MAS3598
£14.50 GBP
Master Box 1:35 - LRDG in North Africa, WWII era - Plastic Figure Model Kit #3598
Originally called the Long Range Patrol (LRP), the unit was founded in Egypt in June 1940 by Major Ralph A. Bagnold, acting under the direction of General Archibald Wavell. Bagnold was assisted by Captain Patrick Clayton and Captain William Shaw. At first the majority of the men were from New Zealand, but they were soon joined by Southern Rhodesian and British volunteers, whereupon new sub-units were formed and the name was changed to the better-known Long Range Desert Group (LRDG). The LRDG never numbered more than 350 men, all of whom were volunteers.
The LRDG was formed specifically to carry out deep penetration, covert reconnaissance patrols and intelligence missions from behind Italian lines, although they sometimes engaged in combat operations. Because the LRDG were experts in desert navigation they were sometimes assigned to guide other units, including the Special Air Service and secret agents across the desert. During the Desert Campaign between December 1940 and April 1943, the vehicles of the LRDG operated constantly behind the Axis lines, missing a total of only 15 days during the entire period. Possibly their most notable offensive action was during Operation Caravan, an attack on the town of Barce and its associated airfield, on the night of 13 September 1942. However, their most vital role was the 'Road Watch', during which they clandestinely monitored traffic on the main road from Tripoli to Benghazi, transmitting the intelligence to British Army Headquarters.
With the surrender of the Axis forces in Tunisia in May 1943, the LRDG changed roles and moved operations to the eastern Mediterranean, carrying out missions in the Greek islands, Italy and the Balkans. After the end of the war in Europe, the leaders of the LRDG made a request to the War Office for the unit to be transferred to the Far East to conduct operations against the Japanese Empire. The request was declined and the LRDG was disbanded in August 1945.
This kit includes the figures of 5 LRDG soldiers, it does not include the vehicle, the pictured vehicle is a Tamiya 1/35 scale kit.
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Academy 1:35 - M3 Stuart "Honey" British version (Replaces ACA01399) - Plastic Model Kit #13270
The M3 Stuart was an American light tank that had been delivered to British forces by the US Government during WWII, before the Americans officially entered the war. Subsequently it was deployed by the Allies until the capitulation of Germany.
"Stuart" was a nickname given in reference to James Stuart, an American Confederate States Army general of the Civil War. When a British tankman saw the tank for the first time, he remarked "She's a honey". That name stuck and in British service the M3 was often referred to as "Honey".
Compared to the previous Light Tank M2, the Stuart had an improved suspension, better gun recoil mechanism and thicker armour, unusual for a light tank. The vehicle was armed with a 37mm M5 gun (which was later replaced with a longer M6 version) and a several Browning machine guns. The tank production lasted from 1941 to 1943.
In 1941 the British army had 700 Stuart tanks in service, 170 of which were deployed in Operation Crusader in North Africa. Though Stuarts surpassed most of the Axis tanks in many respects, the operation was unsuccessful due to the poor tactics of British troops.
In the following years the British usually avoided using Stuarts in tank-to tank fights, deploying them mostly in reconnaissance operations. In some cases the turret was removed for the sake of lighter weight and better mobility (such versions were known as "Stuart Recce"), some other units were transformed to either armoured personnel carriers ("Stuart Kangaroo") or command vehicles ("Stuart Command"). The M3 served with the British army till the end of the war, though in smaller numbers than those used by the Americans.
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Academy 1:35 - US M3A1 Stuart Light Tank (Replaces ACA01398) - Plastic Model Kit #13269
The M3 Stuart was an American light tank delivered to British forces by the US Government during WWII, before the Americans officially entered the war. Subsequently it was deployed by the Allies until the capitulation of Germany.
"Stuart" was a nickname given in reference to James Stuart, an American Confederate States Army general of the Civil War. Compared to the previous Light Tank M2, the Stuart had an improved suspension, better gun recoil mechanism and thicker armour, unusual for a light tank. The vehicle was armed with a 37mm M5 gun (which was later replaced with a longer M6 version) and several Browning machine guns. The tank production lasted from 1941 to 1943.
The M3A1 was an American variant of the Stuart, also referred to as the Stuart III. Its production started in 1942 and within the following year over 4,000 units were built. The M3A1 featured a redesigned turret with a turret basket and no cupola. Machine guns were excluded from the design, however a gun stabilizer was installed for better aiming.
Includes:
- 732 parts
- Upper hull, lower hull and turret
- Individual track links
- Rubber-band track sets
- Fibre cord
- Decal sheet
Decal options:
- M3A1 Stuart, US Army (1775-Now), 3 Platoon, company C 1 Armoured Battalion, 1 Armoured Division, World War II, Tunisia TN, December 1942, olive drab
- M3A1 Stuart, US Marine Corps (1798-Now), 3 Marine Tank Battalion Painintheass, World War II, Bouganville, November 1942, olive drab
- M3A1 Stuart, US Marine Corps (1798-Now), 3 Marine Tank Battalion The Pay Off, Bouganville, November 1942, olive drab
- M3A1 Stuart, SU Military Soviet Army, World War II, 1943
- M3A1 Stuart, SU Military Soviet Army, World War II, Voronez (summer), 1942
You can download the instruction sheets here.
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Academy 1:35 - German Pz. Kpfw. VI Tiger I Early version, no interior with 4 figures - Plastic model kit #13264 (ACA01386)
The Tiger I, a German heavy tank of World War II, was deployed from 1942 in Africa and Europe commonly in independent heavy tank battalions with the designation Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E often shortened to Tiger. The Tiger I gave the Wehrmacht its first armoured fighting vehicle that used the KwK 36 88-mm gun. In total 1,347 were built between August 1942 and August 1944. Production was over time phased out in favour of the Tiger II.
The Tiger I has been called an excellent design for its time, however it was over-engineered, using expensive materials and labour-intensive production methods. The Tiger was prone to some types of track failures and breakdowns, and had limited range given its high fuel consumption. It was expensive to run, but normally mechanically reliable. It was also difficult to transport, and vulnerable to immobilisation when mud, ice and snow froze between its overlapping and interleaved Schachtellaufwerk-pattern road wheels, often causing them to jam. This was a problem on the Eastern Front in the muddy rasputitsa (semi-annual mud seasons) and winter weather conditions.
The tank was named "Tiger" by Ferdinand Porsche, and the Roman numeral was added after the later Tiger II entered production. The early designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausführung H (‘‘Panzer VI version H’’, abbreviated PzKpfw VI Ausf. H) where 'H' denoted Henschel as the designer/manufacturer. It was given ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 182. The tank was later redesignated as PzKpfw VI Ausf. E in March 1943, with ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 181.
Tigers had a crew of 5. They could travel up to 23mph on roads and were powered by the Maybach 21, 353cc V-12 engines that delivered 642hp.
Kit details:
One decal sheet with 4 marking options:
1: #S13, 2nd SS Panzer Div. "Das Reich, Kursk, Russia, 1943.
2: #S03, 1st SS Panzer Div., Michael Wittmann, Berdichev, Russia, Jan 1944.
3: #123, 502nd Heavy Tank Btn, Otto Carius, Lovetz, Russia, 1943.
4: #712, 504th Heavy Tank Btn, Tunisia, Afrika Korps, 1943.
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Academy 1:35 - German Pz. Kpfw. VI Tiger I (Early version, with interior) - Plastic model kit #13239 (Replaces ACA01348)
The Tiger I, a German heavy tank of World War II, was deployed from 1942 in Africa and Europe commonly in independent heavy tank battalions with the designation Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E often shortened to Tiger. The Tiger I gave the Wehrmacht its first armoured fighting vehicle that used the KwK 36 88-mm gun. In total 1,347 were built between August 1942 and August 1944. Production was over time phased out in favour of the Tiger II.
The Tiger I has been called an excellent design for its time, however it was over-engineered, using expensive materials and labour-intensive production methods. The Tiger was prone to some types of track failures and breakdowns, and had limited range given its high fuel consumption. It was expensive to run, but normally mechanically reliable. It was also difficult to transport, and vulnerable to immobilisation when mud, ice and snow froze between its overlapping and interleaved Schachtellaufwerk-pattern road wheels, often causing them to jam. This was a problem on the Eastern Front in the muddy rasputitsa (semi-annual mud seasons) and winter weather conditions.
The tank was named "Tiger" by Ferdinand Porsche, and the Roman numeral was added after the later Tiger II entered production. The early designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausführung H (‘‘Panzer VI version H’’, abbreviated PzKpfw VI Ausf. H) where 'H' denoted Henschel as the designer/manufacturer. It was given ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 182. The tank was later redesignated as PzKpfw VI Ausf. E in March 1943, with ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 181.
Tigers had a crew of 5. They could travel up to 23mph on roads and were powered by the Maybach 21, 353cc V-12 engines that delivered 642hp.