Inspired by Brett Simpson I put together some Japanese barricades for use in Japanese Roadblocks in the Burma Campaign, so I can recreate some of the Roadblock Battles on the Retreat from Burma. I made some. I improvised some.
Anti-tank Barricades
It all started when Brett Simpson sent me two photos. The first was a picture of a Japanese anti-tank barricade.
The second was Brett’s recreation of this anti-tank barricade.
So in a burst of enthusiasm, I spent a couple of hours and made my own.
One piece wasn’t enough so I made several. This gives me a very wide obstacle that can stretch across the road and into the surrounding trees.
I used the anti-tank barricade for my Japanese Roadblock – A Crossfire Experiment
It was only after I made these that I realised these particular anti-tank barricades were from the Pacific Campaign, specifically at Butaritari Island, Makin Atoll. Incidentally, they were made from palm logs.
Brett plays the Pacific, but I play Burma and this particular style of anti-tank barricade was not used in the Burma Campaign. In fact most Japanese roadblocks were not flash being improvised out of whatever was available: tar barrels, felled trees and captured lorries.
Pile of Logs
Brett also shared a photo of a pile of logs. So I made some.
Piles of logs are simple to make. So I made a few
I was starting to have a bit of a Japanese barricade collection.
Felled tree
I had a model tree that had fallen off its base and used this for a “felled tree barricade”. Trouble is, a plastic tree doesn’t compress like a real tree when lying on its side.
Captured truck
For this project I quickly painted up a Bedford MWD I had in my project box. The model is a “Bedford light truck” from Peter Pig.
Tar barrels
I haven’t got a tar barrel barricade yet, but I’m thinking a row of44 gallon drums with flames coming out the top.