[forcerecon85]

In armour there's only two things I'm interested in: Vietnam Era items and Canadian items. From Vietnam items I collect 1/72 and I'd like to see an M107 (175mm) or M110 (8-inch) self propelled artillery pieces, M551 Sheridan tank, M48A3's which have been mentioned, M56 SP anti-tank (SPAT) gun, M42 40mm Duster, XM163 Vulcan 20mm AA/AP gun, and a V100 convoy security vehicle. I'd like to see an M35 2.5 ton truck with .50 cal and maybe a Quad .50 cal gun in the back.

For Canadian stuff a Leopard tank is a must and loooong overdue. I'd like to see the ones we have in Afghanistan right now, an LAV-25 without any nationality so it could be from the US, Canada, Australia or another user. I'd like to see an RG-31 Nyala armoured patrol vehicle with an R/C .50 cal and smoke grenades on top or a Buffalo, Cougar, Husky mine detection team. All these items would be big sellers to men and women getting home from Iraq/Afghanistan across North America and Europe if HM decides to do more modern items.

[smartd]

Originally Posted by forcerecon85

In armour there's only two things I'm interested in: Vietnam Era items and Canadian items. From Vietnam items I collect 1/72 and I'd like to see an M107 (175mm) or M110 (8-inch) self propelled artillery pieces, M551 Sheridan tank, M48A3's which have been mentioned, M56 SP anti-tank (SPAT) gun, M42 40mm Duster, XM163 Vulcan 20mm AA/AP gun, and a V100 convoy security vehicle. I'd like to see an M35 2.5 ton truck with .50 cal and maybe a Quad .50 cal gun in the back.

For Canadian stuff a Leopard tank is a must and loooong overdue. I'd like to see the ones we have in Afghanistan right now, an LAV-25 without any nationality so it could be from the US, Canada, Australia or another user. I'd like to see an RG-31 Nyala armoured patrol vehicle with an R/C .50 cal and smoke grenades on top or a Buffalo, Cougar, Husky mine detection team. All these items would be big sellers to men and women getting home from Iraq/Afghanistan across North America and Europe if HM decides to do more modern items.

I'll join you in buying Canadian Leopards and LAVs/

[johnnyboy]

I would like to see in 1/72 would be a range of AA missiles such as a SA 2 Guideline launcher and trailer, A Hawk with launcher. A British Bloodhound, Nike, Rapier, etc as these would fit nicely alongside a aircraft collection

[forcerecon85]

Originally Posted by johnnyboy

I would like to see in 1/72 would be a range of AA missiles such as a SA 2 Guideline launcher and trailer, A Hawk with launcher. A British Bloodhound, Nike, Rapier, etc as these would fit nicely alongside a aircraft collection

I'd be up for a HAWK launcher and I'll repeat my want for AA guns like the M42 Duster, M-163 Vulcan and an M55 quad .50-cal machine gun. I'd actually like to do a 1/72 Vietnam era airbase so AA guns and missiles would work nicely for me

[dboulais]

This may seem kind of bizzare, but there are about a dozen Soviet / Russian AA mobile missle systems used by a gazillion countries, that have never been modeled in ANY scale. I'm normally a WW II only freak, but I would love to see some company at least try to fill in these systems.

[johnnyboy]

Originally Posted by dboulais

This may seem kind of bizzare, but there are about a dozen Soviet / Russian AA mobile missle systems used by a gazillion countries, that have never been modeled in ANY scale. I'm normally a WW II only freak, but I would love to see some company at least try to fill in these systems.

The first two would suit me in 1/72 and as you say they have been used in every conflict since the Cuba missile crises

[Gort]

The Char B1 bis.

I've always liked this cumbersome, lumbering monster. For 1940, the Char B was truly formidable: It's 47mm turret gun was reasonably effective, and tankers could train and aim the 75mm through a sophisticated Naeder Hydrostatic system.The Char's 60mm armor was at least three times as thick as a Pzkw. IV, rendering it impervious to 37mm Pak guns, which occasionally stupefied German gunners.

But, no big surprise, the gawky French behemoth suffered from several woebegone shortcomings, such as: The German 88mm could easily pierce the Char's vulnerable port radiator; the one-man APX4 turret imposed overburdensome tasks on the commander, such as: 1) acquiring targets for the 47mm and 75mm guns; 2) loading and firing the 47mm gun; 3) firing the co-axial machine gun located in the turret; 4) shouting orders to the rest of the crew; and 5), issuing orders to the rest of the group if so tasked. By comparison, Panzer III and IV turrets accommodated three men, allowing German tank commanders to focus on tank-on-tank engagements. The Char B1 was relatively slow, too, about 29 kph/18 mph, making advance or retreat problematic against "speed demon" Germans, not to mention heavy fuel consumption hamstrung its radius of action. The French fielded about 320 Char 1s, most of which were either destroyed in action or abandoned for lack of fuel.

The Germans, ever the innovators, later employed the Char B as driver-training tanks and flame thrower vehicles.

[Gort]

Wait a minute ... I thought of another very cool, very lethal guns-a-shootin' vehicle ...

The Shilka ZSU-23-4



The Shilka ZSU-23-4 [ZSU = Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka - Anti-aircraft Self-Propelled Gun] is a Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) featuring a prominent radar dish that can be folded down mounted on a modified PT-76 chassis. ZSU 23-4 Shilka, is capable of acquiring, tracking and engaging low-flying aircraft (as well as mobile ground targets while either in place or on the move). Employed in pairs 200 meters apart, 400 meters behind battalion leading elements, it is commonly used to surpress ATGM launch sites, such as TOW vehicles. The armament consists of four 23mm cannon with a maximum slant range of 3,000 meters. Ammunition is normally loaded with a ratio of three HE rounds to one AP round. Resupply vehicles carry an estimated additional 3,000 rounds for each of the four ZSUs in a typical battery. Recent (October 1997) information details ZSU-23-4 updates/modernization being offered by the Ukrainians that include: a new radar system replacing the GUN DISH radar, plus a sensor pod believed to include day/night camera, and a laser rangefinder; and mounted above radar/sensor pod is a layer of six fire-and-forget SAMs, believed to be Russian SA-18/GROUSE.

The ZSU-23-4 is a fully integrated, self-propelled antiaircraft system with four liquid-cooled 23-mm automatic cannons mounted on the front of a large, flat, armored turret. The chassis has many components borrowed from other Soviet armored vehicles, and the suspension system resembles that of the PT-76 and ASU 85 (six road wheels and no track support rollers). The driver sits in the left front of the hull, and the rest of the crew (commander, gunner, and radar operator) are located in the turret. The GUN DISH fire control radar mounted on the rear of the turret can be folded down during travel.

Not to mention is shot the livin' crapolah out of any number of USAF and Navy F-4s, etc.

LIMITATIONS:

Heavy machine gun fire can penetrate the hull and turret. Tread and road wheels are vulnerable to artillery fire. HE fragmentation can penetrate the armor, destroy the radar dish, or rupture the liquid coolant sleeves of the 23-mm cannons. The system also is vulnerable to ECM.