British military folding bicycle
For me personally, the abundance of British, and even landing bicycles on the subject under study is a complete surprise.
As it turned out, it was not just a bicycle, but a special BSA Airborne Bicycle, where BSA is the abbreviation of the manufacturer Birmingham Small Arms Company. The birth of the brand is due to the Crimean War of 1853-1856.
About 70,000 such bicycles were produced; they were actively used not only by the British, the first use happened in Norway, at the beginning of the war, when landing.
On Dish, through the efforts of Dmitry Derevyankin aka Derevyankin, a photo review of the bicycle from the exhibition “Inventing Bicycle – 2015” has been posted.
In the 80s of the last century, the English company Mole Military Miniatures repeated this bike in scale and metal.
British Paratroop Folding Bicycle
Nothing more could be found about the company, except as a reference from 2004 to the sale of its decals in one of the British model store.
And of course, TAMIYA did not pass by releasing a set in 2013
35333 British Paratroopers & Bicycle set
And it is this set that photo etching manufacturers have not overlooked. True, a very small number of them.
Namely: Korean Passion Models
PЗ5-130 British Paratroopers Bicycles PE SET for TAMIYA MM 35333
For reference, a set of “plates” for bending the spokes and fits here
P35-131 Bicycle Spoke Production Jig Set
And just last month the Chinese from VoyagerModel were also honored
PE351035 WWII British Milltary Bicycles upgrade set (2 sets)(For TAMIYA 35333)
Simultaneously with TAMIYA the Chinese firm DIOPARK released its version of exactly the same bike in a set
DP35010 WWII British Military Bicycle
After waiting three years, the company continued the line
DP35014 WWII British Royal Marines Soldier Set A
DP35015 WWII British Royal Marines Soldier Set B
Their compatriots from Bronco, releasing their sets on the theme of the British landing, didn’t bother with bicycles, just putting sprues from DIOPARK into the boxes
AB3567 WWII British Airborne Weapon & Equipment Set
CB35177 WWII British Paratroops in Action Set A
The aftermarket does not produce these bikes. Probably because everything is already included: etching, and plates for spokes:
Thus, we have only two lines of bicycles: from TAMIYA and from DIOPARK. It would be interesting to compare them!
It’s good that this idea came not only to me and Ashley in his review of the Tamiyev set already
I don’t know about you, but I would opt for a Chinese set, but with a small addition: the etching would still take Korean, too.
Look at the drive sprocket on the bike itself
and on etched
and then everything else!
Undoubtedly, all kits can be used at any mention of the military operations of the British Commonwealth, but only the Belgians from Resicast released the figure, strictly under this bike, but without it, which is honestly warned about.
355659 Commando No.1 Carrying Bicycle (Not Included)
