Very realistic work. I had to look very closely… and ditto for the second set of pics. 
—mike
PS: Don’t forget to post your work on Jonny’s (Jonnych01) thread. 
1 Like
I thought it was real for a bit.
2 Likes
You’ve really captured the look of this vehicle and crew- the way you have pictured it too is awesome as it seems very real against the natural backdrop.
1 Like
This is a bit of light relief, but wouldn’t be suprised if had already actually made it into kit form somewhere…
Just the sort of Heath Robinson contraption that appears ubiquitous in this war.
3 Likes
The equipment is so stupid it HAD to be Russian.
Maybe it isn’t so stupid after all?
It provides rapid movement and deployment of an 82 mm mortar at a low cost.
Motorcycles were used by many armies, some with sidecars carrying machine guns.
The 82 mm mortar is a potent indirect weapon against infantry and provides indirect fire capability to units that might otherwise have to rely on regular artillery.
One or two mortar-bikes with one ammo-carrier bike each, some more with machine guns and a larger number of singles carrying two soldiers each gets you a recon unit with punch.
Carrying the 82 mm with a jeep or truck just adds cost. Yes, you get a bigger ammo load but that might not be vitally important for hit-and-run tactics or for defense when pulling out of an encounter.
Think recon in force not artillery brigade on the offensive.
Definitely beats pulling the mortar on a small cart behind a horse …
3 Likes
haven’t the us army something similar, a 1/2 man mobile mortar on a trailer…sure i saw something like it on the discovery channel a while back.
It may have done in 1939 - 1945…
Try it now and see if you get away with it.
All things need to be seen in their own context.
Armour is a stupid idea:
or maybe it isn’t:
or maybe it is, depending on context
Modern mortar trailer:
I think shoot-and-scoot is still a viable tactic.
Scooting is easier using a powered unit. Ukrainian unit using M777:
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=ukraine+howitzer+70+seconds#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:e26b9fdf,vid:gbuOY_CWZ2o
4 Likes
Okay, lets say that it isn’t perhaps ‘stupid’, but its impractical, vulnerable, and hardly ubiquitous in a modern Army (probably for a very good reason).
1 Like
I’m making an assumption this is Bakhmut, and if so you can understand the reason for high casualties. Imagine having to advance over this ground. Even if it’s not Bakhmut the thinking stands!!
1 Like
Absolutely.
Each contraption has its own time of glory and a ‘best-before’-date.
Each solution also has to be evaluated in the light of the circumstances
when it was created. “Do we have enough jeeps or trucks? No. Can we use motorcycles with sidecars? Maybe, we will investigate.”
Edit:
This is the modern way to fire mortars (twin 120 mm), a tad more expensive than the sidecar contraption and vastly more comfortable
also at sea
2 Likes
The only way forward is with extremely heavy suppressive fire from artillery.
I would try to go around.
Advancing in this type of terrain using artillery was done in WW I, with horrific casualties.
Machine guns against infantry, anti-tank weapons against armour, manpads and other systems against aviation.
I wonder why Russia/Wagner keeps insisting?
Is it a bid to reduce unemployment?
Russian tank destroys building
The photo comes from a short video, camera moves clockwise around the turret,
the “yellow-orange-red” mass inside the turret is the brick wall playing peek-a-boo inside the turret ring …
3 Likes
Electric motorcycle + NLAW in Ukraine
H.P.
5 Likes
Fast, quiet and lethal …
looks like we might be able to model a British challenger 2 tank in Ukrainian colours if these talks go ahead.
1 Like
If it kills the enemy, and not you, it’s not stupid! 
3 Likes
Slovenian-supplied BVP M-80 APC
H.P.
2 Likes