Bring & Buy event - Sheffield Wargames Society

Sheffield Wargames Society is holding a bring and buy day as part of it's meeting on Wednesday 25th October 2017 from 7.00pm at Woodseats Working Men’s Club, The Dale, Sheffield, S8 0PS.

Visitors from other groups in the area would be most welcome.

For those who want to sell six foot tables are available for £5 (SWS members pay £1 but are asked to contribute an additional 10% of their takings).

Goods should be labelled clearly with details of price and vendor. Sellers may either man their table or rely on the honesty of purchasers.

GOODS ARE LEFT AT THE OWNER'S RISK, AND NEITHER SHEFFIELD WARGAMES SOCIETY OR WOODSEATS WMC ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR ANY LOSSES OR DAMAGE SUFFERED.

Just some of the thrilling scenes at the previous Bring & Buy evening!

Valkenburg - European Road Trip days 7 & 8

After the morning at the Bastogne Barracks we drove across into the Netherlands.  This journey included part of the rather character-building Liege ring road - a multi-lane extravaganza of apparently random on and off slip lanes (on both sides!), tunnels and bridges.

Valkenburg styles itself as the 'Dutch Alps' and the town contains an actual hill!  At one end of this elevated land is a castle dating from the 14th Century.  Sadly it is ruined having been destroyed in 1672 by William III as he was worried the French might capture it.

The campsite and motorhome parking is also on the hill.

The Command Bus can just be seen behind the bushes.  It's quite a drop so I reversed onto out pitch very carefully!

Bits of castle wall.  Despite it's poor state it is well worth a look...

...not least because of the views it affords over the surrounding landscape.

Further up the hill is a cafe and tower accessible by...

...a chairlift!

The Command Bus is at the far end.

Sukhoi to the sky - flaky Frogfoot part 3

My Su-25 is now finished so here it is on a training flight in the garden.  It is perched atop a 3-foot length of stiff wire.

Predictably I was not alone for long, though Zoe was far more interested in her ball than the Frogfoot.

Coincidentally, I see that a more effective means of air defence, the Russian SAM  S-400  SA-21 goes by the NATO reporting name of Growler...

Bastogne tank shed. European Road Trip day 6, part 2

Last stop at the barracks was the AFV collection.  Most people just wanted to see the WW2 stuff inside but I found time to photograph this ex-Belgian Army Spartan APC.

In the shed there are quite a few vehicles!

I was pleased to see this M-47 Patton - again ex-Belgian Army - still wearing the colours of it's former keepers.

Lloyd Carrier.

Renault UE with some mods added by a subsequent owner.

A super-rare M-22 Locust airborne tank.

Another command bus - it didn't look as comfy as ours though.  This one is on an Opel chassis and has added wooden bodywork.

Matilda Infantry Tank.

A nice Kubel

A trackless but otherwise intact looking Panzer IV.

Our guide for the Barracks visit - a Belgian Army Para-Commando

Stug III.  I wonder if the tarp is there to cover some bodged modelling work?  It's what I'd do...

Another Airfix catalogue flashback moment - the DUKW

A tale of two lorries - US GMC...

...and British Bedford QL

You don't see badges like this on military vehicles these days!

Even their spares box was pretty good

Another Renault UE

ex-Atlantikwall tank turret

The German UE again.

Back outside I spotted this AMX-VCC (or VCI).  Based on the AMX-13 light tank, this was used by (among others) the Belgian Army.

Next door is the Belgian Army AFV repair shop - choc full of historic vehicles being restored.  One of the tour party - and American gentleman - had earlier grumbled to the guide about having been the previous day to Houfallize (I think) to see the preserved Panther there.  He was miffed to find it's plinth empty.  "Ah yes" replied our guide coolly, "it's in our workshop now..."

An example of the workshop's fine work - an M-24 Chaffee.  A Matchbox flashback!

Finally, I noticed this rather tatty T-34.  A candidate for some paintwork soon I hope.