82nd Airborne Project - part 2 Supply Jeeps

 82nd Airborne project part 2 - supply jeeps 

Off the desk this week some American airborne jeeps for my Arnhem collection, jeeps are Raventhorpe, crews are Alder, loads are a mix of SHQ and scratch built.

Cheers

Matt

Les Chasseurs Ardennais a Bodange - book review

 Les Chasseurs Ardennais a Bodange, book review 

I seen a reference to this book in a French magazine and I knew I had to have it. Written by the commanding officer of the 5th company of the 1st Chassuer Ardennais who defended Bodange. 

The book had some great colour and black and white photos, maps and a comprehensive breakdown of the units involved and weapons in each platoon. Maps of each position allow you to follow the combat until the end phase in Bondage. 

I plan to walk the ground this year on our holiday in Belgium, and take a number of photos. I wrote a scenario a number of years ago for the battle, after reading the accounts I will rewrite them and post up the skirmish level and a company level scenarios.

Cheers

Matt

Bundeszollverwaltung VW T1 van

 Bundeszollverwaltung VW T1 van 

Another piece from the hotwheels VW pack. A customs vehicle for my customs troops. 

Customs tax, best follow the number plate advice! 

Cheers

Matt

Civilian Cold War VW beetle

 VW beetle 

I am always on the lookout for civilian bits that will fit my Cold War scenes, I was excited to come across a hot wheels collection of VW cars which in due course will hit the painting desk. This one my my wife’s mothers car in the 80s. Very snazzy at the time in two tone orange and white. 

Cheers

Matt

Bundesgrenzschutz Part 10

 Bundesgrenzschutz Cars 

More VW vehicles for the Bundesgrenzschutz, again a mix of matchbox and hot wheels. Quite happy with them. 

Cheers

Matt

Terrain Tuesday

 A few more bits for the table , another wayside cross and a US supply dump suitable for ww2 and Cold War games and objective markers.

Cheers

Matt

Royal Engineers Caterpillar D7 Dozer

 Caterpillar D7 Armoured Dozer

Also this week I completed a simple model from Raventhorpe, a Caterpillar D7 dozer, I copied images from a build on the British Modeler Forum. I need to make the corresponding LCT number now! 

Quite happy, acrylic with enemal streaking and grime, and powders. Crewman is Plastic Soldier company. 

Cheers

Matt

Volkssturm Konigsberg

 Volkssturm Konigsberg 1945

Over on the Wargamers Forum Alan popped up a video of the defenders of Konigsberg, great volkssturm references for my Berlin build. I have taken a few freeze frames for future reference.

Cheers

Matt

Luftwaffe Flak 88 - Luftwaffe Field Division part four

 Luftwaffe Flak 88 

Another addition to my 16th Luftwaffe Field Division. I want to also add a supply dump and towing vehicle plus a towed version to complete the battery, and two comms coils 

Gun is a simple Airfix I think with SHQ crew, which fit nicely with the 1/76 gun. 

Cheers

Matt 

US Army - infantry supply jeeps

 US Army Supply Jeeps 

Completed a few supply Jeeps suitable for Glider or Infantry supply troops. I plan to add some stowage as soon as I paint them!

Jeeps are Raventhorpe with AB drivers 

Cheers

Matt 

Modelling US 155mm ammunition

 Modelling Ammunition for the 155mm

Building some 1/72 italeri 155 kits for my English and American heavy artillery batteries, the models come with a bunch of ammo so I needed to research US 155 ammunition. The US army technical manual images are a good resource for model builders who want to get correct ammunition for their artillery scene, and 1/35th scale modelers also. The 155mm was used by the heavy batteries in every theatre including the pacific. The gun is still in use today in a number of nations so this is also useful for Cold War and current conflicts. 

The simplest reference! 

155mm Transport

The shells were stored it was in a crate which was on a pallet. It was rare for a pallet to make it to the front as it was broken down into carry cases for delivery to the front, it was then broken down again at the gun supply point, a 2 1/2 ton truck could deliver 55 shells this way enough for at least one or two fire missions per battery. 

The Shell 

The 155mm High Explosive (HE) shell was the most commonly used ammunition for the 155, but chemical white phosphorus (WP) smoke and illumination shell was also available. The HE shell was green with yellow writing, the WP was blue grey with a single yellow horizontal band and yellow writing, the illumination shell (LU) had a white band and yellow writing. The shell was fitted a lifting ring on the nose and a rope (and later a rubber grommet during late 43 to Vietnam, then a metal/ rubber clamp up to current) on the end of the round to to protect the copper rubbing and movement whilst be transported. The round weighed 95 pounds/43 kilo so was a two man lift at minimum on a cradle. At 20mm it would be difficult to mark but at 28mm add D544 on the HE body. 

The Fuse Cap 

The fuse caps was stored in a OD green crate that carried 25 fuses with a spanner. The shell lifting cap was grey and  screwed out so the detonator Fuse cap could then be fitted, which is either gun metal, black or green before depending upon mission type before it was loaded into the gun. 

The Propellant Charge 

The cloth charge bag was carried in  fiberboard containers packed in three with a triangular protective box. Inside were either three :- M14 37.75 inches long and 6.38 inches diameter it held two M3 Charges, this charge could be reduced depending upon range required. Or the M13 27 inches long and 7.38 inches diameter this held one M4a1 charge. The powder bags are color coded; charges 1-4 are green, 5-7 are white, and 8 is red, the bottom of the charge badge has a red mark to face the igniter on the gun. 

Fiberboard transport container 

I hope that is helpful

Cheers

Matt

82nd Airborne Market Garden Plans

82nd Airborne Market Garden build 

I have commenced my 82nd airborne for the Arnhem campaign, I already have plastic US Airborne with a few metals for my Market Garden Airborne troops. I have a mix of Alder and SGTs Mess plus various artillery bits mostly in the support pieces.

This build will be specific 82nd metal Alder figures for the replacement of the plastic figures in the battalions. I also plan to add correctly marked jeeps, a supply drop area for Groosbek and a new glider artillery battery, plus a AB metal Glider battalion in normal US greens, three Waco gliders also need to be built too. 

Cheers

Matt

17th SS Götz von Berlichingen in Normandy & Pays de Loire part 2

 17th SS Götz von Berlichingen, Pays de Loire part 2- SS-Panzerjäger Abteilung 17

Defence of the Mayenne River Laval to Le Mans 4-15th August 1944

The 17th SS was the only Armoured unit that was of any resistance was the Panzerjager battalion against two Armoured, two cavalry and two infantry divisions with independent tank regiments of Pattons 3rd Army when they reached the Pay’s de Loire area. The decision was made by AOK 7 to defend the Mayenne river line until 9th Panzer had been deployed. 

At the beginning of June 1944, the SS-Pz.Jg.Abt. 17 was only represented by the 3rd Company in its division. It had 3 Panzerjäger 38 (t) for 7.62 cm Pak 36 (Sd.Kfz. 139) and 9 Panzerjäger 38 (t) for 7.5 cm Pak 40/3 Ausf. H. 

The majority of the stab, 1. and 2 Kompanie /SS-Pz.Jg.Abt. 17 was still being set up and trained on the Jagdpanzer IV (7.5 cm Pak 39 L/48) (Sd.Kfz. 162) and remained in the previous assembly area near Saumur when the division left. 31 Jagdpanzer IV were then delivered on 30.6.1944. 

Together with the Pz.Flak platoon that had arrived from Germany for the SS-Pz.Abt. 17 with 12 Panzerkampfwagen 38 for 2 cm Flak 38 (Sd.Kfz. 140) the SS-Pz.Jg.Abt. 17 marched towards Normandy on August 4th, 1944. On the orders of the AOK 7, however, it was halted and deployed in the Laval - Le Mans area and was almost destroyed in a few days.

By August 15, 1944 at Nogent Le Rotrou , there were only 5 Jagdpz. IV (all damaged), 5 StuG IV (all damaged),  2 Marder III M and 4 Flakpz. 38 left (but at least 2 more Flak pz. 38 must have arrived in the following days) on the returns. A few days later, the 3 more Pz.Bef.Wg. IIIs arrived. The 5 StuG IVs had been given to a Pz.Werkst.Kp. in the Greater Paris area for repairs. It is not entirely clear whether they ever returned to the division.

Structure for Rapid Fire 

SS-Panzerjäger Abteilung 17 : SS-Sturmbannführer Schuster 1 x PzJagd IV lang,  2 x flakpanzer 38
1. Kompanie : 2 x Pz Jagd IV lang (deployed in Pays de Loire)
2. Kompanie : 2 x PzJagd IV lang (deployed in Pays de Loire)
3. Kompanie : 1 Panzerjäger 38 (t) for 7.62 cm Pak 36 Ausf M, 1x Panzerjäger 38 (t) for 7.5 cm Pak 40/3 Ausf. H, 1 x pak 50 4 crew maultier.  (All Deployed in Normandy)