank was deployed during the Invasion of Poland and the Winter War against Finland.

When the germans invaded URSS, in June 1941, the Soviets had 411 T-28 tanks, however, during the first two months of the invasion, most T-28s were lost, many of them abandoned after mechanical breakdown. After, late 1941, they were rare in Red Army service, only a few were operated by enemy forces (like Finland).

The model below is from pendraken (10mm). It belongs to my soviet army and I used it to participate in the Pendraken Painting Competition 2012.

I decided not to include any markings or symbols so that I may double use it also with my Finns.

Best Regards

JMM

Scratchbuilt wargames terrain - by Mário Laranja (Part 1)

2012-02-15T12:21:00.000Z

And now ML is making a few more contributions to the world wide addiction of wargamers:

Wargames terrain!

(1/144 scale)

The first pic reveals the quality of the material used by ML.

The bridge is so well built that it can even take on a Panther!

The Panther was not made to stand in a dug out and wait for enemy armour to arrive.

There must be only one explanation for this: hundreds of roaming T-34's!

And now you can see how a Panther deals with a threat of hundreds of roaming Shermans.

It places itself on the top of a hill in order to have a better field of fire...

After a great post placed by JMM, related to his Tachanka, ML bring us yet another great example of his artwork with this outstanding wargames material.

My guess is that in the tournament we have sheduled for September in Espinho we will only have time to check out all the goodies lying around in the wargames tables.

The Tachanka (Pendraken Painting Competition)

2012-02-13T21:38:00.000Z

The tachanka was a horse-drawn machine gun platform, usually a cart or an open wagon with a heavy machine gun installed in the back. A tachanka could be pulled by two to four horses and required a crew of two or three (one driver and a machingun crew). The tachanka went on to see service with the Red Army well into the Second World War and was also adapted by the Wehrmacht as an anti-aircraft platform.

The model below is from Pendraken (10mm) and belongs to my URSS Army. With this model I´m also entering the Pendraken 2012 Painting Competition.

My soviet forces are building up for the 2012 Ambush Blitz Campaign - (Kursks 1943), to be held in September, in Espinho. Yes, in 1943, the tachanka was still in the OOB of some soviet cavalry units.

Regards

JMM

Locomotives & War (North American Indian Wars, 1870) - by Carlos Briz

2012-02-09T23:02:00.000Z

(Class 4-4-0 steam locomotive - US Railways)

In the period before, during and after the American Civil War (1861-1865), the north american continent saw many armed conflicts involving native americans.

In the Dakota War (1862) the Sioux nation was once again defeated and forced to leave all their reservations.

The Colorado War (1863-1865) mainly involved the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes and was another example of conflict born out of the pressure on the native population by the white settlers in search for land and natural resources.

The Sand Creek Massacre was just one of the many unfortunate consequences of this particular war.

I wonder if this "iron horse" will be able to resist the determined assault made by the Sioux warriors...

Kursk Campaign 2012 - by Mário Laranja (6)

2012-02-06T10:18:00.003Z

ML has been holding out on us!

We can see here a JS I (a prototype, maybe...) casually passing by the farm built by ML on his way to the Kursk battlefield.

However, ML has yet to send us some specific pics related to this new paper model.

That is not fair ML!

I already warn you that JF is going to start an international petition to force you to send us all the pics you have related to that model.

There are never ending columns of (paper) vehicles on their way to the battlefield.

Look, the Soviets even managed to get their hands on a lend-lease AEC Matador!

Here you can see the dwellers of this farm are true Soviets.

Even their underwear is red.

By the way, ML also has a great blog where you can find more paper models and a great tutorial, where he describes in detail how to do them.

Check it out!

WWII Locomotives & War Series nº 39 - by Carlos Briz

2012-02-02T11:10:00.003Z

(Class SU 1-3-1 locomotive - USSR State Railways)

From Chechnya to the far north, CB brings us to that beautiful and cold country: Finland!

Besides breathtaking landscapes, Finnish girls are undoubtlebly rated among the nicest features that country has to offer (so they say...)

The hardy Finns defied all the odds and managed to resist the human and mechanised power of the Soviet juggernaut during the Winter War and later during the Continuation War.

Theirs was a moral, strategic and political victory, since Finland managed to retain its sovereinty, inspite of the harsh terms of the Moscow and Paris peace treaties.

(Class C50 locomotive - Japan National Railways)

From the cold to the monsoon!

Check out the two outstanding boats CB placed in this dio, besides all else.

The Japanese had great torpedoes (Type 93 torpedo, know as the Long Lance) but they never really managed to keep up with the master handling of torpedo boats acheived by the Americans.

The American PT torpedo boats zoomed like wasps around the Japanese fleet and scored many sucessfull hits during the Pacific War.

By the way ML, CB is gaining on you...

Locomotives & War (Chechnya, 2000) - by Carlos Briz

2012-02-01T10:55:00.001Z

(Class VL-80 locomotive - Russian Federation Railways)

And now CB takes us east, with another outstanding dio related to the war in Chechnya.

(Second Chechen War)

The siege and assault of the city of Grozny (between November 1999 and February 2000) remains as one of the most terrible examples of urban warfare after WWII.

Kursk Campaign 2012 - by Mário Laranja (5)

2012-01-30T17:36:00.002Z

It is done!

Check out how the Soviet farm that ML has been working on turned out.

This dio can turn out to be a perfect environment for a few infantry skirmishes...

A perfect bird's eye view of the complet dio.

Before Operation Citadel maybe there were still a few little cottages like these in the Soviet countryside, in and around Kursk. Afterwards, maybe not.

The security breach was one of the main factors behind the failure of this huge German offensive.

The Soviets knew full well (from Lucy spy ring, among others) where and when the offensive was taking place and made the necessary preparations to give a warm welcome to the German armoured forces, namely in the form of a defensive line more than 200 km deep.

That is just about the width of Portugal, by the way...

The vaunted SS panzer divisions saw their zenith in the south flank of this offensive.

After that they thought they could die in peace.

And they did.

Die, that is - I don't know about the "peace" part.

Great job as usual ML!

Just remember you cannot rest on your laurels.

There are hundreds of guys all over the world who are thirsting for more stuff from you and CB!

(I just wished there were more girls interested in this stuff...)

100.000 Page views!

2012-01-28T18:47:00.000Z

He made me do it!

That's right guys, it's JF's fault (again...).

I just did not want to bother you with the usual "thank you" post, usually associated to the achievement a round number of any sort in the blogging business.

However, JF just did not stop nagging me about it, saying I had to place a post related to the number of page views we recently had over here - 100.000.

What is the big deal, anyway?

100.000 page views in over 2 years?

The guys at Amazon get that in just a couple of days!

I tryed to resist all I could but in the end JF resorted to a very low trick: he promised to assemble and paint a 1/72 model of my choice if I placed this post. How can a guy resist that?

Well, here you have it. The 100.000 page views celebration post!

By the way, It's great to have you guys drop by once in a while and take a look at all the stuff we place here.

We hope you continue to enjoy it, since we sure enjoy doing this!

Spanish Civil War Exhibition - by Carlos Briz

2012-01-24T09:35:00.075Z

Ok, now we know why CB has been missing his delivery schedule - modelling wise.

He has been working very hard on a thematic exhibition related to the Spanish Civil War, that is taking place in a great wargaming and modelling store located in Lisbon: Quitécnica

This is and always must be an important side to wargaming and modelling: making a contribution to the disclosure and preservation of historical heritages.

As we all know by now, CB devotes a lot of time and effort to this activity, and here we have him in the act of allowing public acess to some of his outstanding dios.

Great dios coupled with great historic propaganda posters from the SCW.

What more can a guy ask?

Is there any modeller/wargamer out there who can do without a lot of good historic books?

I do not think so...

CB is very thorough when it comes to the historic accuracy of the locomotives, figures, buildings, and models portrayed in his dios - as any modeller who truly knows and enjoys his "business" should be.

Ok CB: this one gave you a lot of "points" and now you and ML are tied again in the current competition.

Therefore, in any of you guys wants to get another advantage you should keep up the good work and send us some more goodies a.s.a.p.!

The final prize will be worth it!

(Prize? Did I really say "prize"?)

Kursk Campaign 2012 - by Mário Laranja (4)

2012-01-23T11:31:00.004Z

Nope, it's not quite finished guys...

We bring you a few more close-ups of ML's current dio, but that is all.

And here you have a glimpse of a new project in the making...

A charred country house - a familiar sight in the Soviet Union's countryside, during WWII.

Part of another (paper) brigde.

Do you notice the aging & weathering of that ZIS truck over there?

I just love mud on a miniature model!

ML's dry brush technique blows your mind away!

Do you want more outstanding 1/144 scale, scratchbuilt paper models?

In that case you just have to stay stunned to the BT modelling and wargaming channel!

By the way CB: ML is already a few points ahead of you in the current competition.

You really have to pick up the pace, or else...

Kursk Campaign 2012 - by Mário Laranja (3)

2012-01-19T16:01:00.001Z

Is this for real?

Yes it is guys.

I know some of you had doubts regarding ML's work.

Questions like "is that really paper based stuff?" or "scratchbuilt? no way!" must have been common.

But now ML is going to turn all of you into believers!

Just check out the next set of the big Kursk diorama ML is working on!

As you can see, this new dio is meant to be a sequel of the previous one we showed you here before.

The fence: made of paper. The sheds: made of paper. The boxes: made of paper. The well: made of paper.

I'm sure glad we were able of offer ML a truck load of paper just recently...

Yes, even the wheels are paper based!

Somebody left his (paper) trousers hanging out to dry in there...

The base for a paper tree?

I know for a fact that ML has been working every night in order to be able to finish all this wonderful artwork.

ML is really taking this competition thing with CB very seriously...

There is more of this coming up soon.

However, only those of you who will be able to attend the "Kursk Campaign 2012" tournament, that is scheduled for Espinho in September, will be fortunate enough to be able to glance and use this and many other outstanding dios in the course of a wargame.

Do not miss out on this great event!

WWII Locomotives & War Series nº 38 - by Carlos Briz

2012-01-17T15:17:00.005Z

(Class BR 65 locomotive - German State Railways)

I figure there is a competition going on over here!

Carlos does not want people to think that ML is the only guy who can stay awake all night, producing outstanding dios.

My guess is that he is thinking he can do the same thing or even better!

Well, alI I can say is I will wait and see which one of you guys sends more great pics and only then will I let you know my opinion...

The Wiberlwind looked good and was even very effective as a close support weapon for the infantry, when necessary.

(Class Mikado 141 1-4-1 locomotive - French National Railways)

This dio here represents an attack by the French Resistance against German critical war supplies.

There were many brave French men and women that sacrificed a lot during the German occupation period, in the name of freedom, but there was also a large majority of the population that accepted the status quo.

However, in the end of the war almost everybody claimed to be a maquisard...

By the way, for months now that JF has been thinking of a proper nickname to give Carlos, since every BT member has one.

The problem was that he just couldn't make up his mind, since he wanted to think of something original and unique.

But the only thing he could think of was "CB".

Well CB, this is your brand new nickname.

It is not very original, but this is what came out of JF's meditation.

Everybody knows that cops do not have that much imagination...

12th Napier's Foot - Seven Years War - II

2012-01-14T16:19:00.000Z

Como referi anteriormente, o meu projecto da Guerra dos Sete Anos, progride lentamente.

Depois de pintar estas sete bases do 12º Regimento de Infantaria britânico, protagonista na Batalha de Minden em 1 de Agosto de 1759 e na Batalha de Vellinghausen em 16 de Julho de 1761 ao lado do Marquês de Granby, irei avançar com a pintura das unidades de cavalaria, que irão representar o "10th Dragoons".

As mentioned before, my project of the Seven Years War, progresses slowly.

After painting these seven bases of the British "12th Regiment of Foot" protagonists in the Battle of Minden on 1th August 1759 and the Battle of Vellinghausen on 16th July 1761 next to the Marquis of Granby, I will proceed with the painting of the cavalry units, who will represent the "10th Dragoons. "

;-)

12th Napier's Foot - Seven Years War

2012-01-13T13:20:00.000Z

Recuperação de um projecto de pintura, que abrange desta vez o Século XVIII, mais propriamente as unidades que participaram na Batalha de Minden no ano de 1759.

Esta é a 1ª base realizada com esse propósito e representa o Batalhão Britânico, 12th Napier's Foot.

As figuras são em 10mm da Pendraken.

Recovering a painting project, this time covering the XVIII century, more specifically the units that participated in the Battle of Minden in 1759.

This is the 1st base held for this purpose and represents the British Battalion, 12th Napier's Foot.

The figures are in 10mm Pendraken.

Kursk Campaign 2012 - by Mário Laranja (2)

2012-01-10T08:49:00.001Z

And now for some more pics of this great dio, close-up mode.

Awsome details! Awsome paint job!

Here you can see the Soviet supply columns already on they way to the designated battlefield of this year's tournament, that will take place in the beatiful city of Espinho, right by the Atlantic ocean.

Soon we are going to give you more details regarding this tournament, scheduled for the month of September.

And we really expect many of our followers from abroad to be there.

You may even get a chance of a holiday in Portugal with some free "bed & breakfast", who knows.

Start planning your vacation in advance!

Kursk Campaign 2012 - by Mário Laranja (1)

2012-01-09T18:14:00.001Z

No way ML!

This time you cannot convince me into believing this stuff is all paper based, 1/144 scale and scratchbuilt!

Ok, I'll be convinced if you send us some more detailed pics of this dio (as if I didn't already know...)

You guys can drool all you want over these pics here, but the ones who will see and handle this dio in a wargame one of these days will be the Brigada Tripeira dudes.

Yes!

This year there will be an outstanding wargames tournament organized by the BT Combat Team, the Jerboa Development Team and our good friends from the Núcleo de Modelismo de Espinho and this dio is already earmarked for it (whether ML likes it or not...).

The tournament will be called: "Kursk Campaign 2012".

Naturally, we will use that outstanding set of wargames rules called Ambush Blitz!

The historical motivation for the tournament will be provided by the armour battles that were characteristic of the Battle of Kursk in 1943.

Let's see if we can also make the armour melt in our wargames tables...

Polish-Soviet War & Spanish Civil War Locomotives - by Carlos Briz

2012-01-06T11:06:00.001Z

(Class Ok1 locomotive - Polish State Railways)

Carlos is on a roll now!

I know all you guys thought that Carlos was suffering from a severe attack of plain laziness.

But not me.

I knew for sure that he was working hard, day and night, in order to bring you another series of one-of-a-kind-never-seen-before-outstanding dios.

And here is the proof of just that!

(Class 030 locomotive - Madrid-Zaragoza Railways)

The Spanish Civil War is one of the usual themes of Carlos's work.

There was a unit of portuguese volunteers that fought on the Nationalist side during this conflict.

It seems there were between 8.000 and 12.000 volunteers envolved, that enroled either in the Spanish Foreign Legion or in the Carlist militias.

This conflict was another proof, in any more was needed, that there is no worst war than a civil war.