Very cool. I think this is my favorite British Alt-tank you've done, everything about looks just right.Phar Lap Update:
Still catching up on the backlog! Here is the completed A23, Tank, Infantry, Mk V, - known to the Australian Army as the 'Phar Lap' (Also the backstory again for those who have forgotten or recently joined...)
When Japan entered the war on 7 December 1941, Australia found itself with a powerful aggressor much closer to home that had been the case for the first two years of warfare. The Australian Army was renowned for its fighting spirit but was primarily an infantry-based force with next to nothing in the way of armoured assets and little in the way of home-based heavy industry to take up the slack. So it was that when the British started to withdraw the A12 Matilda from front-line service in late 1941 and replace them with the lighter and less costly Valentine tank, the Australian government was only too happy to take what it could get.
With no comparable opposition to the panzers they had faced in North Africa, the Matildas served the Australian Army well with their heavy armour being able to withstand just about anything the Japanese could throw at them. However, the Matilda was far from perfect. The heavily armoured side skirts made the vehicle heavier than it needed to be and any sort of track maintenance in the close terrain the Australians found themselves in was all but impossible. Indeed, breakdowns and unserviceability accounted for the vast majority of Matilda losses. To make matters worse, the long-standing problem with the 2pdr main gun and its lack of HE ammunition severely limited the Matilda’s effectiveness in prosecuting its primary infantry support role.
Meanwhile back in Britain, the Vulcan Foundry – primary makers of the A12 Matilda – found themselves with dwindling orders but with the capacity and eagerness to do more for the war effort. Fortuitously, it was about then that a delegation from Vickers (designers of the Valentine) and the Royal Arsenal (designers of the Matilda) met over a particularly strong cup of tea. Both teams had been mulling over the reports coming back from the Australians and their experiences with the venerable Matilda. While Vickers would have preferred the Australians to adopt their Valentine tank (as New Zealand had done), they accepted some of the advantages highlighted of the more heavily armoured Matilda design. In turn, the Royal Armoury team praised its own creation but acknowledged the limitations, and cost, of its complex design and poor maintenance record. In a rare case of compromise through necessity, common sense prevailed and a new design, designated A23, Tank, Infantry, Mk V was proposed for Commonwealth use in SE Asia that would effectively meld the running gear of the Valentine to the upper hull of the Matilda. Noting the Australian Army’s preference for the few 3” howitzer armed Close Support Matildas they had in service the decision was also taken to produce the bulk of the A23s with the 3” gun.
By early 1943, the Vulcan Foundry was back in full production. In recognition that the new vehicle was to be used primarily in the SE Asian theatre (a few A23s were supplied to the USSR under the lease-lend programme), the Australian Army were given the honour of selecting a name. Called after the race horse of the same name, the ‘Phar Lap’, proved a great success and was well liked by both the tankers who operated them and the infantry they supported. A23, Phar Laps remained in service with the Australian Citizens Military Force until finally retired in 1960.
The model is made from parts of a Tamiya Matilda Mk III/IV, a Bronco Valentine Mk XI and the ubiquitous plastic card and depicts vehicle 19021 (Brassiere), a Phar Lap of 9 Troop, B Squadron, 2/4 Armoured Regiment as she appeared early in the fighting for Bougainville in 1945.
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Well of course I have a soft spot for the Wolverine.Very cool. I think this is my favorite British Alt-tank you've done, everything about looks just right.
But of course.Well of course I have a soft spot for the Wolverine.
I could bet the Japanese armor and even fortified positions wouldn't care for encountering that horse one bit! A field add-on might be more MG's to keep Banzai infantry at a distance, or better yet, some supporting Aussie infantry.Phar Lap Update:
Still catching up on the backlog! Here is the completed A23, Tank, Infantry, Mk V, - known to the Australian Army as the 'Phar Lap' (Also the backstory again for those who have forgotten or recently joined...)
When Japan entered the war on 7 December 1941, Australia found itself with a powerful aggressor much closer to home that had been the case for the first two years of warfare. The Australian Army was renowned for its fighting spirit but was primarily an infantry-based force with next to nothing in the way of armoured assets and little in the way of home-based heavy industry to take up the slack. So it was that when the British started to withdraw the A12 Matilda from front-line service in late 1941 and replace them with the lighter and less costly Valentine tank, the Australian government was only too happy to take what it could get.
With no comparable opposition to the panzers they had faced in North Africa, the Matildas served the Australian Army well with their heavy armour being able to withstand just about anything the Japanese could throw at them. However, the Matilda was far from perfect. The heavily armoured side skirts made the vehicle heavier than it needed to be and any sort of track maintenance in the close terrain the Australians found themselves in was all but impossible. Indeed, breakdowns and unserviceability accounted for the vast majority of Matilda losses. To make matters worse, the long-standing problem with the 2pdr main gun and its lack of HE ammunition severely limited the Matilda’s effectiveness in prosecuting its primary infantry support role.
Meanwhile back in Britain, the Vulcan Foundry – primary makers of the A12 Matilda – found themselves with dwindling orders but with the capacity and eagerness to do more for the war effort. Fortuitously, it was about then that a delegation from Vickers (designers of the Valentine) and the Royal Arsenal (designers of the Matilda) met over a particularly strong cup of tea. Both teams had been mulling over the reports coming back from the Australians and their experiences with the venerable Matilda. While Vickers would have preferred the Australians to adopt their Valentine tank (as New Zealand had done), they accepted some of the advantages highlighted of the more heavily armoured Matilda design. In turn, the Royal Armoury team praised its own creation but acknowledged the limitations, and cost, of its complex design and poor maintenance record. In a rare case of compromise through necessity, common sense prevailed and a new design, designated A23, Tank, Infantry, Mk V was proposed for Commonwealth use in SE Asia that would effectively meld the running gear of the Valentine to the upper hull of the Matilda. Noting the Australian Army’s preference for the few 3” howitzer armed Close Support Matildas they had in service the decision was also taken to produce the bulk of the A23s with the 3” gun.
By early 1943, the Vulcan Foundry was back in full production. In recognition that the new vehicle was to be used primarily in the SE Asian theatre (a few A23s were supplied to the USSR under the lease-lend programme), the Australian Army were given the honour of selecting a name. Called after the race horse of the same name, the ‘Phar Lap’, proved a great success and was well liked by both the tankers who operated them and the infantry they supported. A23, Phar Laps remained in service with the Australian Citizens Military Force until finally retired in 1960.
The model is made from parts of a Tamiya Matilda Mk III/IV, a Bronco Valentine Mk XI and the ubiquitous plastic card and depicts vehicle 19021 (Brassiere), a Phar Lap of 9 Troop, B Squadron, 2/4 Armoured Regiment as she appeared early in the fighting for Bougainville in 1945.
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Well of course I have a soft spot for the Wolverine.
Phar Lap Update:
Still catching up on the backlog! Here is the completed A23, Tank, Infantry, Mk V, - known to the Australian Army as the 'Phar Lap' (Also the backstory again for those who have forgotten or recently joined...)
When Japan entered the war on 7 December 1941, Australia found itself with a powerful aggressor much closer to home that had been the case for the first two years of warfare. The Australian Army was renowned for its fighting spirit but was primarily an infantry-based force with next to nothing in the way of armoured assets and little in the way of home-based heavy industry to take up the slack. So it was that when the British started to withdraw the A12 Matilda from front-line service in late 1941 and replace them with the lighter and less costly Valentine tank, the Australian government was only too happy to take what it could get.
With no comparable opposition to the panzers they had faced in North Africa, the Matildas served the Australian Army well with their heavy armour being able to withstand just about anything the Japanese could throw at them. However, the Matilda was far from perfect. The heavily armoured side skirts made the vehicle heavier than it needed to be and any sort of track maintenance in the close terrain the Australians found themselves in was all but impossible. Indeed, breakdowns and unserviceability accounted for the vast majority of Matilda losses. To make matters worse, the long-standing problem with the 2pdr main gun and its lack of HE ammunition severely limited the Matilda’s effectiveness in prosecuting its primary infantry support role.
Meanwhile back in Britain, the Vulcan Foundry – primary makers of the A12 Matilda – found themselves with dwindling orders but with the capacity and eagerness to do more for the war effort. Fortuitously, it was about then that a delegation from Vickers (designers of the Valentine) and the Royal Arsenal (designers of the Matilda) met over a particularly strong cup of tea. Both teams had been mulling over the reports coming back from the Australians and their experiences with the venerable Matilda. While Vickers would have preferred the Australians to adopt their Valentine tank (as New Zealand had done), they accepted some of the advantages highlighted of the more heavily armoured Matilda design. In turn, the Royal Armoury team praised its own creation but acknowledged the limitations, and cost, of its complex design and poor maintenance record. In a rare case of compromise through necessity, common sense prevailed and a new design, designated A23, Tank, Infantry, Mk V was proposed for Commonwealth use in SE Asia that would effectively meld the running gear of the Valentine to the upper hull of the Matilda. Noting the Australian Army’s preference for the few 3” howitzer armed Close Support Matildas they had in service the decision was also taken to produce the bulk of the A23s with the 3” gun.
By early 1943, the Vulcan Foundry was back in full production. In recognition that the new vehicle was to be used primarily in the SE Asian theatre (a few A23s were supplied to the USSR under the lease-lend programme), the Australian Army were given the honour of selecting a name. Called after the race horse of the same name, the ‘Phar Lap’, proved a great success and was well liked by both the tankers who operated them and the infantry they supported. Although no mention was made at the time, it is now generally accepted that the selection of the name Phar Lap was more than just a little tongue in cheek as the A23 was still no racing snake! Nevertheless, A23, Phar Laps remained in service with the Australian Citizens Military Force until finally retired in 1960.
The model is made from parts of a Tamiya Matilda Mk III/IV, a Bronco Valentine Mk XI and the ubiquitous plastic card and depicts vehicle 19021 (Brassiere), a Phar Lap of 9 Troop, B Squadron, 2/4 Armoured Regiment as she appeared early in the fighting for Bougainville in 1945.
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Well said. After all we're not in the pursuit of perfection but of plausibility, I have on a few occasions deliberately drawn AFV's with flaws, two AFV's with a hell of a lot of flaws because they served the TL they were intended for.Well that is the thing with AH designs, no one is suggesting they are perfect - after all very few, if any, AFVs are. I would see the Phar Lap being in the 20 ton range, and yes that might well require a bit of a beefing up of the suspension but, even if not, perhaps that was its Achilles heal. Read into it what you wish as I have purposely not listed all of its technical specifications. What I have presented is a proposition within the bounds of plausibility and which could, possibly, have been produced. Make of it what you will… 😉
It's wonderful to see this model finally completed in it's full livery. A very striking beast and would have come in handy during the Pacific campaign. I'm still surprised that the vehicles didn't have an unofficial name of 'Clag' since any race horse that was equally as slow would have ended up in the glue factory.By early 1943, the Vulcan Foundry was back in full production. In recognition that the new vehicle was to be used primarily in the SE Asian theatre (a few A23s were supplied to the USSR under the lease-lend programme), the Australian Army were given the honour of selecting a name. Called after the race horse of the same name, the ‘Phar Lap’, proved a great success and was well liked by both the tankers who operated them and the infantry they supported. Although no mention was made at the time, it is now generally accepted that the selection of the name Phar Lap was more than just a little tongue in cheek as the A23 was still no racing snake! Nevertheless, A23, Phar Laps remained in service with the Australian Citizens Military Force until finally retired in 1960.
The model is made from parts of a Tamiya Matilda Mk III/IV, a Bronco Valentine Mk XI and the ubiquitous plastic card and depicts vehicle 19021 (Brassiere), a Phar Lap of 9 Troop, B Squadron, 2/4 Armoured Regiment as she appeared early in the fighting for Bougainville in 1945.