Richard, thanks for the comments. Corps HQ back then was an extremely involved set-up. I’ve actually written about it all including how such Formation HQs were organised, including the duplication (for survivability etc) for a modelling club newsletter, which, amongst other things, was describing the AEC ACV; as I appeared to be about the only surviving member (amongst the modelling circuit that is) who actually remembers seeing the beast, I was asked to provide some background; I did just that and it turned out to be some 10 pages worth all about HQs! However, if you would like to read a copy of my input - bearing in mind that it was a supporting article to the ACV, I’m quite happy to send you a copy, say, to your email/via PM. I must just warn that your eyes may glaze over(!)
This all took back in 1971 and HQ 1st British Corps was my first posting as a young 17½ year-old. I had a lot to learn - and I describe some of that process in my article.
Sorry, I’ve confused myself and replied via PM; for greater awareness - assuming that some are interested in addition to your good self - this is the beast I’m referring to:
1/24 Masterbox’s “Our route has been changed!” showing two U.S. soldiers discussing the wrist device map on the sergeant.
I added the Defense Intelligence Agency Challenge Coin to showcase Command and Control goes both ways…data to the soldiers and the soldiers upload data to DIA.
From the DIA website;
At DIA, we provide military intelligence to warfighters, defense policymakers and force planners in the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, in support of U.S. military planning and operations and weapon systems acquisition. We plan, manage and execute intelligence operations during peacetime, crisis and war.
Figures built OOTB
1/24 Large Scale Armory’s resin M4 and M4/M203 with scopes
Paint MIG’s Multicam Paint Set , AK Interactive 3rd Generation, and Vallejos.
Nice job Peter on a subject never modeled. This is the first I’m ever seeing it. The DIA is the military equivalent of the CIA correct ?
Again nice job!
I’m not an expert on this so I’ll summarize my understanding of the two (a lot of educated guesses here). Yes, DIA is sort of like the CIA, but not exactly…the DIA spies are more for the military compared to the CIA more for the general US government, meaning the DIA is more “reactive” that “proactive” in that the DIA supports the troops and US government with National Security MILITARY Intelligence. CIA delves more with foreign government intelligence and thus proactively sends out spies to gather Intel. Or, DIA only feeds Intel to where there are US forces in the area; CIA could be anywhere overseas.
Data, Communications, Command, Control, and Computers, and Intelligence are the key products with the DIA whereas the CIA has many missions in its portfolio such as Direct Action, eavesdropping, spycraft and more “James Bond” missions. CIA has other goals and its own field agents whereas my understanding is DIA’s goal is excellent strategic intel and has no in-house personnel to carry out its intel besides the Armed Forces which the DIA does not own. CIA would not feed these figures wrist device Intel; but DIA would. And that is my basis for “Command and Control.” The figures are not spies for the CIA, but soldiers for the US military on a specific Direct Action mission.
“Our route has been changed!” makes sense from a DIA perspective map for Direct Action. CIA would change the soldiers’ mission if strategic high-level, not really the wrist map.
I uploaded some overhead photos to give a better look at the groundwork and figures. Painting Multicam wasn’t easy…still learning for such small scales. I also shouldn’t have decreased the resolution so much in the other photos.
Oh ok I thought it was something like that. I only heard about the DIA a few years ago - shameful considering I was in the military for 27 years!
I hear ya about the multicam pattern. I painted a 120mm US Navy SEAL last year from Legend Productions and it was difficult even at that large scale. Came ok for my first try.
Not a huge amount of progress on my Corps HQ in the Field c. 1971, but I did take it along with me to display as a Work In Progress at the Belgian IPMS Nationals recently (see show report within “Shows” somewhere!). To my surprise there was considerable interest, which is always a pleasant experience.
Anyway, not too much to show - I’m still awaiting some extra vehicles/equipment which are proving a little taxing to the maker - and of course, I’ve still to modify and convert some 1:300 figures:
Well thanks folks; I had to choose this scale as a) the vehicles were more or less available in the wargaming scale of 1:300, and b) because of the size - and geographical footprint of a Corps HQ (back when the British Army could actually muster a Corps - a distant memory now!).
I had originally planned to depict a Divisional HQ but with the helpful casting skills of a very good modelling friend, (and the hitherto unavailable office trucks and a special armoured command vehicle) I realised that I could probably show a Corps HQ - or at least part of it. Distances have still had to be compressed but at least I can show roughly how it deployed - I hope!
Thanks for the interest. I still hope to tackle both a Divisional and a Brigade HQ at some time in the future.
The last few months I have made a lot of progress on my recon Kfir. I’m happy with the result, but I must admit that the kinetic kit didn’t help me much and the wingman instructions are evasive.
Back at it finally. I had two builds that needed to be done first. After so long (it seems) I had to re-orient myself to where I left off and where to begin again. I’ve decided to focus on one section first before moving to another as I did when I started. With that said, I got some PE bent and some added to the engine deck.
