A trip to Arsenalen – The Swedish Tank Museum - Part 3 Softskins and guns in Swedish use

Now for some softskins from the Swedish Tank Museum.
The other parts of the series:
Part 1 - AFVs in Swedish use, WWII and before
Part 2 - AFVs in Swedish use, post WWII
Part 3 - softskins and guns in Swedish use - this post
Part 4 - Foreign vehicles

Vidahl & Sohn G1200 or Tgb m/39. Between 200 and 400 bought from Germany in 1939 and used until the late 40s (Tgb = terrängbil = terrain car)

Klöckner A3000 or Tgb m/42. 600 were bought from Germany in 1943-44

Volvo TLV131 or Tgb m/42 VL. 816 were delivered between 1943 and -47

This is one of two prototype Bv 208S that would in time become Bv 308/309. This one was  used in trials by Swedish UN troops in Macedonia. 

Bv 206 in one of several versions. Made by Hägglunds druing the 80s. 4500 in Swedish use and a total of 11000 produced. Excellent cross-country and snow capabilites, can  swim without preparation and carries 5+11 soldiers. 

Amfbil 101, from Alvis Stalwart. Used by the Marine for their mobile artillery. In use from mid 60s to mid 80s (Amfbil = amfibiebil = amphibious car)

Guns

The 37mm Bofors ATG, or Pvkan m/38. More than 3000 produced and used by Sweden, Finland, Poland, the UK and more nations during WWII (Pvkan = pansarvärnskanon =ATG)

You might recognize this leFH 18, or Haub m/39. 138 of these famous German 105 mm howitzer were bought in 1939 and it was in use until the mid 80s.

There are also some other things to look at in the museum:

A large collection of dioramas with flat tin-figures

Battle of Stäket 1719

Regimental history

A soldiers cottage originally built in the 16th century and modernised since then.

Furniture from Zealot Miniatures and summer updates

Chest of drawers, side table, barrel, hatch and crate.

As I wrote in the last post, Zealot Miniatures sent me a lot of kickstarter-stuff a couple of weeks ago. I quickly decided to start with some of the easiest pieces to paint, just to feel that I had some progress in lowering this specific resin-mountain.

Banquet table with bench and two rustic chairs

Cupboard

Here are the first couple of finished pieces. As you can see the detailing of the models are top notch. Really very beautiful furniture and stuff that will enhance gaming tables in the future.

Coffins - these are always useful, be they in the Old West or a dungeon.

Summer is here, and with it stays to our summer-place, trips to other places, gardening and all sorts of non-gamery stuff. Expect to see fewer updates in the next two months or so, and slower replies to comments – I will read them but maybe not the same day. I’ll try to manage two posts a week but that is in no way guaranteed. 

Summer of Kickstarters

This seem to be the summer of Kickstarters. For once that doesn’t mean I back them, instead the pledges are dropping in.

Heroines in sensible shoes arrived last month, on time (!), and the figures are really gorgeous. Now they are gorgeous in the tin mountain as I have far too many unfinished figures on the painting table at the moment.

Call of Cthulhu from RAFM arrived last week, embarrassingly late, after an embarrassingly badly managed kickstarter. Rotten communications really soured that project, which is very unfortunate as the minis I got are fantastic. They are also in the tin- and resin-mountain at the moment, except for some small terrain-stuff that landed on the painting table as they will be finished in next no time.

This is a fully equipped dungeon... The Zealot stuff in a small resin-mountain.

I got all of the Twisting Catacombs dungeon scenery stuff from Zealot the other week. Another very late pledge due to the fact that the kickstarter was incredibly successful and it takes time to produce thousands upon thousands of resin furniture and small stuff. The very big difference compared to RAFM is the communications that has been continuous and open. I really want to make a dent in the mini-mountain of scenery and quite a lot of stuff has hit the painting table. A post on that will go live later this week

I’m also expecting the rest of my Zombicide: Black Death stuff to arrive any day now, and the same with Mercs: Recon.

Zombicide is great fun, we play it quite a lot and those figures will make it to the gaming table soon, especially the heroes.

Mercs on the other hand… well, I’m not sure. The game looks okay, the minis paint up well, but I’m not sure that I’m really into the period. I might sell everything or I might paint it up and play the game and maybe use the minis for other games also (Black Ops comes to mind). If you’re interested in the “Agent Level” + “All in add on packs” + assorted extras for the same price I gave for them (+ postage) then give me a call.

I do believe I have to do something about the size of that mountain…

A trip to Arsenalen – The Swedish Tank Museum - Part 2 AFVs in Swedish use Post WWII

I took my youngest son on a trip to Arsenalen- the Swedish tank museum last summer and this is part two of that trip where we look at AFVs used by the Swedish armed forces post WWII.
Part 1 - AFVs in Swedish use, pre WWII and WWII
Part 2 - AFVs in Swedish use, post WWII - this post
Part 3 - softskins and guns in Swedish use
Part 4 - Foreign vehicles

You're met outside by this Pbv 301 APC. 220 were built in 1962-63. Armed with at 20mm automatic gun. (Pbv = pansarbandvagn = armoured tracked carrier)

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Also this, a Ikv 91, an infantry support vehicle. 212 built 1975-78. Armed with a 90mm low pressure gun and two machineguns. (Ikv = infanterikanonvagn = infantry gun carrier)

Pvkv m/43 made by Landsverk. Armed with a 75mm ATG. Ordered in 1942 and 87 delivered 1946-47 (pvkv = pansarkanonvagn = self propellet ATG)

Lvkv fm/43. 17 made in 1947 to -49  (Lvkv = Luftvärnskanonvagn = Self propelled AA)

Akv 151. This is a prototype vehicle finished in 1960. It had a magazine of 14 155mm shells that could all be fired in only 45 seconds. Quite impressive. The magazine could be changed in two minutes.  (AKV = Artillerikanonvagn = Artillery gun carriage)

Strv 74 is based on a heavily modified chassi of the Strv m/42 but with a new turret armed with a 75mm gun.  225 produced between 1957 and -60 and in use with armoured brigades until 1967 and as an infantry support until 1984.

Another PBV 301 inside the museum

An Ikv 91 set up in a diorama 

Centurion or Strv 101. 110 in service from 1960 and gradually modified

Bränslekärra 91, an armoured monowhel fuel trailer that could hold an extra 900 litres. The trailer could be quickly disconnected by explosive charges in the trailer hooks.

Strv 104, a heavily modified Strv 103.  In service until 2001.

Bärgningsbandvagn 4012. When the Soviet Union collapsed Sweden bought 460 MT-LB in different configurations from East Germany. This is the repair and recovery version.

Daimler Ferret Mk 2, used by Swedish UN-troops in Cyprus.

M8 Greyhound  armoured car. During the UN mission in Congo 1961-64 Swedish troops knocked out four Greyhounds that were later scavenged and used by the Swedes. This is not one of the originals.

"Give us a call and we'll come"

Strv 103C, Stridsvagn S prepared for swimming. 290 Strv 103 used between 1967 and 2001.

Strv 122, Leopard 2 S. We've got 120 of these modified Leopard 2 A5. 

Pbv 302 by Hägglunds. Used since the 60s and was decommisioned in 2014.

That's it for the Swedish AFVs. Next stop will be guns and softskins.

Welcome new follower Larry Harala with no blog I could find and Nicholas Jebson with HMS. Distraction, such a great name for a blog! I'm not alone :-)