91
Sea / Re: Here Come the Marines! (Part 1) - Finished (for now) - Pic's Pg.3
« Last post by Old Wombat on July 07, 2026, 08:53:32 PM »Thank you, LJ! 
... where imagination trumps reality
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92
Sea / Re: Here Come the Marines! (Part 1) - Finished (for now) - Pic's Pg.3
« Last post by LemonJello on July 07, 2026, 08:38:14 PM »So good! You can almost smell the sea air and engine fumes through the pictures.
93
Sea / Re: Here Come the Marines! (Part 1) - Finished (for now) - Pic's Pg.3
« Last post by Old Wombat on July 07, 2026, 07:48:58 PM »Thanks, BT!
94
Profiles and Pixels / Re: GLanini Profiles
« Last post by Glanini on July 07, 2026, 07:24:16 PM »Apophenia thanks for the info
Here some other Meteors
Here some other Meteors
95
Sea / Re: Here Come the Marines! (Part 1) - Finished (for now) - Pic's Pg.3
« Last post by Buzzbomb on July 07, 2026, 06:55:43 PM »Very, very nice 
96
Land / Re: Panzerkampfwagen E-50A2
« Last post by Old Wombat on July 07, 2026, 04:44:35 PM »Don't let her sit on the Shelf of Doom for too long! She deserves to be finished (soon)! 
97
Land / Re: Panzerkampfwagen E-50A2
« Last post by Mig Eater on July 07, 2026, 03:59:46 PM »Once again I've failed to finish my build before the GB deadline 
I was making good progress but I had to go away for a few weeks and then came back home to a heatwave that turned my hobby room into an oven, halting all further work.
Its going to be awhile before I'll have any free time to continue with this build so here is the final update before it gets moved to the shelf of doom...
The gap between the turret and mantlet is quite large so I decided to add a dust cover with some green stuff putty along with some wire and plastic card details.
I 3D printed new side skirts to fit around the new thinner tracks, but I rounded the bottom of each section and added a cut out step inspired by late production Leopard 1 tanks to give it a more modern look. The skirts are very thin and fragile which lead to both of them breaking while I was removing the supports, I managed to glue them back together tho and then fixed the resulting seam with some sanding and Mr Surfacer.
I scratch built some spare track hangers from brass and placed them on the sides of the hull similar to the Panther tank. I also added some of the tools that came with the kit but replaced the latches with 3D printed ones.
New headlamps were added to the front of the hull, no specific inspiration for their design I just made the first thing that came to mind. Looking at them now they kinda look like the headlamps from late production Centurion tanks tho. I also printed some new tow hooks based on the ones used on the Leopard 1, I had to make them somewhat larger to fit the chonker E-50 hull tho.
Lastly tow cables were added to the rear of the hull along with some scratch built brackets to hold them in place. I also added some Leopard 1 style brake lights to the rear of the hull too.
My future plan for the build is to paint the tank in the NATO three colour camo pattern but using German WW2 colours, so Panzergrau instead of NATO black etc. I'm also thinking about adding some more stowage and maybe some camo netting to the front of the hull and gun barrel too...
I was making good progress but I had to go away for a few weeks and then came back home to a heatwave that turned my hobby room into an oven, halting all further work. Its going to be awhile before I'll have any free time to continue with this build so here is the final update before it gets moved to the shelf of doom...
The gap between the turret and mantlet is quite large so I decided to add a dust cover with some green stuff putty along with some wire and plastic card details.
I 3D printed new side skirts to fit around the new thinner tracks, but I rounded the bottom of each section and added a cut out step inspired by late production Leopard 1 tanks to give it a more modern look. The skirts are very thin and fragile which lead to both of them breaking while I was removing the supports, I managed to glue them back together tho and then fixed the resulting seam with some sanding and Mr Surfacer.
I scratch built some spare track hangers from brass and placed them on the sides of the hull similar to the Panther tank. I also added some of the tools that came with the kit but replaced the latches with 3D printed ones.
New headlamps were added to the front of the hull, no specific inspiration for their design I just made the first thing that came to mind. Looking at them now they kinda look like the headlamps from late production Centurion tanks tho. I also printed some new tow hooks based on the ones used on the Leopard 1, I had to make them somewhat larger to fit the chonker E-50 hull tho.
Lastly tow cables were added to the rear of the hull along with some scratch built brackets to hold them in place. I also added some Leopard 1 style brake lights to the rear of the hull too.
My future plan for the build is to paint the tank in the NATO three colour camo pattern but using German WW2 colours, so Panzergrau instead of NATO black etc. I'm also thinking about adding some more stowage and maybe some camo netting to the front of the hull and gun barrel too...
98
Sea / Re: Here Come the Marines! (Part 1) - Finished (for now) - Pic's Pg.3
« Last post by Old Wombat on July 07, 2026, 03:33:08 PM »"Testing! Testing! ... One! ... One! Two! ... Testing!"
OK, we seem to be up-&-running!
Right, this is huge. Let's see what happens.
LCM(3) A42;
The forty-second Australian manufactured LCM(3) of the first production run, she was built at the Port Pirie Boat Yards in South Australia in early 1942.
Her first posting was aboard the LSA (Landing Ship Assault) HMAAT (His Majesty’s Australian Auxiliary Transport) Austral Hakea (AH) from which she engaged in landings at Milne Bay, Goodenough Island, & in support of the Buna-Gona, & Salamaua-Lae campaigns.
A42 then underwent a short overhaul in Brisbane before being posted to HMAAT Austral Orchid (AO) from which she took part in several landings in support of the New Georgia & Bougainville campaigns. Her final action in this region was transporting New Zealand troops ashore in the opening actions of the Battle of the Treasury Islands.
After this landing Austral Orchid was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine but managed to stay afloat. However, she was required to sail to Sydney to receive major repairs & here A42 was again offloaded for an overhaul.
She returned to duty aboard HMAAT Southern Ibis (SI) but, this time, she headed NNW into the Pacific, where things were quiet until June 1944, when she took Royal Australian Marines (her usual role) ashore on Saipan. This was followed by a burst of activity landing RAMs on Tinian & Peleliu.
Southern Ibis, & A42 were then rushed across to the South Western pacific region, again, for the landings on Mindanao, Leyte & the early phases of the Philippines campaign. After which she landed troops at Tarakan & Balikpapan, with the “Sandakan Dash”* occurring between the two in early May.
A42 was damaged during the landings at Tarakan & by the time she had finished landing troops at Balikpapan was struggling. So, after being roughly repaired, spent several months plying stores from ship-to-shore or along the coast from the main stores’ depot to front-line depots during the Borneo Campaign.
However, in October 1945, the first attempt at Operation Downfall was defeated by a series of late typhoons that swept through the North Pacific, dispersing the amassing fleets, damaging many ships & washing supplies overboard.
This led to a reschedule for the 10th of February, 1946, as the new X-Day for OperationOlympic Majestic, & to A42 returning to frontline duty.
Picked up from Tarakan by HMAAT Austral Eucalypt (AE), which had lost almost all its LCMs during one of the typhoons, she was hastily refurbished, with most attention given to replacing her worn out .50 cal machine guns, stripping & re-building her engines (as there had been no proper maintenance facilities along the Borneo coast & the crew had had to “make-&-mend” with whatever could be found), & making sure she had a decent set of identifying markings.
Austral Eucalypt, her compliment of 4Bde Royal Australian Marines Armoured Corps & A42 were assigned to the V Corps (SW landings) reserves, along with the battle-hardened 2Div RAMR & the 2Div USMC.
The US Army forces of V Corps, after a successful landing the west coast of southern Kyushu, were stopped in their tracks, by unexpectedly fierce opposition along the Gotanda River valley & by flank attacks from the mountains south of the Mount Kanmuri area. Although their eastwards assaults were going well, there was sufficient resistance that General Eisenberg (commanding) was unable to reassign troops to bolster the northward thrust. He, therefore, directed his reserve forces to attack the Japanese north of the Gotanda River. In effect General Eisenberg's orders meant that the Marines had to land north of the Sendai River, about 9 miles up from the Gotanda.
Rear Admiral John Collins RAN was in overall command of the ships of the reserve fleet &, with his 2IC, Commodore Roy Dowling RAN, & the commanding officers of the US & Australian Marines units planned “Operation Crystal Palace” (because it was so fragile a strong breeze could see it come crashing down).
The plan called for the 2nd US Marines Div to land between a place called Nishikata, to the north, & the mouth of the Sendai River, to the south, & to push inland along the north side of the river. Meanwhile the 2nd RAM Div would land about 6 miles further up the coast, at a place called Akune as a blocking force, to disrupt any attempts by the Japanese to reinforce the units engaged by the US Marines. There would be no preliminary bombardment but the fleet would provide supporting fire as best they could & there would be limited air support
The landings occurred at first light on the 14th of February 1946, in what became known as the Second St Valentine’s Day Massacre because, despite its unexpected success – largely due to the insane courage displayed by both Australian & US Marines, the cost in lives was devastating.
A42 was, on that day, the oldest surviving Australian LCM in active service, the other two having gone down with HMAAT Southern Brolga in Shibushi Bay on X-plus-1, when she was struck by two Kamikaze aircraft in quick succession.
She would not last much longer, however, her crew sacrificing her & themselves when they found themselves in a position where they were able to block a kamikaze speedboat targeting Austral Eucalypt off the beaches of Sagami Bay.
The images show A42(AE) landing a Mk.VII* Churchill tank of 4Bn RAMAC on Wakimoto Beach, Akune, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan on 14th February 1946.**
[*: The "Sandakan Dash" was an "unauthorised" action undertaken by elements of the Australian Army's 7Div 2AIF & 1Div RAMR. Whilst certain senior commanders "looked the other way" two scratch battalions of soldiers & marines, plus a few companies of specialist units, were pulled together & rushed to Sandakan near the northern tip of Borneo. Their sole aim was to rescue as many of the POWs, that special operations units had observed there, as possible. The resulting battle was short & vicious, costing the lives of over 100 Army & Marines personnel & 300 wounded, but saved the lives of a few short of 800 British & Australian POWs. The tales told by those men, & the sights witnessed by the troops who took the camp, led to a hardening of resolve & attitude amongst all arms of the Australian military.]
[**: Yes, I know there's no tank in the pictures, but there will be! OK?]
LCM(3) Number A42(AE) on X-plus-4, OperationOlympic Majestic, Phase 1 of Operation Downfall.
Alright, here are a couple of shots with a Sherman to give you the idea.
(Note: In case you're wondering about the Olympic/Majestic name change, during my research for this I discovered that the name Olympic was dropped & replaced with Majestic after the Olympic code name was compromised by an open, uncoded, transmission, the context of which identified its meaning.)
OK, we seem to be up-&-running!
Right, this is huge. Let's see what happens.
LCM(3) A42;
The forty-second Australian manufactured LCM(3) of the first production run, she was built at the Port Pirie Boat Yards in South Australia in early 1942.
Her first posting was aboard the LSA (Landing Ship Assault) HMAAT (His Majesty’s Australian Auxiliary Transport) Austral Hakea (AH) from which she engaged in landings at Milne Bay, Goodenough Island, & in support of the Buna-Gona, & Salamaua-Lae campaigns.
A42 then underwent a short overhaul in Brisbane before being posted to HMAAT Austral Orchid (AO) from which she took part in several landings in support of the New Georgia & Bougainville campaigns. Her final action in this region was transporting New Zealand troops ashore in the opening actions of the Battle of the Treasury Islands.
After this landing Austral Orchid was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine but managed to stay afloat. However, she was required to sail to Sydney to receive major repairs & here A42 was again offloaded for an overhaul.
She returned to duty aboard HMAAT Southern Ibis (SI) but, this time, she headed NNW into the Pacific, where things were quiet until June 1944, when she took Royal Australian Marines (her usual role) ashore on Saipan. This was followed by a burst of activity landing RAMs on Tinian & Peleliu.
Southern Ibis, & A42 were then rushed across to the South Western pacific region, again, for the landings on Mindanao, Leyte & the early phases of the Philippines campaign. After which she landed troops at Tarakan & Balikpapan, with the “Sandakan Dash”* occurring between the two in early May.
A42 was damaged during the landings at Tarakan & by the time she had finished landing troops at Balikpapan was struggling. So, after being roughly repaired, spent several months plying stores from ship-to-shore or along the coast from the main stores’ depot to front-line depots during the Borneo Campaign.
However, in October 1945, the first attempt at Operation Downfall was defeated by a series of late typhoons that swept through the North Pacific, dispersing the amassing fleets, damaging many ships & washing supplies overboard.
This led to a reschedule for the 10th of February, 1946, as the new X-Day for Operation
Picked up from Tarakan by HMAAT Austral Eucalypt (AE), which had lost almost all its LCMs during one of the typhoons, she was hastily refurbished, with most attention given to replacing her worn out .50 cal machine guns, stripping & re-building her engines (as there had been no proper maintenance facilities along the Borneo coast & the crew had had to “make-&-mend” with whatever could be found), & making sure she had a decent set of identifying markings.
Austral Eucalypt, her compliment of 4Bde Royal Australian Marines Armoured Corps & A42 were assigned to the V Corps (SW landings) reserves, along with the battle-hardened 2Div RAMR & the 2Div USMC.
The US Army forces of V Corps, after a successful landing the west coast of southern Kyushu, were stopped in their tracks, by unexpectedly fierce opposition along the Gotanda River valley & by flank attacks from the mountains south of the Mount Kanmuri area. Although their eastwards assaults were going well, there was sufficient resistance that General Eisenberg (commanding) was unable to reassign troops to bolster the northward thrust. He, therefore, directed his reserve forces to attack the Japanese north of the Gotanda River. In effect General Eisenberg's orders meant that the Marines had to land north of the Sendai River, about 9 miles up from the Gotanda.
Rear Admiral John Collins RAN was in overall command of the ships of the reserve fleet &, with his 2IC, Commodore Roy Dowling RAN, & the commanding officers of the US & Australian Marines units planned “Operation Crystal Palace” (because it was so fragile a strong breeze could see it come crashing down).
The plan called for the 2nd US Marines Div to land between a place called Nishikata, to the north, & the mouth of the Sendai River, to the south, & to push inland along the north side of the river. Meanwhile the 2nd RAM Div would land about 6 miles further up the coast, at a place called Akune as a blocking force, to disrupt any attempts by the Japanese to reinforce the units engaged by the US Marines. There would be no preliminary bombardment but the fleet would provide supporting fire as best they could & there would be limited air support
The landings occurred at first light on the 14th of February 1946, in what became known as the Second St Valentine’s Day Massacre because, despite its unexpected success – largely due to the insane courage displayed by both Australian & US Marines, the cost in lives was devastating.
A42 was, on that day, the oldest surviving Australian LCM in active service, the other two having gone down with HMAAT Southern Brolga in Shibushi Bay on X-plus-1, when she was struck by two Kamikaze aircraft in quick succession.
She would not last much longer, however, her crew sacrificing her & themselves when they found themselves in a position where they were able to block a kamikaze speedboat targeting Austral Eucalypt off the beaches of Sagami Bay.
The images show A42(AE) landing a Mk.VII* Churchill tank of 4Bn RAMAC on Wakimoto Beach, Akune, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan on 14th February 1946.**
[*: The "Sandakan Dash" was an "unauthorised" action undertaken by elements of the Australian Army's 7Div 2AIF & 1Div RAMR. Whilst certain senior commanders "looked the other way" two scratch battalions of soldiers & marines, plus a few companies of specialist units, were pulled together & rushed to Sandakan near the northern tip of Borneo. Their sole aim was to rescue as many of the POWs, that special operations units had observed there, as possible. The resulting battle was short & vicious, costing the lives of over 100 Army & Marines personnel & 300 wounded, but saved the lives of a few short of 800 British & Australian POWs. The tales told by those men, & the sights witnessed by the troops who took the camp, led to a hardening of resolve & attitude amongst all arms of the Australian military.]
[**: Yes, I know there's no tank in the pictures, but there will be! OK?]
LCM(3) Number A42(AE) on X-plus-4, Operation
Alright, here are a couple of shots with a Sherman to give you the idea.
(Note: In case you're wondering about the Olympic/Majestic name change, during my research for this I discovered that the name Olympic was dropped & replaced with Majestic after the Olympic code name was compromised by an open, uncoded, transmission, the context of which identified its meaning.)
99
Forum Notices / Re: Inability to access forum over the last couple of days
« Last post by Kerick on July 07, 2026, 12:28:49 PM »Full on assault on the company headquarters?
Thanks for all the hard work figuring this out?
Actually a cyber war GB might have some interesting possibilities. No zombies but robots gone mad sort of thing.
Thanks for all the hard work figuring this out?
Actually a cyber war GB might have some interesting possibilities. No zombies but robots gone mad sort of thing.
100
Upgrades and Life Extensions GB / Re: The Rules
« Last post by GTX_Admin on July 07, 2026, 07:23:11 AM »Given no-one else has voiced a desire to extend, I think we will need to close this off now. We gave it an extra week.