QRF for 1985 Danes

[Shahbahraz]

I was hoping the splendidly knowledgeable chaps here could help me out with advice on the best QRF figs/vehicles to use for 1985 Danish. I am working off the Mark Davies lists for Battlefront Echelon, but will probably end up using them for ‘Team Yankee’ as my nephew is currently getting obsessive about East German T55 models..

I rather fancy the Danish Centurion 5/2 DK, the Walker Bulldog recce elements, and the Landrover TOW carriers, obviously M113 for infantry, but I can;t find a TOW carring landrver in the range? I assume everyone is using the PGI codes with G3 & MG3  for infantry?

Unfortunately, from what i can see, the MD list is incorrect for 85 as it has Fennec attack helicopters, but I am pretty sure these would not have been available till much later. Does anyone know what air support (ground attack) was tasked for the Danes in 85? I am thinking OH6?

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[GeoffQRF]

I’m using his lists to build things we are missing.

We should be able to supply you with Land Rover 110s and TOW midsole firing posts.

For infantry I think people may be using the new Canadians, especially once I add a couple of packs with FN FNC rifles and MG3.

The Fennec doesn’t seem to have entered service until 1990. From what I can see, they had the Allouette III from the 1960s to the late 1970s/early 1980s, with the naval air service getting 8 (total) Lynx Mk80.

QRF Models Limited
www.quickreactionforce.co.uk

[Shahbahraz]

Sounds good Geoff. When are you likely to be adding the Canucks with FNC & MG3? In the meantime, I should also be looking for an Alouette from the sounds of it.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[irishserb]

Armaments in Miniature have  1/100 scale resin Alouette IIIs, about $12.00 I believe.  I don’t have any of those models, but the other AIM models that I have are very nice, service has been very good as well.

[Jemima Fawr]

Strange… I thought I’d put a note in there for Fennec from 1989 only…

The only Danish helicopter support during the 1980s was unarmed OH-6s, though they could conceivably have support from armed West German Bo-105 PAH-1s (from the German Northern Territorial Command), British Army Air Corps Scout (656 Sqn AAC – UK 1 Inf Bde) or perhaps USMC Cobras.

The Danish Air Force’s 722 Sqn (Alouette III) had been offloaded to become the Danish Naval Air Service in 1977.  They were replaced by Lynx in 1982.  As far as I know, no Alouette IIIs remained in air force service.

You can get TOWs from QRF’s Israeli range and now their Canadian range as well.  Just stick’em on the QRF Land Rovers (go for the lightweight 1/2-tonners for preference).

I’ve just acquired a Danish army from a friend and he’s used QRF Israeli infantry, with the FN FAL muzzles clipped to make them look more like G3s.  Now you can just use QRF or FoW West Germans or QRF Canadians.

My wargames blog: http://www.jemimafawr.co.uk/

[Jemima Fawr]

For the Centurion 5/2 DK1, it’s a relatively simple conversion – add a box to the upper-right side of the gun mantlet, or if you’re feeling adventurous, make it a cylinder with a box-like cover over the top:

My wargames blog: http://www.jemimafawr.co.uk/

[cmnash]

Armies Army have a Canadian Range here:

http://armiesarmy.com/product-category/cold-war-range/canadian/

as well as a Dutch range here:

http://armiesarmy.com/product-category/cold-war-range/dutch/

.

[Shahbahraz]

Thanks for that Mark. As my nephew is intending to field half an East German division, with plenty of Mi24 support, I am also keen to get some SAM support. And I must be going blind or mad as I can’t see the TOW under the Israeli stuff. I have gone for Lynx as they are a sexy looking helicopter, and a colleague used to fly them in Bosnia and Belize.  So order is in for Centurions, M113, Lynx, some lightweight Landies to carry command and TOW. Expansion will be the M41 Walker Bulldogs.

I saw the Danish kit you got. Lovely conversions, so I am very envious, and I also looked at Morten Reese’s 20mm stuff at http://coldwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/figures-elhiem-20mm-morten-reeses.html  very inspirational.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Thanks for that, but I am based in the UK, and shipping costs make US manufacturers almost unaffordable these days. Never mind potential customs hassles. A shame.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Iain Fuller]

Great pic there JF, there’s just something about a Centurion aint there?

It was one of the best tank geek moments of my time living in Israel when I saw one for the first time, just so much better than a M-60.

[Ivan Sorensen]

As a Dane from that era, I would absolutely comfortable using West Germans with G3 and MG3 for 1985.

Shoot, I bought some of Geoff’s krauts for that express purpose 🙂

[GeoffQRF]

I am working on expanding both the West German and Canadian post war ranges with other weapons options, which makes them suitable for a while variety of European (or other!) nations by selecting the appropriate rifle/support weapon/LAW,MAW combination.

I have a couple of minor variants to make the specific Danish versions (cheers for that on the Cent Mark, I’ll get Chas to make that sight specifically, same as he recently did with the Canadian Cent, which was correctly a Mk 6 and Mk11! First hand info from a Canadian tankie). Most of the  Dutch vehicles are with Chas (lots of YPR and YP variants) and I’m modifying the Dutch LR (which they hated) as they correctly only used the lightweight, which was officially modified and never worked properly after that.

I am also looking at the Willys Jeep and M38 (which are notably different)

QRF Models Limited
www.quickreactionforce.co.uk

[Jemima Fawr]

Yeah, the Cent is just a very ‘tanky’ tank.  Getting slightly overrun with the things here… South African Olifant Mk 1 & 2, Danish Mk 5/1, Mk 5/2 and Mk 5/2 DK1, British Cent AVRE 165…

The QRF Israeli TOWs are here: http://totalsystemscenic.com/product-category/qrf/qrf-qrf-1900-onwards-postwar-1945/qrf-qrf-1900-onwards-postwar-1945-arab-israeli/qrf-qrf-1900-onwards-postwar-1945-arab-israeli-israeli-support-weapons/

The QRF Canadian TOWs are here: http://totalsystemscenic.com/product-category/qrf/qrf-qrf-1900-onwards-postwar-1945/qrf-qrf-1900-onwards-postwar-1945-1990-canadian/canadian-support-weapons/

Re Danish Centurions – the Mk 5/2 DK1 appeared in 1985, though Mk 5/2 and Mk 5/1 also continued in service (all the remaining Mk 5/1 were in LandZealand Command).

Some other conversion details: All Danish Centurions had a .50 Cal AAMG mounted on a central post and the gunner’s sight on the DK1 had a ‘roof’ added (see the photo above).  This cover for the gunner’s sight is also a feature of Swedish Centurions from the Strv 102 mod onward.

My wargames blog: http://www.jemimafawr.co.uk/

[Shahbahraz]

Love the Centurions. In 6mm I had some for my British post war battlegroup, for my Australians in Vietnam, Oliphants in my SADF, and bridgelayers for my 1980s BAOR.  These will be my first 15mm ones, and the conversion looks straightforward to add the ‘box’.

My father drove one, and I am going to take him to a local exhibition to see one.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

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