Dan Taylor Modelworks

27 Armoured Brigade

Set 1

The set is dedicated to the 13/18 Hussars, a very well known unit which fought in Normandy within the 27th Armoured Brigade until the disbandment of this Brigade. At the end of July, they went over to the 8th Armoured Brigade to relieve the 24th Lancers. Some photos about C Squadron tanks, taken just before the D-Day, are well known while images of the Mk V DD, which equipped the A and B Squadrons, are less common.

Decals for eight Sherman tanks and one Armoured Recovery Vehicle are provided in this set. Extra decals for another four tanks (3 x Mk III and 1 x Mk V DD) are also included. Some 13/18 Hussars tanks are quite well known. Differently from other British tanks units, whose markings are quite generic (mostly only showing a tactical marking with or without a troop number), the 13/18 Hussars tanks were identified by a numbering system using large red white outlined numbers.

The Mk III equipped the RHQ and C Squadron and those tanks included in the set had a number of common features:

• appliqué armour was only on the hull sides and not on the turret (which had the pistol port) nor on the glacis hoods. In some cases, the hull appliqué armour plates have been welded over previous marking, partially obscuring the WD numbers.
• a rod fixed between the mudguards carried a transversal length of track, having the same length as the transmission cover width.
• another length of track was fixed vertically between the hoods.
• two spare roadwheels were fixed in front of the driver station by a “X” frame.
• two track links were fixed on either side of the turret side just forward of the numbers.
• turrets carried the usual NWE bin.

Based on photos I’ve seen, this is what I found.

Mk III ARV CYMRU-AM-BYTH

A turret less Fisher tank, it had the squared welded hoods, the cast rounded transmission cover and the “D” type antenna bracket. The tracks were the rubber T41 or T51 flat type.

A well known photographic sequence shows CYMRU-AM-BYTH allocated to the LCT 610, aka 212, for the D-Day landing. I don’t have a photo which shows the LCT number; anyway it should have one of the variations described below.

Mk III T147161 “10” BALACLAVA

It had the cast hoods and the cast rounded transmission cover. The wide base of the “O” type antenna bracket makes me think it was a Pullman tank.

Being a well known tank, nevertheless, it is wrongly depicted as an Mk V in the Dragon kits (both 1/72 and 1/35!). On the rear hull plate it had two racks for the jerry cans. The tracks were the metallic T54E1 type.

Just before D-Day there was the number “26” chalked under the WD number on the left hull side. The LCT number marking was 1126/212/LCT 4 just above the right mudguard and a smaller MAY/52/1185 in the middle of the transmission cover.

Mk III T151924 “12” CHANCELLOR

Sadly I don’t have a photo of “12” in Normandy. The only 13/18H “12” I’ve seen is with the 8th AB near Nijmegen in October 1944 (IWM B 10996). The font and the colour of the October numbers are different from the ones of the 27th AB time, while, logically, the Brigade marking and the AoS number also changed (and the HQ diamond is not red). Having taken the place of the 24 Lancers, I suppose the colour is yellow.

Anyway the typical stowage arrangement hasn't been altered, nor the way to paint the name and the HQ marking on the hull side. I don’t know if this tank is the same D-Day veteran “12”, anyway the October tank had the bolted transmission cover and the cast hoods. The gun mount is the late M34 type. The tracks were the metallic T54E1 type.

The name was TWELFTH KNIGHT, which is also given in the set (the WD number seems to be missing on the original tank too).

Mk III T152277 “68” CHARMER

Being a Fisher tank, it had the direct vision hoods, the cast rounded transmission cover, the “D” type antenna bracket and the early M34 gun mount type. Tracks were the metallic T49 type. An interesting photo sequence shows how the direct vision flaps were welded shut a few weeks before D-Day when it still carried the number “69”. For D-Day the LCT number marking was 1126/LCT IV/212 written on the transmission cover and on the forward right (not clipped) appliqué armour.

Mk III T145946 “69” CAMEO

The “O” type antenna bracket and the cast hoods tell us this vehicle wasn’t a Fisher tank. I don’t have a photo which shows the full glacis, but from what I’ve seen it could be a Pullman tank.

About this tank here is stated that “69” was named CALAMITY. My photos don’t show the name, so this other name is also possible. In the photos I’ve seen the transmission cover looks to be the bolted type (a rare exception within the known 13/18 Hussars Mk IIIs). It had the late M34 gun mount type. The tracks were the metallic T54E1 type. The WD number was written in white in the forward position and in black in a rear low position. For D-Day there was a chalked number “30” on the left appliqué armour. The LCT number marking look to have been 1126/212/LCT IV or 1126/212/LCT 4 written inclined just above the right mudguard cover and on the forward right (clipped) appliqué armour.

Mk III T152270 “70” CAVALIER

Clearly a Fisher tank, it had the direct vision hoods, the cast rounded transmission cover, the “D” type antenna bracket and the late M34 gun mount type. Tracks were the metallic T49 type. The forward right appliqué armour wasn’t clipped. The LCT number marking was 1126/LCT IV/212 vertically outside the antenna bracket repeated horizontally on the right forward appliqué armour.

Mk Vc T228789 “71” CAROLE

This vehicle didn’t have the hull appliqué armour. It had the cast hoods, the padded lifting points on the glacis and the turret with the cast-in armour without the pistol port. The tracks were the metallic T62 type. The LCT number was 1126/LCT4/212 on the right hull side and on the bin on the glacis. On the right side the WD number is dirtied, leaving only the last three digits “789” visible.

Mk III T152156 “66” CONQUEST

Having the direct vision hoods, the cast rounded transmission cover, the “D” type antenna bracket and the M34 gun mount type, the more noteworthy features of this tank were the M3 bogies! A feature shared by another 13/18H Mk III CHALLENGER (“76”?). The forward right appliqué armour wasn’t clipped and the tracks were the metallic T49 type.

Mk III T152531 “77” COMRADE

Unfortunately this WD number is not correct, it should be T152153. It features the direct vision hoods, the cast rounded transmission cover, the “D” type antenna bracket and the M34 gun mount type. The tracks were the metallic T49 type. The forward right appliqué armour wasn’t clipped. It had the LCT number 1126/212 just above the right mudguards and 1126/LCT IV in vertical outside the antenna bracket.

Mk III “11”

Having the squared welded hoods, the cast rounded transmission cover, the “D” type antenna bracket and the M34 gun mount type, it was a Fisher tank. The forward right appliqué armour wasn’t clipped. The tracks were the metallic T49 type. The LCT number 1126/212/LCT IV was visible just under the right brush guard and 1126/LCT IV/212 on the right hood. The WD number is not known and the name has been subject of various interpretations, the same forum page above, reports as possible names AISNE, DESTRIER, DESERT, DESTINY, DESPOT and MESSINES. It had the number “24” chalked just backward the right appliqué armour.

Duplex drive tanks

Because of the collapsed floating equipment and other items hiding the details, very few markings are visible on the Mk V DD hulls.

Mk V DD “41”

It didn’t had the hull appliqué armour, but had the cast hoods, the turret with the pistol port and the M34A1 gun mount.

Mk V DD “45”

This tank seems to be equipped with the M34A1 gun mount. On the right side of the turret, the number “45” is split by a box fixed to the side and the upper half of the number is painted on the box. The lower half of the number partially overlaps the WD number, which is barely visible (“7871D” for “147871DD”?). The tracks were the metallic T54E1 type.

I’ve also seen the photo of “54”, which has the same number font of “45”. However, since "54" has a pistol port turret, the M34A1 gun mount and the cast hoods. the numbers cannot be used inverted.

Not shown in the instruction, this set also has the turret number “43”.

Mk V DD “43”

A tank equipped with the cast hoods, the turret without the pistol port and the M34A1 gun mount. Just below the right number there was the WD number 228557DD. The tracks were the metallic T49 type.

Conclusions

At first the set looks great. No less than 13 tanks can be depicted if one has also some spare decals or a second set. Regarding C Squadron, almost every tank I’ve seen on photo can be reproduced; the unit markings, the AoS, the names and other details are well done.

Preview sample purchased by the author.

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Article Last Updated: 31 January 2017