Modelling Falklands era 1980s Paratroopers - getting it right

[Sunray]

I was looking through the painted image threads for inspiration, and saw a few painted stands of Paratroopers in a red beret along with other figures in the standard British helmet (the Mark V turtle shell) of the 1980s era.  

Please forgive an old soldier if this comes across pedantic, but I know how keen you lads are on accuracy.  The Paras never wore the Mark V. They still had the WW2 para helmet until 1986/87 when the M76 nylon fibre was introduced. Indeed some  of the old and bold and "the Royals" airborne, now use the Mark 7 - a better helmet than the original Mark 6 as it allows the wearer to lie prone and shoot. Which is something you need to do in a killing ground.

If you want realistic helmeted Paras in your Falkland games  you will have to go the  WW2 Arnhem figures, or do conversations.
A British paratrooper would not have been seen dead in a crap hat's turtle shell.

[Sunray]

80 odd views and no comment.  Ok, would anyone like some Falklands Paras in jump helmets as worn at Goose Green ?
If so we can add to requests.   

[Nosher]

Not top of my list, not by a long way but it is something (alon with lots of other reasons)  that has swayed my decision not to invest in the range.

Would my decision change if this was put in place? Probably not at this point. That said it is an oversight that could be easily rectified assuming the modeller has the time to do so.

[Sunray]

Not top of my list, not by a long way but it is something (alon with lots of other reasons)  that has swayed my decision not to invest in the range.

Would my decision change if this was put in place? Probably not at this point. That said it is an oversight that could be easily rectified assuming the modeller has the time - [ AND THE REQUIRED SKILL] to do so.

I only flagged it up as I saw that presumably experienced modellers/figure painters   who display their skills  on this forum were portraying stands of Falklands Paras in the wrong Mark V  helmet .     Now a lick of tan paint to the lid and these stands  can easily be transformed into Scots or Welsh Guards.

The Jocks fought one hell of a scrap on the Crags of Mount Tumbledown....   

[Sunray]

Not top of my list, not by a long way but it is something (alon with lots of other reasons)  that has swayed my decision not to invest in the range.

For the record, on the 17 August 2012 Nosher's reaction to the launch of the Falklands Range  was "outstanding....worth the wait" . 

I am intrigued Nosher. What altered your opinion of what must be one of the best sculptured Pendraken ranges in true 1/150? 

[Nosher]

Saw them in the flesh and whilst I agree they were still outstanding sculpts the helmets were wrong as you've already pointed out. I was merely agreeing with your first comment.

Sorry for commenting....

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Please gents, play nice.

[Sunray]

Saw them in the flesh and whilst I agree they were still outstanding sculpts the helmets were wrong as you've already pointed out. I was merely agreeing with your first comment.

Sorry for commenting....

Not at all, you are a respected member of this forum and your comments are always welcome.

The unwritten rule for headdress in the killing ground used to be if the risk came from ball (bullets) or shrapnel.  A traditional steel helmet will not stop the former, but increase the chances of survival from the latter.   The Parachute Regiment do have a 'tradition' of donning the beret as quickly as possible.  In their last combat jump into Suez they were in berets minutes after hitting the DZ, and this practice has continued almost to a point of honour, so for tabbing and skirmish action the beret is correct. However bigger engagements like Goose Green and Mount Longdon (3 Para pounded by artillery) were fought in Para helmets.   

Arguably the best actions for gaming the Falklands must be the defensive skirmish put up by NP8901. And those same  figures look awfully good in green berets .  But then it  always was my favourite shade of lid.

As it stands the beret figures could be painted to represent a wide range of NATO and Overseas troops in the era when the FN 7.62 was the weapon of choice throughout the free world.  The WW2 para helmet would have limited that scope. So on that score Pendraken made the right choice.  The MkV  infantry helmet was also a good commercial choice as allows Cold War games from 1960s to 1990s to be portrayed, as well as the Guards units in the Falklands.  My original comment was- for the sake of historical accuracy - not to portray Paras in the MkV. 

I can see these sculpts that really raised the bar making a lot of dice roll for many years.  I have just ordered some more for my Wild Geese 1960s African game.....When the boys get back from holiday that is...no pressure Leon.

 

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

I loved painting mine.
Marines though!!

[Techno]

If Leon ever wants me to change some/all of them into wearing para helmets, it wouldn't me take too long to do.....It might take Dave as long to prepare and make one or two moulds.
(Not quite sure if they'd all quite fit on on a single mould.)

Entirely up to the Boss.

Cheers - Phil

[Sunray]

Thanks Phil.  You don't need to a lot of figures in helmet.  Four to five in action types would probably satisfy the historical purists. The 1980s  are  mature memory, but I recall the helmets covered in hessian and well  "scrimed" with local foliage.   

This was not just in the interests of good field craft, but also recognition. The Argentine American helmet rarely had any covering, so the British practice of scrmming up made the shape recognisable as being Blue.   Which, believe me  is very important.


I just painted up some of these Para figures yesterday, some in 1970s style Denison smock with lightweight trousers- and some in Duckhunter cammo to add 'seconded professional specialism' to my Montagnard Strikers.

When the Falkland figures arrived, they were true 1/150 in terms of human proportions, and not just 10mm tall. Too many 10mm figures are troll like with massive heads and no chin.  The Falkland figures  are a credit to Techno's craft as a sculpture.   Keep them coming Phil.   They are simply the best in the 10/12mm modern market.

[Techno]

That's very kind, Sunray. 
Very much appreciated.

You realise that if Leon says "Yes" to a handful, I'll probably pester you to check 'pictures' once they're done. 

Cheers - Phil

[Sunray]

No worries Phil - I will send you my personal email address.

One issue when one attempts to model Falklands paras in large scale - say 28mm and upwards - is that three distinct patterns of helmet were worn in the conflict by Paras and Marines.

The new M76 was in issue - it is fibre glass and developed from the N Ireland GRP, - but not enough to go around, so the old WW2 issue MkII (Arnhem) helmet was still in common use, and both feature in the images of the time.

Lemmy mentions the Royals.  The Royals are not fond of headgear other than the beret or woolly cap/artic headgear.  They did have a dedicated Marine pattern helmet, but in the Pusser's picnic to embark,  any old helmet was RASed [sourced], so many went in Mk V infantry helmet.   

My advice is to take the MK II helmet (as worn by WW2 Arnhem paras) as your baseline, and sculpt it as dripping in scrim and  hessian .  The end result in 1/150 is that it will pass for the MkII, the M76 or indeed the Marine pattern.

I believe the only overseas armies whose Airborne also  wore the MkII would have been India and the IDF.   The images of Israeli paras show the helmet quite bare. 

[Techno]

Sounds good to me, Sunray ! 

Like I say....."Da Boss" is the one to convince. 
Cheers - Phil

[Sunray]

On that basis I will sling it into requests.  No point is making figures without the demand for them.

One other suggestion might be for Falkland personalities-  But make them generic enough to have other 2oth century applications.  Major General Jeremy Moore in his plain field cap, Brigadier Tony Wilson in his Barbour green wellies,  the earnest but absentminded Brigadier Julian Thompson peering over his reading glasses.  "Where did I put the 40 Commando pin?" - "You left us stranded at San Carlos you clot!!" 
We do need British senior officers who carry maps instead of rifles.  The most dangerous and feared spectre in the British Armed Forces is a senior officer with a map.

Brigadier General Menedez in all his Latin American grandeur, (we all can use a good dictator figure) Sir Rex Hunt in his morning suit, hands clenched behind his back as he refused to shake hands with the invaders, the sinister Captain  Alfred Astiz - we all need a good villain