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Fairmile H Landing Craft (1/300)
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I had never heard of the British Fairmile H until I stumbled upon it in Allied Coastal Forces of WWII. Naturally, I had to give them a try...\r\n\r\nThe Fairmile H series of landing craft were apparently envisioned as "giant raiding craft". The original requirements called for the ability to land 200 fully equipped troops, but this required American assistance.\r\n\r\nThe Americans produced the LCI (L), but the British scaled back their requirements and got the Fairmile H LCI (S), which could carry 6 officers and 96 men below decks. They also carried 18 bicycles on the deck for the soldiers' use, but I didn't include those.\r\n\r\nThey also sported armor plates on the side of the boat, not at the front or back.\r\n\r\n10 of the boats were modified during construction to become LCS (L)s, providing supporting fire to the troops without landing any. Early versions had a two-pounder gun in a tank turret, but I modeled the later version (officially version 2) with a six-pounder gun in a Valentine turret because that's what I found photos of.\r\n\r\nThe Fairmile Hs seem to have seen service from 1943 on, though I couldn't find specifics about exactly where. They do appear to have been used in the amphibious landings during the Battle of the Scheldt in the Netherlands, as some LCS (L)s were lost there.\r\n\r\nApparently, Fairmile Hs were used for landing, supporting troops, supply carrying, casualty evacuation, and laying smoke screens.\r\n\r\nI included the following models:\r\n\r\nFairmile H LCI (S) - the landing craft version, with weapons printed separately. The flat, rectangular structures on the forward deck are wooden planks for rapid disembarkation. The three piles of rod-like things on the rear deck are wooden poles.\r\n\r\nFairmile H LCI (S) Armed - as above, but with two 20mm Oerlikons they originally had. Apparently more were added often.\r\n\r\nFairmile H LCS (L) - the fire support version, weapons printed separately. This model may have more mistakes than usual because I only found photos and descriptions of the LCS (L) version.\r\n\r\nFairmile H LCS (L) Armed - as above, but with a six-pounder in a Valentine turret, a four-inch Stokes mortar (which seems to have been for smoke), two 20mm Oerlikons, and a powered turret with two fifty-cal Vickers HMGs.\r\n\r\n20mm Oerlikon Mk VIIA Mount Tilted - 20mm guns used for fire support and defense against air attack. Two were mounted on each version of the boat, with the LCI(S) version often having more. (These ones are tilted somewhat upwards because I like the look.)\r\n\r\n4 Inch Stokes Mortar for Fairmile H - for the LCS(L), goes in the pit on the forward deck. This model is educated guesswork as this weapon proved hard to find details of.\r\n\r\nValentine Turret - for the LCS(L) version. Goes on the raised mounting on the forward deck.\r\n\r\nFairmile H 50 Cal Turret - for the LCS(L) version. This looks like a standard turret that has been modified, but I couldn't find much about it. Goes on the raised rectangle at the rear, where I left a hole for it to fit into.
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