Author Archives: Peter Hartup

AMMS Sydney Soviet KV Theme Build 2006 Final

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We Made It! (Ahem, well, most of us did!)

As agreed, the June 2006 meeting was the deadline for finishing models for the our KV Theme Build 2006. While there remain a few stragglers (and yes, we know who we are) most of the intrepid band which set forth actually got to the end and turned in a finished model.

While it was noticeable that some amongst us could not quite shake off the temptation to “etch it up” a little, especially over the engine louvres, a major point which came out of this exercise was that it is indeed possible to add some after market goodies AND finish a model within six months! Continue reading →

Panzerkampfwagen VI SdKfz 181 Ausf. E Tiger I, Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503

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Kit build with scratchbuilt modifications by Peter Bleasdale

Unit History

Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503 was sent to Russia in January 1943. It fought in southern Russia, received new Tigers in Spring 1943, and fought in the Battle of Kursk and later with Panzer Regiment Bäke near Cherkassy. Withdrawn in April 1944 and refitted. Sent to Normandy with Tiger Is and Tiger IIs. Destroyed in Normandy and the German retreat. Re-equipped with Tiger IIs and sent to Hungary. Renamed s.Pz.Abt. Feldherrnhalle in December 1944. Continue reading →

Australian Cruiser Mark 1 (AC1) – Sentinel

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Location: Melbourne Tank Museum, Narre Warren North, VIC, Australia

Date: April 2006

This series of images was taken in April 2006 at the Melbourne Tank Museum Auction, Melbourne Australia. The lighting conditions weren’t the best, so let me apologise in advance. But the images are still useful reference. Continue reading →

Melbourne Tank Museum Auction

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The Sale of a Lifetime

Since 1993, the Melbourne Tank Museum in Melbourne’s outer southeastern suburb of Narre Warren has had on public display a wide range of military vehicles and equipment from the earliest times to the present day. While the emphasis of the collection is overwhelmingly on Australian and Commonwealth subjects, a few “outsiders” have snuck in.

The owner of the museum, John Belfield, had been collecting and restoring vehicles and equipment for a long time before the Museum opened its doors to the public. A lifetime in fact. Continue reading →

Lost & Found (in Iraq)

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One of our members was recently deployed in Iraq, and discovered a veritable “Aladdin’s Cave” of historic armoured vehicles at the former Iraqi army base at Taji (Camp Cook).

It’s hard to imagine just how some of these vehicles found their way here, but their stories must be amazing! The “collection” ranges from Pre-War British (Mark VIB Light Tank) to modern US and British (M60 and Chieftain), the latter we suspect must have been captured during the Iran-Iraq War of the late seventies / early eighties.

Photographed: Taji, Iraq. Photo Series © the photographer via AMMS and text © Peter Hartup 2006. Continue reading →