Rhubarb over Somerset

After more than 2 months in the making my “Rhubarb over Somerset” diorama is done. If it were to be displayed anywhere I’d add a frame and plaque but over time it will probably be dismantled and its parts repurposed for another creation as it is the building that I find most fun. 

The inspiration for this diorama is a mysterious incident which occurred 80 years ago in Somerset not far from where we live. It was on a summer morning of 4th June 1943 that a Czech fighter pilot of 313 Squadron stationed at RAF Church Stanton (renamed RAF Culmhead in December 1943) clipped the roof of a GWR railway carriage with the wing of his Spitfire Mk.Vc, causing him to tragically crash in a farmer’s field near Bradford on Tone. 

During this period of WW2 the squadron was engaged in ‘Operation Rhubarb’, offensive low-level sweeps over northern France harrying ground targets such as military convoys and trains. It is possible that this pilot was at the time of the incident practicing a low-level attack on a passing locomotive and approached too low to clear the carriages. 

In creating this diorama I’ve incorporated a number of images from the period which although having no historical link to the event of the 4th June could well have been seen at some time or another in the Somerset countryside during the summer of 1943. Look out for the men of the Home Guard manning a pillbox along the Stopline Way, originally built to prevent a German beach invasion getting to London.

The Tank Regiment’s 11th Armoured Division are on the move from Bovington Camp, the Armoured Fighting Vehicles School, preparing drivers, gunners and engineers for D-Day. On the railway bridge a Scammell tank transporter carries a ‘Hobart Funny’, the Churchill Bridge Layer (coincidentally Percy Hobart was the first commander of the 11th Armoured Division when it formed in 1941), while, in the absence of signposts, a group of officers are having to check their map for directions. 

Meanwhile, a farmer shares a cup of tea with a soldier from 88 Brigade Workshop (REME) while a boy watches on sat on a milk churn. 

The railway signalman chats with a fellow soldier while he waits for the train to pass so that the rest of the convoy can proceed over the Bradford level crossing. I like to imagine that the tank transporter should be part of this convoy but they got separated hence now being lost! 

The stars of the scene are the Castle Class locomotive which I’ve repainted in a drab GWR wartime livery and a couple of clipped wing Spitfire Mk.V in RAF Church Stanton markings. The wings are clipped as this configuration was found to improve manoeuvrability at low level. 

Phew!

For those interested, here’s a list  of the 20+ models and figures I’ve used in the making of this diorama:

Airfix 1:72 Spitfire Vc, 1:76 Scammell Tank Transporter, Churchill Bridge Layer, Bedford QLT & QLD Trucks & Willies Jeep. 

Modelu military, farm and railway figures 

Ratio Plastic Models 1:76 Telegraph Poles, Crossing Gates, GWR Signals & Signal Box

Metcalfe 1:76 Stone Style Railway Bridge, Manor Farm House & Pillbox. 

Peco 1:76 Lamp Hut & Wooden Sleeper Tracks. 

Ancorton Models 1:76 Anderson Shelter.

Bedford QLD and Bedford QLT

Here are my completed models of the Bedford QLD and Bedford QLT from Airfix’s 2010 tooled 1:76 kit. Many different body styles were designed for the QL chassis and it is the QLD general service truck and QLT "Trooper" troop carrying vehicle that have been provided in this kit. 

While an impressive set of decals are supplied for a variety of different regiments there is unfortunately little historical explanation as to which to use. After some research and personal choice, I have selected for both trucks the markings of 88 Brigade Workshop (REME), a regiment with whom I’m proud to say my father served. And, as I acquired these to play a key role in my “Somerset Rhubarb” diorama and with the Tank Regiment base at Bovington being a shortish drive down the road, it made sense to me to have them attached to the 11th Armoured Division, which, formed in 1941, were responsible for many victories in the Battle of Normandy through to the crossing of the Rhine in 1945.

The Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) were formed on 1 October 1942 following the observations that Rommel’s swift advance towards Egypt owed much of its success to the German maintenance crews who mended both German and British tanks on the battlefield and sent them back into action within a few hours. Prior to mechanical maintenance of the Army’s equipment being centralised under the command and control of the REME, responsibility was inefficiently being shared between the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC), the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC), Royal Engineers (RE) and Royal Armoured Corps (RAC). Mike Sibbons, ex REME and Archivist at the REME Museum, wrote in his 1988 book on the REME ‘From the Archives’, that “Already, within a few months of formation, this new British Army organisation had triumphed in the Middle East campaign. Never before in British history has an army fought with more efficiently maintained equipment”.

A REME Brigade Workshop consisted of 272 officers and men and 97 vehicles organised into 4 echelons of repair. These were: 1st echelon Light Aid Detachment (LAD), 2nd echelon Mobile Workshops, 3rd echelon Semi-Mobile Workshops and 4th echelon Static Based Workshops. My trucks are intended to be part of the 2nd echelon Mobile Workshops Light Aid Detachment (LAD) which deployed with the tanks, artillery regiments and infantry brigades, equipped to carry out light repairs, replacements and recovery of equipment in the field. Using artistic licence rather than on this occasion any scratch building skills, it is my assumption - based on historical photographs - that the QLT is close enough to a REME workshop lorry as used by the LAD, and I need make no changes to the QLD which is perfect in its predetermined general service truck role. 

The build and detail in these kits is very presentable for their scale and price, although I did decide to not use the glazing provided due to its totally  unrealistic thickness. I could have used a piece of clear plastic sheet but thought I’d try an application of Krystal Klear which, although it was more than capable of filling the required area did, due to the size of the window frame, dry a little bit like a concave lens. I still think they look good enough though 

Ferret Scout Car Mk.2

The Airfix 1:35 scale Ferret Scout Car Mk.2. is a lovely kit which I decided on finishing as a British Army vehicle with all doors open and representing the United Nations in Cyprus during the troubles of 1974. 

Having now  added the front plates to the Airfix Ferret, I’ve also had a go at a small vignette of it stopped on a small dusty Cyprus road as this UN crew check on their location.  I didn’t attempt to squeeze my driver into the small space within the Scout Car but instead have given him a map to read while the officer enjoys a cigar! 

Both figures are from MiniArt Models sets and while acceptable from a distance they are a far cry from the quality of the 3D printed figures I’ve used more recently from Modelu, albeit the latter work out at 5x the price! The palm tree is one I bought from The Model Tree Shop for my 1:72 scale Vietnam project but found it far to big and even though it still won’t fit in my cabinet, I definitely think it suits this 1:35 scale kit better. 

I was the going to give you a bit of a backstory to the Cyprus problems which brought about the UN’s involvement following its independence from Britain in 1960 … but  its just as with the mess the major nations have made of the likes of Israel, Ireland, Korea and now Cyprus … just too depressing! 

Centurion Tank Mk 5/1

Vespid Models1/72 scale Centurion Tank Mk 5/1. The scheme I’ve gone for is for that of the Australian Army’s ARN 169007, call sign 24A of B Squadron, named “Buku Boom Boom” from 1969 in Vietnam. I’ve also added a couple of excellent Modelu tank crew figures. 

In February 1968 the announcement that a squadron of Centurion tanks was to reinforce the Australian forces in South Vietnam was greeted with skepticism. Critics suggested that the mobility of the heavy tanks would be so curtailed by the rice paddies and jungle that they would eventually become static pillboxes defending the perimeter of bases. It was also argued that an enemy with modern anti-tank weapons could easily destroy the slow and cumbersome Centurions. However, such criticisms were soon to be disproved.

On the morning of 6 June 1969, two Australian Centurions of 4 Troop, B Squadron were making their way northwards along Route 2 in support of infantry when they came under fire from houses in the village of Binh Ba, north of Dui Dat in the Phuoc Tuy province. The Battle of Binh Ba, Operation Hammer, raged for two days, ending on the second mass tank and infantry assault. The battle marked the end of such large-scale clashes, and ranks as one of the major Australian victories of the war.

One of the Centurions involved in the battle was named “Buku Boom Boom”, or more formally ARN 169007, call sign 24A of B Squadron, and it is in the colours of this Centurion Mk. 5/1 that I have finished this excellent Vespas Models 1:72 scale kit. To complete theme, I’ve built a small vignette using a fantastic couple of 3D printed tank crew figures from Alan at Modelu and a super mat of sedge grass and a pair of palm trees from Steven at The Model Tree Shop. I’m liking the finish and hope you do too. 

M113 APC

Italeri’s 1:72 scale M113 finished as one of the Australian Army APCs involved in the battle of Long Tan, 18 August, 1966. 

These M113s were in far from the best condition and so I’ve painted a layer of rust over the standard green paintwork. I think it looks better in the metal than in these photos. 

I’ve also added 3 Modelu figures depicting a moment of reflection post battle. 

MiG-17F Fresco

This is the Airfix 1/72 scale MiG-17F ‘Fresco’ which I’ve finished in the colours of Red 3020 as flown by Lê Hải of 932 Fighter Reg Vietnam People's Air Force in August 1969. 

This was a quick and simple build of one of Airfix’s excellent new kits (2019). I’ve had it in my stash for a couple of years now and when my ISCA Exeter Scale Model Club decided on a Vietnam inspired group build, I finally had the perfect excuse to dig it out 

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The Kit: 

Brand: Airfix
Title: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F 'Fresco' (Shenyang J-5)
Number: A03091
Scale: 1:72
Type: Full kit
Released: 2019 New tool

Scammell Tank Transporter

After two part days at the bench, my attempt at Airfix’s Vintage Classic 1:76 scale Scammell Tank Transporter is complete. Being a kit reproduced using the original 1962 moulding and instructions, it’s a far cry from the quality of today’s Airfix offerings but sometimes it’s nice to have a challenge!  

I plan to use my Scammell in a scene within my Somerset diorama together with a few other trucks yet to be built. I’m not yet decided on which tank to have on its back, but I’m tempted to have it covered in a tarpaulin for an added bit of mystery … keep tuned