Author Topic: Simca-San: Prop-Driven Desert Recce! (Read 4534 times)

Alvis 3.1 · « **on:** January 21, 2015, 02:07:35 PM »

This is the first in a series of vehicles used by the Langford Fusileers*. They were a reserve unit that got their start in WWI as a supply unit, survived the lean years of the 20s and 30s, becoming adept at making something from nothing. When WW II began, they were reactivated and trained extensively for Winter/Alpine warfare, being tasked to operate in Norway, but they were eventually diverted to North Africa. Due to a lack of equipment available to them there, they had their arctic gear shipped with them, and they were able to improvise some interesting vehicles.

One of these was the Simca-San. Using the body of a captured German Army Simca staff car, and the components of a NKL-26 Aerosan, the insanely improvisational engineers and mechanics of the Langford Fusileers came up with a high speed recce vehicle, capable of outrunning the fastest enemy patrol.

They were only able to get two missions with the vehicle, however. The second one resulted in the vehicle becoming airborne after hitting a large sand dune, and the Desert Air Force promptly seized the Simca-San, citing numerous safety and procedural violations. Bunch of jerks, I tell ya...

Alvis 3.1

Alvis 3.1 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 21, 2015, 02:09:34 PM »

Well, it's not 100% complete, I need to add the unit markings, a Vickers gun, and some weathering as well.

The wheels came from the Tamiya 25 Pounder and limber, who now need to find some reason to be wheel-less! :)

Alvis 3.1

Old Wombat · « **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2015, 04:04:56 PM »

That's cute!

Improvise the 25-pounder into a tank hull as an SPG with the limber as an ammunition rack! :)

Unless you have the Quad? In which case, improvise them into that as an unarmoured SPG!

ericr · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2015, 04:14:42 PM »

LemonJello · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2015, 09:54:47 PM »

That is just a little slice of amazing! Very cool concept and execution.

jcf · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2015, 12:02:06 AM »

Truly hilarious, a Topolino with a blow-dryer.

Would go like hell on the dry lakes, salt pans and hard sand areas, not so much in the dunes.

jcf · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2015, 01:17:45 AM »

These fellows want to race.

Alvis 3.1 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2015, 01:47:30 AM »

I was thinking of putting the 25 Pounder onto a railcar, and have it as a coastal defence gun. Problem is, there are no North American flatcars available in 1/35th scale, and I'm not sure if I want to scratch build it. Altrenatively, it could be an improvised European device. Hmmm.

"Langford" is the former "ratty" neighborhood in Victoria BC. Every city has at least one, where the booze is free flowing, the fistfights are regular, the house trailers are the norm, and everyone drives a 4X4 pickup. I figured those neighborhoods would make great fictional based units. Calgary has "Bowness", Vancouver has "Surrey", thus I wound up with the Langford Fusileers, the South Surrey Dragoons, and the Bowness Horse as fictional units in the Canadian Army. What are some of the other less than high-class neighborhoods out there in Canada?

Alvis 3.1

Alvis 3.1 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2015, 01:51:24 AM »

Unit Crest:

Alvis 3.1

Brian da Basher · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2015, 04:49:18 AM »

If we had units like that down here, I might've signed up...

Your work is always a delight, Alvis!

Brian da Basher

Kerick · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2015, 05:00:59 AM »

Quote from: jcf on January 22, 2015, 01:17:45 AM

These fellows want to race.

Is this a French version of the Three Stooges or the Keystone Cops?

apophenia · « **Reply #11 on:** January 22, 2015, 12:54:29 PM »

Love it

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