umm, sounds a bit like one or two ambushes I nearly got caught up in!  :shock:

Hope all has gone well in your exams

Good news everyone i have the figures from east riding minitures god bless them there my saviors pretty happy quick delivery nearly non existant flash well done lads i would definatly recomend well i have painted a couple and after this update im going back to paint the rest of them i have now lost the rear wheels from the landrover so if anybody can spare some i would be grateful

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

Maybe one of the squaddies sold them for beer money,  :joker:

Now that wouldnt surprise me+sorry for the lack of pictures the camera is rubbish but itll be my birthday sonn so ill buy a much better camera then

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

well here it is the first of a line of dioramas this one is set in 1985




really sorry for the quality but hope you can see a bit

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

An effective-looking scene - look forward to seeing some sharper photos when you have your new camera.

That looks really great - also looking forward to some more pictures. Alex

A good composition there  8-)

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and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
Airfix Club 500287
IPMS 10983
My Portfolio & Workbench

Thanks guys  i have already stasrted on the next dio=a guardroom of a barracks

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

If its NI again, don't forget to include a loading bay. This was a feature of every base and was usually close to the guardroom. It was where troops loaded and unloaded weapons under supervision when leaving/entering the base. They were usually either brick or breeze block and filled with sand to catch any accidental discharges.

This link should take you to a bunch of photos from 3RHA. They're very atmospheric of NI in the early 80s and you will see photos (in the section 3 day patrols) of a loading bay. It's pretty typical (they were usually large enough for a 4-man team to be unloaded at one time).
http://anonymous-schooldays.blogspot.com/2008/03/c-bty-3rd-royal-horse-artillery.html

And the best picture is here. Note that the guys are wearing the plain green trousers, lightweight (aka 'denims'). These were popular but banned as patrol wear later on as they were not flame resistant. Similarly, they wear berets; these were rarely worn on patrol once the new helmet came into service (early 80s). A pair of black gloves appear to be in view on the bay. Black gloves (with padding) were standard issue and widely used.
Hope this is of use - look forward to seeing your dio.

thanks thats brilliant i dont know if its going to be set in northern ireland or not but i will use the loading bay as i have seen a lot in britian

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

well its that time again to apologise for the lack of updates this time i have been more focused on my acf jcic (Junior Cadet Instructors Cardre) i passed but while doing that i have decided the guard room will be the top hut off the airfix control tower and i have already scratchbuilt one of those yellow and black little bump things one thing i would like to know is a list of all armoured vehicles used in NI as it would help as this dio is going to have the vehicles and crews getting ready for a patrol
thanks

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

A great deal depends on the date and location of any diorama as the equipment changed over time. In addition, in some areas, patrols were mainly carried out on foot, often with helicopter insertion.

In the early days, it was a bit of hodge-podge, including Saracens and Humber 'Pigs'. The latter soldiered on (as discussed earlier in the thread) but in later years were probably more likely to be seen in urban areas or in emergency situations (e.g. where a quick reaction force had been deployed). An unusual vehicle was a Centurion AVRE used during Operation Motorman.

Where 'green' vehicles were used on a routine basis for vehicle patrols (such as in Belfast), the main vehicle was typically some type of Landrover. For much of the Troubles, this was a Series III 3/4 or 1/2t Landrover enhanced with the VPK (Vehicle Protection Kit). They were sometimes known as Piglets or Makrolon Landrovers (although not much makrolon was used, I believe). This link gives an overview: http://www.emlra.org/vehicles/VPK.htm

In the early 1980s, the more heavily armoured APV (armoured patrol vehicle) was introduced. I think this was based on the Landrover 110 series and was a much more serious piece of kit.

In the early 90s, the first of the (now) controversial Snatch Landrovers were introduced.

Perhaps it's also worth pointing out that RUC operated many armoured vehicles, including police cars and the well-known Hotspur (which served throughout the 80s). If on a joint operation with the Army, a Hotspur could be appropriate.

Although there could be exceptions, vehicle patrols were usually pairs of vehicles so that's worth taking into consideration.

Hope that helps.

Thanks realthing for the info its a great help i may have to pick up some british bobies and convert them a bit to be an ruc constable

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

not much done today trying to find suitable chain mesh for the windows of the guard room

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

Further to what armoured vehicles were used. I remember Ferrets and armoured Bedford trucks being used in 1974.
The trucks had what looked like local depot applied sheet steel on the sides of both the cab and body, up to almost the full height of the tilt, and wire mesh over the cab windows. A gpmg was mounted on the ring on the cab roof. Some of the trucks had a bit of steel at the back of the cab positioned to protect the back of the machinegunner. The trucks also had anti-wire posts on the front of the cab. Some had a second on the front of the body.
The Ferrets looked standard but mounted twin mgs in the turret.
There was a REME depot not far from where I lived and I saw about 20 -24 of these Bedfords heading out one day, with the Ferrets, about 10, escorting them.
Later I saw some of them in action with the APCs.

thanks fred i did see the armoured trucks opn a photo and bw models do a model or 2 of them thanks

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

Congratulations on passing your JCIC  :thumb:
Alex

Thanks

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oooooohhhhhhh Matron

A nice subject for an NI troubles diorama would be one of the modified Green Goddess fire engines, with mesh on the windows, and the hose reels covered up to stop them being slashed. Seems mad now, doesn't it? Oxford Diecast have made a superb version of this, along with an RUC Landrover. [Which is getting quite hard to find]