Vehicles for Pershing`s Yanks in Mexico

Vehicles for Pershing`s Yanks in Mexico

Jeffery`s Armoured Car (model 1915)

Called - Armoured Car No1 by the US military

The replica at the Pancho Villa State Park

Based on the Jeffery`s truck chasis. 5.3 tons (unloaded), 5.7 tons fully loaded with a crew of 4; 4x4 steering on metal wheels with solid rubber tires. It had a 25HP engine, the internet says a maximum speed of 20MPH (I highly doubt this) and 12MPH over rough terrain (again doubtful IMHO 😆) . For armour it had between 3.8 - 5.1mm.

Armed with Benet-Mercier light machine guns in two turrets.

Armoured Car No1 became the first armoured car built by the US Government for the regular army, some were in service with various national guard units. One was sent to Columbus, New Mexico where trials and training was carried out, the internet claims it was part of Pershing`s Expedition against Pancho Villa, but I have only come across this same claim in only one of the 16 books (and that was an Osprey see below) and dozen or so articles I`ve read on the period. The internet does say there are no reports of it seeing combat.

Two interesting period photos

This model is by Shellhole Scenics, I painted it khaki based on photos of a replica example at the Pancho Villa State Park and some coloured drawings I found on the internet.

Jeffery`s Quad 4x4 truck

This 1.5 ton rated truck was Jeffery`s design in answer to the US Army`s  request for an all purpose vehicle to replace its mule pack trains. With its four-wheel drive and durability the vehicle proved very popular. A Number of these vehicles including tanker and maintainance variants saw service with Pershing`s expedition into Mexico.

The company was taken over by Nash in 1917 who continued to built the truck - they produced over 10,000! The truck was bought by several other countries and was also built under licence too, a real workhorse during WW1 and afterwards. 

Some period photos

This obviously staged photo is particularly interesting as the truck appears to have a plated (armoured) rear body and has a Benet-Mercier LMG mounted up front. The armoured M/C sidecar with its MG was also trailed during the Punitive Expedition.

Another interesting shot as here we can see a fuel or water tanker variant

This model is again by Shellhole Scenics, the load is a sabot and can be removed.

Sources

https://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww1/USA/Jeffery-Armoured-Car.php

http://landships.info/landships/car_articles.html?load=car_articles/Jeffrey_Car_1.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffery_Quad

The Incident: The Punitive Expedition of 1916 by Steve Fruitt

 Great period photos and a fair bit of info on the trucks, etc

The General & The Jaguar by EileenWelsome

Good general history of the expedition

The Hunt for Pancho Villa (Osprey Raid 29) by Alejandro de Quesada

Usual Osprey thin coverage, some parts very erronious, nice photo of the replica Jeffery`s A/C

A Preliminary to War - The 1st Aero Squadron and the Mexican Punitive Expedition of 1916 

by Roger G. Miller

Really good coverage of the 1st Aero Squadron, their mechanics assembled and maintained the first batches of Jeffery`s trucks

28mm Riff War

 28mm Riff War

Every now and again I see some figures that make me say WOW I`d like to try and paint those! Well Baraka GM of Madrid produce a superb collection of Riff War miniatures in 28mm. As some of you may know this conflict has been an obsession of mine for a number of years and this is the only conflict for which I have a small (ish) skirmish set-up in 28mm. Now I`m not a good painter at the best of times but I really struggle with 28mm - I just don`t have the talent or brush control and its harder to hide mistakes than it is with 20mm. But I just couldn`t resist these recent personality releases. Baraka GM can be found at their website: https://barakagm.com/

Captain Fidel Pages 

(1886-1923). 

A doctor and a military man, he is credited in Spain as the inventor of epidural anesthesia (though others elsewhere claim credit also) which he used in the field. He wrote several books on military medicine and reorganised Spanish military medicine after his experiences both in Africa and in Vienna during WW1 which allowed him to develop many new forms of treatment.

Following the events at Annual (June-July 1921), he returned to Morocco as head of medical services, unfortunately he was killed in a trafic accident whilst on leave in Madrid on 21 September 1922. 

José Millán-Astray y Terreros 

(July 5, 1879 – January 1, 1954) 

Now this figure was a special given to peaple who bought the very first releases from Baraka (which i did) He and they have stayed in their undercoated state until now, as i was in a painting mood I added him to this batch.

Millán Astray was the founder and first commander of the Spanish Foriegn Legion, sometimes referred to as "The Old Scared One" as during his military career in Morocco he was wounded several times including losing his left arm and right eye!

Medical assistant

Nurse

Chaplain

Wounded soldier

This figure is not Baraka he comes from a joblot I bought yrs back from a guy in Scotland

  

Art instalation University of Alicante

 Art Instalation University of Alicante

As some of you may know Debbie and I have beeen trying to learn Spanish, frankly the only way to take formal classes was through Alicante University. This year we`ve been in building 1 on the campus and all around the ground floor they have had an art instalation about the pain and suffering of the Civil War. So today 25th May the anniversary of the worst bombing attack on Alicante during the war I took some photos to post here. War and history isn`t just fun and games, its sadness, destruction and horror.

For more about the bombing and war in Alicante I refer you to previous posts:

https://baberonwargames.blogspot.com/2022/11/visit-to-refugios-antiaeros-alicante.html 

https://baberonwargames.blogspot.com/2021/05/air-attacks-on-alicante-during-scw.html

Airfield accessories

 Airfield Accessories

I have a couple of scenarios in the works where airfields are either the central element of are part of the tabletop. I have the planes and various bits which can be used to simulate an airfield, but wanted to add something (as you do). Anyway that nice man Alan Hamilton was selling off some kits and one of them was an old Hasawaga Toyota starter truck - perfect for what I wanted. A bomb trailer comes with the kit and as it happened I had another already in the bits box so built both to add to the general clutter.

Now I know the French never used the Toyota starter truck, but it looks like a funky between the wars vehicle and my little men won`t care 😁 

bomb trailers

A few photos so you can see the general idea

My airfield fleet, the truck nearest is another Toyota this time with surplus  GS body