Belgium OOB27 v.2014 suggestions
 

Several suggestions as for Belgian OOB, for eventual future use (don't shoot at me :)):


04 ACG-I - CMG was in fact 7.65mm Hotchkiss (according to Histoire de Guerre no.084 and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_35 "Older sources incorrectly claim that a 13.2 mm Hotchkiss machine gun was fitted.")

Apart from the first tank, tested in 1937 and then returned to factory, first batch was sent to Belgium on 30 March 1939 (now available from 1/38) [Histoire de Guerre no.084]. Changes would demand extending a span of units 200-201 to keep a formation.

19 4.2in Mortars - picture is generic medium Soviet 82 mm; British OOB uses 1191

40 75mm Krupps FG,
57 75mm Battery - I'm attaching pictures of Belgian 75mm guns instead of generic ones.
There were two types used: older TR with a range of 9.9 km (agrees with a range 200 of weapon #33), and slightly newer GP guns (in three versions), with a range 11 km: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_de_75_mle_TR , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_de_75_mle_GP1 , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_de_75_mle_GP_II , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_de_75_mle_GP_III (text copied there from Chamberlain, Peter & Gander, Terry. "Light and Medium Field Artillery", 1975, from which I attach scans)

Same for units 270, 272, 274


66 Rolls Royce A/C,
90 Laffly 80 AM - Belgium didn't use any armoured cars before the war apart from WWI-vintage Minerva AM used until mid-30s and 4x4 Berliet VUDB, used in 1930-33, then given to Gendarmerie - see http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/bel/Belgium.htm and Russian pages http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/belg/minerva.htm and http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_car...rliet_vudb.htm
Reportedly at least one Berliet fought in the campaign. Armament was 2 LMGs, without a turret. The same unit could be added to France

If we'd like to create Minerva, Polish #563 Peugot M1918 would be a very good pattern, rearmed with 8mm Hotchkiss


200,201 FT-17M,C - drawings could be replaced with 2156/2020 photos, like in units 001,002

211 Citroen-K P17 - Belgians used mainly FN-Kegresse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN-K%C3%A9gresse_3T http://www.webcitation.org/67h088bjE

213 155mm Field Gun - it should be either armed with long-barrel canon (Belgium used Canon de 155 L mle 1924, 17km range and Canon de 155 L mle 1917, 17.3km range - http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=151322 ), with changed photo, or it should be named howitzer, with a short-barrel icon (eg.2116)

219 Ford 1ton Truck - picture is US 6x6 Dodge, better for pre-war era is eg. 20512 (GAZ or Ford)

240 AOP Field Car - instead of armoured truck, more appropriate pic for an old field car seems 27596 or 19686

Re: Belgium OOB27 v.2014 suggestions
 

Aircraft:

46 Hurricane II - cannon-armed variant entered service in 1941 only (in the British OOB Mk IIC it is from 6/41) (now 7/40). Possibly there should be ordinary Hurricane added from 7/40.
Proper photo of 20mm-gun variant is 12551.

49, 344 Hurricane Mk.I - it's worth to give it a photo with Belgian 1940 markings (I'm attaching some)

BTW: apparently an information on arming Belgian-built Hurricanes with .50 MGs concerns only plans, especially, that first (and probably only) licence-built plane was delivered in 4/40, and earlier ones were from British deliveries (see a great page http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages...frontpage.html).
We have 0.50 MG-armed plane in 5/39-6/39 only, and the later one (from 1/39) is armed correctly with ordinary 0.303. The quoted page doesn't indicate why there should be a gap between 7-11/39...

52 Fairey Battle - delivered from 3/38 (now 1/39) - http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages...frontpage.html . On this page there are also many nice photos of Belgian Battles, that could be used instead.

70 Buffalo - in fact, they should not be available at all before fall of Belgium - and Belgians didn't use them afterwards neither
http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages...Frontpage.html


192 Fairey Fox VII,
198 Fairey Fox VIc - photo is actually British Hawker Hind. I'm attaching a selection of Belgian Fox photos, from a page http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages...Frontpage.html
Better icon is 2077 or 2042 (current is British).

Both units are 1-seater and differ in speed (4 or 3) and number of MGs (4 or 3). Fox VII was indeed 1-seater fighter, but according to the quoted page, only 2 were produced.
A basic light bomber variant should be 2-seater Fox IIIC (availability from 1/35 is almost correct - it was 2/35), but it had only 2 forward-firing MGs.

Next main variant was 2-seater VIC, available from late 1935, with 830 hp engine, and apparently still 2 forward-firing MGs, but there is sadly no information on speed of both variants. Probably neither should have speed 4.

There could be also added strafing variant Fox II without bombs, from 1/32.

193,197 Renard R31 - the photo is a biplane Fairey Fox, I'm attaching proper ones.

According to http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages...Frontpage.html there was only one forward firing MG, and "there was also a rarely used provision for dropping four 10 kg bombs under the wings." (now: 40 kg). Crew should be 2.

194,196 Nieuport NiD.52 (AOP and fighter-bomber) - http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages..._1919_1945.htm doesn't confirm usage of NiD.52 (which should be 1-seater besides), but only of older NiD.29 fighter, and NiD.72 for evaluation.

Seems, that standard aircraft of Belgium in 1930 apart from bombers Bre 19, were 1-seat fighters NiD.29 and Avia BH-21, both used until 1931. I suggest to replace NiD.52 as a strafing aircraft with one of these types, and then, from 1932, by Fox II (or Fairey Firefly).
As AOP it could be replaced by Bre 19.

195 Breguet Br XIX - a photo doesn't seem Bre XIX (maybe a transport variant?). A choice of better Belgian ones is here http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages...Frontpage.html
Apparently "Bre 19" tail designation was used.

There is no information when they were phased out of combat use, but "some weary examples soldiered on until the outbreak of World War II as communication aircraft.". I think it should be available until 12/38, before an advent of 045 GB Blenheim I, and also Fairey Battle should be made available as level bomber (which in fact was).

199 Fiat CR 42 - Belgian icon is 2041

That's all

Michal

Re: Belgium OOB27 v.2014 suggestions
 

One more supplement:
According to a Polish article from 2011: in 1932 (or a bit later) 8 Renault FT were rearmed with 13.2mm MG(!) and assigned to Gendarmerie, being last tanks of this type, and were withdrawn in 1938. I can't verify it elsewhere.

In 1932 Belgium bought 6 Carden-Loyd Mk.VI tankettes, that can be added for a short period.

By 1934 all 6 tankettes were converted to experimental tank destroyers, and were in service by the time of the German invasion (see http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww...elgian_T13.php and http://www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/...k6-47mmFRC.htm with photos)

There are no detailed specifications given, but Polish #702 TK-SD can serve as a pattern, with 2-men crew and possibly reduced rate of fire (due to smaller crew and unstable chassis after shots)

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I'm not sure if classifying unit 206 76mm Mortars as a mortar is proper - it was an infantry support gun, able to fire directly or with a high elevation - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_de_76_FRC and http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtop...09782&start=15


Michal