NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2009

Hi and welcome to another newsletter on what’s new on Miliblog this week.

Well Miliblog had a great day out at the IPMS, that’s the International Plastic Modellers Society, show at the International Centre in Telford, Shropshire. Set over two days, it was the who’s who of the scale model scene. The major kit manufacturers were there such as Airfix, Revell, Tamiya, Fujimi and Hasagawa while most of the British specialist manufacturers such as Cronwell, Sovereign 2000, MMS Models, BW Models, Accurate Armour, Milicast and Matador Models were also there in force. Most if not all area clubs that make up the IPMS were there displaying their finest models of aircraft, tanks, ships, cars etc as well as many specialist interests such as the USAF or Landing Craft sections.

The Airfix Tribute Forum had a superb stand dedicated to the history of Airfix models over the years. Lets face it, how many of us as children didn’t get our first taste of military vehicles by making some of the magnificent models over the years. Chatted to a really nice chap who told us they had one of the earliest Airfix models on the stand in the form of a Ferguson TE20 tractor, or the ‘Little Grey Fergie’ as it was known. A rare model that had been stripped down to it’s parts and then rebuilt in a better way especially for the show.

However the best model at the show, and indeed probably the best model I have ever seen in my life was a 1/35 scale model of an LST, Landing Ship Tank. Nearly 8 feet long it was an absolute masterpiece complete in detail to the anti-aircraft guns and Royal Navy crew in lifejackets. Have a look at the photos below to see how excited we all got !

We’ve also added a few more to our ‘Tanks Collection’ feature with some more colour photos from WW2 which are pretty unusual.  I’ve shown a couple of samples below to tempt you to visit this area of the website, under ‘Gallery of Photo Collection’.

We’ll soon be bringing another new exciting area to Miliblog. This is a huge collection of photos from the  Miliblog files of German forces on the Eastern Front or Ost Front in the campaigns of 1941 and 1942, as the German forces invaded Russia. Another area will feature studio photos of German servicemen, which will appeal not only to those who collect uniforms, but those interested in the homefront as well.

I think it is important once more to remind our readers, Miliblog is NOT a political website at all. It is interested in the armed forces and their equipment, vehicles and aircraft. How technology was, and still is, advanced through the development of military equipment. This has improved our home lives as well as the technology has been rolled out to products for ‘civilian consumption’. It is also intrested in the human side and how people lived under wartime conditions, whether it be on the battleground or indeed at the home front, which could be more stressful. Hopefully, without being political, we all learn in life through our mistakes. Maybe Mankind can look at history and certain images and experiences, and say let’s find a better way to a solution. I think with today, November 8, being Rememberance Sunday here in the UK, this makes us all think of relatives and friends lost in conflicts old and current.       

So, after my little lecture, I’ll get back to my scanner for next week’s new items for you.

Have a great week !

Cheerio !

Simon

LST (Landing Ship Tank) Hand Built Model in 1/35 Scale

LST (Landing Ship Tank) Model Close up of Vehicles

LST (Landing Ship Tank) Model Close Up of Bridge

LST (Landing Ship Tank) Model Close Up of Rear Deck & Guns

Marder I SPG in Russian Mud, from Miliblog

M4 Sherman Advancing with Infantry