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Bantams in Europe?
TheLilPeashooter
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Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
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Posted: Friday, March 09, 2018 - 07:40 PM UTC
Hi, currently doing a build on Miniart's Bantam. Just one question: did any Bantam BRC 40s served in the ETO? The set came with five US GI figures - It'll be a shame to waste them.
HeavyArty
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Posted: Friday, March 09, 2018 - 08:34 PM UTC
I am pretty sure they were not. A few may have made it into Italy from North Africa, but the BRC-40 was replaced by the Willys MB and Ford GPW in US service. Most BRC-40s were sent to Russia (a lot of them) and England under the Lend-Lease program.

I used the US figures from the kit in a Willys MB and they look really nice.
GeraldOwens
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Posted: Saturday, March 10, 2018 - 12:01 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi, currently doing a build on Miniart's Bantam. Just one question: did any Bantam BRC 40s served in the ETO? The set came with five US GI figures - It'll be a shame to waste them.


From a logistical point of view, it would be idiotic to send a tiny number of out-of-production vehicles to a combat zone when spare parts are no longer available. Vast numbers of MB and GPW jeeps were on hand in 1944, so it would have made no sense.
A BRC 40 might be suitable for a training unit in 1941-42 in the US. Early GP jeeps turn up in the Philippines in 1941, so it's possible some Bantams went as well.
Biggles2
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Posted: Saturday, March 10, 2018 - 12:51 AM UTC
Like Heavy Arty says, Russia got most of the Bantams, so if you want to put one in Europe, it would have to be in Soviet service, and by 1945 (if any were left!), really banged-up.
agtquimi
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Burgos, Spain / España
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Posted: Saturday, March 10, 2018 - 01:32 AM UTC
It's better for you to use those figures in a Jeep... As they cannot be used in the Bantam.

They don't match with this kit... I haven't try them in a Jeep, but I haven't been able to put them inside the Bantam (the US soldiers)
duckdawgs
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California, United States
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Posted: Saturday, March 10, 2018 - 01:44 AM UTC
Bantams were used in the CBI too...
TheLilPeashooter
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Posted: Monday, March 12, 2018 - 04:50 PM UTC
Thank you all for your replies. Guess I'll have to put it in static display. Shame, as I plan to put the entire thing in a diorama. I still find it unusual that Miniart would pair up the Bantam with the crew set.
Kevlar06
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Posted: Monday, March 12, 2018 - 09:37 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thank you all for your replies. Guess I'll have to put it in static display. Shame, as I plan to put the entire thing in a diorama. I still find it unusual that Miniart would pair up the Bantam with the crew set.



I believe they stated when they resleased the set many years ago that it was paired that way to depict a training unit in the Southern US in 1941 or 1942. There are plenty of photos of Bantams in US service during training operations-- perhaps you could use the kit to dipict it as such-- giving the crew colored armbands to represent a "blue" or "red" force or "white" for umpires.
VR, Russ
HeavyArty
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Posted: Monday, March 12, 2018 - 11:39 PM UTC

Quoted Text


I believe they stated when they resleased the set many years ago that it was paired that way to depict a training unit in the Southern US in 1941 or 1942. There are plenty of photos of Bantams in US service during training operations-- perhaps you could use the kit to dipict it as such-- giving the crew colored armbands to represent a "blue" or "red" force or "white" for umpires.
VR, Russ



They wouldn't work for the '41 Maneuvers either as their uniforms are much later than that. It is best to use them with a Willys MB or Ford GPW later in the war.
Paulinsibculo
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Overijssel, Netherlands
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Posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 - 12:55 AM UTC
Miniart has decals for 29th Division soldiers! Which are part of the Bantam model box.
Wasn’t the 29th involved in the Overlord actions in June 1944?
HeavyArty
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Posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 - 03:56 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Miniart has decals for 29th Division soldiers! Which are part of the Bantam model box.
Wasn’t the 29th involved in the Overlord actions in June 1944?



Yes, but they didn't have Bantam BRC-40s.
Kevlar06
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Posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 - 04:19 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Miniart has decals for 29th Division soldiers! Which are part of the Bantam model box.
Wasn’t the 29th involved in the Overlord actions in June 1944?



Yes, but they didn't have Bantam BRC-40s.



Not sure if that’s entirely true. The29th Division was a National Gaurd Division, established in 1917. It was activated in February 1941, and reorganized into the active Army in March 1942 at Fort Belvoir Va. so it could very well have had some Bantams early in its WWII. One thing we should remember is combat units just don’t materialize just before they are used in combat, and many train for years from activation until implementation.
VR. Russ
HeavyArty
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Posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 - 04:27 AM UTC
True, but they fell in on equipment already in England before D-Day. By then, a crapload of Willys MBs and Ford GPWs were shipped to England for the landings. I don't believe any BRC-40s were in the D-Day landings.
Kevlar06
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Posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 - 04:38 AM UTC

Quoted Text

True, but they fell in on equipment already in England before D-Day. By then, a crapload of Willys MBs and Ford GPWs were shipped to England for the landings. I don't believe any BRC-40s were in the D-Day landings.



You misunderstand my original point, although not used in the ETO, they could easily have been used anywhere in the 29ths Stateside training before deployment to England in 1944. The 29th is the “Blue and Gray” Division, made up of units from North and South of the Mason Dixon line. So any of those units could have had Bantams prior to deployment.
VR, Russ
KurtLaughlin
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Posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 - 04:54 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

True, but they fell in on equipment already in England before D-Day. By then, a crapload of Willys MBs and Ford GPWs were shipped to England for the landings. I don't believe any BRC-40s were in the D-Day landings.



You misunderstand my original point, although not used in the ETO, they could easily have been used anywhere in the 29ths Stateside training before deployment to England in 1944. The 29th is the “Blue and Gray” Division, made up of units from North and South of the Mason Dixon line. So any of those units could have had Bantams prior to deployment.
VR, Russ



I'm afraid the misunderstanding was from you, Russ. Gino was addressing a comment implying that the 29th ID used BRC-40s in OVERLORD. He was not speaking about the entire WW II period except with respect to the suitability of the uniforms.

At any rate, my understanding is that the US figures will not actually fit in a BRC-40. The story goes that Miniart made them to fit an MB/GPW and assumed the BRC-40 was the same size. A confirmation or correction would be welcome.

KL
Kevlar06
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Posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 - 09:53 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

True, but they fell in on equipment already in England before D-Day. By then, a crapload of Willys MBs and Ford GPWs were shipped to England for the landings. I don't believe any BRC-40s were in the D-Day landings.



You misunderstand my original point, although not used in the ETO, they could easily have been used anywhere in the 29ths Stateside training before deployment to England in 1944. The 29th is the “Blue and Gray” Division, made up of units from North and South of the Mason Dixon line. So any of those units could have had Bantams prior to deployment.
VR, Russ



I'm afraid the misunderstanding was from you, Russ. Gino was addressing a comment implying that the 29th ID used BRC-40s in OVERLORD. He was not speaking about the entire WW II period except with respect to the suitability of the uniforms.

At any rate, my understanding is that the US figures will not actually fit in a BRC-40. The story goes that Miniart made them to fit an MB/GPW and assumed the BRC-40 was the same size. A confirmation or correction would be welcome.

KL



Kurt,
I understand we have a misunderstanding! If you read farther up, I was addressing the author's comment that he was disappointed he couldn't use the US figures with the Bantam in Europe, and I responded with the comment he might still be able to use them depicting stateside training in 1941 or 42 (read up farther). Then another poster said the kit came with decals for the 29th Division which took part in Overlord, to which I replied they could still be used Stateside, to which Gino replied the uniforms aren't right for '41, and he's correct there. There is some time between '42 and '44 before the 29th went to England during stateside training where they may have encountered Bantams in training, so its hard to say they never used them--I'm not sure anyone really knows for sure. The 29th was a big outfit, with units scattered throughout several states (Maryland and APG included--where I understand the Bantams were tested), it's plausible the 29th might have had a Bantam or two stateside and the author might be able to still use the figures depicting that. That's the point I was addressing. But I do understand where the misunderstanding took place-- it's the discussion about never having them regarding Overlord.


VR, Russ
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