ADATS to the Rescue - 4 CMBG Support

Hey All,

As part of my ongoing 4CMBG project, I have recently completed the latest addition, a gun section of two M113 mounted ADATS (air defence anti-tank system).  These beauties came to fruition for the CF and the Canadian Army in the late 1980's...if memory serves me correct, they came into service approx in 1988-89 with 4th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, yup...Air Gunners.

Comprised of 3 batteries dispersed between Baden and Lahr, the regiment was responsible for higher headquarters and airfield defense.  Combined with the Bofors-Orelikon twin 35mm gun and Skyguard radar, the regiment could throw an impressive amount of ordinance in the air and downrange if need be.  Now, if I recall correctly, doctrine at the time kept these folks fairly close to the airfields, I'm not certain they would have been available to the average troop or company for AD support.  I think this would have stayed the responsibility of the MANPAD sections.

Having transported them in the past, they were certainly an undertaking to move from A to B...the thing that impressed me the most about the ADATS were the gunners themselves.  Yes yes, I know...they're air gunners...BUT, the amount of dexterity, control, and coordination that was required of the gunners was amazing.  I say this because, these gunners used a joystick to control the trajectory of the missiles, these missiles were guided by a laser designator (ala beam-rider), and these missiles were smokeless and traveled at Mach-3.  The dexterity to get them on target was simply impressive - especially given that there was a point where the laser bloomed too much to allow controllability...so you had to be on!

We had one of the young gunners (hook privates) in the pilot seat one time...no word of a lie, that fellow flew the aircraft for about 40 mins (we kept altitude locked), but the hands on the controls were smooth.

Anyway...war-ish story over...I very much enjoyed painting these models up...they painted up quite quickly.  The part that took the longest was painting up the camo netting and making the license plates for the vehicles.  I found a link that gave the number range of all the M113 ADATS and then I spliced about 3-4 separate license plate decals to reflect the appropriate number.

Here are the pics folks...take care.

 

Have a good one...hope you enjoyed the pics.

Lead Mountain Progress - Expedition 2018

Painted:

28mm: figures: 28

            vehicles: 3

15mm: figures: 12

             vehicles: 17 (+2)
             terrain: 1

Purchased - 11 (+2)

Progress - +50