"South African tanks in Italian East Africa in 20mm" Topic

hello
I'm looking for a pair of those light tanks used by SADF in East africa WW2 Vs Italians…there are few info on the subject…in this forum a find a pict from a guy who seem an expert on this front…he posted pict of a pair of Vickers Mark II B from Matador Models …i was looking for some cheapest and sturdy product mor aimed at wargame and i envisaged something like Frontline or Raventhorpe..but i'm really not at easy with classification of early British tanks which is quite complicate…any help?
thanks in advance

Milicast make one that is a single cast and very sturdy

[URL=http://s10.photobucket.com/user/simonraines/media/Brit%20stuff/100_1575_zps7e707536.jpg.html]

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These are the matador version:
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Raventhorpe do a nice Vickers Light MkII. Good price as ell. They are usually pretty quick on delivery too.

[URL=http://s724.photobucket.com/user/Wingate_photo/media/LightTankMkIIAfront.jpg.html]

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This is Raventhorpes. I added the commander and the bracket on the front deck.

I've read that South African vehicles in East Africa WW 2 were a "bronze green" colour (including softskins). Does anyone have any further info on that, and perhaps an illustration?

Frontline do one, but I haven't painted one up yet.

Ahhh…………… Now if its Vickers Medium MkIIs you want. Heres a few Frontline ones (you get a choice of cupolas, closed or with a commander).

[URL=http://s724.photobucket.com/user/Wingate_photo/media/5RTRplusVickerstractor.jpg.html]

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thanks to everybody..good and prompt infos .it was years that i try to solve my dilemma on Italian antagonists in AOI…
Tarleton those models from Frontline are nice and affordable..but they look different..i'm referring to turret to those other ones espefifically labelled as South Africans

Durban Gamer..i had the same doubt about the colour of SA tanks…anyway if, being an armoured corp just sent from the barracks to AOI, i suppose a certain level of uniformity could have been possible between those tankettes and the other AFV presents ..the Marmon Herrington..i find that plate, of the basic armoured car first version used by Springboks in AOI, that seem to confirm the bronze green you mention…also the picts taken on other soft vehicles seem darker than usual sand colour of British lend armour..

Italwars,

If the photo is the tank you want, then its the Vickers Light Tank MkII. Raventhorpes is nice and a good price £5.00 GBP or under, can't remember offhand.

A side view;
[URL=http://s724.photobucket.com/user/Wingate_photo/media/LightTankMkIIA.jpg.html]

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that further plate seem to confirm the dark colour of SA armour in AOI

with the Strelets 1:72 South Africans to be released soon..with appropriate "polo helmet"..the rare to see but nice Raventhorpe KAR in Bush Hat and Bombay Bloomers…and i may add if i'll be so fool to re-release under my own ITALWARS range..one day my especially made Dubats and Arabo-Somalian Askaris in shorts/turbans …this interesting campaign could be reproduced on tabletop…
Finally, on the subject there is a very good book full of battle description..purposly made and very clear maps (the seem made by a wargamer) and TOEs that, considering also the small numbers of troops involved, call for many almost ready made scenarios:

further speed research on SADF armour colour…
ibgmodels.com/35023.htm
if you scroll the PDF instruction manual of this IBG Model "Marmon Herrington" at page 1 for the colour captions and at page 23 referring to a SA vehicle in East Africa they suggest, under ref "D" an overall colour Valejo 70967 Olive Green which could be very similar to the mentioned "Bronze Green " colour..

Dear Italwars

A big thanks for your very helpful info on the bronze green colour essential to get an authentic look for South African soft and armoured vehicles in East Africa. I'm building up forces in 1/300 scale. Fortunately, I've had a lot of practice converting figures in this scale!

ITALWARS,

The following link on the South Africans in the East African and Abyssinian Campaigns may be of interest to you, and includes maps and photos: link

Ezza

Thanks Ezza…very good!!!!!!
i did'nt realize, until today, that the Official History could be find on line
again many thanks

ITALWARS,

No problem. These pages from the same site may also be of interest as they cover the Indians and the British in the East Africa Campaign: link and: link

There is also a report from US newspapers from October 1941 on the Belgians in Ethiopia: link

The main page of the website is: ibiblio.org/hyperwar and contains a load of official histories and other reports from a number of the theatres of the war.

Ezza

Some very nice models !

thanks to all
on the same topic..i find a good article, as a complement to a boardgame, which seem well researched..it gives among other useful information about the SA Army the ammo provvion of the tanks…which where not provided with AP ammunition…so quite useless in an hypotetical armour encounter

link

In one of the South African accounts (_Springboks in Armour_, maybe?), an Italian officer from an m11/39 unit apologizes for shooting up some of the SA armored cars when they had no chance to retaliate. He felt it was unsporting.

I have reserved two boxes of the Strelets South Africans from my local supplier and am looking forward to painting them up.

Any advice n where to find 1:72 scale Marmon Herrington MK1/2 A/C's for the East Africa campaign ?

hello Jacques
Matador Models have a Marmon Herrington…they are on "sale" ..also if their price seem not really a "sale Price"

link

"In one of the South African accounts (_Springboks in Armour_, maybe?), an Italian officer from an m11/39 unit apologizes for shooting up some of the SA armored cars when they had no chance to retaliate. He felt it was unsportin"

It's was also unsporting to send men fighting into such a criminal minded conceived tank as an M11/39 :-)

MMS are very nice, about £10.00 GBP to £12.00 GBP I think. In metal.

Heres one that has been VBCWised.

[URL=http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/VBCW-Wingate/media/MarmonHerringtontype_zps84d30b83.jpg.html]

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SHQ now make metal Marmon Herrington Mks 1, 2 for £10.00 GBP and w/the 20mm Breda, I bought Mk IIs with the Mk 1 turret for East Africa and MK II Boys one for North Africa, Also, Attack Hobbies has just brought out a plastic kit of a Mk II for East Africa c £12.00 GBP

(As to colour I believe the Marmon Herrington in the SA War Museum is the correct colour, a sort of dark green / olive green colour. But I reckon they would be *very* dusty in East Africa so could bodge them into N Africa games ;) )

I also bought 2 boxes of Strelets UDF, they paint up v. nicely but are quite big compared to my Airfix KAR (Ozzies & Gurkhas). SHQ make quite nice UDF figs as well for HW

BTW I'm sure I read the light tank was a Vickers Mk III

Also fwiw PST make a Ford 6, a 3 cwt truck which, although strictly speaking is s '42 grill not a ''40 one, is the closest I've found to the trucks needed at a reasonable price