Issue 38 - August 2014

THE Airsoft Magazine

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N O I T I T E P COM TION INSIDE AIRSOFT

BULGARIAN SF PARATROOPER

BEHIND THE BARRICADE

AIRSOFT ENIGMA: HEROSHARK

BIG BOYZ TOYZ: DUKW | COPP HEROES | TEAM PROFILE: THE OAPS

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INSIDE AIRSOFT

BEHIND THE BARRICADE

AIRSOFT ENIGMA: HEROSHARK

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AIRSOFT SKILLS

BULGARIAN SF PARATROOPER

BIG BOYZ TOYZ: DUKW | COPP HEROES | TEAM PROFILE: THE OAPS

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Editor: Nigel Streeter Assistant editor: Gareth “Gadge” Harvey Graphic design: Havoc Design Ad design: Havoc Design Publisher: Nigel Streeter Cover Photograph: Spectre Airsoft Photography

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UK 12 - issue subscription rate: £43 UK 6 - issue subscription rate: £24 For overseas prices visit: www.airsoft-action.co.uk

Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WE13 6PL Tel: 01684 878 003 Web: www.airsoft-action.co.uk ©Calibre Publishing Limited 2014 Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade

by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800 Copyright © Calibre Publishing Limited 2014. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to print.

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Letter, idea or question?

Got something to say? A question for our experts? An article or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know.

Either email the editor (nige@airsoft-action.co.uk), write to us at the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.

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autumn 2014

IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME just how diverse airsoft is; simply trying to define it leads to all sorts of descriptions… Some say it is a game, some a sport, while yet others consider it a pastime, hobby or even a way of life.

When I was asked to create Airsoft Action, even with all my years of experience I did not realise just how many different genres of play there were and that so many people, from so many different walks of life, occupations, age ranges and lifestyles enjoy this wonderful game.

I mention this as I was asked a very simple question the other day, one that I really did not have an answer to: “What is a typical airsofter?”

Think about that for a moment. If someone asked you the same, how would you answer?

At first I was a little embarrassed. After all, wasn’t I the Editor and shouldn’t I know these things?

Then I got to thinking, what if there was no such thing as a “typical” airsofter? What if the game is just too diverse to pigeon hole a player into being “typical”? Is that a good or bad thing?

Some might say that an M4 is typical and I would most certainly accept that the M4 is a popular choice of weapon but, the weapon doesn’t mean the player has to dress in a particular camo, or adopt a specific style of play. The same can be said of an AK, L85, G36 or any of the hundreds of other weapons we could choose to play with.

I believe that this diversity is one of our greatest strengths and that is why, in Airsoft Action, we try to bring you coverage of all things airsoft alongside subjects that may be of interest to airsofters, outside of the game.

As we move into the summer months there is a massive amount of airsoft to get into, starting next issue with the Second Airsoft Surgeon European Championship – and we’ve got some awesome news lined up for you too.

For now though, I’d like to finish up by saying a huge thank you to the many, many people who contacted the magazine to say how much they enjoyed our D-Day Anniversary Special. We put a lot of effort into getting it right and it was great to know you appreciated it.

See you out there.

Nige.

CONTENTS AUGUST MARCH 2014

CONTENTS

AIRSOFT ACTION – AUGUST 2014 6

AIRSOFT NEWS

The latest developments in the world of airsoft 10 READERS’ GALLERY Cool photos taken by Airsoft Action readers 12 ARMOURY: KWA AK74 GBB It’s been a long time coming but now that it’s here, Scott Allan takes a close look at this highly-anticipated Gas Blow Back rifle 16 ARMOURY: ELITE FORCE BERETTA ARX Stepping away from the norm is often good but Scott Allan wonders if this unusual rifle from Umarex is a step to far 20 EVENT REPORT: FLYING LEAD “BREW”

54 AIRSOFT SKILLS: BARRICADES Pro-Tact Training’s Andy Nightingale takes us through the finer points of how to effectively use a piece of cover most of us take for granted 58 SNIPERS OF WW2: BERT WILSON KEMP Sniper One, Dan Mills, introduces us to one of the USA’s most prolific snipers of World War 2 62 BIG BOYZ TOYZ: DUKW “DUCK” In a welcome return, Ratty writes about an unsung hero from over 70 years of combat that is still in service today 66 COMPETITION: WIN A SPYPOINT EXCEL CAMERA

Oscar P got on his trusty steed and mosied on down to Eversley to check out the latest episode of this Wild West epic

We like giving stuff away and Thomas Jacks, who distribute SpyPoint in the UK, said we could let one lucky reader win the camera that Iggy reviewed

24 INSIDE AIRSOFT: HEROSHARK

68 SHOW REPORT: AIRSOFT BOOT SALE

Les Lee gets into conversation with one of Airsoft’s enigmatic characters and talks to the man behind the masks

Kris Roberts finds temptation too much at the first Skirmish Exeter Airsoft Boot Sale

28 A SQUADRON: REFLECTIONS OF REMEMBRANCE Bob Podesta and Faith Cowling remember family and close friends that made the ultimate sacrifice so others might live 32 KIT REVIEW: HEROES WEAR HAIX Nige steps out in these high liability combat boots from a Bavarian manufacturer that has made great strides in recent years 37 COLD WAR WARRIORS: BULGARIAN SF PARATROOPER OFFICER Gareth “Gadge” Harvey is joined by Bulgarian SF veteran, Stanimir Nikolov, to bring us this unusual and innovative loadout 42 SITE REPORT: UCAP GREENOPS Having emerged from the stygian darkness of The Bunker, Les Lee discovers that CQB isn’t confined to just urban sites 47 DEBATE: TAKING A HIT In probably to most contentious debate we’ve had so far, Gadge asks “Hits… Kills… ShotOuts… How do you take yours?” These are just a few of your responses 52 KIT REVIEW: SPYPOINT XCEL HD CAMERA As more and more players are strapping on action cameras, Iggy Roberts takes a look at a potential Go Pro beater from SpyPoint

71 TEAM PROFILE: OFFENSIVE AIRSOFT PLAYERS Five guys from the New Forest only have one aim – to enjoy their games and have fun!

72 FEATURE: THE COPP HEROES OF HAYLING ISLAND Rupert Godesen writes about a secret team of soldiers who gathered vital D-Day intelligence from (quite literally) under the noses of the enemy 76 D-DAY: FUNNIES Had the Americans used Hobart’s “Funnies”, they may well have made it off Omaha Beach much sooner than they did. Military Historian Will Fowler takes up the story of these remarkable machines 80 WORLD WAR 1: VERDUN The site of one of the most grinding, horrific battles of World War 1, Dan Mills writes about the terror that was Verdun 85 BOOK REVIEW: WAR-RESTREPO Kris Roberts on a vivid account of what life was really like on the front line in Afghanistan 86 SITE DIRECTORY If you’re looking for somewhere to play, you’re sure to find it here

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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AIRSOFT NEWS NEWS

Greetings all! Summer is around the corner - or so we all hope anyway!

Airsoft seems to be going from strength to strength even since the beginning of the year with new sites and retailers opening up almost weekly it would seem. Of course growth brings the odd hiccup with it and there will always be some issues but generally it seems like all is good on planet Airsoft. Is it though?

Many of you will have seen the proposed bill that has been wafting around

the

forums

and

CONTEGO-TACTICAL AIRSOFT - LONE SURVIVOR: OPERATION BREAK OUT - 19/20 JULY 2014

The team at Contego Officium Ltd, providers of global security consultancy and training, are delighted to announce that Contego-Tactical Airsoft is now operational at the superb new site at Bentwaters Park in Suffolk and our first event is 19th/20th July 2014.

The mission has been carefully designed to do justice to the outstanding location and give all participants an experience which will be second to none.

Lone Survivor - Operation Break Out Location: Slavyansk, Orikhuvatka (DC1) East Ukraine (Bentwaters Park) Situation: Ukrainian Separatists known as the Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) have attacked and taken a classified ‘secret’ military bunker installation in the small town of Orikhuvatka (DC1). The bunker is believed to contain a stockpile of the nerve agent Sarin.

Russian sources have intelligence that batches of Sarin will be moved from the installation at 1900hrs on the 19th July 2014

Facebook

regarding airgun licensing in Scotland and it isn’t a massive stretch to think that at some point - even though I was assured

Probable Mission: US Navy Seals to deploy to Ukrainian Forward Operating Base (FOB) within Green Zone of DC1.

From DC1 covert reconnaissance teams are to deploy on intelligence gathering missions to confirm DPR numbers, intentions and the nerve agent Sarin is located within the bunkers.

it wouldn’t be the case last year- that they will turn their attention to Airsoft. We should always remain vigilant to any and all threats to our hobby.

By becoming a member of UKAPU that is a great start as it stands for players and truly represents players. Once you’re a member you can help influence and steer the direction UKAPU takes and in doing so help to protect airsoft in the UK. Every airsofters views and opinions count but by unifying those voices we can really make a difference if and when we need to lobby parliament again.

Stay safe folks and have a cracking summer. I hope you get some great gaming in.

Phil Bucknall Chairman, UKAPU www.ukapu.org.uk

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Navy Seals will be split into two groups, OP teams and Fighting Patrols in reserve securing the FOB on Movement state RED (5mins notice to move) mission if deployed search and destroy DPR units and secure OP teams.

Please visit our website for further details and how to book: http://www.contego-tactical.com/ We look forward to you joining our mission.

NEWS THE LATEST AIRSOFT HEADLINES

Airsoft Expo 2014 Personal Security T i c k e t G i v e a w a y Pocket Book If you haven’t already got your ticket to the Airsoft Expo 2014, which is being held at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa on the 20th and 21st September, then read on…

The Airsoft Expo is dedicated to airsoft only and features 24,500 square feet of exhibition space for airsoft suppliers, an airsoft range plus a demonstration and scenario area.

Ticket prices are £12 on the day but Meridienne Exhibitions, the company behind the event, have given Airsoft Action five tickets to give away.

To be in with a chance of winning a ticket, post or email your answer to the following question to arrive before the 31st July…

What strapline is used on the Airsoft Expo advert in Airsoft Action?

Clue: It contains the words “Airsoft” and “Show”.

Send your answer to: Airsoft Expo Competition, Airsoft Action, Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6PL, or by email to competition@airsoft-action.co.uk with “Airsoft Expo Competition” as the subject.

All entries must be received by close of play on the 30th July 2014 and entries received after this date will not be valid. One entry per household.

The winners will be the first five names pulled from the Ed’s hat. If you win and wish to be notified by phone, please include a contact number and postal entries should include at least one method of contact.

ICS Transform4

Author, Military Illustrator and Airsoft Action contributor, Rupert Godesen has just released a new book in the very successful “Pocket Book” series.

Packed with really useful common sense tips and techniques employed by international travellers from Nigeria to New Guinea and all stops inbetween, the Personal Security Pocket book is a handy pocket guide to dip into whilst overseas and to use as part of your pre-trip preparations.

Its eighteen chapters are packed full of advice and information gathered

by Rupert over his twenty-five years of military experience and onwards.

Topics vary from the obvious, like not waving around handfuls of cash in a foreign airport, to checking whether the harmless-looking taxi you are about to get into is, in fact, a very dangerous potential bomb. Rupert’s other titles include the highlyrespected Soldiers Pocket Book and the Sniper Pocket Book, whvich was co-authored with a Master Sniper.

Rupert’s books are published by Military Pocket Books and can be bought at exclusive discounted rates for Airsoft Action readers, by turning to page 84 of this issue.

AA Exclusiv

H A Exclusive A H lusive H A e iv s u A Excluusiv e H AA Excl H AA Exclu A Excl A H e sive H AA E lusiv c x E A A xclusive H H e iv s u l c AA Ex e H AA Exc

Information about this great-looking EBB AEG arrived just too late to be included in the last issue of Airsoft Action. Since then we have received ICS’ brochure which says everything we had planned, so we thought we’d show you that instead!

PS. ICS have sent us a Transform4 for review, which we hope to bring to you in the next issue and (you just know what’s coming next, don’t you??)… Yep! Because we believe in supporting the airsoft community by giving back to those who support us, we’ll be giving it away in one of our awesome competitions!

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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NEWS THE LATEST AIRSOFT HEADLINES

Fits like a glove Wiley X have released a pair of combat gloves. These gloves are designed with weapons operators in mind. With consideration to the rough treatment and hard conditions, security operatives and soldiers have to operate in.

The gloves come with a shaped plastic knuckle guard, leather finger joint protective pads, a sewn in breathable stylish wrist section and small rubber strips on the inside tip of both index fingers (trigger fingers). There is a Velcro tab around the wrist that secures the gloves comfortably on your hands.

The gloves perform well in all conditions. They don’t cause you to get too sweaty in hot conditions; they keep your hands warm in the cold and don’t let in too much water in the wet. You can still grip well with them, even in the torrential rain.

These gloves come in the mid range of glove options available to airsofters. They are tougher than many gloves on the market but the main reason to buy these gloves are the unique style in their design and comfort to you, the operator.

The gloves are available in Black, Coyote and olive drab.

The Recommended retail price of these gloves are: £39.95 Thomas Jacks is only a distributor of this product. Please look on their website www.thomasjacks.co.uk or contact them via e-mail - info@ thomasjacks.co.uk to find out where you can buy these and other products.

2 DAYS OF NOTHING BUT AIRSOFT! Exclusive Media Partner

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www.airsoftexpo.co.uk august 2014

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ʤʦ˃ʽʺʤ˃ ʶʤʸʤˌʻʰʶʽʦʤ AK74M AFTER YEARS OF WAITING, SCOTT ALLEN GETS HIS HANDS ON THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED KWA AK74M GBB – BUT DOES IT LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?

“OF ALL THE WEAPONS IN THE VAST SOVIET ARSENAL, nothing was more profitable than Avtomat Kalashnikova model of 1947, more commonly known as the AK-47, or Kalashnikov. It’s the world’s most popular assault rifle, a weapon all fighters love. An elegantly simple nine pound amalgamation of forged steel and plywood, it doesn’t break, jam, or overheat. It will shoot whether it’s covered in mud or filled with sand. It’s so easy even a child could use it, and they do. The Soviets put the gun on a coin. Mozambique put it on their flag. Since the end of the Cold War, the Kalashnikov has become the Russian people’s greatest export. After that comes vodka, caviar, suicidal novelists. One thing is for sure, no one was lining up to buy their cars.” Yuri Orlov, Lord of War (2005) Originally on the radar for 2012 the KWA Gas Blow Back AK is about as far behind as the Edinburgh Trams. So has it been worth the wait or is this just another flash in pan Gas Blow Back that no one ever buys?

For me KWA is synonymous with the highest quality gas blow back products available. Their pistols are efficient and deliver good power, their electric rifles are solid performers

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AUGUST 2014

and their gas rifles are raved about continually, especially in the US. KWA is quite possibly the most bizarre company in our Airsoft world. They have a high end presence in the US with KWA USA and they have the KSC partnership in Japan.

Then there was the ownership/take over/reversal thing that happened with Kriss Arms. So they have a US side, a Japanese side and they work with PTS Syndicate on projects like the ERG and the Mega Arms rifles. It is all a bit confusing.

Generally the easiest thing is to just accept they are all pretty much the same even though they say they are not.

You will also hear NS2 and System 7 being batted around as the “system” they use. Again it is all pretty much the same darn thing. I’d love to know why they do this but then if it were easy it would be a bit boring.

In short, anything that has come from the Yih Kai factory (oh yeah, that’s the original manufacturer name - just to keep you confused) with the PTS, KWA, KSC, Kriss name on it is almost certainly a good bit of kit.

THE ARMOURY KWA AK74M GBB

THE REAL DEAL The Kalashinikov automatic rifle model 1974, or AK 74M as it is known, is currently the most updated version of the ever-reliable AK design that was first developed by Mikhail Kalashinikov in 1946.

This version of the AK design fires the smaller and more modern 5.45x39mm cartridge and sports polymer furniture that results in a lighter, more accurate and reliable rifle than its predecessor.

Developed during the early 1970s, it first saw service in 1979 as the Soviet forces meandered down to a little known backwater country called Afghanistan.

It is still used by many of the former countries of the USSR as well as eastern European countries, Mongolia, North Korean Special Forces and the Vietnamese.

Why did Russian forces move to 5.45mm from 7.62mm? I have long searched for the answer but there doesn’t seem to be a definitive one. It did change around the time the US went to 5.56mm so it could be a large influencing factor. Generally speaking though, being shot is equally bad regardless of caliber but both are equally used even today.

EXTERNAL APPEARANCE OF THE KWA AK 74 To quote George Takei “Oooooohhhhhhh mmmyyyyy!”. I really wish there had been a drum roll before I’d opened the box. I did expect something nice but then this is a whole other level of perfection and that is what I should have expected!

It is a great weight, very realistic with what I can only describe as real furniture (only I know technically it is not).

The pistol grip is the narrow type, unlike an electric rifle that has an incorrect fat grip to accommodate the motor. The side folding stock has almost no wobble as you release it and it also tough construction.

It locks into position and stays put very well. The magazine is the polymer 5.45mm style that has a less exaggerated curve than the 7.62mm AK magazine. I firmly believe the polymer cover of the magazine does help battle the effects of cool down while using the rifle. This is why other gas blow backs like the Vector and the WE G36 work that bit better. The warmer the gas stays, the better.

WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT? It really all comes down to performance and what you, as the end user, want from a rifle. If you want endless and seamless performance then you should forget gas and go electric. If you want a mechanical joy that keeps you on the back foot from the rest of the field, then you should consider Gas Blow Back. But why would you want to do this? I don’t know, perverse pleasure knowing you are a good player and wanting to notch up the realism a little? The limited ammunition, slower cycling action and the inconsistency of gas present challenges to say the least. But those challenges are a good thing. Think of it like owning a classic car, they just need that little bit more care, love and attention rather than their modern, bland and ten-a-penny BMW-esq cousins.

SUMMARY OF THE FEATURES It is hard to get excited looking at the paperwork side of a gas blow back as all of the joy actually comes from the operation of the system. The gas blow back engine, known as “System 7” or “NS2”, is the most efficient system available in my experience. The reason I like this is simple; it just works! It is not a huge fiddle-fest like so many gas rifles, the magazine didn’t leak straight out of the box either, which is a refreshing change. The price tag isn’t crazy high when compared to the likes of the GHK range - which are good but not the best. The magazines are definitely in the typical KWA price range at £60 per magazine. I really wish I knew why gas magazines were so expensive, it is what kills the GBB market stone dead compared to the electrics.

I tested this at first on a cool summer’s day indoors at 15oC and I was impressed. I didn’t see any venting out of the ejection port at all, even when running fully automatic.

The action was curious but I cannot fathom why. There is a definite kick but it was a bit less than I had expected. I suspect it may be the PTS ERG and Tokyo Marui 416s that have spoiled me with their heavier weights being in the stock tube, rather than the realistically-made AK bolt that this rifle has. www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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FEATURES Locating the magazine is another slight oddity. It does seem to locate further up inside the magazine well than a standard AEG. It isn’t a draw back in any way, just something to get used to. The feed lips, typical of all gas blow back products, protrude above the magazine into a vulnerable position. This isn’t going to be an issue in general use and the feed lips look tough as hell but if you go all tactical carbine and start lobbing mags in a Spetsnaz-fest on it, you might end up needing spares.

ON THE GAME FIELD Indoor and outdoor a GBB is always fun. That said, they are more likely to be seen on an indoor arena rather than the woodland. That is not to say that woodland players don’t ever use gas blow backs but they are less common. The cooler, damp woodland air generally works against the system but the KWA does keep on trucking even in the cooler weather. That is what I would hope for and expect from a KWA and at the asking price, you would expect it.

The magazines hold a couple of reloads-worth of gas but I would always try and top up the magazines during reloads. The good thing about the 74 magazine is they tend to fit nicely into most M4 magazine pouches, so your existing M4 rigs shouldn’t need changing between rifle swaps.

CONCLUSION With the 40-round magazines you are going to look to carry around five magazines in total. That is an extra £240 on top of the £360 giving you a grand total of £600! That is a handsome price tag indeed for something that will struggle against a £130 combat machine with a high cap!

While everything instinctively says you shouldn’t bother with gas, people still buy it. In all honesty it isn’t a shrinking market either. From PTW’s to Polar Star there are a million takes on slinging plastic at each other. The KWA AK 74 is a great rifle, although not the only GBB AK74 on the market and it is a good price when compared to the others. The magazines really are a sad price but then few of the high-end rifles offer anything cheaper.

You can only hope and pray that you either get a cracking deal or have bet on England winning the World Cup…

FULL METAL RECEIVER NYLON POLYMER STOCK, HAND GUARD, AND PISTOL GRIP EFFICIENT, HIGH-POWER SYSTEM 7 GAS SYSTEM REALISTIC BLOWBACK ACTION REALISTIC FUNCTIONALITY TACTICAL SIDE FOLDING STOCK ADJUSTABLE FRONT AND REAR SIGHTS INTEGRATED SLING ATTACHMENT POINTS LENGTH: 710MM / 945MM (FOLDED / TOTAL) WEIGHT: 3.6KG INNER BARREL: 400MM MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 42RDS MUZZLE VELOCITY: 330-360 FPS (MEASURED WITH 0.20G BBS AND WE GREEN GAS) GAS TYPE: GREEN GAS, PROPANE FIRE MODES: SEMI/FULL-AUTO, SAFETY PACKAGE INCLUDES: GUN, MAGAZINE HOP: YES, ADJUSTABLE RRP £359.99 MAGAZINES £59.99

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ELITE FORCE ORIGINALITY UNUSUAL, STRANGE OR JUST PLAIN ODD? SCOTT ALLAN TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS QUIRKY LITTLE GUN FROM UMAREX

IS IT A BOAT? IS IT A FISH? NO, IT’S THE NEW ELITE FORCE BERETTA ARX! For me Beretta make two things, the pistol that I loved in the 80s and good quality shotguns - but it appears they also make this rather un-M4 5.56mm rifle as well. Keeping with the “Marmite” organic look similar to their CX4 Storm, this is definitely a “love it or hate it” rifle but is it actually worth hating?

Elite Force… Who? Well, yes, exactly. Elite Force is purely a Umarex brand and not a manufacturer. The original manufacturer for the ARX is the newish and successful Smart Team, or S&T. Where Ares ends and S&T begins isn’t very clear, certainly there are near-identical manufacturing processes there. The barrels used, micro-switch triggers and motors all feel very Ares. S&T also make the Umarex HK G36s that really are cracking performers. Being a Umarex brand it means there will at least be a basic form of quality assurance.

It is always a strange thing when a company steps out from the AK or the M4 market. Your first reaction is to gag slightly and ask “Why isn’t this an M4?” but then that is also the beauty. The more the merrier is a saying that should be

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applied to Airsoft and it is always great to see someone using something different. So, should you even consider the ARX? It looks not unlike an M4 in operation, sports three magazine release catches, six sling points and a four position stock.

THE REAL STEEL The ARX was engineered, as they all are, to be the best tactical rifle available, by Beretta in Italy. Modular is never a bad thing with a modern firearm and this 5.56mm rifle uses STANAG magazines. Developed in 2008 the rifle is completely ambidextrous in all functions. The constant contact short stroke piston system means that the rifle should be extremely reliable and with no body pins the take down for cleaning and maintenance is said to be extremely simple. There are also indications that Beretta plan to make several other calibre versions such as 5.45mm, 7.62mm short and 7.62mm NATO that is an interesting change of pace for Beretta. It appears that a large part of the market is the US civilian shooter market, it makes me sad that we are left out of the fun here in the UK.

THE ARMOURY ELITE FORCE BERETTA ARX

BACK TO THE ELITE FORCE ARX

SUMMARY OF THE FEATURES

The polymer construction on a rifle means for me they always somehow feel a little cheaper than a full metal rifle. The ARX looks a bit bulky but when you bring it up into your shoulder and point it you realise that it is actually very nicely designed. The SCAR style side folding stock is comfortable and positive. There is the usual huge top rail to allow a whole host of optics and PEQs to be fitted. There are two flip up sights which are quite odd looking and I found the rear sight aperture to be very small. A small drill bit would open it up to a more Airsoft friendly size I am sure. Two side rails and a lower rail mean you will not struggle to fit all your shiny toys around the ARX. I genuinely didn’t expect a great deal from this rifle but then I uncovered more and more nice little features and touches. With things like the quick-change spring with FPS adjuster, quick release barrel system (although ultimately useless), locking bolt and working release as well as the high-speed motor as standard I started to raise an eyebrow. I gave into temptation after reading there was a highspeed motor and got an 11.1v lipo battery in the stock. It is much like a SCAR stock in that it’ll easily take a mini 8.4v battery or similar length LIPO battery. Loading up the 300 round M4 high capacity magazine with Blaster 0.20g BBs the chronograph results were good although a little inconsistent jumping from 338 to 350fps. Nothing to worry about and the blow back cocking handle happily clacked back and forward with each shot. The trigger response on single was good given that it uses a microswitch trigger rather than the standard male/female contact. I couldn’t wait to try out the fully automatic.

Everything on paper looks good and the feel of the rifle is great with an even balance in the weight. Balance is something that is often underrated in Airsoft I think. I love my HK417 but with a M900 torch grip and a silencer fitted it puts the bulk of the weight onto your left arm. This means your inherently weaker arm has to do the bulk of the shifting to bring the muzzle up to the aim. The ARX at three kilos is light for its size and that size and shape make it easy to manipulate. The barrel is on the longer side at 14.5 inches but still very usable indoors and out. The quick-change spring means you can carry springs that suit any site that you may wish to play on too. An important factor is the use of M4 magazines, this means you can use which ever type you fancy with relative ease. This is always handy particularly when you run low in a fire fight and have a number of friends running M4s.

ON THE RANGE 11.1v LiPo installed, magazine fully wound with 300 rounds of Blasters - my favourite BBs I gave it a few on single to check the hop up and…. Wait a minute. The hop up wheel (styled like a AUG or G36) is through a small recess in the ejection port that your fingers are too large to fit inside.

Well that is irritating! Using a screw driver I adjust the hop up so it is flying straight finally. Fully automatic is a savage and enjoyable experience. The cocking handle is an utter blur as the ARX unleashes around 1200 rounds per minute or 20 rounds per second. That is very fast for a stock rifle, if I hadn’t chronographed it myself already I would’ve thought that this was only doing about 300fps. The grouping at 20 metres was palm sized at the most, which is good given that it is a basic aluminium barrel.

ON THE GAME FIELD The size and shape of the Beretta ARX means I would personally run indoors with it but then that is a personal preference and I did once play CQB with a Tokyo Marui M14, it seemed like a fine idea at the time. The ARX is compact, easy to use, packs a punch and is versatile as any M4. The battery access is not overly fiddly or complex, in fact you could most likely seat two M4 stock tube LiPos in on top of each other and just change them over in a few seconds.

The flip up sights aren’t very good, well in particular the rear sight. I had to struggle to find the hole (fnar fnar) and I would either replace it entirely or drill it out to a larger aperture. The range was good out to 50-60 yards with the usual spread at the far end that I had fully expected from the aluminium barrel.

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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CONCLUSION The ARX isn’t a bad rifle, far from it. There are a couple of niggles that would not be long term issues for me personally. Once your hop is set it is pretty much done for good, I would do something with the rear sight before I even took it to a game too. At £270 sheets it is a little on the expensive side for me, some of that fee is the licensing to Umarex for the Beretta name which is just a reality these days. Some upgrades, in particular a tightbore barrel and a few tidy ups inside the gearbox to bring the consistency up a little. The whole package is attractive but what it really isn’t is a M4 and I think that is what may hold it back. So it is a marmite rifle through in through but it works very well. I finished this review and I still remain on the fence how I feel about it, if the price had been around £40 cheaper I’d have been happy probably.

FEATURES SEMI / FULLY AUTOMATIC SHOOTING MODE OFFICIAL BERETTA LICENSED ONE-PIECE REINFORCED NYLON FIBER UPPER RECEIVER WITH LOWER RECEIVER CNC ALUMINUM 55MM FLASHIDER (14MM CCW) 110MM SLIDE PICATINNY RAIL RAIL (ON BOTH) NYLON FIBER COLLAPSIBLE STOCK AND PISTOL GRIP FLIP-UP FRONT AND ADJUSTABLE REAR SIGHTS 300RDS HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINE

WEIGHT 3KG LENGTH 675MM (FOLDED), 840905MM (EXTENDED) BARREL LENGTH 410MM 8MM VERSION 3 GEARBOX HIGH SPEED MOTOR POWER 340-350FPS RRP £270

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AUGUST 2014

OSCAR P MOSEYED ON DOWN TO EVERSLEY TO CHECK OUT GUNMAN AIRSOFT’S LATEST WILD WEST EPIC AND IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT A BREWERY HAD JUST ARRIVED IN TOWN…

ROUNDS PER SECOND isn’t really a relevant measure of a RIF’s performance when you’re toting a six-shooter and a shottie, is it? Nope, it’s all about accuracy and being quick off the draw – and also, it turns out, being able to keep a clear head after playing poker in a Saloon until the wee small hours!

These are things I learnt when I dropped into the latest instalment of Gunman Airsoft’s Flying Lead series of games. Why? Because they’re set in the good old days of the Wild West Frontier, that’s why. There’s no multicam here, a natty Stetson and waistcoat is order of the day and a small part of a wood in Hampshire is transformed into the sleepy town of Shingle Springs, Montana. Population variable, the town plays host to a selection of good (and not so good) folks who gather to hunt bandits, earn a crust and hopefully strike gold. For those who don’t, there’s always gambling - or a final trip to the Undertaker to get measured up for a wooden casket…

I’ve never visited a Flying Lead event before, although Gunman run two or three of the weekenders a year, picking up the storyline each time. This latest instalment was titled “Brew” and revolved around the latest entrepreneurial activity in the town; the arrival of a good ol’ brewery. Being an airsoft-based FilmSim however, the game isn’t all bucolic swigging with touches of song and outbreaks of barroom brawling. On no, there’s gun-slinging to be had, too!

Having said that, I had no real idea what it would be like. So early on a Sunday morning I hitched my trusty steed named “Focus” (she’s a tattered old nag and frankly could do with new shoes on the front) to a post just outside town, hoiked up my britches and moseyed into Shingle Springs to see what was occurring.

Straight from the outset it was clear these aren’t skirmish events. This is a FilmSim with airsoft elements, not “an airsoft game in fancy dress”. Josh, head honcho at Gunman, had given me an outline of what to expect…

Players are banded together not into teams but into lose groups of families or businesses, or alternatively play as lone rangers looking to earn a crust. During Brew, the key groups lurking around the town were assorted Federal Marshalls, the Pinkerton Detective agency, a host of commercial types – from undertakers, storekeeps and miners to an indefatigably cheerful shoeshine – and crucially, the Banker who kept an eye on the cash circulating.

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EVENT REPORT FLYING LEAD - BREW

As I wandered into town players were just beginning to stir.

Flying Lead games are long weekenders with little or no “downtime”, with players arriving on Friday evening and playing through ‘til around noon on Sunday and throughout that time Shingle Springs is full to bursting. The first few players I spoke to were busy recovering from the previous night’s festivities, suitably revolving around the Saloon.

Much poker had been played, a suitably disreputable amount of quaffing (of ersatz whisky) had taken place and it seemed like pretty much everyone was getting a fry on!

These two venues and of course all the other vendors, are a key part of Flying Lead events - because the event rules revolve around money. Yep, good ol’ greenbacks are crucial; everything can be bought and sold and if anyone should pick up an injury then the only way to get it sorted is…

You’ve guessed it, to pony up $15 to the neighbourhood Doc who’ll bandage you up and get you back in the action. Players can earn their bucks for carrying out tasks such as escorting packages, hunting outlaws, working for one of the town’s bigwigs or, if they’re feeling lucky, winning big at the gaming tables. Whatever they do, though, they need to make sure that at the close of play they’ve got $25 to hand to pay their dues to the Banker.

That’s because the Flying Lead series is designed for players to keep the same character (and group affiliation) from game to game; if you’re out of cash you’re either run out of town and have to start from scratch – or worse, you’re left to bleed out into a pauper’s grave.

Determined to get my head around events, I wandered into the Saloon and struck up conversation with the proprietor, one Colonel Bellefleur and he filled me in on the events of the previous day. The town was in a certain amount of turmoil. Fighting was breaking out across the territory as new groups of bandits and more “legitimate” gangs were moving in, snapping at the heels of gold miners and holding up travellers. Robberies were becoming a daily occurrence and three miners had been murdered.

Rumour also had it that the Mayor of the neighbouring settlement of Clarkestown had been murdered and the perpetrator had been tracked to the locality of Shingle Springs. Worse though, the local purveyors of Moonshine had been in full production and the local lawmakers had been out hunting down (which translated to “getting their hands on”) contraband booze, leaving the ordinary folks to deal with the outlaws!

That conversation (and those with various other denizens of Shingle Springs) nicely warmed up the “Lead experience” for me. Players picked and stayed in a character, living the life and making a living throughout the weekend by trading, making alliances and occasionally fighting with one another. Tensions between the various factions in the town were clearly on the simmer; one player even refused to talk to me coz he “weren’t gonna talk to no newspaperman”! However, plenty of others were more than happy to spill the beans on the various “nogoodsumbitches” that lurked around town, or the ongoing bickering between the Federal Marshalls and the Pinkerton Agency, the private security and detectoring firm. A turf war was brewing and people were placing bets on when the lead would start to fly!

And what a set it is! If you’ve ever played at Eversley, you’ll be familiar with the arrangements of rooms and buildings which make up Flying Lead’s main area but until you’ve seen the town in full setup, you won’t believe what you’re missing. The players really go all-out to generate an atmosphere and when it’s fully dressed it’s a real peach! Perhaps the centrepieces of the town are the Saloon, “Bellefleur’s”, which was tricked out with all the accoutrements of a drinking establishment and Mr Paris’ General Store, the premier venue for food, supplies and perhaps most importantly, ammunition! Frankly, my dear, it’s just plain grand! Without a word of a lie, it’s like stepping through a door onto a film set.

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Anyway, keen to get out onto the prairie, I quietly attached myself to a group of Pinkertons who were heading out for a nose around. Tagging along, I casually asked a dapper gent in a Bowler hat, one Mr Grant, about the purpose of their expedition. He explained that they were off to check claims that various nefarious types were encroaching on established gold strikes and also to see if they could pick up a bounty on any wandering ne’er-do-wells. Whilst they certainly found what appeared to be evidence of claim jumping, they didn’t sight any outlaws however, I did take note that every townsperson they bumped into was gently questioned as to whether they might have any paying work for the Pinkertons to perform. Clearly the group’s reputation for chasing coin was well placed!

So back into town I wandered, to chat some more with players. Top of the agenda was a forthcoming election for Sheriff, with campaigning (and some mild bribery) already underway. Whilst I was deep in conversation with various townsfolk, a wounded player staggered back into town…

Out in the backwoods bandits were busy jumping claims! Being unarmed and, frankly, a coward, I took up station on the outskirts of the town as various groups of players sallied out to take the fight to the bandidos. It was at this point that I learnt about one of the key rules of combat in Shingle Springs; if a player is hit too many times, or can’t find the moolah to pay the doc his dues, they are in danger of “permanent death” which will take them back to the beginning as a new character with no contacts, group affiliations, resources or cash in the bank and all the perks they’ve earned up to that point are wiped from the slate!

They do, however, have one final chance at a reprieve – a card draw.

Players are allowed to take one card from a deck; some will see them making a miraculous comeback, but others will see them plant a lot in the cemetery.

This is a great twist in the tail and whilst you could never say that any of the players were shy of a fight, there’s a definite fear of getting plugged that makes this much more than a skirmish and as the day’s play drew to a close, two players had picked the wrong card and were stretched out in the undertaker’s waiting for a wooden overcoat!

So there you go. Flying Lead isn’t a skirmish, it’s a FilmSim with airsoft guns, with a massive social element woven in and a whole lot of story to get your teeth into. There’s shooting if you want to go looking for it (and there was an impromptu shootout staged after close of play to get some rounds downrange, not least from an airsoft Gatling Gun!) but it’s balanced with the rest of the game’s rules so that the consequences of picking the wrong fight are really severe! Just in the few hours I was wandering around Shingle Springs, I had a whale of a time and met some brilliant guys, all getting into the swing of things. It was, to be absolutely honest, a cracking laugh!

Everyone there was fully into the spirit of the era but I didn’t feel that I was sticking my nose into a closed shop with tonnes of complex rules. It’s a really welcoming setup and I felt right at home, with the best bits of a narrative, FilmSim style of airsoft in a marvellously atmospheric setting and style that’s a great change from the norm. Oh, and there’s card tables… What’s not for a nosey newspaperman to enjoy?

Flying Lead returns in September for their next instalment – check out Gunman’s website and forums for more details – and the election for Sheriff is already hotting up, with plenty of old-school campaigning and skulduggery getting under way.

If you fancy something a bit different, with cracking social aspects, a great sense of humour and the opportunity to see who’s fastest on the draw, give it a look.

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august 2014

HEROSHARK - THE ENIGMA LES LEE MANAGES TO TRACK DOWN THE ELUSIVE “MAN BEHIND THE MASK” AND BRINGS US THIS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HEROSHARK A couple of years ago, I happened to notice a pretty coollooking face mask advertised for sale on eBay and although I didn’t buy it, typically my curiosity got the better of me and so my investigative mind went to work. Just who and what is Heroshark?

It took a little while but I was fortunate enough to make verbal contact with (quite literally) the man behind the mask and Mark Sutherland, Heroshark himself, was on the other end of my phone. I told him what I was looking for and Mark explained in pretty fine and specific detail just what he could custom-build for me and as it would be bespoke, he needed some measurements (ear to ear, nose to chin, etc.). Yes, it is that finely tuned so bear that in mind if you are offered a used one, no two masks are the same as they are custom-made for the initial purchaser.

I was pretty stoked and not being one to miss out on an opportunity, I eventually bought a mask plus a couple of pairs of mesh goggles as it was rumoured at the time that Heroshark only surfaces periodically, so it was a case of get ‘em while I could. I measured my face from point A to point B and so on and sent these, together with my order and payment and waited. It was only about 4 or 5 days later that my parcel arrived - and WOW! Just WOW!! These were top quality pieces of kit made especially for me, not anyone else just me.....they were mine all mine!

I became the proud owner of my first custom-made pieces of Airsoft gear and yes, it did cause a bit of a stir at my regular site with comments such as “Where did ya get that cool face mask bro?” and I proudly replied “Erm… This is Heroshark gear, custom made for me”. Let’s be honest, we all want that something special that no-one else has, or is that just me?

Later, whilst considering interesting features for Airsoft Action, I decided to contact Mark again and see just what I could find out about Heroshark.

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We had a good long chat and he was more than happy to answer my questions: When, why and how was Heroshark created?

“Funnily enough Heroshark the name was concocted out of a couple of adolescent nick names. Hero was just a term of my youth. If you fixed something or sorted something out on the spot with what you had around you with positive results, you’d get a “You’re a friggin’ hero man!” I tended to do a lot of that so that stuck with me and still holds true to this day. The shark bit was a little more obscure. A heavily intoxicated friend turns to me one day and told me “You just looked at me like a shark I saw in a book once” and it stuck, so that was the creation of Heroshark.

inside airsoft HEROSHARK

I had owned springers since ‘94 and always wanted to do some kind of battle using the guns but it never happened, my poor unarmed elder brother saw the worst brunt of my springers. Some of my older peer group were known for having some impressive weaponry and after seeing one of these individual’s TM 6” Colt Python one day, this spurred me on to buy bigger and better guns.

It wasn’t till ‘99 when I came to meet this person again, at my first self-organised skirmish in some local woods, as he had heard there was now a reasonably armed few of us wanting to play. They had been operating as “Grimsby Wrecking Crew” at some of the big early games, as well as their own small locally organised games.

From that first skirmish I saw a Sensei mesh mask and seeing as the polycarbonate goggles fogged up so easily, by the 2nd game I had “hero’ed” myself a mask using some speaker mesh from an old stereo and a Cooper street hockey mask I had owned for some time. We continued to organise these little shoots and came to name ourselves the “Grimsby Louth Militia”. I continued to modify friend’s masks/goggles and that was how Heroshark the mask maker came about.”

What items do you supply and typical costs and build times?

“Goggles start from around the £25 mark up to £30. I can also source any glasses/goggle frame or mask you wish to be fitted with my mesh lenses, or mesh your existing masks or eye protection from £15-25. I do half mesh masks cut to your goggle profile and face size with various coverage and different attachment setup options £35-65.

My fibreglass masks are bespoke-made for the user’s using a face mould of the individual if possible; no one is ever the same.

I can make you anything from a small coverage half mask for around £65 up to a full coverage helmet for around £350-£400 depending on how crazy you want to go.

I have also made protection for torches, scopes and cameras and also supplied materials for individual’s home builds. The basic goggles and mesh masks take about a week and the fibreglass work 2-4 weeks depending on its complexity.”

It would seem that you are a bit of an enigma as many speak of you as the ultimate choice in masks and goggles, why do you think this is?

“I see a lot of discussion on “what is the best” face/eye protection. The best answer in my opinion is something made for you, whether you do it or get someone else to do it for you.

I just seem to be one of the go to people for this niche; also I suppose people rely on me because of my experience in the field of face/eye protection. For the people who get on with mesh eye protection I think they like them for the same reason I do, because they are stronger and let in more light than all the available mesh goggles I have come across.”

It is rumoured that you are only in production occasionally and to buy from you at any opportunity that arises. Is this true and if yes, why is that?

“Partially yes, especially in the past. I have had to deal with the usual life issues that are thrown at most of us along with doing my regular job too. The regular job is not an issue any more as I am now 100% Heroshark job-wise but this does not always excuse life. I always prioritise life first so when you’re the only one to do the work it falls by the wayside.”

What inspired you to break into the world of custom builds?

“I come from a long line of makers and creators. Why buy when you can modify/make something better and more effective for less and also very individual? It’s a no-brainer if you have the ability to pull it off and it’s a waste of talent if you don’t. If you’ve got it flaunt it! I see a lot of it in the Airsoft world and I like it.”

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What would be a typical turnaround time from point of placing order to receiving the item?

“The majority of the time basic orders for goggles or mesh masks go out within 5 working days. Fibreglass custom work 2-4 weeks in general.”

Mark, as I know almost nothing about Heroshark, please could you give me some facts about what you are all about?

“I work alone in my home work shop. I answer the mails, I make the kit and I post it. My ethos is to never make the same thing twice, individuality and flexibility is what sets me apart from other face protection manufacturers. Many think that what’s on the website is it but that is not the case. Never be afraid to ask for what you want I rarely say no and there’s never been anything I haven’t been able to do yet.”

Finally Mark, I would like to ask you about what makes your custom builds better than factory produced kit and do you have any future plans, etc?

“My basic mesh mask is hand-made using stainless steel and the edging is riveted, rather than glued. I cut them to the contour of the eye protection and the depth of the face to the chin, so that you get the best fit with your eyewear and it does not overshoot the chin. Anybody who’s had an ill-fitting generic mesh mask will know the issues you can get. They can be incompatible with your eye protection and when looking down with a mask that over shoots the chin it can hit your chest and can push your eye wear up.

My mesh mask is also a much more ergonomic fit to the average face and as well as the standard straps I can do various attachment systems to request. As for my fibreglass work, I like to wherever possible start the work with a mould of the individual’s face. As this ensures a low profile fit, a good cheek weld and does not limit vision. The actual design of the mask is very individual to the user. Often the shape of the 26

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individual’s face does, to some degree, dictate the direction the mask is going in. I do also do some fibreglass masks using photos and measurements of the face but some of the more elaborate work needs a mould, for example I have made a few masks with articulated jaws which really does require a mould.

My custom work is not cheap but the time, thought and materials that go into it are well worth it. The people who own them have often said they had already wasted the same amount on various other setups that haven’t worked for them over time and wished they had just come to me in the first place. It’s not like you’ll have to replace it either because I build things to last.

Future product wise I struggle with my ethos. I have ideas for various things but it’s the sort of things that would be more mass-produced. It would be 2 minutes before the Chinese ripped it off - as happened to “Brassguard” (the first to design the half mesh mask). Even I took the idea but I tried to improve on it. I suppose at some point I shall bring it out from under my hat to get ripped off, as I still have a lot to fall back on which can’t be taken and easily repeated. I suppose I’d rather it exist than not even if people will buy a cheap China copy of it. As for the Grimsby Louth Militia, we a do have a retail and skirmish site in development which will also tie in with the Heroshark brand.”

Thank you Mark, for an extremely inspiring insight into the world of Heroshark and what we can expect now that all of your cards are on the table and the speculation and rumours have been exposed for all the world to see.

We wish you every success for the future and hope that you will keep us apprised of any new ventures or inspirations that you may be a part of, as it is clear for us all to see just how your passion has driven you to produce such unique and specialised pieces of protective kit (a subject close to my heart.)

Les Out…

REFLECTIONS OF REMEMBRANCE

BY FAITH COWLING

GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS SUNRISE. THE PALE BLUE SKY IS ABLAZE with brilliant yelloworange flashes that penetrate the soft pink candy-floss clouds.

Silent waves break gently on the sandy coastline as the tide slowly recedes down the beach. The tranquil early morning calm belies the magnitude of the day; D-DAY 70. 70 years ago the largest amphibious invasion force in history began the assault of the French Normandy beaches to liberate north-west Europe from its German oppressors. 6th June 1944 a date forever etched into the memories of every man, woman and child of a generation.

Approaching the Arromanches area of Gold Beach the scattered black shadows in the shallow water give the only hint of the dramatic events which unfolded seven decades ago. Large sections of the ingenious Mulberry Harbour ‘B’, known as Port Winston, still remain as looming silent sentries responsible for reminding visitors of the area’s historical importance. Hundreds of vintage military vehicles have been ushered into place on the ‘Item’ sector of Gold Beach, an international invasion force paying their respects to the veterans of Operation Overlord; and more widely to honour every brave man and woman who faced the horrors of WWII to bring us our freedom and liberty.

Noticeably there are fewer returning veterans this year and sadly media coverage is somewhat lacking with little time dedicated to the immensely important personal stories of our last remaining links to the ‘39-’45 war. We are fortunate to have at our disposal innumerable records of the Second World War which give us a wealth of information and overview of this global conflict. Regimental war diaries detail the bitter losses and triumphal victories of units in more depth but all too often, despite these texts, we lose sight of the individual. For it is the story of the individual that strikes the truest chord, bringing home the reality of warfare at the most fundamental level; its impact on a community, a family, a life.

With this in mind I am honoured to have the opportunity to share with you the brief stories of three such individuals, members of my own family. Three men whose names will not be remembered by the masses but who mean the world to me.

Bob Podesta at Talaiasi Labalaba’s grave. RIP Lab.

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feature ‘A’ SQUADRON

PRIVATE BERNARD REGINALD KETTERINGHAM 5th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment My maternal grandfather ‘Reg’ was from the small Lincolnshire village of Tydd St. Mary. He was a horseman and farm labourer and joining the army was the furthest thing from his mind when war was declared. His childhood sweetheart, my grandmother Margaret, had agreed to be his wife and their thoughts were filled with dreams of the life they would share together. On the outbreak of war Reg’s brothers volunteered immediately in order to avoid the army and opt for their preferred service, the RAF; they were sent to Burma. Reg chose to wait for his call-up papers which he duly received but not before they had gone astray for some time being waylaid in Lydd (Kent) some distance from their intended destination in out-of-the-way Tydd. He was assigned to the Royal Armoured Corps and after training, which he thoroughly enjoyed, was sent to Philippeville towards the end of the North African campaign.

Due to an administrative error Reg (along with his friend George, whom he served with throughout the war) was unceremoniously sent to Sicily as a member of the 5th East Yorks and went straight to the front line with ‘C’ Company as an infantryman. The error was eventually spotted and a transfer offered however Reg preferred to remain with the East Yorkshire Regiment but happily moved to the anti-tank platoon as a brengun carrier driver. It was in this capacity, as a Universal Carrier driver, that Reg landed on the ‘King Red’ sector of Gold beach on D-Day. It was some time before he began to talk to us about his experiences; “Nobody could foresee what was ahead. Nobody could imagine it. You couldn’t possibly imagine what it was going to be like. I mean today, I honestly cannot believe that we went through it. It’s one of those things that you wouldn’t wish your worst enemy to go through. But, we did it and that was it.”

The 5th East Yorks lost their commanding officer within minutes of landing and their second-in-command shortly after that. Reg recalled, “We had to carry on as best we could without them. Within five minutes of getting off the beach we were in corn fields. We struggled on into the night. It was about 5 or 10 minutes to 7 in the morning when we landed, and around 11 o’clock at night when they finally decided we should dig in. We were about 7 miles in land. We’d done quite well.”

It is poignant to know that he felt little or no animosity towards the enemy he engaged with, “I still feel sorry for those on the receiving end because, to be honest, I wouldn’t think any of them were any different than what we were. I don’t think they really wanted to be there any more than us.”

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CORPRAL LIONEL ROBERT COWLING Wisbech St. Mary Platoon, Isle of Ely Home Guard In contrast to Reg, my paternal grandfather Lionel spent the war at home on the North Brink, Wisbech St. Mary. As an agricultural worker Lionel was exempt from call-up and required to stay and work the land. He served with the Home Guard and in an incident that I can only ever imagine as akin to a scene from “Dad’s Army”, he was bayoneted by a man from his own platoon, suffering a worse injury in one moment of stupidity than Reg received during his entire active service overseas!

Lionel was often required to be out on duty all evening, returning home in the early hours of the morning. If he returned home later than 4 a.m. he would fit in some digging on his garden before heading straight back out to work. It was also necessary at times for him to go away for weekend training. His young wife, my grandmother Olive, didn’t enjoy her time alone but knew she was lucky to have him around at all. Lionel fought his own personal mental battle as he saw so many of his peers ship out and constantly felt that he too should be fighting with an active regiment.

His war was not without incident as he took evacuees into his home; faced the enemy as a low flying German plane approached him following the river close to his home in search of their target at the railway marshalling yard at March; and went to the aid of a British bomber crew whose aircraft made an emergency landing in the field at the bottom of his garden. He would also be there to comfort his pregnant wife when tragedy struck and news came through that her brother Ken was missing in action.

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feature ‘A’ SQUADRON

CORPORAL KENNETH CHARLES HARNWELL 2nd Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment Kenneth was the younger brother of my grandmother Olive.

He rose to Corporal in the Cambridgeshire Regiment and Olive recollected with sadness their last meeting, “My brother Ken came down to see us. The Cambridgeshire Regiment were on embarkation leave ready to be sent somewhere, but we didn’t know where. Ken stayed and had tea with us and I cooked a brace of pheasants and he enjoyed that very much. He played with Richard (his baby nephew), giving him a swing. We didn’t dream that would be the last time we would see Ken.” Early in 1942 the family received news that Ken was missing presumed dead. They were never fully informed of his fate but research indicates that he was killed during a rearguard action on the Malayan mainland. His battalion was tasked with holding defensive positions between the towns of Batu Pahat and Senggarang about 30 miles from Singapore. Pursued by heavy enemy forces the Cambs men were pushed back through thick swampy jungle. Heavy casualties ensued at the hands of well entrenched Japanese mortars and well conceived snipers. Those who surrendered faced three and a half years in captivity.

The anguish of losing her only son stayed with my greatgrandmother until her own death. She never sought to obtain his medals, they would offer no comfort, no succour to her aching heart. Ken’s picture stood on my grandparents’ living room dresser and the image of the smart fresh-faced soldier, forever frozen in time, had a great impact on me as a young girl.

In the spirit of remembrance we could not let this issue pass without a mention of the Battle of Mirbat where 9 SAS soldiers came under attack by an aggressive, highly organised and determined enemy force which outnumbered them 30 to 1. 19th July 2014 marks the 42nd anniversary.

MIRBAT REMEMBERED

by Bob Podesta MID Mirbat is a small sleepy town on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula where tales of the queen of Sheba and of famous explorers abound.

I arrived by dhow from Salalah on my first trip to Mirbat as a BATT team (British Army Training Team) member to help train the local Al Umri tribe before going up into the mountains to chase the Adoo (enemy) out and regain the country for Oman. I was a medic and a vet with the aim of helping to improve the health of both the villagers and their livestock. In addition we were tasked with making the area safe for the locals by either building concrete paths around the wells or clearing mines, all hearts and minds stuff to encourage the suspicious locals to come over to our side and to show them that we really did want to help them.

While I was there I spent a lot of time training the Walis’ private body guard on how to fire their mortars and other weapons and I also spent a lot of time training the Baluchi platoon in the famous Mirbat fort on infantry tactics.

All this was happening during the build-up before Operation Jaguar began. Little did we know that a short time later ‘B’ Squadron would be involved in one of the most famous battles in SAS history.

During my second operational tour in Dhofar I was with the Firqat Al Umri again but this time up in the mountains. At the end of the tour my squadron handed over to ‘B’ Squadron. Labalaba, the famous Fijian, took over my friend’s job as the medic. I was now acting as the troop linguist and I vividly remember taking Laba down to start the morning medical treatment for the local Jebali people, showing him the ropes before my return to the UK. I’ll always remember Laba as a big strong friendly man and true to character he fought hard to the last.

After ‘A’ Squadron departed for the UK the monsoon season began and ‘B’ Squadron were withdrawn from the mountains due

to logistical problems and a BATT team of 8 were sent to Mirbat.

It was towards the end of that tour that the Battle of Mirbat took place. Laba heroically defended the 25 pounder field gun at his stand-to position, and in turn the town, until he was badly wounded. Tak, another Fijian then ran to help Laba and was also wounded but they both still managed to fire the gun and keep the enemy at bay until finally Laba was killed.

It was then that Tommy Tobin and the BATT officer grabbed their medical kits and ran the gauntlet of 800 metres to the gun to help. Soon after reaching the gun pit Tommy Tobin was hit by an enemy bullet and mortally wounded. The courage, skill and tenacity of the small band of SAS men, coupled with the Strikemaster pilots and arrival of ‘G’ Squadron ensured that we won the battle that day but at the cost of two exemplary soldiers and friends. I’ll never forget hearing the news of Laba and Tommy being killed and how it affected the lads in the Regiment.

To all the fallen and those whose lives have been forever changed through conflict – WE WILL NEVER FORGET. We’ll be back next month with a report from our forthcoming pistol course on 5th July and Bob’s personal pistol handling and training tips. There are still places available if you would like to join us. Contact us by email trainingwing@a-sqn.com or phone 07762 507 146 to book in.

Until next time this is ‘A’ Squadron signing out.

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HEROES WEAR HAIX NIGE GETS HIS FEET INTO A PAIR OF BOOTS FROM A MANUFACTURER HE KNEW LITTLE ABOUT, UNTIL NOW LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION: “What do Firefighters in New York, Mexico City, Hamburg, Moscow and Cape Town have in common with the German GSG9 CTU and military units in Europe, the UAE and Afghanistan?”

According to one Bavarian-based shoe manufacturing company the answer is simple: their boots!

HAIX, short for Xaver Haimerl (the founder of the company), was founded in Mainburg, Bavaria in 1948 and now uses practice-based research and development techniques to develop products for specific markets and uses. For example, the HAIX FIRE HERO boot was developed specifically for fire-fighters and is now considered to be one of the safest in the World for fire-fighter use, whilst the RANGER GSG9 service boot was based on the experiences and mission requirements of the German SWAT unit.

In 1999 the company produced more than 100,000 pairs of boots for the first time. This had risen to over 700,000 by the end of 2012 and HAIX specialities now encompass many different emergency service uses, as well as Law Enforcement and Military.

When the guys at Patrol Store told me they were sending me “something very Gucci”, they weren’t kidding, even the box they come in leaves no doubt that this is a quality product, complete with its “Heroes Wear HAIX” trademark.

Those of you that read my recent review of the Dr Martens Shack boots (AA Issue 35 – May 2014) will know that, following a rather painful desert experience, I am quite particular about what I put on my feet and I have certain criteria that I will not compromise on.

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So, not knowing too much about the HAIX brand, it was with some curiosity that I delved through the cardboard and tissue paper to reveal a very nice-looking pair of “Boots Combat High Liability Male Brown”. My first thought was “Strewth (or something along those lines)! They’re massive!”

At 25cms (or 10” in English) from the sole to top of the leg they are certainly impressive and with a 3cm (just over an inch) high sole, when you’ve got them on you certainly notice the difference.

OK, here’s the science bit…

The uppers are leather and textile; hydrophobic (repels water), breathable and approximately 2.4 – 2.6mm thick, while the inner lining is GORE-TEX Performance, a four-layer laminate that is both breathable and waterproof. This is coupled with a highly abrasion-resistant lining with a fleece midlayer, optimised for all-season comfort and excessive use.

The plastic/non-woven insole provides dimensional stability and protection from punctual pressure (from stones and the like) while a removable, washable, anatomically formed foot bed offers excellent moisture absorption that dries very quickly.

gear review HAIX BOOTS

The rubber/PU sole features a “street/terrain” tread pattern which is both wearresistant and offers non-slip traction on a multitude of surfaces. The sole also features the HAIX MSL (Micro-Soft-Light) system, resulting in an extremely low weight, excellent cold/hot insulation and non-marking characteristics. A manually applied, extra high rubber sidewall ensures optimal side stability and added protection at the junction of sole and upper and is compliant with EN ISO 20347:2007.

At the top of the boot leg, the HAIX Climate System works as you move, using a “pumping” action; as moist air is released, fresh air is drawn in through vent holes at the top of the boot.

“Enough of the science!” I hear you say, “What are they like to wear?”

Well, let me start by saying that these are most certainly not boots you can just sling on your feet and head off on a 48 hour MilSim without doing a considerable amount of preparatory work first.

Firstly, they may be relatively light for their size but both the sole and leg are quite “firm”, so require a considerable amount of “breaking in”. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad thing but it is something you need to be aware of if you plan on buying a pair and intend to use them within a few days. Personally (and much to my wife’s amusement) I wore them at home for a couple of weeks and did quite a bit of bending/kneeling/crouching to get the leather flexing nicely, before I ventured out.

Strangely, the day I set foot outside in them also coincided with the first decent weather for a while, so it was on with the Trespass Coolmax liners and 1,000-mile socks and up into the Malvern Hills.

Before I go any further I want to say something about the lacing system – it is brilliantly simple!

It is a six-per-side eyelet system, which allows for really smooth lacing and features a captive eyelet at position four. “A captive eyelet? What’s that?”

How many times have you been lacing up your boots and you’ve got the bottom half just how you like and, as you move to grip the laces further up, they loosen back off again – annoying isn’t it? You end up employing all sorts of tricks to try and not let the laces slip back… stand on them with your other foot… ask your mate to hold them for you… grab them with your teeth… Well, maybe not but you know what I’m on about!

On these boots the fourth eyelet is really a ring that once you’ve tightened the lace, you simply push down over a metal centre thereby trapping the lace in position. You can then carry on doing the upper portion without worrying about the lace losing tension.

As this was the first test, I’d chosen a fairly straight-forward 6-8-miler which involved a small amount of road walking before climbing up into the hills along some (by the look of them) not often-used paths. Almost from the first step I was pretty impressed with the stability and apparent lightness. The soles have been especially shaped to provide a more natural step, by being slightly rounded at both the heel and toe and as I moved off the path and onto more muddy slopes, this natural curve ensured the maximum amount of tread was in contact with the ground at all times. Yes, it did feel a little strange at first as, despite the preparation I’d done, the soles were still quite firm however, after a few miles they soon started to feel much more comfortable and I found myself relaxing into them as my confidence that they wouldn’t slip grew.

These boots have obviously been designed to be tough and so I decided to check out the claims regarding the pressure protection provided by the insoles, so it was up and onto a particularly rough and jagged outcrop to see if I could feel anything through the soles. Fifteen minutes later the local ramblers must have thought a madman had invaded their genteel walk, as I was jumping up and down and stamping on just about every sharp edge and pointed rock I could find.

Happily though, I am delighted to report that despite my best efforts, I didn’t feel a thing and on more than one occasion the high-leg prevented my ankles from turning.

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gear review HAIX BOOTS

Next up, the slip test.

The boots have got a pretty awesome but quite “blocky”, 5mm deep tread pattern, somewhat reminiscent of off-road tyres, so I figured they should be pretty good – and I wasn’t disappointed.

First up (and I do mean “up”) was a wet, grassy slope which presented no problem whatsoever, at the top of which was a steeplyangled gravel scramble leading to bare rock. I’d used this slope to test the DMs so it was going to be interesting to see how the boots compared. To be completely honest I didn’t expect the HAIX to be as good, as the DMs were just supreme when it came to grip levels but I needn’t have worried, they took it (quite literally) in their stride. With a higher, less flexible leg, the climb wasn’t as comfortable as my ankle was well canted forwards but in terms of grip, I wouldn’t say they were any better or worse – which is intended as a compliment.

Coming back down the slope they didn’t feel quite as secure but I again put this down to the stiffness of the sole and higher leg and the boots not yet being completely broken in, which meant that as I leant backwards against the slope the toe tended to rise. I am pretty sure that when broken in completely this will not be an issue.

Finally, are they waterproof?

One word answer – yes! I didn’t have anyone with me to take photos as I waded through streams etc. but take it from me that my feet were as dry afterwards as they were before. ‘Nuf sed!

scree and rock slopes and more than happy with both the sole and ankle protection. They felt sure-footed at all times and (although time will tell) seem very well-constructed, so should give many years of good service. At £180 they are not the cheapest boot around but for the quality, I’d say that was a very fair price indeed.

HAIX have built their reputation on providing military, civilian and emergency services with top-quality products and if these are anything to go by, will be doing so for many years to come.

Summary As I mentioned, HAIX is not a manufacturer I’d heard much of and I’d certainly never tried their boots before, which is a bit of a surprise as they are really very good indeed.

They look big and bulky but in reality don’t feel anything like that at all, in fact just the opposite. They are comfortable to wear, offer excellent levels of grip and protection and have some really nice features, such as the captive eyelets.

I was particularly impressed with the way they handled wet grass,

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august 2014

ŽĨ Ă ƚŚŝƌĚ ǁŽƌůĚ ǁĂƌ͕ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ŝƚƐ ŐĞŽŐƌĂƉŚŝĐĂů ůŽĐĂƟ ŽŶ ďƵƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƚĞŶƐĞ ĚĞĐĂĚĞƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŽůĚ tĂƌ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂ ǁĂƐ ƐƵƌƉƌŝƐŝŶŐůLJ ĂĐƟ ǀĞ ŝŶ tĂƌƐĂǁ WĂĐƚ ŵĂĐŚŝŶĂƟ ŽŶƐ͘ ƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ϭϵϲϴ ͞WƌĂŐƵĞ ^ƉƌŝŶŐ͟ ŝŶ ǁŚŝĐŚ ^ŽǀŝĞƚ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ŽĐĐƵƉŝĞĚ njĞĐŚŽƐůŽǀĂŬŝĂ ƚŽ ƉƌĞǀĞŶƚ ƐŽĐŝĂů reforms, Bulgarian army units swept into the City alongside Russian troops and further ĂĮ ĞůĚ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚƐ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚ ĂĚǀŝĐĞ ĂŶĚ ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ ƚŽ ŵĂŶLJ DŝĚĚůĞ ĂƐƚĞƌŶ ĐůŝĞŶƚ ƐƚĂƚĞƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ^ŽǀŝĞƚ hŶŝŽŶ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ^LJƌŝĂ͕ /ƌĂƋ ĂŶĚ ŐLJƉƚ͘

Masters of Airborne Warfare dŚŝƐ ŵŽŶƚŚ ^ƚĂŶŝŵŝƌ ĂŶĚ / ǁŝůů ůŽŽŬ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ĂŝƌďŽƌŶĞ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ŽĨ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ϭϵϴϬƐ͘ hŶůŝŬĞ ŵĂŶLJ ŶĂƟ ŽŶƐ ŝŶ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ĂƌĞ ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞŝƌ Ăŝƌ ĨŽƌĐĞ Žƌ ĂƌŵLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ WĂƌĂ ŚĂĚ Ă ƵŶŝƋƵĞ ƐƚĂƚƵƐ ĂŶĚ ĂŶ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ ƉĞĚŝŐƌĞĞ͕ ďĞŝŶŐ ŝŶŝƟ ĂůůLJ ƚƌĂŝŶĞĚ ďLJ the masters of airborne warfare! ƵůŐĂƌŝĂ͛Ɛ Į ƌƐƚ ĂŝƌďŽƌŶĞ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ǁĞƌĞ ĨŽƌŵĞĚ ŝŶ ϭϵϰϯ ĂŶĚ ǁĞƌĞ ƚƌĂŝŶĞĚ ĂŶĚ ĂƐƐŝƐƚĞĚ ďLJ 'ĞƌŵĂŶ ŝŶƐƚƌƵĐƚŽƌƐ ƵƐŝŶŐ 'ĞƌŵĂŶ ĂŝƌĐƌĂŌ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ,ĞŝŶŬĞůů ϭϭϭ ďŽŵďĞƌ͖ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞLJ ǁĞƌĞ ƵŶĂďůĞ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ĂŶLJ ĐŽŵďĂƚ ũƵŵƉƐ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ tt// ƚŚĞLJ ĨŽƵŐŚƚ ďƌĂǀĞůLJ ĂƐ ŐƌŽƵŶĚ ƚƌŽŽƉƐ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĞĂƚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĞůŝƚĞ ĞƐƉƌŝƚ ĚĞ ĐŽƌƉ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉƐ ƚŚĂƚ ǁŽƵůĚ ĐŽŶƟ ŶƵĞ ŝŶƚŽ the Cold War years. tŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ĨŽƵŶĚĂƟ ŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ tĂƌƐĂǁ WĂĐƚ͕ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ŝŶ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂ ĐĂŵĞ ƵŶĚĞƌ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŵĂŶĚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ϲϴƚŚ ^ƉĞĐŝĂů &ŽƌĐĞƐ ƌŝŐĂĚĞ ; ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ͗ ϲϴͲ̌ ̛̬̍̐̌̔̌ ˁ̶̛̛̪̖̣̦̌ ˁ̛̛̣Ϳ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĂůƐŽ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐ Ă ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚ ŵŽƵŶƚĂŝŶ ǁĂƌĨĂƌĞ ƵŶŝƚ͘ dŚĞ ϲϴƚŚ ^ƉĞĐŝĂů &ŽƌĐĞƐ ďƌŝŐĂĚĞ ƚŽŽŬ ƉĂƌƚ ŝŶ Ăůů tĂƌƐĂǁ WĂĐƚ ĐŽŵďŝŶĞĚ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ĞdžĞƌĐŝƐĞƐ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ^ŽǀŝĞƚ ĞƌĂ ĂŶĚ ƐƟ ůů ĞdžŝƐƚƐ ƚŽĚĂLJ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƟ ŽŶĂů ƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞ ƚŚĂƚ ŚĂƐ ĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ ůŝƩ ůĞ ƐŝŶĐĞ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJƐ ŽĨ the Cold War. Ɛ ǁŝƚŚ Ăůů ŶĂƟ ŽŶ͛Ɛ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ͕ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ϲϴƚŚ ^& ƌŝŐĂĚĞ ǁĞƌĞ ƚƌĂŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ ďĞ ĞdžĞŵƉůĂƌLJ ƐŽůĚŝĞƌƐ ƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐ Ă ĐƵƚ ĂďŽǀĞ ƚŚĞ ƌĂŶŬ ĂŶĚ Į ůĞ͖ ƚƌĂŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ ďĞ ƐĞůĨͲƐƵĸ ĐŝĞŶƚ͕ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƵƐĞ ĞŶĞŵLJ ĞƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƐŬŝůůĞĚ ŝŶ ƌĞĐŽŶŶĂŝƐƐĂŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ͕ ŽĨ ĐŽƵƌƐĞ͕ ƚŚĞ ƐŬŝůůƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĂŝƌďŽƌŶĞ ĂƐƐĂƵůƚ͘ tŚŝůĞ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂ͛Ɛ ĐŽůĚ ǁĂƌ ůĂŶĚ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ǁĞƌĞ ůŝŬĞ ƚŚĞŝƌ ZƵƐƐŝĂŶ ĐŽƵŶƚĞƌƉĂƌƚƐ ;ŝ͘Ğ͘ ĐŽŶƐĐƌŝƉƚĞĚͿ͕ ůŝŬĞ ƚŚĞ s s ƚŚĞ ϲϴƚŚ ^& ƚŽŽŬ ŽŶůLJ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ LJŽƵŶŐ ŵĞŶ ĨƌŽŵ ĞĂĐŚ LJĞĂƌ͛Ɛ ŵŝůŝƚĂƌLJ ŝŶƚĂŬĞ͘ ĂĐŚ ŵĂŶ ǁĂƐ ƚƌĂŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ ďĞ ĂŶ ĞůŝƚĞ ƐŽůĚŝĞƌ ďƵƚ ŚĞ ĂůƐŽ ƉŽƐƐĞƐƐĞĚ Ă ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚ ƐŬŝůů ;ƐƵĐŚ Ă ƌĂĚŝŽ ŽƉĞƌĂƚŽƌ͕ ĚĞŵŽůŝƟ ŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ƐĂďŽƚĂŐĞ͕ ŵĞĚŝĐ ĞƚĐͿ ĂŶĚ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ŽĨ ĞĂĐŚ ƐƋƵĂĚ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŽ ƐŽŵĞ ĚĞŐƌĞĞ ͞ĐƌŽƐƐͲƚƌĂŝŶĞĚ͕͟ ƐŽ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ůŽƐƐ ŽĨ one man would not damage the mission’s chances of success. As with the Soviet system ŵĂŶLJ ŵĞŶ ǁŽƵůĚ ŐŽ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĂŝƌďŽƌŶĞ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ĂůƌĞĂĚLJ ƉƌĞͲƚƌĂŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ă ƐƚĂŶĚĂƌĚ ďLJ ƉƌĞͲ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ ͞ƐƉŽƌƚƐ ĂƐƐŽĐŝĂƟ ŽŶƐ͕͟ ǁŚŝĐŚ ǁŽƵůĚ ƚĞĂĐŚ ƐŬŝůůƐ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ŵĂƉ ƌĞĂĚŝŶŐ͕ Į ƌƐƚ ĂŝĚ ĂŶĚ ƉĂƌĂĐŚƵƟ ŶŐ͘ ONE OF THE LESSER KNOWN ARMIES of the Warsaw Pact’s powerful alliance was that of Bulgaria. While not on the East/West border, Bulgarian Airborne and Special Forces had vital roles to play in a war against NATO. This month’s Cold War Warrior feature is slightly unusual in that ŝƌƐŽŌ ĐƟ ŽŶ are fortunate to be in correspondence with a former member of Bulgarian Special Forces ĂŶĚ ƐŽ ŵƵĐŚ ŽĨ ƚŚŝƐ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞ ŝƐ ĨƌŽŵ ŚŝƐ ƉĞƌƐƉĞĐƟ ǀĞ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĂůůŽǁƐ ƵƐ to provide you with a “ground level” view of a Warsaw Pact elite unit. /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ǁĞƐƚ ǀĞƌLJ ůŝƩ ůĞ ŝƐ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂďŽƵƚ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂ͛Ɛ ŽůĚ tĂƌ ĞƌĂ ŵŝůŝƚĂƌLJ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ŝŶĚĞďƚĞĚ ƚŽ ^ƚĂŶŝŵŝƌ EŝŬŽůŽǀ ĨŽƌ his assistance; for as well as being a veteran of Bulgarian SF and Parachute Forces he is also the author of Patches of the Bulgarian Armed Forces 1975-2011͕ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĮ ŶŝƟ ǀĞ ŐƵŝĚĞ ƚŽ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ŵŝůŝƚĂƌLJ insignia and a specialist in Warsaw Pact militaria.

The People’s Republic of Bulgaria was formed by the soviets ĂŌ Ğƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ǀŝĐƚŽƌLJ ĂŶĚ ƐƵďƐĞƋƵĞŶƚ ĚŽŵŝŶĂƟ ŽŶ ŽĨ ĂƐƚĞƌŶ ƵƌŽƉĞ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ĞŶĚ ŽĨ tt//͘ &ƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ZĞƉƵďůŝĐ͛Ɛ ŝŶĐĞƉƟ ŽŶ ƵƉ ƵŶƟ ů ƚŚĞ ĚŝƐƐŽůƵƟ ŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ tĂƌƐĂǁ WĂĐƚ͕ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂ ǁĂƐ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ZƵƐƐŝĂŶ͛Ɛ most trustworthy allies and also one of the most popular countries ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĂƐƚĞƌŶ ůŽĐ ĨŽƌ ŚŽůŝĚĂLJƐ ĂŶĚ ĂĐƋƵŝƌŝŶŐ ͞ůƵdžƵƌLJ͟ ŝƚĞŵƐ͕ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ĐŝŐĂƌĞƩ ĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŚŽĐŽůĂƚĞ ʹ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐŽƵůĚ ŽŌ ĞŶ ďĞ ŝŶ ƐŚŽƌƚ ƐƵƉƉůLJ ŝŶ ŽƚŚĞƌ ŶĂƟ ŽŶƐ͘ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ĂƌŵĞĚ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽůĚ ǁĂƌ consisted of military assets of over 200,000 men under arms and ŽǀĞƌ Ϯ͕ϬϬϬ ƚĂŶŬƐ͘ tŚŝůĞ ƐŵĂůů ďLJ ͞ƐŽǀŝĞƚ͟ ƐƚĂŶĚĂƌĚƐ͕ ƚŚŝƐ ĨŽƌĐĞ ǁĂƐ ĞƋƵŝǀĂůĞŶƚ ŝŶ ƐŝnjĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƌŝƟ ƐŚ ƌŵLJ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ϭϵϴϬƐ ĂŶĚ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ŵƵĐŚ ůĂƌŐĞƌ ĂƌŵŽƵƌĞĚ ĐŽŵƉŽŶĞŶƚ͖ ǁŝƚŚ ŵŽďŝůŝƐĂƟ ŽŶ ŽĨ ŝƚƐ ƌĞƐĞƌǀĞƐ ƚŚĞ ĂƌŵĞĚ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ĐŽƵůĚ ƐǁĞůů ƚŚĞŝƌ ƌĂŶŬƐ ƚŽ ϲϬϬ͕ϬϬϬ ǁŝƚŚ ůŝƩ ůĞ ŵŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ Ă ŵŽŶƚŚ͛Ɛ ŶŽƟ ĐĞ͘ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂ͛Ɛ Ăŝƌ ĨŽƌĐĞ ǁĂƐ ŶŽ ůĞƐƐ ƉŽƚĞŶƚ ǁŝƚŚ ŽǀĞƌ ϱϬϬ ŵŽĚĞƌŶ ĐŽŵďĂƚ ĂŝƌĐƌĂŌ ŽŶ ŝƚƐ ŬƐ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ĞŶĚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĐŽůĚ ǁĂƌ͘ hŶůŝŬĞ ŵĂŶLJ ^ŽǀŝĞƚ ͞ƐĂƚĞůůŝƚĞ ƐƚĂƚĞƐ͕͟ ƚŚĞ ZƵƐƐŝĂŶƐ ŚĂĚ ĨĂŝƚŚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞŝƌ ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶ ĂůůŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĚŝĚ ŶŽƚ ƐƚĂƟ ŽŶ ZƵƐƐŝĂŶ ƚƌŽŽƉƐ in Bulgaria (compare this in contrast to the thousands of Russian ƚƌŽŽƉƐ ƐƚĂƟ ŽŶĞĚ ŝŶ ĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐ ůŝŬĞ ĂƐƚ 'ĞƌŵĂŶLJ͕ njĞĐŚŽƐůŽǀĂŬŝĂ ĂŶĚ Poland).

Strategically the Soviets intended to use this loyal and powerful ĂƌŵLJ ƚŽ ƚĂĐŬůĞ ĂŶLJ ŝƐƐƵĞƐ ǁŝƚŚ dƵƌŬĞLJ ĂŶĚ 'ƌĞĞĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĞǀĞŶƚ

::,, *HUPDQ ,QÁ XHQFH KƵƌ ^ƉĞĐŝĂů &ŽƌĐĞƐ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉĞƌ ŝƐ ĚĞƉŝĐƚĞĚ ŚĞƌĞ ǁĞĂƌŝŶŐ ďŽƚŚ ŚŝƐ ͞ũƵŵƉ ĞƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ͟ ĂŶĚ ĂůƐŽ ĞƋƵŝƉƉĞĚ ƚŽ Į ŐŚƚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŐƌŽƵŶĚ͘ KŶĐĞ ĂŐĂŝŶ ŝƌƐŽŌ ĐƟ ŽŶ ǁŽƵůĚ ůŝŬĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĂŶŬ ^ƚĂŶŝŵŝƌ ĨŽƌ ŵŽĚĞůůŝŶŐ ĞƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ĨƌŽŵ ŚŝƐ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů ĐŽůůĞĐƟ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĂůƐŽ ĨŽƌ ŚŝƐ ĞdžƉĞƌƚ ŐƵŝĚĂŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟ ŽŶ ŽŶ ƚŚŝƐ ĨĂƐĐŝŶĂƟ ŶŐ ƵŶŝĨŽƌŵ͘ ŽŵƉĂƌĂďůĞ ƚŽ ^ŽǀŝĞƚ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉĞƌƐ͕ ^ƚĂŶŝŵŝƌ ǁĞĂƌƐ Ă ƉĂĚĚĞĚ ĐůŽƚŚ ũƵŵƉ ŚĞůŵĞƚ ƚŽ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƚ Śŝŵ ŽŶ ůĂŶĚŝŶŐ͕ ĂůƚŚŽƵŐŚ ǁŚŝůĞ ŝŶ ĐŽŵďĂƚ Ă ŵŽƌĞ ƐƵďƐƚĂŶƟ Ăů ƐƚĞĞů ŚĞůŵĞƚ͕ Ă ǁĂƌŵ ǁŝŶƚĞƌ ĐĂƉ Žƌ Ă ĐĂŵŽƵŇ ĂŐĞĚ ĐŽŵďĂƚ ĐĂƉ ĐŽƵůĚ ďĞ ǁŽƌŶ ŝŶƐƚĞĂĚ͘ ^ŚŽǁŶ ŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ ŚŝƐ ŵĂŝŶ ƉĂƌĂĐŚƵƚĞ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƐĞƌǀĞ ĐŚƵƚĞ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ŬŶŝĨĞ ĂƩ ĂĐŚĞĚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƐĞƌǀĞ ŝŶ ŽƌĚĞƌ ƚŽ ĐƵƚ ĂǁĂLJ ĂŶLJ ĞŶƚĂŶŐůĞĚ ůŝŶĞƐ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ǁŝůů ĞdžƉůĂŝŶ ůĂƚĞƌ ŚŽǁ ƚŚĞ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂĐŚƵƚĞ harness and uniform are cleverly interlaced. ƌĂǁŝŶŐ ŝŶƐƉŝƌĂƟ ŽŶ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞͲ^ŽǀŝĞƚ ĞƌĂ 'ĞƌŵĂŶ ŝŶŇ ƵĞŶĐĞ͕ ǁĞ ĐĂŶ ƐĞĞ ŽƵƌ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉĞƌ͛Ɛ ƵŶŝĨŽƌŵ ŚĂƐ Ă ĐĂŵŽƵŇ ĂŐĞ ƉĂƩ ĞƌŶ ĐůĞĂƌůLJ ďĂƐĞĚ ŽŶ tt// 'ĞƌŵĂŶ ĂŝƌďŽƌŶĞ ͞ƐƉůŝŶƚĞƌ͟ ƐĐŚĞŵĞƐ͘ tŚŝůĞ ƵŶŝƋƵĞ ƚŽ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂ ;ƚŚĞ ƉĂƩ ĞƌŶ ǁĂƐ ǁŽƌŶ ďLJ ŵĂŶLJ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚ ƵŶŝƚƐ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ďŽƌĚĞƌ ŐƵĂƌĚƐ ĂŶĚ ƌĞĐĐĞ ĨŽƌŵĂƟ ŽŶƐͿ ƐŝŵŝůĂƌŝƟ ĞƐ ĐĂŶ ĐůĞĂƌůLJ ďĞ ƐĞĞŶ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ >ƵŌ ǁĂī Ğ͛Ɛ ͚^ƉůŝƩ ĞƌŵƵƐƚĞƌ ϰϭ͛ ƉĂƩ ĞƌŶ͘ dŚŝƐ ĞdžĐĞůůĞŶƚ ƉĂƩ ĞƌŶ ŵĂƌŬĞĚ ŽƵƚ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ŽƚŚĞƌ tĂƌƐĂǁ WĂĐƚ ƐƚĂƚĞƐ ǁŚŽ ŽŌ ĞŶ Į ĞůĚĞĚ ŶŽ ĐĂŵŽƵŇ ĂŐĞ͕ Žƌ ƐŝŵƉůĞ ͞ƌĂŝŶĚƌŽƉ͟ ƉĂƩ ĞƌŶƐ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶ ƚŽĚĂLJ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ůĂŶĚ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ƵƐĞ Ă ĐĂŵŽƵŇ ĂŐĞ ƉĂƩ ĞƌŶ ŽŶůLJ ƐůŝŐŚƚůLJ Ěŝī ĞƌĞŶƚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ŽŶĞ ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ϭϵϲϬƐ͘

WWW.AIRSOFT-ACTION.CO.UK

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THE AUTHOR STANIMIR NIKOLOV IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ELITE 68TH SPECIAL FORCES BRIGADE, A FORMER MEMBER OF BULGARIAN AIRBORNE FORCES AND A LEADING AUTHORITY ON BULGARIAN MILITARIA. HIS BOOK PATCHES OF BULGARIAN FORCES 1975-2011 IS AVAILABLE FROM GOOD BOOKSTORES AND ONLINE (ISBN: 9789543930616) dŚĞ ƵŶŝĨŽƌŵ ŝƚƐĞůĨ ŝƐ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ VDCH ; ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ͗ ͞ʦʪˋ͟Ϳ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ŽĨ Ă ĚŝƐƟ ŶĐƟ ǀĞ ĂŶĚ ŚŝŐŚůLJ ƉƌĂĐƟ ĐĂů ĚĞƐŝŐŶ͘ dŚŝƐ ƉĂƌƟ ĐƵůĂƌ ϮŶĚ ƉĂƩ ĞƌŶ ƵŶŝĨŽƌŵ ǁĂƐ ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ϭϵϳϬƐ ĂŶĚ ǁĂƐ ĞƐƉĞĐŝĂůůLJ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƚŽ withstand the hardships of service in an airborne unit. ŽŵƉƌŝƐŝŶŐ ŽĨ Ă ũƵŵƉ ŚĞůŵĞƚ͕ ũĂĐŬĞƚ ĂŶĚ ƚƌŽƵƐĞƌƐ ;ǁŝƚŚ Ă ŵƵůƟ ƚƵĚĞ ŽĨ ƉŽĐŬĞƚƐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚͿ ƚŚĞ s , ǁĂƐ ĞdžƚƌĞŵĞůLJ ƉŽƉƵůĂƌ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂƐ ĂŶĚ ^ƚĂŶŝŵŝƌ ŚŝŵƐĞůĨ ŚĂƐ ƐĂŝĚ ͞ ǀĞƌLJ Ɵ ŵĞ / ƉƵƚ ŽŶ ƚŚŝƐ ƵŶŝĨŽƌŵ͕ / ĨĞĞů ůŝŬĞ a super hero!” Ɛ ǁŝƚŚ ŵĂŶLJ ĂƐƚĞƌŶ ůŽĐ ĐŽŵďĂƚ ƵŶŝĨŽƌŵƐ ƚŚĞ s , ƐƵŝƚ͛Ɛ ũĂĐŬĞƚ ŚĂƐ Ă ƌĞŵŽǀĂďůĞ͕ ǁĂƌŵ͕ ǁŝŶƚĞƌ ůŝŶĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƉĂĚĚĞĚ ƐĞĐƟ ŽŶƐ ŽŶ ďŽƚŚ ƚŚĞ ƐŚŽƵůĚĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ĞůďŽǁƐ͘ tŚŝůĞ ĂŶ ĞůĂƐƟ ĐĂƚĞĚ ǁĂŝƐƚ ŚĞůƉƐ ƚŚĞ ũĂĐŬĞƚ Į ƚ ƐŶƵŐůLJ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĞĂƚĞƐ Ă ƐŵĂƌƚ ĂƉƉĞĂƌĂŶĐĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂĚĞ ŐƌŽƵŶĚ͘ Ɛ ĂĨŽƌĞŵĞŶƟ ŽŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƐƵŝƚ ŚĂƐ Ă ŚŽƐƚ ŽĨ ƉŽĐŬĞƚƐ ƚŽ ĐĂƌƌLJ ĞƐƐĞŶƟ Ăů ƐƵƌǀŝǀĂů ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵďĂƚ ĞƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ďƌĞĂƐƚ ƉŽĐŬĞƚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ůĞŌ ďĞŝŶŐ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ĐĂƌƌLJ ƚǁŽ < ŵĂŐĂnjŝŶĞƐ ǁŚŝůĞ͕ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŚĂŶĚ ƐŝĚĞ ŝƐ Ă ĐŽŶĐĞĂůĞĚ ŚŽůƐƚĞƌ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ DĂŬĂƌŽǀ ƉŝƐƚŽů ;Ă ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞ ĂůƐŽ ĨŽƵŶĚ ŽŶ ŵĂŶLJ ĂƐƚ 'ĞƌŵĂŶ ũĂĐŬĞƚƐͿ͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ůĞŌ ƐůĞĞǀĞ ŝƐ Ă ƐŵĂůů njŝƉͲƵƉ ƉŽĐŬĞƚ ĂŶĚ ďĞůŽǁ ŝƚ Ă ĐŽŵƉĂƐƐ ƉŽƵĐŚ Ͳ ĂůƚŚŽƵŐŚ ŵĂŶLJ ǀĞƚĞƌĂŶƐ ƵƐĞĚ ƚŚŝƐ ƉŽĐŬĞƚ ĂƐ Ă ŚĂŶĚLJ ƐƚŽƌĂŐĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĐŝŐĂƌĞƩ ĞƐ͊ dŽ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĂƌ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ũĂĐŬĞƚ ŝƐ Ă ůĂƌŐĞ ͞ƉŽĂĐŚĞƌ͛Ɛ ƉŽĐŬĞƚ͟ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽůůĂƌ ĐŽŶĐĞĂůƐ Ă ĨŽůĚĂǁĂLJ ŚŽŽĚ ŝŶ Ă ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ŵĂŶŶĞƌ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ h^ Dϲϱ ĐŽŵďĂƚ ũĂĐŬĞƚ͘ DŽƐƚ ƉŽĐŬĞƚƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ũĂĐŬĞƚ ĂƌĞ Į Ʃ ĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ďŽƚŚ ďƵƩ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ sĞůĐƌŽ ĐůŽƐƵƌĞƐ ĨŽƌ ĞdžƚƌĂ ƐĞĐƵƌŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ͕ ŶŽƚĂďůLJ͕ ƚŚĞLJ ĂƌĞ Ăůů ƉůĂĐĞĚ ƐŽ ĂƐ ŶŽƚ ƚŽ ŝŶƚĞƌĨĞƌĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ŽƉĞƌĂƟ ŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂĐŚƵƚĞ͘

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august 2014

dŚĞ s , ƐƵŝƚ͛Ɛ ƚƌŽƵƐĞƌƐ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ƌĞŵŽǀĂďůĞ ĐŽůĚ ǁĞĂƚŚĞƌ ůŝŶĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƉĂĚĚŝŶŐ ƵƉŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŬŶĞĞƐ ĂŶĚ Ă ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ƚǁŽ < ŵĂŐĂnjŝŶĞ ƉŽĐŬĞƚƐ ĂƌĞ ƐŝƚĞĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƌŝŐŚƚ ůĞŐ͕ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ůĞŌ ŝƐ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƚĂŬĞ ƐƉĂƌĞ ƉŝƐƚŽů ŵĂŐĂnjŝŶĞƐ͘ KŶĐĞ ĂŐĂŝŶ͕ ŝŶ Ă ŵŽǀĞ ďŽƌƌŽǁĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ h^ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉĞƌ ƵŶŝĨŽƌŵƐ͕ ƚĂƉĞƐ ĂƌĞ Į Ʃ ĞĚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ůĞŐƐ ƚŽ ĂůůŽǁ ƚŚĞ ƉŽĐŬĞƚƐ ƚŽ ďĞ ƐƚƌĂƉƉĞĚ ĐůŽƐĞůLJ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƚŚŝŐŚ ǁŚĞŶ ŚĞĂǀŝůLJ ůŽĂĚĞĚ Žƌ ǁŚŝůĞ ũƵŵƉŝŶŐ͘ hŶĚĞƌŶĞĂƚŚ ƚŚĞ s , ƐƵŝƚ ƚŚĞ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ƉĂƌĂ ǁŽƵůĚ ƉƌŽƵĚůLJ ǁĞĂƌ ŚŝƐ ĂŝƌďŽƌŶĞ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ striped blue and white vest, similar again to that worn by the Soviet s s͘ KĨ ƉĂƌƟ ĐƵůĂƌ ŶŽƚĞ ĂƌĞ ŽƵƌ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉĞƌ͛Ɛ ƚƐ͖ ǁŚŝůĞ ƐƵƉĞƌĮ ĐŝĂůůLJ ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ďůĂĐŬ ůĞĂƚŚĞƌ͕ ŚŝŐŚͲůĞŐ͕ ůĂĐĞͲƵƉ ũƵŵƉ ƚ ŽĨ ŵĂŶLJ ĂƌŵŝĞƐ͕ ĐůŽƐĞƌ ŝŶƐƉĞĐƟ ŽŶ ƐŚŽǁƐ ƚŚĞ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ƉĂƌà ƚ ƚŽ ŚĂǀĞ ŶŽ ƐĞƉĂƌĂƚĞ ŚĞĞů ĂŶĚ Ă Ň Ăƚ ƐŽůĞ͘ dŚŝƐ ƵŶƵƐƵĂů ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ŝƐ ƚŽ ĂůůŽǁ Ă ƐĂĨĞƌ ůĂŶĚŝŶŐ ďLJ parachute!

5HYROXWLRQDU\ 8QLIRUP 'HVLJQ ,ĞĂĚǁĞĂƌ ĐŽŵƉƌŝƐĞƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĂĨŽƌĞŵĞŶƟ ŽŶĞĚ ũƵŵƉ ŚĞůŵĞƚ Žƌ͕ ĨŽƌ ǁŽƌŬ Žƌ ĐŽŵďĂƚ Ă ĐĂŵŽƵŇ ĂŐĞĚ ĐĂƉ͘ tŚŝůĞ ŽŶ ƉĂƌĂĚĞ Ă ƐŵĂƌƚ ůŝŐŚƚ ďůƵĞ beret bearing the paratrooper’s arm of service badge could be seen.

This beret is again similar to that worn by Russian airborne forces but ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉĞƌ͛Ɛ ƚƌĂĚĞŵĂƌŬ ďĂĚŐĞ ŽĨ ĂŶ ĞĂŐůĞ͕ Ň LJŝŶŐ ƚŽǁĂƌĚƐ ƚŚĞ ǁĞƐƚ͕ ƵƉŽŶ Ă ƉĂƌĂĐŚƵƚĞ ďĂĐŬŐƌŽƵŶĚ͘ dŚŝƐ ĚĞǀŝĐĞ ŝƐ ƐĞĞŶ ŽŶ ŵĂŶLJ other Bulgarian airborne items either as an actual badge or stamped on ŝŶ ŝŶŬ͘ tŚŝůĞ ŵĂŶLJ tĂƌƐĂǁ WĂĐƚ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ƌĞůŝĞĚ ŽŶ ĂŶĐŝĞŶƚ ͞LJͲƐƚƌĂƉ͟ ǁĞďďŝŶŐ arrangements, or were even dabbling with assault rigs and chest ŚĂƌŶĞƐƐĞƐ͕ ƚŚŝƐ ƌĞǀŽůƵƟ ŽŶĂƌLJ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ƵŶŝĨŽƌŵ ĚŝƐƉĞŶƐĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶLJ ƵŶŶĞĐĞƐƐĂƌLJ ĞdžĐĞƐƐ ǁĞďďŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĂůůŽǁĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉĞƌ ƚŽ ĚƌŽƉ ŝŶƚŽ combat carrying everything he would need for his immediate mission! &Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ƉƌŽůŽŶŐĞĚ ĐŽŵďĂƚ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌĂ͛Ɛ ĂĚĚŝƟ ŽŶĂů Ŭŝƚ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ƌĂƟ ŽŶƐ͕ ŵĞĚŝĐĂů ƐƵƉƉůŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĞdžƚƌĂ ĂŵŵƵŶŝƟ ŽŶ ŽĨ ƵƉ ƚŽ ϯϬŬŐ ĐŽƵůĚ ďĞ ƉůĂĐĞĚ ŝŶ Ă ƌƵĐŬƐĂĐŬ Žƌ Ă ƉĂƌĂĐŚƵƚĞ ĐŽŶƚĂŝŶĞƌ͕ ůŝŬĞǁŝƐĞ ƚŚĞ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ WĂƌĂƚƌŽŽƉĞƌ ĚƌŽƉƉĞĚ ŝŶƚŽ ĂĐƟ ŽŶ ĐĂƌƌLJŝŶŐ ŚŝƐ <ϰϳ ƌŝŇ Ğ ƐƚƌĂƉƉĞĚ ƚŽ ŚŝƐ ƉĂƌĂĐŚƵƚĞ ŚĂƌŶĞƐƐ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ďĂƌƌĞů ƐĂĨĞůLJ ƉŽŝŶƟ ŶŐ ĚŽǁŶǁĂƌĚƐ͘

tŚŝůĞ ŵŽƐƚ ŵĞŶ ǁŽƵůĚ ƵƐĞ ƚŚĞ ǀĞŶĞƌĂďůĞ <ϰϳ͛Ɛ ĨŽůĚŝŶŐ ƐƚŽĐŬ͕ ĂƐƐĂƵůƚ ƌŝŇ Ğ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚƐ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉůĂƚŽŽŶ ǁŽƵůĚ ĐĂƌƌLJ ^s ƐŶŝƉĞƌ ƌŝŇ ĞƐ͕ ZW< ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƌŝŇ ĞƐ ĂŶĚ WD ŵĂĐŚŝŶĞ ŐƵŶƐ͘ ŶƟ ͲƚĂŶŬ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚƐ ĐĂƌƌLJŝŶŐ ZW'Ͳϳ ƌŽĐŬĞƚ ůĂƵŶĐŚĞƌƐ ǁŽƵůĚ ĞŶĂďůĞ ƚŚĞ ďƌŝŐĂĚĞ ƚŽ ďůŽŽĚLJ ƚŚĞ ŶŽƐĞ ŽĨ E dK ĂƌŵŽƵƌĞĚ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ƵŶƟ ů ƌĞͲĞŶĨŽƌĐĞĚ ďLJ ƚĂŶŬ ƵŶŝƚƐ͘ dŚĞ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ϲϴƚŚ ^ƉĞĐŝĂů &ŽƌĐĞƐ ƌŝŐĂĚĞ ĐŽƵůĚ͕ ŝŶ ƐŽŵĞ ǁĂLJƐ͕ ďĞ ĐŽŵƉĂƌĞĚ ƚŽ ZƵƐƐŝĂŶ ͞^ƉĞƚƐŶĂnj͟ ĚŝǀĞƌƐŝŽŶĂƌLJ ďƌŝŐĂĚĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĂƌŐƵĂďůLJ were as well trained. When you combine this impressive elite heritage, ŝƚ͛Ɛ ƉƌĂĐƟ ĐĂů ĂŶĚ ƐƚLJůŝƐŚ ƵŶŝĨŽƌŵ ĂŶĚ ŝƚ͛Ɛ ƌĞůĂƟ ǀĞůLJ ǁĞůůͲŬĞƉƚ ͞ƐĞĐƌĞƚƐ͕͟ ŝƚ ĐĞƌƚĂŝŶůLJ ŵĂŬĞƐ ĨŽƌ Ă ƚĂŶƚĂůŝƐŝŶŐ ĂŝƌƐŽŌ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝŽŶ ƚŽ ƚĂŬĞ ƵƉ͘ >ƵĐŬŝůLJ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƐŬŝƌŵŝƐŚĞƌ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚ ŝŶ ƉŽƌƚƌĂLJŝŶŐ ƚŚŝƐ ƵŶŝƚ͕ ƵůŐĂƌŝĂŶ ŵŝůŝƚĂƌŝĂ ŝƐ ďŽƚŚ ĞĂƐLJ ƚŽ ƐŽƵƌĐĞ ĂŶĚ ƌĞůĂƟ ǀĞůLJ ĐŚĞĂƉ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽŵƉĂŶŝĞƐ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ͞ ƵůƉĂƚĐŚ͟ ŽŶ Ğ ĂLJ ƐƵƉƉůLJŝŶŐ Ăůů LJŽƵ ŵŝŐŚƚ ŶĞĞĚ ĨŽƌ Ă ĨƌĂĐƟ ŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ price of a NATO Special Forces uniform. ^Ž͕ ŝĨ LJŽƵ͛ƌĞ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚ ŝŶ ĚŽŝŶŐ ƐŽŵĞƚŚŝŶŐ Ă ůŝƩ ůĞ Ěŝī ĞƌĞŶƚ ƚŚŝƐ ŵŝŐŚƚ be for you.

GOING GREEN LES LEE EMERGES FROM THE BUNKER TO VISIT UCAP’S OUTDOOR CQB SITE: GREENOPS IT WAS THE HOTTEST DAY OF THE YEAR so far, so what better way to spend it than kitting up in heavy combat gear and running around in a slightly sub nuclear heated forest and shrub land, doing what we love doing best while most sane people are chilling on the beach or in the garden with an ice cold beverage and putting their feet up!

And what better place to do this than with UCAP, one of the South’s most highly respected organisations in our world of Airsoft at their very well-established woodland site known as “GreenOps”, at Liphook in Hampshire.

GreenOps was founded along with the other UCAP sites, “The Bunker” and “The Sandpit” in 2007 by Andy Stevens who clearly knows his stuff. If you have had the pleasure of playing at any one or more of his trio of sites

then you will already know what I mean but if you haven’t, then I cannot recommend strongly enough that you make the journey and you will see exactly what I am mumbling on about. The professionalism and organisation is amongst the finest you will find in the South in so many ways. No corners are cut, no stone unturned when it comes to providing an exhilarating experience in a safe and superbly created battle environment which will leave you wanting for nothing.

So what will we find at GreenOps? Well, after driving along a well signposted private track adjacent to a deep and dark forest, you will turn into a more than adequate car parking area immediately outside the covered safe zone which, of course, incorporates the sign-in desk, snack shop, a selection of basic Airsoft supplies, power for charging and the all important facility called a latrine. It was pointed out to me that future plans include extending the safe zone, which will almost double it in size although its present capacity is more than adequate for the

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site Review UCAP GREENOPS

“The day ran like clockwork and was played with passion, dynamics and enthusiasm even in the extreme heat.

Everything just simply worked - and worked to perfection.”

numbers currently catered for, typically around 30 players per game day.

As is usual with the guys at UCAP, Head Marshals Adam Potter and Simon Dunn made me very welcome (as they do with everyone on site) and as this was my first visit, I was taken under their wings until I became orientated with the 12 acre layout and was then let off my leash to explore and capture the action with my trusty DSLR in the game zones.

I can honestly say that I have never seen (what is clearly) CQB in a woodland site played with such passion and zest - and with some pretty spectacular areas of interest. We have a tank, a plane, a cockpit, a jeep, many, many bunkers, structures, bridges and other features that are so well placed and developed, they create the perfect battle ground. The whole area has both open and covered areas and a roadway which loops around, which is one of the primary ‘kill zones’ in some of the objective specific challenges.

The day starts with a quality briefing and an outline of what is provided and expected of the ‘softers. Thereafter they are split into respective teams and taken to their regen point, which is static throughout the day and which is very well suited to the layout of the site. As I mentioned earlier, there is a typical player base of around thirty regular (if there is such a thing) Airsoft mercenaries, which actually is an ideal number for the overall size and objectives. The day ran like clockwork and was played with passion, dynamics and enthusiasm even in the extreme heat.

Everything just simply worked - and worked to perfection. It was interesting to see an exceptional amount of smokes, bangs and effects put to good use, more than any site I had seen before and clearly this is typical tactics at GreenOps as rarely did I see a pyro land in an ineffective place and not taken full advantage of. A very nice touch indeed.

Lunch is not provided as it has been found that the greater majority of players have opted for a cheaper walk-on fee of £20 (£40 for rentals using AK47 Spetsnaz) which, in turn, gives them more time out in the field. Makes perfect sense to me so I suggest that you pack a picnic and plenty of fluids otherwise your energy is going to fade rather quickly, but should you forget, snacks are available at the desk.

The afternoon commences with another short briefing introducing the next game objective and strategy is soon underway. Games are generally brief-ish which allows players to return to the safe zone and top up their ammo for their midcaps

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(yes, seemingly and sensibly preferred here) glug down some fluid, gas up their GBB’s and clean their lenses ready for the next game.

Of course, all Marshall’s are First Aid trained should you get a splinter or if your feelings get hurt during the course of the day, or on the odd occasion, a bad case of PTSD arises in which case Adam will be first there to give you a big hug and offer comfort should you need it. I must say that I didn’t see or hear a single grumble or groan about sportsmanship as everyone played with honour, which is always wonderful to see, and let’s face it, without honour where would we be?

Actually, I know where we would be… Play with honour or play paintball, it really is that simple! If you won’t man up and take your hits then this really isn’t the sport/ hobby/pastime for you.

It was inspiring to see the tank, aircraft, etc. being used extensively as this created more effective realism and simply enhanced the shoot-outs. It’s rather satisfying to hear the pinging of BBs ricocheting off of the steel as it is fine detail such as this which creates more atmosphere and realism - which is why we are there in the first place isn’t it? To emulate our heroes whether on true hostile territory or a movie set for Strike Back.

GreenOps operates fortnightly for regular walk-ons, or can be hired for corporate events such as Wedding related functions - just how much would you like to shoot your future Mother in Law in the butt! In my opinion it has to be one of the most optimum-sized Airsoft sites for corporate days, as everything happens within fairly close proximity with some of the gaming area actually being viewable from the safe zone (just in case Mum in Law doesn’t want to play anymore) and everyone over 14 years of age (a parent or an appropriate adult needs to be playing also for this age) is welcome.

INFORMATION CONTACT ANDY STEVENS ANDY CRACKINGDAY 07590 818881 IRON HILL MIDHURST ROAD LIPHOOK GU30 7LP

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INFO@UCAP.CO.UK

site Review UCAP GREENOPS

It’s worth noting that two-tones, clear IF’s or box mags. are not permitted at any UCAP site and all guns are chronographed with a 350 fps max on a .20g bb, bolt action sniper at 500 fps and locked semi DMR max fps of 420 fps. Check website for UCAP Site Rules, especially eye/face protection and footwear.

I actually managed to have a couple of hours playing at GreenOps so that I could get a better perspective i.e. a players point of view (which helps when reviewing a site) and it definitely lived up to its reputation as being one of the best woodland sites around the South, but what really stirred my adrenaline was the true meaning of the acronym UCAP as this was most definitely “Up Close And Personal” - which is quite unique in a woodland setting. For my sins, I was also product testing the M.F.G. Venom which I will be writing a full review on later but as a teaser, I will tell you that it is very suited to Airsofting the UCAP way.

So there we have it, an objective overview of UCAP GreenOps and what is on offer. Am I going back? Well of course - but next time will be a “me” day and the only shooting that I will be doing will be with my trusty RIF and not through the lens of my camera.

I would like to thank Adam and Simon and the rest of the guys for making me very welcome and also thanks go out to Andy Stevens who, once again, has not failed to impress me with UCAP GreenOps and the sheer professionalism which runs in perfect sync with all UCAP sites. www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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debate AIRSOFT ACTION DEBATE | HIT-TAKING

TAKING A HIT IN THIS ISSUE’S DEBATE, GADGE HARVEY ASKS “HITS… KILLS… SHOT-OUTS… HOW DO YOU TAKE YOURS?” THIS MONTH WE DECIDED TO TACKLE one of airsoft’s core rules in our debate – Hit-taking. No not the honestly/sportsmanship aspect of being pinged by a plastic pellet and putting your arm up as “hit”, more the nature of taking that game-ending impact.

There are hundreds of airsoft sites across the UK (and for that matter thousands across the world when we consider our International readers out there) and each one has its own way of doing things, their own take on the rules of the game and their own loyal player base.

This month we asked our readers what they preferred to consider a “hit” and this isn’t quite as obvious as it sounds. At Airsoft Action we’ve reviewed and played at sites where anything you’re carrying and wearing is a hit… even if it is a BB clipping the side pocket of the huge bergan you’re wearing to hump about all that kit needed for a 48 hour MilSim endurance fest! On the flip-side of the coin many more “Open Day” events state that hits to the gun don’t count and few even go as far to decree that headshots also don’t count, usually as an extended “safety measure” but with many it’s a nod back to a traditional paintball rule designed to discourage head and throat shots.

So where does this leave us with “realism” - perhaps one of the main draws (if not THE main draw) for many to airsoft? “Headshots not counting” is clearly unrealistic but at the same time, a round clipping your boot heel or rollmat would be unlikely to take you out of a fight - but does take you out of the game.

In a game based on honesty, often with complex rules in the case of MilSim, extending the complexity to cover different reactions and game effects for different location hits was a little too much for some of our readers, while some wanted “MilSim all the way”. Many of you agreed however that there can be too much “realism” and while a real 7.62 round will happily penetrate a brick wall and injure a man on the other side, few of you were happy about taking a “hit” that your cover would not realistically stop and while the author regularly plays at a site at which a BB ricochet hitting you is counted as a “kill” – for the most part you felt this was perhaps “overkill”.

“Do gun hits count?” was perhaps the most controversial issue, with many of you feeling that having to switch to a side arm but still being in the game was a fair compromise. Other players felt that gun hits should not count as new players do not always have access to a pistol, putting them at a disadvantage.

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The nightmare scenario however seems to be a site where neither head shots nor gun hits count, allowing the unscrupulous opponent who doesn’t mind being dinged on the head a bit to entrench himself in a bunker with only his head visible and using his weapon as a shield!

In the same vein we also asked for your views on how it is best to return to the game after being shot; whether you preferred “hit and out” or a complex (or not so complex) medic/bandage system and the results were equally as divided.

We’ve covered many subjects in our debate pages over the last year but this one really stirred up some strong opinion.

So without further ado, let’s see what you had to say!

Jez Armstrong: “If I shoot you anywhere on your body, you are hit… End of!”

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Scott Allan: “I’ve had guys shout “gun hit” when shot in the back.

Lack of moral fibre will always be an issue.”

Muzz Frank Murray: “Gun hits are a weird one coz in real life you would be out of the game. But you could argue that hitting the side of a day sack wouldn’t take you out! Personally, I will take a hit, even if it’s a dodgy call, just to keep the spirit of the game and site going!

Nobody likes bitching, but nobody likes non hit takers.”

Art Steventon: “If you’re hit, you’re hit, whether it’s on the head, the chest or the dick. Hell, today, during the rain we had, I took “hits” that it turns out could’ve been bloody rain drops hitting me!”

Chris Martin: “In real steel if your gun is hit, depending where it is, it will go through into you, or blow the rounds on the magazine to pieces, along with your hands and face probably. Or if it hits a grenade in your webbing then you are pretty buggered. But the whole, not taking head shots is paintball through and through. Sorry but we pride ourselves as airsofters in being more tactical and realistic than the paint-sprayers. If you’re hit in the head. Your dead and out.”

Dave Renniks: “If it’s tight to the body - helmet, camera, rig, pack, holstered gun, body part, etc. - it’s a hit.”

Jon Stockman: “A hit’s a hit regardless where it hits, ricochets don’t count and if your gun gets hit you transition to secondary or sidearm... if you don’t have either it’s a case of “he’s dead Jim”!”

Daniel Shears: “My local site generally runs a dedicated medic rule, when hit a medic grabs you for 5 seconds and you are back in, or you wait 2 minutes, bleed out and fall back out of the action to respawn.”

Matt Burns: “If you ask yourself, why do I play airsoft and not paintball? Realism, I think only body shots should count, no gun hit kills.”

Ian Curly Porter: “Medic rules for me. I don’t like playing skirmish rules as it usually means endless lives if you’re attacking, taking some enjoyment for me out of the game. Hits count anywhere including the gun. I like the sound of switching to secondary though if you take a gun hit.”

Sean Waller: “I like to play gun hits mean swapping to a secondary, if you don’t have a secondary then take a hit and out. Ricochet hits, if in doubt just take it as a hit.”

debate AIRSOFT ACTION DEBATE | HIT-TAKING

James W: “A hit is a hit and if you can’t take being hit by a 6mm bb in the spirit of the game, then this is not the game for you.”

Carl Curtis: “Any part of yourself that if you were to be shot with a real bullet it would either kill or seriously wound you should be a hit.

Dump pouches or any kit that you’re wearing away from your body and gun hits should not count as “kills”.”

Tim Cleverly: “Gun hits don’t generally count, everything else does. Yes, even the brim of my hat! Played with medic rules a few weekends ago and it was an absolute BLAST. Some of the situations we got ourselves in to (and out of) were hilarious. Jumping though bushes to revive team mates etc. Long live Medic rules!”

Justin Reffin: “Got rid of gun hits not counting, when players (that’s right more than one!!!) were moving backwards and using a gun as a shield!! It was embarrassing!!! Head shots also count, could you imagine how sh*t it would be with players wearing full face just looking round corners and not being hit!!”

Steve Harder: “During one of my first ever games of airsoft, I wasn’t sure what constituted a gun hit but made my own call. I was back to a tree and fully covered but took a hit to the barrel that was sticking out. Wasn’t sure what to do but figured the gun would’ve been wrecked in real life so slung it and went with the 1911 until I was hit.”

Craig Smith: “I prefer realism over all. Limbs you medic, centre mass out. Weapons in use or slung become u/s (not allowed to use).

Head shots, although not very nice, if that’s all you can see go for it straight out for the heed!”

James Watt: “Head shots aren’t nice, but if I stick ONLY my head round a corner, then I fully expect to get hit in the head/face. I accept that and so should everybody else, I don’t see what people cry about.

I have taken a hit which turned out to be a pop stud on my Osprey hitting the vest - lmao, nobody was on the same floor as me!”

Phil HK Bucknall: “For me I think rules should be as simple as possible otherwise it starts to detract from the game. A hit is a hit - including the head. Having to work out in game if the pouch that just got pinged would’ve resulted in dying in real life just overly complicates matters.”

Spencer Wood: “A hit is a hit!! If you want to carry it and it gets hit you are hit easy as that! Gun hits are gun down, go to secondary!! No head shots is a joke!!!!!! MilSim all the way!!!”

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SPYPOINT XCEL HD: SHOW YOUR SKILLS IOAN “IGGY” ROBERTS PUTS SPYPOINT’S HD ACTION CAMERA TO THE TEST THESE DAYS THERE ARE A FEW “action camera” options for airsofters to capture their own skills and the skills of their team.

The most popular choice is the tried and tested Go Pro but now SpyPoint have come up with the XCEL HD. However, in truth this is an action camera designed for hunters, so how does it fair with airsofters?

When distributor Thomas Jacks mentioned the camera to me, I was keen to find out if it would bring anything else to the party for an airsofter, over and above the other action cameras on the market. They had kindly offered to provide one for an Airsoft Action competition, so before Nige got his hands on it, I borrowed it to do this review.

First off the XCEL HD comes with various mounts designed to meet the needs of hunters and these also suit airsofters very well. It comes with both a scope/barrel mount and a head/helmet mount, both are straight away of interest in our sport. There is another option of a bow mount but let’s not get too creative, this is airsoft... It also comes with a nice carry case that’s able to hold the camera and all its accessories and is great to hold everything together when lugging kit to and from your local airsoft site.

The other accessory that will be of great interest to airsofters is the camouflaged waterproof casing that is also supplied with the camera. This is a welcome adaption because it means that the camera is no longer an obvious point that may give your position away. The camera itself is small too, meaning it isn’t a bulbous addition sticking out of your weapon system, or hanging off your helmet.

A really nice accessory is the remote control which allows you to start the camera from a distance of up to 40 meters away. I really like this as it can be attached to your weapon, or worn on the wrist, so no more fumbling about trying to find that elusive little button buried on the back of the camera as you charge forwards. I think this feature could also be useful if you were wanting to make a team video and planted the camera in a preanticipated position, giving you some dynamic angles.

The camera offers HD video, time-lapse and stills photographs.

The video option records at 30 frames per second in HD 1080p and while this is not the latest 4K, for most of us 1080p is more than adequate. The time-lapse feature of the XCEL HD offers 0.5,

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2, 5, 10, 30 and 60 second intervals, making for some interesting shots to add to your videos.

Lastly the stills camera option captures 5 mega pixel images and offers single shot to 6 multishot capture modes.

Whilst using the camera the footage I captured was nice and crisp and I found no issues working with the footage in Adobe Premier or Avid editing programs. I was using a 32GB micro SD card (which is not included when you purchase the XCEL HD) and had no problem of card space being used up too quickly. The XCEL HD films using a wide angle giving a great point of view, ensuring you capture all you wanted to see. I was able to see the muzzle of my weapon along with the enemy players I set my sights on.

The stills photography option is the only downfall of the camera. Whereas 5 mega pixels is adequate for most images, there are other products available that offer a higher pixel rate, however they are usually bigger cameras and do not mount straight onto your weapon system.

Overall the XCEL HD is a refreshing alternative to the usual action camera options available to us. The fact I can mount it straight onto my weapon or helmet out of the box is a bonus. The casing for it is versatile and withstood a day’s airsofting no problem. I found the battery life adequate an it is also very easy to use (even before reading the manual).

The XCEL HD was designed for hunters but I think airsofters-cum-directors-cum-videographers will find it a hit too at around £200.

Lights… Camera... and Action!! Looking forward to seeing your web edits.

INFORMATION THOMAS JACKS DISTRIBUTES THE SPYPOINT XCEL HD CAMERA AND MANY OTHER PRODUCTS THROUGHOUT THE UK. CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE WWW.THOMASJACKS.CO.UK OR CONTACT THEM VIA E-MAIL: INFO@THOMASJACKS.CO.UK TO FIND OUT WHICH RETAILERS STOCK THEIR OTHER PRODUCTS IN YOUR AREA. FOR DETAILS OF HOW YOU CAN WIN THE SPYPOINT XCEL HD CAMERA IGGY USED IN HIS REVIEW, TURN TO PAGE 66.

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PRO-TACT’S ANDY NIGHTINGALE CONTINUES HIS SERIES ON AIRSOFT SHOOTING SKILLS FROM BEHIND A BARRICADE IN JULY’S ISSUE WE LOOKED at understanding the difference between cover and concealment. In this month’s article we are going to take a look at shooting from behind a barricade.

A barricade can be almost anything that affords cover or concealment. Most people may think that a barricade is a physical barrier that blocks movement, such as a road block, it’s not. Barricades, in the terms of combative and defensive shooting, could be a car, a wall, a curb or even a hedge row. How we approach and use our chosen barricade is very important and there are quite a few do’s and don’ts that will dictate whether we win or lose the gun fight. However don’t rely on your barricade to save your life, you use it simply as a tool to help get the job done.

I once heard a story of a cop in a shootout with a bad guy in a back garden.

The cop had to move to alterative cover and ran behind a sheet that was hung up on a washing line. The bad guy stopped shooting at the cop as he moved from one position to the other. Eventually when the bad guy was arrested he was asked why he stopped shooting. He said that he stopped shooting because he could not see the cop. Don’t get into thinking that just because you can’t be seen that you can’t be shot. You can!

One consideration is shadows. If you are in a situation that you feel you need cover, you are in effect hiding from your enemies. In most cases they will know that you are there but there may be times when you use it for a surprise attack, such as an ambush. If the latter is the case, then one must be aware of the shadows that you may cast. It’s no good concealing yourself if your shadow is in full view of your enemy. Barricades should be chosen wisely. If at all, barricades should afford cover over concealment but it is not essential. You should also be able to retreat from the barricade should you need to with ease. Have a secondary escape route if possible.

The skills and drills that I want to share with you are for a right-handed shooter and left-handed shooters should reverse the actions.

The first thing we do when using barricades is to approach it correctly. Most shooters will tend to crowd the barricade by getting as close to the barricade as possible (this is a natural instinct that we all have from birth). In times of trauma we tend to want to be hugged, just like when we were children wanting a hug from 54

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our mother when we felt threatened (it’s not soft, even Superman was hugged by his parents). This hugging of the barricade is a big no, no!

Once at the barricade move back at least 6 feet. In this position you will be able to manoeuvre with ease and will also help with such tasks as reloading the weapon, adjusting your shooting position and dealing with malfunctions. It will also address the problem of being closed in and give you a wider visual awareness as you still have to visually check 360 degrees in a combat situation.

If you are using the corner of a building to shoot around, for example, then shooting from 6 feet away or more from the barricade will mean that (in most circumstances) a ricochet off the wall will miss you, as these rounds tend to glance off a solid object at around 12 degrees. It is also important that the gun does not protrude over or past the barricade. This is to stop the weapon from being knocked out of or taken from your grip by a third party you can not see. This is especially true for long guns and even more so in CQB situations.

Once in position you must “lead with the gun”. This means that under no circumstance must any part of your body be exposed past the barricade its self, apart from your hands and head. A big problem here is a reluctance to roll the shoulders and lean out past the barricade, slightly putting you off balance. Most shooters will adopt a correct shooting stance, Weaver or Chapman and you will notice that in a correct stance, you will be leading with the foot and leg. These correct stances are OK for the range or for competition but in combat and defence you will most probably not have that luxury. Roll the gun over and out onto its side and once you start to lean out, do so slowly keeping your eye on the sights and distance. At this point you should be anticipating a target. As soon as you see the bad guy, roll out and take the shots. From here we don’t want to give up the ground that we have just gained. Keep moving out until you are happy it is safe to continue to another location. If however the fight continues or the bad guy sees

you and you dive back into cover, DON’T return and expose yourself in the same position. Relocate. This could mean lowering your profile by kneeling or even shooting from another side of the barricade if at all possible.

Another consideration to take into account is the relationship between the bore of the weapon and the barricade itself. As the sights on the gun are higher than the muzzle it is all too easy to clear the barricade with the sights and not the muzzle. This is particularly true with long guns that are fitted with optics. To avoid this problem and to save you getting a face full of splash, over-compensate but be careful not to lose your balance or step out too far.

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If you need to take the kneeling approach to barricade shooting then the principles are the same. Keep back from the barricade to aid movement and visual awareness. Do not expose any more of your body than you have to and change shooting positions as much as possible.

Try not to shoot from the same position more than once if possible.

In the kneeling position you will normally go down on the same knee all the time. When shooting from barricades you may have to shoot from the opposite knee. A right-handed shooter shooting around a right-handed corner will go down on the right knee. No problems here as this will feel natural but if the shooting has to be done from around a left-handed corner, things will need to change. In this position the left knee will be come exposed as you start to lean out. To combat this problem you will have to change position and bring your left knee down onto the ground or adopt a 2-knee kneeling position. In a kneeling position using low barricades such as a car it is tempting to shoot over the bonnet “Hollywood” style. This is a bad idea for the fact that you will be exposing too much of the head, even before you can obtain the sights and correct sight alignment. If at all possible shoot from around a barricade rather than over it.

Shooting from the prone position from barricades may be your only option. This is the leased-preferred position as it incurs loss of mobility should you need to make a hasty retreat and also you need more space to manoeuvre. A big problem with prone barricade shooting is that if the barricade has a small footprint then it is all too easy to expose yourself without even knowing it. As you start to roll out on one side your legs and feet may be exposed on the other side.

Approaching the barricade and getting into the prone position is a little different this time. Approach the barricade from the centre if it is a lone object. This will ensure that if the bad guy has seen you go to ground they are less likely to know which side of the barricade you will be exposing yourself from. Again, keep off and away from the cover around 6 feet and roll onto your side. Shuffle into position, again leading with the gun. This is a hard and sometime dirty position to be in. If you have webbing or a combat vest system on, be aware that attached pouches and kit may get in the way and they will also be very uncomfortable.

As with all shooting positions and situations you may find yourself in, make sure that you think about your own safety and the safety of others around you. Keep an eye on the direction of your muzzle at

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all times. Moving around in close positions whilst under duress, most people tend to forget about muzzle control. I have seen this so many times, not only in airsoft but also for real.

Another big problem with small barricade positions is having too many persons behind it and with long guns this becomes a real nightmare. The ability to move becomes very restrictive and dangerous.

It may be wise to de-sling your long gun and lay it down on the ground in this situation, revert to your secondary weapon (hand gun) and take the fight on from there.

Shooting from behind a barricade may save your life if done correctly but get it wrong and you may not have a second chance to get it right.

Try it next time you visit your favourite site. It will work in woodland but you will probably find that you will use it more in Urban/CQB situations.

Take your time practicing and experiment with different angles. Work with a partner when practicing and use constructive criticism to aid you in your skills.

Take care and have fun with this one.

Stay safe and happy shooting.

BERT KEMP S IN THE FIRST PART OF A TWO-PART ARTICLE, SNIPER ONE, DAN MILLS, INTRODUCES US TO ONE OF THE USA’S MOST PROLIFIC SNIPERS

BERT WILSON KEMP WAS BORN THE SON OF A FARMER in the middle of rural Tennessee, not far from the small town of Cottage Springs. He grew up working on the farm, with a gentle and religious nature and during his spare time he hunted in the wilderness becoming prolific with both the slingshot and rifle, often hitting targets with his first shot.

Bert was drafted into army service two months after the Japanese attack on the United States at Pearl Harbour. He failed the medical entrance tests but retook them after a member of staff who knew the lad and his family intervened, the staff member knew of Bert’s skill with a rifle and had decided it was young men like Bert that would help win the war. Miraculously the next time around no defects were found and the medical was passed!

On the 18th January 1942 Bert Kemp enlisted and became Pvt Bert W. Kemp, 34 185 517 and, after basic training, found himself in Florida at Camp Blanding getting ready for war. It did not take long before the uncanny skill Bert possessed at shooting became known. His ability was uncanny, he was just one of those complete naturals who barely had to think about each shot.

Bert had his own particular style of shooting and had found the weapon he was issued with, an M1 Garand rifle, somewhat cramped that style. The rear sight was too enclosed for Bert, who had grown up using open-ended sights; it impeded his ability to use his peripheral vision so he therefore filed it off his issued Garand.

Once noticed he was immediately put on a charge for defacing Government property.

On arrival in England training took over again and soon life for all in the 1st Division was frantic. Here, an officer that knew of Bert’s skill at arms dismissed the charges out of hand, there was far too much going on to deal with such nonsense.

Pvt Bert Kemp was in Company L of the 3rd Battalion in the 26th Infantry Regiment and after three months training in England, they were sent to fight against the Vichy French in North Africa. This was not to last for long however, as the French capitulated after a brief skirmish and surrendered. The next foe he would meet would not be the same pushover as 1st Division was moved on to fight against the Italians and harder still, Rommel’s Africa Corp.

Gentle Bert had his first (reluctant) kill whilst out on a scout to gain intelligence, a prime skill of the sniper and one that he must master. Bert was observing the 58

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FEATURE WORLD WAR 2 SNIPERS | BERT KEMP

The Kesserine Pass, a place where the Germans would inflict a devastating defeat on the US forces under the leadership of the Desert Fox, Rommel.

enemy pattern of life and one German sentry in particular, inside an observation post in order to pass back the information. Reluctant to shoot such an easy target he opted to observe and log and report all movements back to base.

For some unknown reason the sentry spotted Bert (not good for one to be seen so easily) and opened fire with his K98 rifle. After numerous shots had been fired at Bert, a total of eight all of which missed, Bert’s reluctance to fire back finally left him. He opened fire and killed the German with one shot.

Along with Company L and the Division Bert fought through some major campaigns in the African desert, scouting and sniping, gaining intelligence and passing it back to command, plus stalking and eliminating priority targets. Like previous snipers before him, he came up against an officer who just would not listen to one of such low rank and once again, an officer’s stuck up ignorant attitude would cost men their lives. It was at the Kesserine Pass, a place where the Germans would inflict a devastating defeat on the US forces under the leadership of the Desert Fox, Rommel.

Bert Kemp lay concealed, passing back his observations on a hillside overlooking the Kesserine Pass, with his own units passing by below him. He could see the enemy preparing an ambush to destroy them and time and again he warned of the impending disaster but the senior officer would not deviate from the intended plan on the say so of as lowly an enlisted man such as Bert. To his horror Bert had to watch as the hidden enemy pounced and destroyed the advancing column in front of his eyes.

Due to the nature of the sniper scout job, risk comes hand in hand.

Often operating miles ahead of any friendly call signs, the sniper must have his wits about him and in enemy held territory, if you want to gain vital intelligence you have to get up close. It is at these times when the risk is highest for the sniper and the likelihood of being discovered is greater too. Bert had many such occasions when out stalking, any

number of which could have resulted in his death but Bert was lucky.

Whilst concealed in a ditch observing the Germans parade together and coordinate for an operation he was spotted and again it was his ability to extricate himself from a bad situation that saved his life once more and his skill with the rifle.

Unsure how he was spotted but spotted all the same, Bert soon found himself under fire. He was in a ditch with nowhere else to go, no easy exit so he had to stay and fight. Many Germans were closing in on him but Bert used his Garand to the best of his ability and he shot lots of them. At times, when he needed to replace the clips in his rifle, he drew his pistol and shot them with that whilst reloading one handed!

Favouring head shots to put the German enemy down the toll was deadly; the enemy could not believe it was the actions of just one man.

After he had killed so many that a pile of them now littered the area in front of his ditch position, a German tank was called up to blast him out. There was no way he could defeat the tank, he did not carry any anti-tank weapons so he ran for the nearest piece of cover. Bert sprinted as fast as he could along his ditch towards a wood in the distance, it was his only hope of putting some space between the tank and himself.

Shooting as he ran he was still dropping enemy soldiers but with just 50 metres to go the ditch and his cover ran out. With nothing but open ground in front, Bert sprinted for the trees with bullets tearing up the ground all around him, when suddenly out of the skies a P38 Lightning fighter dropped down to tree top level. The fighter took out the tank and then turned its guns on the German infantry and Bert, now in the woods and with some cover, ran back to find his unit without stopping to look back.

The very next morning with Bert out front scouting his unit came across the ditch where he had made his stand. It was said that because he had shot so many Germans it was possible to walk across 40 metres of the ground without touching the floor, across enemy bodies!

To be continued…. www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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OUT FOR A DUCK - THE GMC DUKW RETURNING WITH HIS POPULAR SERIES ON MILITARY VEHICLES, RATTY TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL AS WE REMEMBER THE LANDINGS on the beaches of Normandy, which sparked the beginning of the end of Nazi occupation through Western Europe, most of the emphasis is, quite rightly, placed on the guys and equipment that actually spearheaded the landings. What is often forgotten is the supply chain required to keep the troops and armour equipped with ammunition, fuel and food. You may already have read about some of special tanks and equipment designed for their respective specific roles on the landings, but what about an unsung hero, a truck that saw service in all the major theatres of World War II? An unusual piece of equipment that has stood the test of time, is still in very limited service some 70 years on and are also tourist attractions in some major cities?

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Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you one of my favourites; the GMC DUKW “Duck”.

Design and development: Designed in 1942 the DUKW was developed by the National Defence Research Committee and Office of Scientific Research and Development. Their intention was to solve the problem of how to resupply units that had just performed an amphibious landing. The initial designed has been attributed to 3 main guys, Rod Stephens Jr, a yacht designer, Dennis Puleston who was a British deep water sailor living in the US and Frank W. Speir, a Lieutenant at the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Each one of them bringing their expertise in their fields to the design. The overall idea was that DUKWs could bring in troops and/or supplies from ships based offshore and then deliver to either the frontline, or to a depot up to 4 miles inland, where cargoes would be unloaded and transferred to “normal” trucks for longer journeys inland.

Using the GMC CCKW 353 2½ ton 6x6 that was already in service with the US Army as the basis, their main task was redesign the body so it could float and add a propeller so it could “swim”, whilst still being able to drive on the road and still be able to carry a full payload, whether it be troops or supplies. The GMC truck had been is service for 18 months at this point and was powered by a 270cu in (4.4L) straight six engine which itself had been around for nearly 10 years so was a well tried and tested platform, already being fitted to over 500,000 trucks and buses.

The DUKW was never going to be an “armoured” vehicle (it had to float to swim remember) but was plated with sheet steel varying between 1/16th to 1/8th inch thick. The shape of the front and rear (or bow and stern for you nautical types!) was determined by the angles of approach and departure of beaches. Even the hull sides were rounded at the bow for lower water resistance and better visibility for the driver. The hull itself was constructed of welded sheet steel, whilst the driver’s compartment, to save money, was made of plywood. To defend itself, there as ring

Big Boyz Toyz BIG BOYZ TOYZ | DUKW

“A prototype DUKW, on evaluation testing in the area and in front of senior US officers, answered the call and safely brought the crew back home. This single action changed the military’s mind on the project and a contract for production was signed.”

mount to allow the fitment of a browning .50 calibre machine gun. Three bilge pumps were fitted including a hand pump for when the propshaft wasn’t turning and a high capacity one (that could pump up to 300 gallons a minute) to help keep it afloat in case the hull was breached. Interestingly enough, the DUKW was the 1st vehicle that allowed the driver to vary the tyre pressures from inside the cab. The tyres could be fully inflated for use on hard surfaces (roads) but could be lowered for when driving on much softer surfaces, mainly beach sand. This feature is now standard on many military vehicles.

A few prototypes were produced and went into test phases.

The whole idea was initially “laughed off” and rejected by the US military until a freak incident occurred.

In a heavy rainstorm and winds of up to 60knots (around 65mph) a US Coast Guard Cutter ran aground on a sand bar near Provincetown, Massachusetts. A distress call was put out by the crew but due to the conditions normal boats could not get to them. A prototype DUKW, on evaluation testing in the area and in front of senior US officers, answered the call and safely brought the crew back home. This single action changed the military’s mind on the project and a contract for production was signed. The DUKW was a go!

The final production design was finished off by Yellow Truck and Coach (part of GMC), based in Pontiac, Michigan. The DUKW weighed in at 6½ tons unloaded, had a maximum road speed of 50mph with a top speed in the water of just 5½ knots (6.3mph).

Many of you are probably wondering where the name DUKW came from. Basically it came from GMC’s own model naming terminology of the time….

“D” Designed in 1942 “U” Utility vehicle “K” Front wheel drive “W” Six-wheel dual-driving axles.

It didn’t take very long for this novel vehicle to become loving known simply as “The Duck”.

Service History: Production started pretty much straight away and the first DUKWs were pressed into service. Initially they were sent to the US Marines

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and US Army taking part in the Guadalcanal campaign against the Japanese.

However, it was Operation Husky, the allied invasion of Sicily on the 9th/10th July 1943, where the DUKW was, for the first time, used by an invasion force. It was a combined amphibious and airborne invasion which was the start of the Italian campaign.

From there they saw action in Operation Avalanche, with the allies now invading onto mainland Italy at Salerno. In both these actions the DUKW force proved itself, not just in getting troops and then logistical supplies to the beaches, but also in the task of bringing back casualties to the hospital ships. Now that the allies had a foothold in Europe, these actions were a pre-cursor to what was going to happen next.

The 6th June 1944 saw the largest ever seaborne invasion carried out in history. With 24,000 airborne troops being either ferried in gliders or parachuting in, to seize/knockout vital objectives, along with the bombing of other vital objectives to soften up targets before the main invasion began, everything was at stake. With 160,000 troops from a number of allied and commonwealth nations about to embark on the retaking of Western Europe, these assault troops were to be backed up by reinforcements after the beaches had been taken. Not only that, the invasion force required ammo, fuel and food to keep the momentum going.

The 2 Mulberry harbours, the allied portable floating ports weren’t going to be in position at Omaha beach (Mulberry A) and Arromanches (Mulberry B) and ready until the 9th June. These were designed for the rapid unloading of vessels with all these vital supplies. On the 19th June Mulberry A was destroyed in a large storm leaving everything to come via the British operated Mulberry B, which itself had suffered some damage. By the end of June a further 875,000 troops would have landed in France.

DUKWs proved invaluable in the ferrying of all manner of cargoes during this period, with more than 40% of all over-beach supplies in Normandy transported by DUKWs in the first few months. There are two figures floating around, about exactly how much tonnage delivered in the 1st 90 days by DUKWs, both are a massive amount, but even the lowest is 3,040,000 tons!

Back in the USA, DUKW production was in full swing and by the end of 1945, just over 21,000 DUKWs had been made, at a rough cost of $10,750 per unit. Of these, 2,000 were sold to Britain under the lend-lease agreement, 535 were acquired by

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Australian forces and 586 were supplied to the Soviet Union, who then built their own version (BAV 485) after the war.

As the Normandy landings proved, amphibious landings and beachheads were highly vulnerable to counter-attacks and the landing forces would be requiring resupplies before a proper landbased supply chain could be established. DUKWs also played a vital role in Operation Veritable and the crossing of the River Rhine (Operation Plunder) in 1945.

How were they organised? It was generally accepted that the ideal crew for a DUKW was 4 people. A US DUKW company comprised of 173 men and 7 officers, operating 50 DUKWs. A British company was made up slightly differently, 470 men operating 132 DUKWs. Back in the Pacific theatre, DUKWs saw action at the Battle of Okinawa and at Iwo Jima. On both occasions DUKWs fulfilled their role, both ferrying supplies from the ships at the shore direct to the troops as well as bringing back the countless wounded, cutting down the time taken to get the injured from battlefield to hospital, this alone saving countless lives.

Post War: As with most wartime vehicles, the amount kept in service was scaled back but many were mothballed or sold off by the various countries that they had seen service with. Many were transferred to police units, fire departments, rescue services and the Coast Guard.

In Australia, two DUKWs went on Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions and were carrying out resupplies in the Antarctic until 1970. Several more were used until 1965 by the Australian Commonwealth Lighthouse Service, supplying lighthouses on remote islands.

Many ex-US Army DUKWs were sold to the French post war; some saw service with French Marines and Naval Commandoes and many were used overseas on general duties however, during the 1st Indo-China War, the French deployed a number of DUKWs. Some of the French DUKWs were re-hulled in the 1970’s but they were eventually retired in 1982.

Back in the US, with the outbreak of the Korean War, the US Army re-activated many of their DUKWs and deployed several hundred to their forces fighting in the area. With fresh crews trained by the 1st Transportation Replacement Training Group, DUKWs were used to great extent in the amphibious landings

Big Boyz Toyz BIG BOYZ TOYZ | DUKW

at Inhceon and bringing in vital supplies during the Battle of Pusan Perimeter. This was really the last outing for the DUCK with the US military.

In 2005, a privately owned DUKW of “The Duck Riders of Grapevine”, Texas was used to help stranded victims in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Wading its way through the floodwaters, it collected folks stuck on their rooftops and ferried them to various safe areas around New Orleans.

In the UK, during the Malayan Emergency of 1948 -1960, a number of DUKWs were deployed and then during the Indonesian – Malaysian conflict of 1962 -1966, many DUKWs were redeployed to Borneo.

There were many post war developments of the DUKW programme. The Soviets built their own version, mentioned earlier, based on their Zis 151 truck, 2000 were produced until 1962.

In the US, Speir (one of the original designers) was made head the Army’s Amphibious Warfare programme and worked on “bigger and better” vehicles including the “Super Duck” and beyond…

DUKWs today: The Royal Marines still use 5 today for training. Based at Instow in North Devon with 11 (Amphibious Trials and Training) Squadron, 1 Assault Group Royal Marines. Four of their DUKWs were manufactured between 1943–1945, whilst the 5th is a copied hull (made in 1993) fitted to unused World War II vintage running parts.

In 1993 a refurbishment programme began, designed to extend the working life of these 5 DUKWs until 2014. These are probably the last 5 DUKWs still used by any military unit (albeit not operationally) and once retired, will have seen this vehicle be in service for some 72 years!

However, you can see DUKW based vehicles much closer to home.

Due to their unique design and their unconventional capabilities, DUKWs found a new lease of life as leisure tourist vehicle. In various big cities by rivers or by the coast, you can go on a tour of the local sights, not just from the land but also from the river or sea. Saving you going on a bus tour and a pleasure boat, you can combine both!! 1n 1946, Mel Flath in Wisconsin Dells started the 1st “duck tours” and this company is still going today.

In London, you can see DUKWs painted in their distinctive bright yellow and blue colour scheme trundling around all the major attractions or, up until recently, swimming in the Thames. There are 9 DUKWs operated by London Duck Tours (www.londonducktours. co.uk), each DUKW can seat up to 30 people.

There is a similar company based in Windsor, Berkshire, www. windsorducktours.co.uk. These DUKWs can trace their history right back, but much of the original running gear has been replaced with more modern diesel engines and more efficient bilge pumps to comply with current legislation.

Buying a DUKW: DUKWs, perhaps because they are the most iconic amphibious vehicle, have a very loyal following worldwide. If you own one, it’s surprising how many friends you suddenly make. Being able to take your vehicle for a swim as well as a drive has a real attraction. In 1994 a DUKW

called “Amis des Amphibes” swam the English Channel en route to a Normandy anniversary.

As with any purchase, do your research well, speak to owners as well the people in the know. There are two real DUKW specialists that I know of (accept my apologies if there are more!) The 1st is Rex Ward, (www.dukw.co.uk) based just outside Reading. He has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in restoring, owning and operating these great bits of kit. The other is Chicago Ducks (www.dukw.com) who can sell you a fully restored or un-restored example from stock. You can also resource one from www.buyaduck.com.

Restored examples should be ready to “rock” and comply with modern legislations, with modern safety systems and bilge pumps if you intend to swim it. Again, if buying an un-restored example, you will have to make sure that your finished DUKW complies and is safe.

Safety is of paramount importance, so some concessions should be made for the fitment of modern equipment. How gutted would you be after all the time and money invested, your DUKW sinks to the bottom of the river on its first outing?

You can drive a DUKW on a normal car licence. There are however downsides to owning one. Due to their popularity, they hold their value well. Depending on condition, expect to pay upwards of £30,000 for a restored and operational DUKW. There are un-restored examples still out there, and prices vary greatly. As with all restoration projects, expect to spend 30% more than you original budgeted for!

It is usually the hulls that require total refurbishment, due to corrosion and this alone can cost £15,000. You may also need some maritime qualifications if you intend to swim your DUKW further afield.

Once purchased, a DUKW is not a vehicle you can run on a tight budget. You will need somewhere indoors to store it, outside is not an option as it won’t take too long for the dreaded “R” word to put in an appearance. Once you have swum your DUKW, there is massive clean-up and maintenance schedule to adhere to. This is usually when all those friends that you have been splashing around with in the water suddenly vanish!! So be prepared for some long hours and hard elbow work. All that said, the end result is a vehicle that will put a smile not just on your face, but all those who see you in it.

Summary: The DUKW is one of those vehicles that I have admired since being a child. Until researching for this article, I didn’t fully appreciate just how important this vehicle was. Although not a combat vehicle, without the DUKW in service getting vital supplies of ammo and fuel from the offshore ships direct to the battle, would have meant that attacks and advances would have faltered or even failed and D-Day could itself been a different outcome.

On top of that, the lives saved by getting the injured from the combat zone onto those hospital ships makes the DUKW a war winner.

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COMPETITION SPYPOINT XCEL HD

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WIN A SPYPOINT XCEL HD ACTION CAMERA When this brilliant little camera arrived in the Office I was very, very impressed with the overall quality and presentation of the product – just as our reviewer, Iggy Roberts was with its performance. Now you can win the very same unit and all you have to do is answer three simple questions.

The first correct answer picked out of the editor’s hat wins themselves the SpyPoint Xcel HD camera Iggy used in his report, which was kindly provided to us by the guys at Thomas Jacks.

These are the three questions:

A) HOW MANY DIFFERENT MOUNTS ARE SUPPLIED WITH THE CAMERA? B) HOW MANY FRAMES PER SECOND DOES THE CAMERA RECORD IN 1080P? C) WHAT IS THE RANGE OF THE REMOTE CONTROL UNIT? To be in with a chance of winning, simply send your answer in before the closing date, either by completing and returning the Entry Form, or sending in your answers by email (details below). Don’t forget to include your contact details so we can get back to you if you’re lucky enough to win.

You can also enter via the Airsoft Action website - simply visit: www.airsoft-action.co.uk, click on Competition and enter your details there - and why not take some time to have a look round the site while you’re at it.

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Post your entries to: SpyPoint Xcel HD Competition, Airsoft Action, Calibre Publishing, Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Malvern, Worcs, WR13 6PL, or email to: competition@airsoft-action.co.uk with “SpyPoint Xcel HD Competition” in the subject line. Entries received after 30th July 2014 will not be valid. One entry per household. The winner will be the first name pulled from the Ed’s hat.

Calibre Publishing would like to keep you informed of other offers and publications. Please tick here if you would NOT like to be contacted by post or email

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KRIS ROBERTS REPORTS FROM SKIRMISH EXETER’S AIRSOFT BOOT SALE – BUT WAS HE TEMPTED TO BUY ANYTHING? I’VE BEEN SURFING THE NET AGAIN. Staying up later than I should to stare at all the pretty pictures and dream of getting a handful of what’s on offer. Oh, the needs and desires.

Airsoft, with all of its shiny baubles and trinkets, is a cruel mistress of temptation.

Like a Moth to the Flame There are the lucky few with pockets deep enough to satisfy the urges that the sport creates but for many of us the joys of ordering swanky new kit are simply a dream too far. I can’t remember the last time I bought a brand new piece of kit.

What with having to justify every pound I spend on Airsoft, I have been forced to trawl the second-hand market for years in search of my next retail fix.

Most of this takes place in the “For Sale” sections of the many Airsoft forums that live on the internet and although I have picked up some great deals in my time, buying in this way can involve some risk. I’ve been stung a few times by what I thought was a great offer that turned out to be a pile of worthless junk. You roll the dice and take your chances I guess - but it’s not exactly an ideal situation by any means.

Care in the Community Over the last few years Airsoft has sky-rocketed in its popularity and the community that has been created alongside the sport has grown with equal enthusiasm. It has allowed like-minded individuals to come together and talk about their interests in Airsoft without fear of ridicule or misunderstanding. New teams and groups seem to be popping up all the time and the enjoyment of Airsoft is kept alive long after the players have left the playing field. It really is a fantastic time to be involved in this great sport.

So you can imagine how interested I was when I heard of a special social day being planned at one of my local sites. Skirmish Exeter was to be the host of an Airsoft Car Boot Sale. Players from around the area would be allowed to set up pitches in the safe zone and use the opportunity to shift those items that had been

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clogging up the cupboards at home for too long. For buyers, this provided the chance to get their actual hands on the products and have a good look before coming to a decision.

I for one was not going to miss out on a potential bargain!

Market Day I arrived at the site nice and early to find the buyers setting up their wares under cover in the large tents and gazebos that had been provided. It didn’t take long before my head was bobbing back on forth on my neck like a pigeon at a rave. There was a great selection on offer that covered everything from weapons and uniforms, to spare magazines and gear sets. There were also some rare objects on sale as well which made for some very interesting viewing, although sadly I couldn’t justify the need to buy a genuine RPG Optical sight.

The whole event had been organised by Rick Bass. I first met Rick when conducting a review of the site for Airsoft Action last year. He’s the man behind the game days, using his organisational skills and imagination to plan and implement the fortnightly battles. Not one to rest on his laurels, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen him standing still, Rick had planned an auction and a shooting competition to get the most out of the day.

Just before lunch everyone was gathered together to start the auction. A few weeks back, Rick had photographed everything from the lost and found box and put the images up on the site’s Facebook page. This gave the players one last chance to claim any of their misplaced items before they were put under the hammer.

SHOW REPORT AIRSOFT BOOT FAIR

As the bidding began, I found out that all of the money raised at the auction would be put straight into a “Prop-Building Fund”. A group of players were putting together a series of props, such as bomb cases and the like, for all to enjoy during game days. A fund had been organised to help buy the materials and therefore help bring a bit more realism to game objectives than simply “capture the flag”. It was great to see local players giving their support to the idea and I even saw some take items from their own stalls to donate to the auction.

Punching Holes After the auction came the pistol competition, and once again Rick quickly managed to round up the competitors and lead them out of the safe zone to the ranges. There were to be three stages. “Range Shoot”, which would be a simple case of engaging targets from a static position.

“Gun Run”, which would be a dash through the woods to engage multiple targets from various positions. And finally “Pressure”, a timed course which began with a sprint down the range and back to the start line to get the blood pumping before heading straight back out to engage targets while on the move.

The weather was against the competitors with rain and wind pushing the limits of what an Airsoft pistol can achieve in a target environment but the atmosphere was great and there was plenty of banter to keep spirits high.

With all of the targets marked and collected, Rick announced that the results would be counted and put up on the Facebook page later that evening. So with the weather growing more miserable the crowd slowly started to pack away and head off home but without a doubt the day had been a success. Everyone I spoke to on the day had been very pleased with the proceedings and it had been a great social opportunity to have a chat with the players I rarely get the chance to speak to. To top it off I managed to pick up some great bargains, including some M4 midcaps and a Sig 226 Gas Blowback Pistol which I was able to test before handing over my cash.

I love it when our community tries something a little different. Some ideas work, others don’t. But it’s the willingness to try that seems to set Airsoft apart from many other sports with their rigid guidelines. I applaud people like Rick and the guys at Skirmish Exeter for having a go and trying

to keep the community spirit alive and I was chuffed to hear that after the success of the day Rick is already planning another one for later this summer.

THE MIGHTY VICTORS It wouldn’t seem right to end without bestowing glory upon the noble competitors of the pistol challenge. After three testing rounds the results were as follows.

In 1st Place – Colin Boulton with 47 points In 2nd Place – Bertie with 46 points In 3rd Place – Daniel Shears with 45 points

Congratulations guys, a very close result.

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To Advertise here Ring Nige on 01684 878003

team profile OFFENSIVE AIRSOFT PLAYERS

OFFENSIVE AIRSOFT PLAYERS THE O.A.PS (OFFENSIVE AIRSOFT PLAYERS) are an Airsoft team from the New Forest in Hampshire, set up by myself, Kev Austin and James March in 2009.

I first played airsoft in the summer of 2007, after being told about it by a work colleague. I bought a cheap Two Tone MP5, played an evening game at Combat South Woodland and was instantly hooked! I got James to give it a try, he also became hooked and we both started to play regularly. We began getting a few friends coming along with us to games and decided to start our own team. The name O.A.Ps was chosen after James commented the he always felt like an old man after a game day!

There are currently 5 O.A.P. members; Kev, James, Brandon, Rob and the “new guy”, Steve.

As our main aim as a team is to have fun and enjoy the game, we didn’t want to come up with a load of “Team Rules” and as long as you play fairly, treat others with respect and have a laugh, that’s fine with us. We have no ranks in the O.A.Ps and during a game we all have an input on tactics and gameplay.

Basically, we go with whoever comes up with the best sounding plan at the time and after each game day, all team members vote for the “O.A.P. Action Man”, which is awarded for acts of bravery (or stupidity) during the game. Whoever is wins the vote is awarded with a trophy and we also award a rubber knife when members claim, their first “knife kill”.

As I’m the person who arranges game days, sorts out kit for other team, members and anything else that comes up, I am the Team Leader and go by the Callsign “O.A.P. Warden”.

Brandon “Rainman” Wells set up an O.A.Ps’ Facebook page which we use to post team information and share photos.

We meet regularly to arrange game days (we try to get at least one game in a month) and talk tactics. A couple of us have video cameras attached to our guns so that we can record games as we play. I create movies with this footage which we

watch during the meetings and James and I have a competition going to see who can get the most “kills” on camera. You can see some of the movies on my YouTube channel; kev78austin.

The Team patch was designed by James “Old Git” March and is a variation of the “Anarchy” symbol containing the letters O, A and P. Bright green on a black background was used to make it stand out. Apart from the patch we have no set team uniform and team members wear various camo patterns such as DPM, Tigerstripe and Multicam and heft whatever load-carrying equipment they prefer. Rob “The Blitz” Reynolds wears black and is looking for a suitable gas mask to finish of the “SAS” look.

Between us we have built up an armoury, starting with a variety of guns; MP5, G36, M14, FA-MAS, Thompson and a number of shotguns and pistols. Now we all own M4s, which does come in handy in the middle of a game when you need a fresh mag!

The O.A.Ps play at Combat South Woodland and Ground Zero Woodland. We have attended the GZ Weekender for the past two years and hope to do so again this year. We’re also hoping to try some different venues in the future and are especially keen to try some Urban/CQB airsoft.

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COPP

HEROES OF HAYLING ISLAND ON A CHANCE VISIT TO A MEMORIAL, RUPERT GODESEN LEARNS THE STORY OF SOME OF D-DAY’S UNSUNG HEROES, THE MEN OF COPP I was asked by an Army friend of mine a few weeks ago if I’d like to meet him at Hayling Isand for a catch up and a chat about some work we were doing together. I had never been to the Island before and as my wife and I were on a “Staycation”, I jumped in the car and headed off. Al had also mentioned that he was going to be attending the dedication of a memorial to a unit that his grandfather had served in during World War 2 and if I rocked up early I could come.

So I duly put on a suit and my medals and jumped in the car. I am listening to a couple of Audio books for work so I wasn’t really thinking about the memorial, just about what I was going to be chatting to Al about.

On a sunny May Thursday I took the turning off the A27 and followed the signs to Hayling Island. I arrived, parked the car and walked along to where a large group had gathered around a few tents, lecterns and a huge spike of granite sticking a finger up at the clear blue sky.

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feature

Copyright commando veterans association

LEST WE FORGET

I noticed that there were a few people there I recognised; Sally Taylor from South Today, Dan Snow the historian and General Richards. There were a couple of SBS guys from Poole and it dawned on me that Al’s grandfather was not just part of “Dad’s Army” 70 years ago, he had done something quite significant... As I was to find out.

Now I am quite a thoughtful kind of chap, well alright a dreamer I would say, so before the service started I looked out to sea from the Island and tried to imagine what it must have been like here where I was standing 70 years ago, with much of the peninsula taken over in the run up to D-Day. Luckily I didn’t have to dream for too long as Dan Snow was up on the podium and enthusiastically told us all about the brave guys who made up the COPP. They were named the Combined Operations Pilotage and Reconnaissance Parties (COPP), set up in 1943 in order to improve invasion techniques which they practiced on Hayling Island. In a nutshell, they needed intelligent individuals who possessed nerve, stamina and that all-important attention to detail, to recce the beaches for Allied Landings when the day of the European invasion came.

Cast your mind back to 1982 when the Task Force sailed from Portsmouth to retake the Falkland Islands from the Argentines. They knew they were going to have to take the beaches and land troops as they didn’t possess helicopters in sufficient numbers to land all the men and, as it happened, a number of CH47s were sent to the bottom in the Atlantic Conveyor. The Task Force commanders lacked that allimportant knowledge of the beaches and the coastline. Sure, there had been a party of Royal Marines on the islands for some time but they could not be expected to have enough of that kind of data. Rumours soon began to circulate of one eccentric RM Major who had spent much of his spare time navigating the inlets and shores on the Falklands and making detailed notes.

Ewen Southby-Tailyour was duly sent for and, in characteristic fashion, he point blank refused to hand anything over until he was guaranteed a place on the invasion force. He jumped aboard and went on to be awarded the OBE as well as being recommended for the DSC. His intimate and detailed knowledge of the islands was key to the success of the invasion and reminds us also of the origins of the Long Range Desert Group, who were assembled from desert adventurers and explorers to take the fight to the enemy in deadly, dry and inhospitable North African desert.

You can see now why I am accused of being a dreamer, I have wandered off again.

So there we were, Al and I standing listening to Dan Snow recounting the epic feats of the 200 or so volunteers of the COPP. The men that were needed for this type of mission had to be technically capable of surveying the beaches, very determined and resourceful as well as having nerves of steel. Characters like Royal Engineers Major Scott Bowden and his oppo Bruce Ogden-Smith were teamed up and trained as canoeists and frogmen, how to operate from Midget submarines and the art of sea navigation.

The COPP teams won 90 medals and commendations in less than three years of active service and at the unveiling some months earlier apparently seven of the original men were in attendance.

After their training the missions started to arrive. On New Year’s Eve Scott Bowden and Ogden Smith found themselves swimming onto Gold Beach right under the noses of the Germans. Churchill had suggested they attempt the recce of the beach at the time when the light of the moon was weakest, this coincided perfectly with New Year’s Eve, when it was assumed also that the Germans (who must have been feeling pretty secure) would be “Hanging one on” and not on the lookout for frogmen on the beaches.

Out of the surf came the COPP men, but what were they looking for? From aerial photographs and existing geological and archaeological data it was feared that there might be areas beneath the beaches that were not hard clay but were, in fact, remnants of prehistoric forests that would not take the weight of tanks and armoured personnel carriers as they rolled off the landing craft. The vehicles would be sitting ducks and would clog up the landings, so they had to know.

In characteristic understated fashion and playing down the fear and hardship the COPP boys reminisced that “They were beautiful boats and they had everything there and it was a big operation, we knew that, so taking part in it was fantastic.”

They made extensive use of Klepper folding canoes that the SBS and SAS still use to this day.

The boats were moored off the beaches and the boys swam forward with all their kit to record the gradients, gravel types, firmness of the sites and of course, defences and obstacles.

They had to be strong swimmers and very fit as they were encumbered by huge weights. Soil samples were taken and stored in condoms which had to be accurately labelled and then stowed in backpacks. They also had to carry lead plum lines so that depths could be accurately recorded the whole length of the beach, as you can imagine it was tiring work

SF Klepper

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feature LEST WE FORGET

“The teams would work for as long as they dared and then would swim back to their canoes or to a mini-submarine piloted by a colleague, the sub would sink to the seabed where the guys would rest, eat, assemble their notes and prepare themselves and their equipment for the next night.” and not something that could be rushed. Their kit was all made from canvas and rubber, with big heavy clunky compasses and I am sure we would be aghast at it nowadays but they just had to crack on with what they had.

The teams would work for as long as they dared and then would swim back to their canoes or to a mini-submarine piloted by a colleague, the sub would sink to the seabed where the guys would rest, eat, assemble their notes and prepare themselves and their equipment for the next night.

When the teams had all they needed they would head back to their Gunboat rendezvous and make for the welcome shores of Blighty, where all the data would be painstakingly analysed and plans drawn up. The Americans were so impressed with what the COPP boys had achieved that they requested they survey their landing beaches too.

On this occasion they had to do it beneath a fishing fleet moored off shore and the pilot of the mini-sub quite literally had to worm his way through the fishing nets to get inshore. At one point the periscope was raised to calculate their position and the view they got was of a wistful German sentry puffing away on his pipe, staring out to sea probably thinking of home and the end of the war. A lucky escape.

Back on the beach at Hayling Island where the COPP teams had trained and prepared, 70 years on Dan Snow told their remarkable story to the assembled crowd. General Richards and some officer from the SBS looked on, while the children who had clearly been forced by their parents to come looked bored. But who can blame them? It’s our job to tell these tales of heroism in a way that excites and interests them.

The stone memorial (which is well worth a visit if you’re in the vicinity) was brought from a granite quarry in Cornwall and transported to Hayling Island by a team of six soldiers from 24th Regiment Royal Engineers Commandos back in July. I plan to visit it whenever I am passing, take my kids to see it and tell them the stories of the brave young men of the COPP who gave their todays for our tomorrows. It would be a huge mark of thanks and respect if you were to do the same.

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As German anti-tank weapons became more lethal,so the crews of tanks added improvised protection to the turrets and hulls track links have been used on these Churchills. This picture taken in Overloon, Holland in October 1944 shows a soldier walking ahead of Churchills possibly on the look out for anti-tank mines.

THE FUNNIES AND THE CHURCHILL MK IV INFANTRY TANK IN HIS FINAL PIECE ON D-DAY, MILITARY HISTORIAN WILL FOWLER LOOKS BACK AT HOW INGENUITY AND INVENTIVENESS HELPED WIN THE DAY The Churchill tank that would be the chassis for a unique range of armoured vehicles known affectionately as “Funnies” and deployed on D-Day for the first time, grew out of pre-war perceptions that a heavy infantry tank would be required to fight what would be a re-run of World War I, with trench warfare and foot slogging infantry being supported by slow moving heavily armoured tanks.

The first work on this vehicle, the A20, was done by the Superintendent of Tank Design, Woolwich and Harland and Wolff. It was found to be underpowered and so Vauxhall Motors was tasked with the production of the A22, with its Vauxhall-Bedford engine. The final prototype was a much lighter vehicle than had first been envisaged but with the threat of a German invasion in 1940 work was pushed ahead.

The first production model vehicle, the Churchill I, produced in 1941 had a cast turret with a 2pdr (40mm) gun and 75mm (2.95in) howitzer mounted in the hull but this was soon dropped and replaced with a machine gun. The first tanks, including three Churchill Oke flame-throwers, saw action in the abortive Canadian amphibious raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942. All were lost with many stranded on the shingle beach. The Germans were not impressed by the slab-sided design and modest fire power of the captured tanks.

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The War Office had expressed the opinion that speed and reliability were less important in tanks than heavy armour and these views (and problems with mechanical reliability) appeared to have doomed the Churchill. The British Prime Minister was also reported to be less than happy to have had the A22 named after him. Some Mk I, II and IIIs were sent to the Soviet Union in Arctic Convoys and it was reported that Soviet forces liked the thick armour but felt that the tanks were lightly armed.

However it was when the Churchills with the 1st Army in the Tunisian campaign of 1943, proved successful climbing the hills and mountains, that the tank earned a reprieve. It went on to show that it was a rugged vehicle that was remarkably adaptable.

Though its narrow turret ring was not big enough to successfully accommodate larger calibre guns, Vauxhall worked on the design and in the Mk VII produced a tank with a 75mm (2.95in) gun.

FEATURE D-DAY 70 | HOBART’S FUNNIES

British experience at the disastrous Dieppe raid had shown the need for specialised tanks and armoured vehicles to breach defences and clear obstacles. The formation in which these vehicles were grouped was the “79th (Experimental) Armoured Division Royal Engineers”. Its divisional flash, a black bull’s head with flaring nostrils superimposed over a yellow triangle; was carried proudly on every vehicle.

The man who turned the 79th Division into a formidable force was General Percy Hobart, a veteran of World War I and someone who did not suffer fools gladly. He had made enemies in the War Office between the wars and in 1940 was retired and serving in the Home Guard as a Corporal. At Churchill’s request he was brought back into service and his specialised tanks became known as “Hobart’s Funnies” or more simply, “Funnies”. It was here that the slab-like hull of the Churchill proved to be an asset, since it was able to accommodate externally mounted equipment that would have been harder to fit on the angled armour of more modern designs. The crews of the Funnies knew that their tanks might look odd and old fashioned but they could absorb more battle damage than the agile more modern M4 Shermans from America.

These “Funnies” included the Crocodile flame-thrower that could engage targets at 80–120m (262–394ft). The 400 imperial gallons (1,800L) of fuel and the compressed nitrogen propellant, enough for eighty one-second bursts, were stored in a 6½ ton detachable armoured trailer towed by the Crocodile. The trailer, connected to the tank by a three way armoured coupling, could be jettisoned from within the tank if necessary. The pressure required had to be primed on the trailer by the crew as close to use as feasible, because pressure could not be maintained for very long.

The fuel was used at 4 gallons per second; refuelling took at least 90 minutes and pressurization around 15 minutes. The fuel burned on water and could be used to set fire to woods and houses. Grimly it could be fired as a “wet shot” in an unignited form – the liquid penetrating through bunker embrasures or even around corners – this would be followed by a “dry shot” of burning fuel. For German soldiers soaked in the viscous white flame thrower fuel the knowledge that a “wet shot” would soon follow was the cue for a very rapid surrender!

Andrew Wilson, who commanded a troop of Crocodiles, had never seen the effects of “flaming out” a target as normally after an action the troop had moved

forward. In his autobiographical book “Flame Thrower” he describes how, on returning to his bogged Crocodile, he sees for the first time the ghastly effect of the flame on a German trench. “There were bodies which seemed to have been blown back by the force of the flame and lay in naked, blackened heaps. Others were caught in twisted poses, as if the flame had frozen them. Their clothes were burned away. Only their helmets and boots remained, ridiculous and horrible”.

Armoured Vehicles Royal Engineers (AVRE), had a 290 mm (11.4 in) muzzle-loaded demolition gun, which fired an 18.1 kg (40lb) bomb known unofficially, because of its huge size, as the “flying dustbin” and officially as a “Petard”, from the black powder charge used to blow in the doors of castles in sieges in the 16th Century.

While the charge was effective against reinforced concrete bunkers it was devastating against buildings. When a German machine gun crew held up the Canadian advance off Juno beach, a Petard fired by an AVRE collapsed the whole house in which the gun was sited. However if a round of 20mm or over hit the Petard the resulting explosion would reduce the AVRE to small pieces of twisted, blackened armour plate.

AVRE could also carry fascines, huge bundles of brushwood to fill in anti-tank ditches. Visitors to Juno Beach in Normandy can see the AVRE “One Charlie”, a vehicle that was part of 26 Armoured Engineer Squadron 32 Engineer Regiment. Having cleared the sand dunes the tank began to advance into the cratered interior that had been heavily shelled and bombed. Its story is recounted in the Regimental History: “Owing to the surface flooding, the leading AVRE (callsign ‘One Charlie’), which was carrying a fascine, failed to see the

An M4 Duplex Drive (DD) Sherman with its flotation skirt partially lowered . This was the only “Funny” adopted by the US Army for D-Day. All the DD Shermans launched at Omaha Beach sank before they reached the shore. Those at Utah made land and assisted the infantry.

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FEATURE D-DAY 70 | HOBART’S FUNNIES

The Sherman with the flotation skirt raised. It offered a very modest free board and those tank at Omaha were swamped when waves washed over them from the side. Where DD tanks made land they came as a shock to the German defenders of Normandy.

crater and slipped into it. All six members of the crew escaped but immediately afterwards came under heavy mortar fire. Four were killed but two, Sapper Bill Dunn (the driver) and Lance Corporal Bill Hawkins (the demolitions NCO), survived with severe wounds.”

An AVLB launched a bridge over the sunken AVRE and this in turn was replaced by a permanent structure. In 1976, One Charlie was recovered, cleaned, rebuilt and re painted and now stands close to where it slipped into that crater.

In north-west Europe the AVRE and the Crocodile became a formidable pair, the former capable of blowing apart heavy German fortifications while the latter ‘flamed out’ the wreckage.

“ARKs” (Armoured Ramp Carriers) were equipped with folding bridges to span demolished bridges or cross anti-tank ditches, while “Crabs” were mine-clearing tanks with a revolving drum at the front fitted with weighted chains which thrashed their way through minefields safely exploding the mines in their path. The Crab concept had already proved its worth at El Alamein while breaching Axis minefields.

Other tanks carried 100.6 metre (110 yard) long rolls of reinforced matting on a huge drum, known as a Bobbin that they unrolled across soft or wet sand to give other vehicles traction. The BARV - Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle was a turret-less tank with winches for towing stranded vehicles off the beach.

In strict secrecy the British had conducted experiments with these specialised tanks against dummy enemy positions built on remote ranges. They had worked in these test conditions, but not all had never been tested in combat – D-Day would be their début.

The American forces were happy to use Duplex Drive (DD) Shermans that could swim ashore on D-Day but perhaps, because of the need for special training and the requirement to hold Churcill spares, the US did not employ Funnies on D-Day. It has been suggested that if they had been present at Omaha beach they could have neutralised the bunkers and the positions that caused such heavy casualties on the day.

Fuelling the wheeled armoured trailer for a Churchill Crocodile.

The sticky flame thrower fuel had been developed during the war and was lethally effective against bunkers and the men inside.

Not all Churchill tanks became Funnies. Here a Lend Lease Churchill serving with 49th Heavy Tank Regiment, of the Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army passes a knocked out Sd Kfz 232 of the 7th Panzer Division during the battle of Kursk in 1943.

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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DAN MILLS LOOKS BACK AT A BATTLE THAT RAGED FROM FEBRUARY TO DECEMBER 1916; THE HORROR THAT WAS VERDUN THE LONGEST BATTLE OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR was raged in Verdun, it was also amongst the most costly.

Verdun is a small city in the North East of France, protecting the city is a vast array of forts. An impressive fort lies at its centre with many other smaller ones around the vast centre piece, it had a double-defensive ring of twenty one smaller forts surrounding it and many others around those. At one stage these had been brimming with guns but these had been sent off to be used elsewhere; a tragic mistake which would cost many lives.

Verdun was of no real importance to the French HQ, it would have been better off without it but it was a source of national pride to the French people since Roman times. It therefore had to be protected from falling into German hands, denying them a propaganda boost.

The Germans, knowing that France would defend it to the end, would use Verdun to suck many French troops in, in the hope of bleeding them white and this was the plan devised by the Chief of the General Staff, von Falkenhayn. The war didn’t “end by Christmas”, both sides had already lost thousands of men, with a mass break-through now beyond the capabilities of Germany. Von Falkenhayn believed he could stretch the French to breaking point at Verdun and, having once crushed the French, he would then move on and do the same to the bigger threat, the British.

The two powers became locked in a battle that would last ten months claiming many lives and over 37 million shells would be fired at each other during the fight!

At first the Germans outweighed the French with 140,000 to France’s 30,000.

February 21st witnessed 1,000 German artillery pieces open fire along a short, six mile stretch obliterating many Frenchmen. One such soldier wrote; “…men squashed, cut in two, divided from top to bottom, blown into showers, bellies turned inside out and scattered anyhow, skulls forced bodily into the chest as if by a blow with a club and in place of the head a bit of neck, oozing currant jam of brains all over the chest and back.”

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FEATURE WORLD WAR 1 | THE BATTLE OF VERDUN

At the opening stages of the battle in February 1916 the Germans stood opposite the defences on three sides of the Citadel. Prior to the infantry assault the area was subjected to an intensive artillery bombardment, quickly followed up by German soldiers. Flame throwers were used here for the first time by the German Army, with devastating effect.

The French fed many men into the cauldron, or furnace as it became known. Many men went in, many never came back out. After four days of fighting the Germans held one of the forts on the south of the complex; Fort Douaumont, the largest of the defensive forts. The French had ordered attack after attack to slow down the advancing Germans, the war of attrition was bloody to both sides but now the Germans opened up a front on the opposite side and, attacking from two sides, sucked thousands of troops into the furnace.

One road remained open to French supplies and reinforcement despite severe shelling, this road became known as “The Sacred Way”. Through this route French reinforcements came, 90,000 of them in all, along with tons and tons of supplies, vehicle after vehicle was forced down the way, running the artillery gauntlet carrying the precious cargo.

General Petain was brought in with his Second Army and added to the Third Army already fighting there - or what was left of it. His famous words “They shall not pass!” became the French battle cry.

Petain ensured that those guns that had been earlier removed from the forts were quickly replaced by others, broken railways fixed, roads cleared and repaired and the one remaining open road to Verdun fed day and night with continuous streams of supply.

Slowly and surely the German advance continued; artillery fire, infantry assault, flame throwers, another Fort, Fort Vaux, fell to the Germans after some very bitter hand to hand fighting. Each step forward cost the

“…men squashed, cut in two, divided from top to bottom, blown into showers, bellies turned inside out and scattered anyhow, skulls forced bodily into the chest as if by a blow with a club and in place of the head a bit of neck, oozing currant jam of brains all over the chest and back.” www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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FEATURE WORLD WAR 1 | THE BATTLE OF VERDUN

Germans dearly but French numbers were dwindling, those that remained fought on stubbornly, causing heavy casualties amongst the German ranks too.

Trench after trench, the arterial routes linked between the forts began to fall one after the other. Many posts were annihilated, wounded and dying men filled every space, attempting to hide from the death the shells brought. Gas was used, tearing into the soldier’s eyes, throat and lungs, it was desperate, grim. Shell after shell fell, followed by quiet; the prelude to the German infantry assault that would surely come. Small pockets of infantry pounced and threw grenades then squirted a burst of hot liquid fire into trenches and barricades, incinerating the French defenders. Something was needed to relieve the pressure on the French army spending its lifeblood in the forts of Verdun.

That something was the Battle of the Somme. As soon as the whistles blew and the men went over the top, Germany had to send its soldiers to help those already on the Somme and the long bloody battle for a fort called Verdun was called off immediately.

As the Germans left, they left behind them a scene of total devastation. Thousands of rotting stinking corpses were strewn all over wherever one looked. The French relief was one of

disbelief. They held, to an extent; the trenches on the ridge at Damloup and the R1 redoubt had held the Germans at bay.

The French were saved at Verdun by the British on The Somme.

French troops were on the verge of mass munity and this battle had cost both dearly, with French estimates of approximately 378,000 against German estimates of 337,000, a hefty toll to pay for something that was worthless.

Verdun had cost both sides approx 400,000 men, for no real strategic gain, France though, lived to see another day.

General Petain emerged the hero of Verdun, fighting on through the remainder of the Great War. He was a great tactician and was made a Marshal of France and went on to command French troops in Morocco, Africa. Years later though he became the traitor of France.

After being made the Prime Minister during the Second World War, partly due to his status from Verdun, he was unable to deal with the deaths once more of thousands of his fellow countrymen. He agreed to an armistice with the German high command and headed up the Vichy Government in the unoccupied part of the country.

After the ceasefire Petain was tried as a collaborator by a French court and sentenced to death, though the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment due to his Great War distinguished service.

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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BOOK/DVD REVIEW ‘WAR’ - ‘RESTREPO’

‘WAR’ BY SEBASTIAN JUNGER - ‘RESTREPO’ BY TIM HETHERINGTON AND SEBASTIAN JUNGER KRIS ROBERTS ON A VIVID ACCOUNT OF WHAT LIFE WAS REALLY LIKE ON THE FRONT LINE IN AFGHANISTAN “EACH JAVELIN ROUND COSTS $80,000 and the idea that it’s fired by a guy who doesn’t make that in a year at a guy who doesn’t make that in a lifetime is somehow so outrageous it almost makes the war seem winnable.”

In 2007, Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington entered the Korengal Valley in eastern Afghanistan to spend fifteen months embedded with the men of Battle Company, 2nd Platoon of the 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Their objective was not to capture the political and overall aspects of the war but to document what combat is actually like for the men on the ground. During this time they experienced the intensity and physicality of life on the front line and felt the long periods of boredom and the nerve shattering fire-fights firsthand.

In the book, Junger provides details on the daily routines and introduces us to various members of the company. He follows the men on patrols and observes the meetings that take

place between the tribal leaders and the American officers.

The main focus of the book (and of the DVD) is the construction of Outpost Restrepo. Using the darkness of night, the men of Battle Company pushed deeper into enemy territory to set up an outpost on top of a strategic ridgeline.

This new home would be named in memory of their fallen comrade, Doc Restrepo, who had been killed two months previously.

It’s quite rare to be faced with the combination of a detailed book and a video documentary that tackle the exact same subject matter at the exact same time. What it provides is a chance to get the details and inner thoughts that are often lost on film and the visual drama and impact that is always difficult to convey in words. What this is then, is probably one of the most comprehensive views that is available on the life of the modern soldier.

Sebastian Junger has a deft hand when it comes to writing about the simplistic nature of war. He is able to break down the events that took place during his tour and filters them to form a gritty and vivid narrative. For the reader this provides a real sense of being there, allowing you to share in the excitement, frustration and the pain of a unit that has suffered loss.

I read the book before I watched the DVD and I would recommend others to do the same. The book allows you to become absorbed in a way that a documentary never could and having this knowledge allows you to see and feel beyond the scenes of the DVD. Visually the DVD is jarringly breathtaking. The images produced by the shaking camcorders are at first a little annoying but the beauty of the landscape and the harshness of the living conditions are captured perfectly in an unfiltered and honest fashion - and it is

here that we appreciate just how close the filmmakers were to the action.

Throughout the whole deployment the “low point” was during Operation Rock Avalanche. This manoeuvre into enemy territory would last several days and would push the nerves of the men to the absolute limit. At times the fighting was hands-on and it proved a great shock to the powerful American forces that the Taliban would even dare to get so close.

All in, this combination of written word and moving imagery made for a very interesting and thought-provoking look at the conflict in Afghanistan. It works well in highlighting the bravery and loyalty of the men but also their youth and naivety to the bigger picture.

To many though, none of that matters, it’s about your friends and the pain you feel when they are killed.

“That actually stuck with me for the rest of the deployment... I still obviously haven’t figured out how to deal with it inside. The only hope I have right now is that eventually I’ll be able to process it differently. I’m never gonna forget it, never gonna even let go of it. I don’t want to not have that as a memory, because that was one of the moments that makes me appreciate everything that I have.” - Sgt Aron Hijar on the death of Staff Sgt Rougle.

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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SYMBOL KEY

IS IT WOODLAND OR URBAN? CHECK THE KEY! UKARA

UKARA MEMBER UKASGB MEMBER WOODLAND

£

SHOP ONSITE BATTERY CHARGING URBAN PYROS ALLOWED REPAIR SERVICE

DESERT

Email nige@airsoft-action.co.uk to add or change a site listing

ATROOP AIRSOFT

ACE COMBAT

AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB

Clocaenog Forest, LL16 4SP 07967 394976 www.atroop.co.uk

Kent, TN12 7DG 01303 814803 www.acecombat.co.uk

Studley, B80 7LY 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk

ABER AIRSOFT – THE BUNKER

AIRBORNE 101 AIRSOFT CLUB

ALL ARMS AIRSOFT

Allt-lywd Wood Farm, outside Llanrhystud, nr. Aberystwyth, Wales.

07511554740 www.aberairsoft.co.uk

Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 07718 032541 robinsonm24@btinternet.com

Near Trawden, BB8 8SN 07909 683464 www.allarmsairsoft.co.uk

AIRSOFT ASYLUM

ALPHA 55

North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com

Halkyn wood, North Wales CH8 8DF 0845 257 6937 www.alpha55.co.uk

ARENA AIRSOFT

ALPHA ELITE GAMING

AWA HERTS

Le Mont de Rozel, Jersey, JE3 5 01534 733697 www.aegairsoft.je

Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM23 4BJ 07732 184957 www.awaherts.com

AMAZON EVENTS

BARNSLEY AIRSOFT

Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HL 0844 2570433 www.amazonoutdoorevents.co.uk

Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk

AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM

BATTLETEC AIRSOFT

ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT Maidenhead, SL6 3SS 07871 314951 www.absolute-airsoft.co.uk

AMBUSH ADVENTURES SOUTHAMPTON New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk

APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7QP 07872 348 576 www.apocalypseairsoft.com

Grimsby, DN31 3JD 07752 404060 www.arenaairsoft.com

AIRSOFT COMMANDOS ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES Holbrook Coppice, Buidwas Bank (A4169), Buildwas, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk

Sutton, near Ferrybridge 07723 061386 andyace@ntlworld.com

AIRSOFT KGB

ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES

Porkellis Moor near Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0 Chef1322@hotmail.com www.kgbairsoft.com

Tong Wood, Newport Road Wolverhampton TF11 8PN 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk

AIRSOFT SKIRMISH

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Stoulton, WR7 4QW 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk

Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SL 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk

La Couture, Guernsey, GY1 2 07781 104068 www.battletec.co.uk

SITE DIRECTORY

Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data

FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…

BETTER BATTLES Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9DH 07967 940043 www.better-battles.com

BLACKDAGGER AIRSOFT Grasscroft Wood, Barlow Lees Lane, Dronfield, S18 7UR www.blackdagger-airsoft.co.uk

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - RIVOCK EDGE Keighley, BD20 0LS 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

CERBERUS AIRSOFT SHEFFIELD WOODLAND Sheffield, S6 6JE 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

BLUESTREAK AIRSOFT Westcott Venture Park, Westcott, Aylesbury, HP18 0XB 01296 658600 www.bluestreak-airsoft.co.uk

BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT

CHESTERFIELD IMPERIAL AIRSOFT

COMBAT ACTION GAMES

Bristol, BS1 2HQ 07776 288826 www.bristolairsoft.com

Maryland, Norfolk, NR10 4 01328 711867 www.combatactiongames.co.uk

BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT

COMBAT SOUTH URBAN

Sheffield, S2 5TR 07795 631331 www.brittacairsoft.com

Portsmouth, PO6 3LS 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk

Corby, NN17 3BB 07740 165787 www.close-action.co.uk

BUNKER 51

COMBAT SOUTH WOODLAND

Charlton, SE7 8NJ 0870 7549653 www.wolfarmouries.co.uk

Fareham, PO17 5ND 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk

C3 TACTICAL

CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL

Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH 07597 938011 www.c3tactical.co.uk

Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, CM14 5 01438 368177 www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk

COOL UNDER FIRE Doddington, Kent, ME9 0JS 07960 532613 www.coolunderfire.co.uk

Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA 07703 530189 www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk

Truro, Cornwall, TR2 07837 475012 www.cornwallairsoftassault.co.uk

Dumfries, DG12 cumbria.airsoft@virgin.net www.cumbria-airsoft.com

Lewisham, SE13 5SU 07973 240177 www.firefight.co.uk

FIFE WARGAMES St Andrews, KY10 3XL info@fifewargames.co.uk www.fifewargames.com

FINMERE AIRSOFT Buckingham, MK18 4JT 07976 184897 www.finmereairsoft.com

FIREBALL SQUADRON

ELITE ACTION GAMES – GATWICK

FIRST AND ONLY – ANZIO CAMP

Holmbush Farm, Crawley Road, Faygate, Nr. Horsham, W. Sussex, RH12 4SE 07882 686242 www.eliteactiongames.com

Leek, ST13 8 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

ELITE ACTION GAMES – DORKING Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5AB 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

ELITE ACTION GAMES – EPSOM Epsom, Surrey, KT18 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING Worthing, BN13 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA 07582 684533 www.fireballsquadron.com

FIRST AND ONLY – BUNKER WOOD Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – KHE SANH WOODS Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 2NA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – MANCHESTER WOODLAND Bolton, BL7 9TS 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – ASYLUM Bexley, Greater London, DA5 1NX 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST & ONLY: THE HIVE EXPERIENCE AIRSOFT

CUMBRIA AIRSOFT

FIREFIGHT COMBAT SIMULATIONS

Caerwent Training Area, South Wales, NP26 5XL 07921 336360 www.dragonvalley.co.uk

ELITE BATTLEZONE CORNWALL AIRSOFT ASSAULT

Bradford, BD2 1BQ 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

Houston, Renfrewshire, PA6 7BP 07853 195290 www.dow-airsoft.co.uk

DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT

BRISTOL AIRSOFT

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE SANDPIT

DOGS OF WAR

Brimington, Chesterfield, S43 1DQ www.cia-airsoft.co.uk

CLOSE ACTION AIRSOFT

Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

Skelmersdale, Lancs WN8 8UT 07986 053076 www.deltateam3.co.uk

DRAGON’S LAIR

Leisure Lakes, Mere Brow, Southport. PR46JX 07790 715059 www.bravo22airsoft.com

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE COMPLEX

DELTA TEAM 3

Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 0AN 01380 728982 www.experienceairsoft.co.uk

Middleton, Manchester, M24 1AZ0161 727 8863

FIRST & ONLY: THE ARMOURY Wrexham, Denbighshire, LL13 9RG 07554 800040

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

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INVICTA AIRSOFT – RAINDEN WOODS

MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7AY 01227 763335 www.invictaairsoft.co.uz

Wrightington, WN6 9PL 01942 514724 www.militaryoutdooradventure.co.uk

ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT

MILSIM UK

Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk

FIRST & ONLY: THE ACADEMY

GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT

Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6QF 07779 157440

Leicester, LE9 9FP www.gingerliberationfront.com

FIRST & ONLY: THE ASYLUM

LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT

NCIS AIRSOFT

Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk

Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk

LAC SITE 1

NOMAD AIRSOFT Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY 07904 998250 www.nomadairsoft.com

GREENZONE COMBAT

Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07779 157440

Co. Armagh, BT60 1NE 07772 919974 www.greenzonecombat.com

FIRST & ONLY: THE OUTPOST

GUN HO AIRSOFT

Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

Kidderminster, DY11 5SA 07779 157440

Guisborough, TS7 0PG 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk

LAC SITE 2

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – CAMBRIDGE

Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

FIRST & ONLY: SLEEPY HOLLOW Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 5LS 07880 316716

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

LAC SITE 3

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – MIDLANDS

Saxillby, LN1 2JW 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

FIRST & ONLY: THE DEPOT Glasgow, G45 9SB 0161 727 8863

GROUND ZERO WOODLAND Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2DF www.groundzerowoodland.com

FREE FIRE ZONE Farcet, Peterborough, PE7 3DH 01733 247171 www.freefirezone.co.uk

FRV AIRSOFT Annacloy, Downpatrick, BT30 8JJ 07730 586926 www.frvairsoft.com

GASS AIRSOFT – PENN Penn Bottom, Bucks, HP10 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk

GASS AIRSOFT – PIDDINGTON Piddington, Oxfordshire, OX25 1 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk

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MARCH 2014

Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk

RAF Honiley/The Grange Frogmore Grange, Frog Lane, Balsall Common, West Mids CV7 7FP Tel: 01676 532 384 info@suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk www.shop. suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – NORWICH Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

HILTON PARK AIRSOFT Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com

HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT Spanby, Lincs, NG34 0AT 07971 560249 facebook.com/HomelandTacticalAirsoft

HUMBER AIRSOFT North Lincolnshire, DN21 www.humberairsoft.co.uk 07792 680297

NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk

NORTHFLEET CQB Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

NSC AIRSOFT LAC SITE 5 Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

LINDSEY AIRSOFT Manby, Lincolnshire, LN11 8HE 07955 487983 www.lindsey-airsoft.co.uk

MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5FW 07974 507166 www.matlockcombatgames.com

MAW Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 07562 479966 maw.airsoft@hotmail.com

MIA Cornwall, EX23 9JL 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk

Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0 07983 333521 www.nscairsoft.co.uk

NTAC Durham, DL4 2ER 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk

OBAN AIRSOFT – HILL ARGYLL Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com

OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk

OVER THE TOP AIRSOFT CLUB Anglesey, LL71 www.ottairsoft.co.uk 07731 744471

Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data

SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…

PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION Former RAF Camp Sopley/ Merryfield Park, Hants, BH23 02380 899369

PHOENIX AIRSOFT Welbeck Airsoft, Academy, Budby Road, Notts NG20 9JX 07956 587213/01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk

PLATOON 1HQ Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ 01634 829063 www.ptt-1hq.co.uk

SG1 COMBAT GAMES

TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT

UCAP GREEN OPS

Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA 07713 273102 www.sg1combatgames.co.uk

Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AS 01792 473336 www.tacticalwales.co.uk

Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY

TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT

Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk

Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk

SKIRMISH EXETER

TECH BRIGADE

Exeter, Devon, EX4 5 01548 580025 www.airsoftexeter.co.uk

Newgate Street, Hertfordshire.

SG13 8NH 07841 713356 www.techbrigade.org

SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT PLAYERS OF WAR High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD 07767 203979 www.playersofwar.co.uk

PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF 02897565651 / 07825169631 www.predatorcombat.com

RAVEN’S NEST Suffolk, IP8 4 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk

RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk

RIFT AIRSOFT COM’S SITE 3 Chipping Warden, OX17 1LZ 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com

RIFT AIRSOFT (COTTENHAM) Cambridge, CB24 8RL 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com

SECTION 8 AIRSOFT

Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR 07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com

TASK FORCE SKIRMISH Cowbridge, S Glamorgan, CF71 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk

UCAP SANDPIT Bean, Kent, DA2 8 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

URBAN6AIRSOFT – ZONE 13

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH

THE BUNKER

Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

Aberystwyth, www.aberairsoft.co.uk 07841 462806

Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0QN 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com

URBAN6AIRSOFT – THE BLOCK SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – THE ROCK

THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT

Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

Redford, DD11 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk

Wood Street, Butron-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 £AB www.urban6airsoft.com

URBAN ASSAULT STIRLING AIRSOFT

THE EX SITE

Coventry, CV3 6NX 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com

Mold, CH7 4 07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk

Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk

VIKING AIRSOFT STORMFORCE AIRSOFT

THE WARGAMES CENTRE

Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk

Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN 08456 434326 www.scottishadventurecentre.co.uk

SUSSEX AIRSOFT

TROJAN AIRSOFT

Slinfold, RH12 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk

Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ 07428 024874 www.trojan-airsoft.com

S.W.A.T. AIRSOFT

TROJAN AIRSOFT – OLYMPUS CQB

Shotts, N Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com

Boathouse lane, South Wirral, Cheshire, CH64 3TB www.swatairsoft.eu 07703 177756

SECTION 8 AIRSOFT

TA EVENTS

UCAP AIRSOFT

Shotts, North Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com

Hemel Hemstead, Herts, HP2 7QB 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk

Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

Weir Mill, Viaduct Street, Chestergate, Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 7JP

Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN www.vikingairsoft.co.uk

WARMINSTER AIRSOFT Warminster, BA12 7RZ www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk

XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST Dunstable, LU6 2EE 01494 881430 www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk

XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END High Wycombe, HP14 3NP 01494 881430

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

89

DEALER LISTINGS

ADVERTISERS INDEX Land Warrior Airsoft 2 RedWolf Airsoft 3 + 34 + 61 Airsoft Expo 7 Airsoft Zone 9 ActionSportGames 11 Airsoft Armoury 15 JD Airsoft 19 + 57 Military 1st 23 BadgerTac 27 Gunman International 34 Wolf Armouries 36 SWAT 41 Leeds Airsoft 46 Airsoft Surgeon European Championship 50 Enola Gaye 51 Epic Militaria 67 E-W Trading 67 Crawley Surplus Store 70 NoVAT 70 Dragon Valley 70 Military Outdoor 70 BagerTac2 74 Gunman Airsoft 78 Eton Guns 78 Airsoft TV 82 Bookshop 84 Airsoft World 91 Pro Airsoft Supplies 92 90