New 1/300 USA Gulf War et al.

I have just taken off old bags all models I bought for US Gulf War. Models are mainly Scotia and Heroics and Ros. Down below some photos and tables for the odd models in my collection:

• Cruise missile vehicles
• Fast Attack Vehicles
• M992 artillery support
• HEMMT trucks
• Patriot battery
• AA M2 Bradley (M6 Linebacker)
• Humvee Avenger

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Some of the vehicles I plan to pain ion MERDC or Forest green or there/colour NATO, since especially the logistics, engineering and all vehicles behind the battle line were of painted with non-desert camouflage.

I also have GHQ US infantry, to complement my vehicles. They will bene painted following the scheme below:

Ho appena raccolto tutti i pezzi ordinati negli anni scorsi, in questo post metterò delle tavole da usare per la pittura.

In Europa (qualche consiglio su come dipingere MERDC)

Bundeswehr vehicles: prior to 3 tone camo everything was Gelboliv RAL 6014, which I have never found a Vallejo color to come close. Model Master makes an really good match though called NATO Olive but I think it is enamel only. It is also the same color the Belgians, Dutch, Italians and just about everybody except for the U.S.and UK called Khaki Drab.

NATO was switching to three tone camo around the time you reference. Vallejo 975 Military Green, 871 Leather Brown and 995 German Grey are acceptable matches. If you want model air look for 612 NATO Green primer, 249 NATO Brown and 251 NATO Black.

UK vehicles were 897 Bronze Green with wide bands of 995 German Grey.

U.S. Vehicles in USAREUR were MERDC Winter Camo, which was 893 U.S. Dark Green, 873 U.S. Field Drab, 988 Khaki and 950 Black. The M1s and M2/3s started showing up about the time you reference and they were Forest Green which Vallejo says is 975 Military Green.

I pezzi da preparare

In the early 1980s, the U.S. Army created a unique battalion with a fleet of militarized dune buggies. The unit was supposed to scout ahead, as well as harass its enemy counterparts.

2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry and its unusual vehicles are one of the more recognizable parts of the ground combat branch’s “High Technology Light Division” experiment. The Army expected a “Quick Kill Vehicle” to be an important part of the final division design. 

But the ground combat branch had few firm requirements for the vehicle. The HTLD planners only knew they wanted a vehicle that was small and fast, according to an official history.

At the same time, the U.S. Navy’s SEAL teams were testing a light vehicle of their own. The ground branch borrowed eight of these buggies to see if they might fit the bill.

Chenowth Racing Products made the small vehicles for the sailing branch’s commandos. The name became synonymous with the company’s combat designs.

In October 1981, Maj. Gen. Robert Elton decided to get more Chenowths for the 9th Infantry Division—the HTLD test unit. The ground combat branch leased over 120 of the armed buggies in the end.

The vehicles got weapons and other military equipment once they reached the 9th Infantry Division’s home at Fort Lewis. The Chenowths sported machine guns, grenade launchers and even anti-tank missiles. 

In 1982, the “Quick Kill Vehicle” got the less aggressive moniker of “Fast Attack Vehicle.” The Army eventually settled on “Light Attack Battalion” for its planned dune buggy contingents.

2-1 Infantry became the first—and eventually only—one of these units and got over 80 FAVs. Almost 30 of these new vehicles were armed with heavy TOW missiles, one of which is depicted in the picture above.

The Chenowths made good use of their diminutive size during trials. The vehicle’s low profile made it hard to spot and potentially difficult to hit in combat.

Helicopters could also whisk the FAVs around the battlefield in large numbers. The Army’s new Black Hawk helicopter could lift two buggies, while the bigger Chinook could carry a seven at once.

However, the Chenowths were only ever meant to be “surrogates” for a final vehicle design. But the HTLD’s proponents couldn’t sell the concept.

The FAV just looked vulnerable regardless of any potential benefits. This visual stigma couldn’t have helped Elton and his team make their case.

In addition, the Army worried about a possible maintenance nightmare. The Chenowths had little if anything in common with other tanks and trucks.

After four years, the ground combat branch was also tired of experimenting and wanted to declare its new motorized division ready for real combat. Finicky, specialized equipment wasn’t helping the 9th Infantry Division meet that goal.

In 1985, Congress refused to approve any more money for the buggies and other unique equipment. The following year, 2-1 Infantry traded their FAVs for new High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles—better known as “Humvees.”

The ground combat branch spent the rest of the decade trying to figure out what parts of the experiment could be salvaged. The end of the Cold War finally sealed 9th Infantry Division’s fate—and it broke up in 1991.

Still, American commandos did use improved Chenowths—called Desert Patrol Vehicles—during Operation Desert Storm. The U.K.’s elite Special Air Service also picked up a few of these combat cars.

Special operators were still using upgraded variants when they rolled back into Iraq in 2003. Special Operations Command eventually replaced them with a combination of specialized Humvees, all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles.

The ground combat branch also continued to refine their plans for a wheeled fighting force. These efforts led to the creation of the Army’s Stryker brigades.

The Avenger system is fielded worldwide with the US Army, Marine Corps and Army National Guard. It was first deployed in 1991 to support NATO troops during Operation Desert Storm and has also been fielded in Bosnia and South Korea.

In September 2002, Avenger vehicles took part in the Open Skies II military exercise. The exercise was centred on the Washington region and tested air-ground multi-layered air defence.

A number of Avenger systems were deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom in March / April 2003, where, as well as providing air defence, they also contributed to ground security. 

The Avenger air defence system, built by Boeing, forms an important element in the US Army’s forward area air defence (FAAD) architecture, which includes C2I, radars, platforms and missiles. The first production contract for 325 units was awarded in 1987.

The gyro-stabilised Avenger turret with Stinger missiles is mounted on a 4×4 HMMWV (high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle), but can also operate in a standalone configuration or mounted on a variety of military vehicles. Avenger has a crew of two – gunner and driver.

In 1992, the US Army signed a contract for a further 679 vehicles, bringing total Avenger production to 1,004 units, of which around 800 are in service. A further 14 units were ordered in August 1999.”The Avenger system is fielded worldwide with the US Army, Marine Corps and Army National Guard.

Taiwan has 70 systems and Egypt 50 systems. In June 2006, Boeing was awarded a Foreign Military Sales contract for an additional 25 Avenger units for Egypt. Deliveries are to begin in early 2008 and conclude by September 2008.

In September 2008, the United Arab Emirates requested the Foreign Military Sale of 78 Avenger systems with 800 Stinger missiles.

L’unico Bradley antiaereo è questo, ritirato dal servizio nel 2007. Non è molto simile al pezzo Scotia, ma andrà bene lo stesso..