Early WW II Germans

Hello again! After a number of family appointments I now have time to do a few more posts. I started this project a few years ago and decided to show you the results.

I have also taken the opportunity to experiment with my camera skills to improve the standard of photography for the blog so please bear with me if the pictures are variable in quality!

This model is an old Esci Panzer II with am MMS tank commander. I chose to represent the 7th Panzer Division, (which I later found out is a common choice), as the appeal of Rommel is compulsive! I personally like the the large red turret numbers, the use of the Panzer 38t mixed with German vehicles and the fact they were present in France and early Russia.

Here are two Minimi Panzer 38(t). The aerials are cat whiskers. I have based my models as this protects them from handling and as there is magnabase underneath and a zinc plate steel sheet is my really useful boxes they do not move when stored.

Here are a selection of radio and command vehicles. Here I decided to add more scenery around each item and in the case of the Sdkfz 223 I added plenty of clump foliage to act a protection as the radio aerial is fragile.

The Panzer 38 (t) command vehicle is from Sgts Mess Miniatures and is in resin with a metal frame aerial. The original master was a 3D printed object and on close inspection you can see this from the fine lines in the casting. This is hardly noticeable and invisible at any distance. The dry brushing did not really show up these lines.

Here is the ubiquitous Matchbox Sdkfz 232. The turret still rotates under the aerial however I always wonder if this a good idea as it encourages players to turn the turret and is asking for the model to be damaged! Another draw to the early WW II period is the large range of 'different' vehicles and this is one of them!

This old MMS Adler Fu-Kw Radio car is a favourite of mine. I added an MMS metal figure, probably on the look out for some Luftwaffe support! With the aerial being so fragile the clump foliage is again used as protection and the aerial is covered in camouflage netting. Although the Germans had air superiority during this period and did not bother much with hiding their vehicles the frame aerial is very fragile so a certain amount of artistic licence is required. As far as the photography is concerned I need to improve the depth of field as the focus is on the flowers in the front and not the figure and netting further back.

This hobby den Sdkfz 247 ausf b is another 'different' vehicle. I have also seen a 6 wheel version however, I believe, the four wheel version was used more during the early war. Again the aerial is a cat whisker and as this model is made from resin it suffered from the problem of the details being a little unclear. I rectified this by removing the tools along the side and replaced with the same from the bits box. This made the model look a bit more crisp. The air recognition flags came from Sgts Mess Miniatures and the transfers bits box

Another MMS metal model with a driver from the same manufacturer. I already miss the demise of this supplier however I did put in a large order before they finally ceased trading. Barry did a sterling job with this company and provided models to a very high standard. This is a Mercedes Benz le Pkw 170VK staff car and was a joy to make as it went together so easily.

This German 105mm leFH18 Field Howitzer is from SHQ as are the crew. The scenic rocks are from a bag of crushed granite. Although probably not dark enough I have used Vallejo 994 Dark Grey for the gun however as the item is quite small the optical illusion of small items look naturally dark using the 'correct' shade would make the model look too dark.

I always get these German half tracks wrong! I hope this is a Sdkfz 11 3 ton tractor, according to my copy of ' German Half Tracked Vehicles of World War Two - Unarmoured Support Vehicles of the German Army 1933-45' by John Milsom. The figure is a Dixon Miniatures 20mm German driver. Dixon provide a small WW II range which is very useful and compatible to many existing ranges. The vehicle is an old Esci model, reclaimed from the scrap box with some wheel drilled and pinned into the correct place and the tracks refitted. The windscreen is a small sheet of acetate from a box of sweets. With the change in public perceptions to the effect of plastic on the environment I expect this item to become much more difficult to get in the future, (and quite rightly so, to stop plastic pollution).

I hope to post further posts on the this and other collects in the near future.