Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Conflicts that came in from the Cold => Topic started by: Michi on May 26, 2024, 05:17:53 PM
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Here come parts of a West German rifle platoon from the Cold War:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXwAStYZ6TWOFNP5ACIoO5NUF5y1Gk9eNhcET-rQ-wIKdCac-gDM0Io3uzUb-7IJJDL9endD8jYc3O7KlbWPoPgJZYwv5HMUN9YlhfkgHOlypfium2a6dQ8cFM_LFRS0uE5Ai9INktP2G5jGGul0IB0zfAP_v0YcUH2O1NQnpi5MorymoG8r2PMU1Vyyu/s1024/IMG_9265.JPG)
The miniatures are 28mms (32mm total height) from Under Fire Miniatures. The gas mask bags are converted with Greenstuff to match 1980s models, because the miniatures are more 1960s (although advertised as being 1980s). Uniforms and webbings are made to look 1980s by the paintjobs. I decided for Heeresstruktur IV, which limits them to a period from 1980 to 1992. Some of the models' armament is not as it should (one soldier should be having a radio, the light Panzerfaust 44 should be Carl Gustav and there should be a second sniper per squad), but I can live with that.
I painted them as Jäger (with green piping for infantry), who were in the territorial army that consisted of 98% reservists at that time (in contrast to the field army of 3 corps/12 divisions/ 38 brigades of active soldiers).
Territorial army - "Territorialheer" - was made up of 15 homeland protection regiments - "Heimatschutzregimenter" - each one with 3 batallions - "Jägerbataillon C" - of 880 soldiers each. Each batallion had a staff company and four rifle companies, each rifle company consisted of one command and three rifle platoons (40 soldiers each).
The platoon had a command section and three squads of ten soldiers. Some of these are shown here (two squads and part of the command section).
Their task was to protect vital objects in the hinterland (bridges, industrial complexes, railway lines, etc.) from enemy and partizan activities. Usually the reservists came from the regions where they had to do their duty and were trained and familiar with the objects, region, infrastructure and local inhabitants.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAC6Zaznvet5oPgo2MwjTfdwH5Ffy1sUfysWxcNVo_CioS3n-qG8ZzXUwi0WtHDAx3-SJsl8pMtPxwJEZ3xoM_iZLnYO8rN3NWaTfeBRx1A5-PVBFfX7Tv46Ozsed0AbOtJQLXRD90T0qnaRtAV2ZPqUdBo1X2vw5QSUNg3qCbyxVUtGUcotVMF9Fz5Kn/s1024/IMG_9258.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYhkefXQITNrL7Tbf6eir9OECtQi9cVGGR09TsxLTwUlSfprChqXoTyCEkUVmZbeKOw1HLeCE6ImTL4oargJcu4C4IekQX50fKxQYy_pVhfRsSnT9c10f_d-4m0-N0OEiMxX6dwiPKdkASRfOZ2tnMVzJQSY__YmMh7uPX7yKQXdF-orXZqLp8GZbRaF-/s1024/IMG_9260.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QNFQNZBhdtVUGzbhR7HZcEVNr8AAXqofMDdRGNYJhAN-ONuZhazV5soRvuW4v-0fexEHBpMaMN8S_Mr2kf7Xo6ItQJKOfJP5RENzhCNCWkTv5gON8CUM36_wZZNVeViZCyf97J49mGhbGf5uXSpt9FvALP4ZAvzc6SjXFxlEWVcHadNSr2V0dxZLWlM5/s1024/IMG_9256.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZhDy7Pw_rtN0rs121A1hz19P_l5p9oQAXVGxfHGMblMyCcNO0FHeTbdO7zJn91AFaEiMOsJNAxBS46-9UCANZNKQy86S2piYsywy9MY_Wq8NrSm6vKctEzco2NoXVhhSdreosJYVpuBJ-FJ2vNyVSpHDqRf2bPhjvdkGzYDqmjjG8myn7FR9tPl7OF1c/s1024/IMG_9261.JPG)
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Excellent.
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Lovely work! :-* :-* :-*
Yes, the gasmak bags and kit are more '60s/70s. I must admit I didn't bother with mine, the Airfix 1/32 Bundeswehr look was good enough for me. I found the absence of camo netting on the helmets more annoying.
The absence of Carl Gustav instead of Pz44 is probably because these were intended to be HS 4 era panzergrenadiers. Underfire also do a range of Danes which are similarly dressed and they have a Carl Gustav in one pack. Uniforms are close enough that a bit of messing around with equipment should produce a good proxy. Handily, that pack also contains a prone MG3. The other packs are also good for providing a little variety. For some reason the Danes got the netted helmet treatment that the Bundeswehr didn't.
https://underfireminiatures.co.uk/product/28mm-cold-war-danish-2-light-support/
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Oh and as for the second sniper, I snipped a plastic scope from an old Wargames Factory K98 and glued it on to the top of the G3. Not perfect but good enough.
Alas decent resin Marders were in short supply when I did mine so I used old 1/48 motorised plastic kits, which again do the job. Might replace them at some point but that's a long term project.
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These are fantastic! I’ve just bought some myself, a few Russians as well, what color did you use for the uniforms? It’s a tricky one! Kind of annoying that the sculptor didn’t make an effort to sculpt on the national flags on the arms to aid painting! I love these!
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Terrific work on these. Lovely paint job. .
I remember seeing these lads on exercise on Stapel training area near Detmold in Germany . I thought at the time that they looked really old fashioned.
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These are fantastic! I’ve just bought some myself, a few Russians as well, what color did you use for the uniforms? It’s a tricky one! Kind of annoying that the sculptor didn’t make an effort to sculpt on the national flags on the arms to aid painting! I love these!
The flags aren't all that tricky, just three coloured stripes and you can go back around them with the uniform colour to even them up. That said, it is time consuming. Sculpting them on probably wouldn't have made it appreciably easier.
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Thank you all for the kind comments! :)
I remember seeing these lads on exercise on Stapel training area near Detmold in Germany . I thought at the time that they looked really old fashioned.
I was wearing this uniform and gear from the eighties until 1994! Some vehicles were also still in plain olive drab instead of camouflage pattern then.
what color did you use for the uniforms? It’s a tricky one! Kind of annoying that the sculptor didn’t make an effort to sculpt on the national flags on the arms to aid painting!
It's a mix of black, ochre and white. For the plastic and tin equipment it's a mix of black, warm yellow and withe though (becomes more greenish).
The flags are easy to paint: Red horizontal stripe, a black one above and a yellow one below. Narrow the red one down as slim as possible with the black and finally trim around with the uniform colour. You'll be able to receive really small flags that way (glad that I hadn't to paint star spangled banners...)
The absence of Carl Gustav instead of Pz44 is probably because these were intended to be HS 4 era panzergrenadiers. Underfire also do a range of Danes which are similarly dressed and they have a Carl Gustav in one pack. Uniforms are close enough that a bit of messing around with equipment should produce a good proxy. Handily, that pack also contains a prone MG3. The other packs are also good for providing a little variety.
You are right, I think. The light Panzerfaust 44 was standard for all other kind of troops, but Jäger. I was maintenance and we also used them. I noticed the Danish packs and was tempted to buy some for conversions, but still I would have had to buy more Bundeswehr to have a proper rifle platoon anyway. My budget was limited...
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Wow, those are just wonderful 8)
Will you be doing any vehicles to go with them?
I'd really love to make a Dutch unit or two like that, but the amount of conversions required has put me off so far.
Interesting (annoying?) that there are Danes available (not to rag on the Danes, obviously), but no Dutch in 28mm that I'm aware of. At the time, the Netherlands contributed rather a lot to NORTHAG; in some regions Dutch troops were more prevalent than German ones ::) Long hair and beards are just not very sexy to sculptors I suppose... lol
And that's early eighties. 'My' time, early nineties, with the change in kit and gear would be a lot more niche even!
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That's excellent work there Michi. As owner/operator of Under Fire Miniatures I very definitely approve this post.
The RTO is the guy peering around the corner at the front left of the second photo & I'm sure a Charlie G plus second marksman can be organized in the future.
Bill Weston.
www.underfireminiatures.com
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Will you be doing any vehicles to go with them?
Oh yes!
I already owned half a dozen Leopards in 1/60th scale from Del Prado (I think, I posted them ten or more years ago):
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-a7IjHai8k6WVNlmsHfTmu-zDINRvcbrgglRvLV0XoIoI_Vs8SSdfsItOcTRHjVkdNeFW6kpz1MikKAkgmrROb5GQatqIZy3GjS_MJDywQ5F88nzVoQN7eLVqLRVL022b3cmt86Wwp0/s1600/Miniaturenfotos,+Originale+643.jpg)
However, I do prepare a couple of other vehicles too. I ordered a M113 APC plastic kit from Rubicon in 1/56th scale, which arrived today.
Also the first ones are finished. These are cheap Matchbox models from the supermarket toy shelf. They are labeled as being 1/59th scale, but I checked the measurements and calculated the scale from the prototype and found out that they actually are 1/56th scale. This means that they match the "official" scale for 28mm wargaming vehicles and I'm really happy with them.
The only thing I had to do was a minor conversion: The models had the "elephant foot" tail lights of the 1303 Beetle, which identifies them as late Mexican makes. I ground them away and painted the original oval tail lights (same as those of the late T1 and early T2 transporters). The repaint is in the original RAL 6014 yellow olive (Revell No. 46). Tactical markings are Jägerbataillon 56 and license plates are Truckline decals in 1/72nd scale.
Rifle squads used to be equipped with light 2 ton trucks (Mercedes Benz L508 D), but I haven't found an appropriate model for a conversion yet. The VW 181 "Kurierwagen" was widely used by almost every troop type in the Bundeswehr of the 1970s and 1980s. The American name "THING" was never known or used in Germany, but it was commonly called "Kübel(wagen)" by soldiers and civilians alike (although never by Volkswagen) like the Wehrmacht predecessor.
The cars may look small, but keep in mind that they are based on the Beetle chassis:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19ASST9nYSFquNjmcl65lZ0ijM8Rtts109TKLhJHYoepiLdzW0b7RqTitZIGWeOw4tJlr6UYAt7rrSIagic5WZ_tsUvpi-GNi3NgKqMZKuoXkpDyp8JZH8-tCpE_GrYc45c4nBELwU7t3xJY1iT70A5eUMy73llH2inML3c8UXRkJecpIwMAe6H1Vcvpu/s1024/IMG_9289.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRv9VcZv8qKGdsxpjV_ZwiYbNrj-5vRSIuZOkuSjI_10KWOx8vHwIKRe3ruRBAmusimwWsLjXbbH-JP2zE3zPIVYXNCmdTPj39C9k_UHURCcNgwOi9SiDVAD16h2Aizeb94edWEt6iOnVkkfR4ETs7zwm4po3hReebkClShsBzrImdw-FUjkqE7R3sPE5U/s957/IMG_9288.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIa2DhWB77WO36bZc9I0s1xVBWBYi4PVRy0WcqQ5sfME34b9kGV-sLVUbZN18I0gy9FSmNfK08Vd03usyAjKLTDJ0BZkELb8WyOJVYKZXSLvdF03woNaq49Ijbl-QJ8uKvvXJv9ytkRqvyebQ1zBNLLJOC0tJLDNCCCAbaTAeYy2WeCEy84eU2i65klea/s1024/IMG_9287.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzyT0FPwu176_J8FTxr5bNTrGKmqVvzvspqDP9wSZcr4MbpZ4DoTfqCoke-ZO25hhh1pKibkjQ2nP6Oy77MBk06dZWzEEB0lXtbov_CPuZwdMTbchjXkNz6dcy5DTc9rLnQ4O3ICyYRnetXp4_5_7f4rDAPaX_pr2yjfBG-T17IcWv8iPTw90ck4_-w11/s1024/IMG_9286.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc88uc4aeZA70LTWJuHl2c7UzYWewYxVEwLxJecydrGfctgBK7HOD2XBS341rq5MFACr1KuKQyoQG0hggjDIgrcDDT4kgAL74PK8-5M4hdshBEZe5aCTWa3l7AleTYR5PZQAhYBH6h-cDf4L3khk6krIvVwJirYfahA9d93vlvOEOvsqlCYEouu8wbwzDQ/s1024/IMG_9283.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPMv0D-xhP9ob1Xr5373BeGzjX6aw0YyQTH0CTFq5MDFygwYlmyjjN95DsGD7DDCTb-l1zQWR9auV0ot8TtiFKfMG1HPWQYbisubf4e0HXmCqG7PEHIbQU0FtWgamCJPQERul-n9u_hRDsDX54J29c56lT9k0JOo2_KNycp1Tn14hVQqCpivjEE11zILA/s1024/IMG_9284.JPG)
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Great looking cars and soldiers!
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Lovely painting! :o
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Ooh! Many thanks for the heads up on the Matchbox VW 181s, I've been looking for a suitable kubels for my Bundeswehr. I have some rather large DKW Mungas for my 1960s Brits in Berlin. I also knew that there ws a rather expensive diecast Iltis in 1/43 out there but wasn't sure on the size of those Matchbox vehicles. I do try for larger 1/50 and above scale vehicles with the Underfire and Empress ranges because of their height but hey those look the part.
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This is a great thread, I think you really nailed the uniform color.
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This is a great thread, I think you really nailed the uniform color.
I quite agree. Those chaps look great!
To my knowledge, the FRG wasn't deploying troops outside of Germany in the early '90s, or I might find a place for them in my Northern Gambola or Balszakistan games...
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More great work. The Leopards are terrific!
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Great work on those troops. They look great!
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If you fancy a Leopard upgrade, some Unimogs or an actual Bundeswehr M113A1G try this chap. He's based in Germany and I can vouch for the quality of his prints, they're excellent. He also has an Etsy store which frequently has good discounts.
https://patrickminiatures.de/
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I quite agree. Those chaps look great!
To my knowledge, the FRG wasn't deploying troops outside of Germany in the early '90s, or I might find a place for them in my Northern Gambola or Balszakistan games...
Not exactly 'deployed' in an operational sense, but there was a panzer training battalion down the road from me at Castlemartin Camp in Pembrokeshire, West Wales from the mid-1960s to mid-1990s, together with a permanent Luftwaffe air transport presence at RAF Brawdy at the other end of the county. This meant that that exercises by German helicopters, airborne, Luftwaffe and other units were also a regular 'thing' around here when I was growing up and parts of the county had tri-lingual roadsigns (Welsh, English and German). German soldiers were also an occasional presence in our wargames club.
Oh and bloody lovely modelling! :-*
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I quite agree. Those chaps look great!
To my knowledge, the FRG wasn't deploying troops outside of Germany in the early '90s, or I might find a place for them in my Northern Gambola or Balszakistan games...
Oh I forgot to add that a German Fallschirmjaeger Battalion plus support, was part of the 'Southern Option' for the AMF(L) Brigade Group, so could potentially have gone 'out of area' as part of a NATO mission.
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Not exactly 'deployed' in an operational sense, but there was a panzer training battalion down the road from me at Castlemartin Camp in Pembrokeshire, West Wales from the mid-1960s to mid-1990s, together with a permanent Luftwaffe air transport presence at RAF Brawdy at the other end of the county. This meant that that exercises by German helicopters, airborne, Luftwaffe and other units were also a regular 'thing' around here when I was growing up and parts of the county had tri-lingual roadsigns (Welsh, English and German). German soldiers were also an occasional presence in our wargames club.
Oh and bloody lovely modelling! :-*
All very convincingly dressed as Polish paratroopers. Of course you can only tell us this now that Donald Sutherland is dead. ;)
Next you'll be telling us that there was a German goalkeeper at Man U as far back as the 1950s. :D
I think you did well out of the bargain. The rather gorgeous RAF Little Rissington was turned over to tender mercies of the Royal Irish Rangers before falling into the hands of the USAF as a bloody hospital.
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Oh I forgot to add that a German Fallschirmjaeger Battalion plus support, was part of the 'Southern Option' for the AMF(L) Brigade Group, so could potentially have gone 'out of area' as part of a NATO mission.
Indeed, if you fee like converting the G3s into folding stock versions or just ignoring that detail (I would) then you can field them far afield. I've seen photos of the German paras on exercise in Turkey. IIRC the Osprey on NATO forces has at least one photo showing that. German paras vs Bulgarians?
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All very convincingly dressed as Polish paratroopers. Of course you can only tell us this now that Donald Sutherland is dead. ;)
Next you'll be telling us that there was a German goalkeeper at Man U as far back as the 1950s. :D
I think you did well out of the bargain. The rather gorgeous RAF Little Rissington was turned over to tender mercies of the Royal Irish Rangers before falling into the hands of the USAF as a bloody hospital.
I've said too much... :-X
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I've said too much... :-X
Quite alright, it's not like these are the WarThunder forums. lol
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Hmm...this whole thread has given me food for thought. FRG troops, Brits, who knows who might show up in Northern Gambola in the future...?
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Hmm...this whole thread has given me food for thought. FRG troops, Brits, who knows who might show up in Northern Gambola in the future...?
IIRC, the 'Southern (AFSOUTH) Option' for AMF(L) consisted of German, Spanish, Belgian and US battalion battlegroups (all of them Airborne), with headquarters, medium armoured recce squadron, artillery regiment, engineers and other combat support elements mostly provided by the British Army (each battlegroup had their own organic light arty and some other combat support elements). There were also then AMF Sea and Air components for both 'Southern' and 'Northern' options.
The 'Northern (AFNORTH) Option' had British, Canadian and Italian Battlegroups plus a reinforced Luxembourg Company Group all geared toward Arctic Warfare (memory's not great, but there might have been another group?). However, both the Northern and Southern 'Options' used all the same (mostly British) headquarters and combat support elements and a lot of the same Air and Sea component, so it would have been one or the other, not both.
Norway was seen as the most likely destination for AMF(L), with increasing amounts of heavy equipment pre-positioned there, while Turkey was the typical destination for the Southern Option. However, more esoteric destinations were undoubtedly planned for, such as securing Malta or Cyprus, a 'Second Suez Crisis', etc, so it's entirely possible that they might have ended up in Gambola... :D
Denmark was also initially seen as a likely destination for the Northern Option, but as time went on more NATO forces were allocated to securing Denmark (UK Mobile Force, US 9th Infantry Division and possibly a USMC MAB).
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And while you are contemplating all that I'll just add that Eureka Portuguese with WW2 German helmets, painted in plain OG uniforms and with their G3s stocks painted as wood make pretty good Cold War Spanish proxies.
With a little work the Underfire Miniatures themselves can be readily proxied as other folk. Chilean Marines for example were, at the time, principally armed with G3s or their 5.56mm near identical little brother the HK-33. Mexico was another big user of the G3 and US stye tin hats, as were Colombia and Iran. Just sayin'.
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If you fancy a Leopard upgrade, some Unimogs or an actual Bundeswehr M113A1G try this chap. He's based in Germany and I can vouch for the quality of his prints, they're excellent. He also has an Etsy store which frequently has good discounts.
https://patrickminiatures.de/
Thank you very much for the link!
M113s are available from Rubicon, I already have one (yet unbuilt) and the Leo 2 is too modern for my needs.
However I ordered one of the Unimogs to get an impression of what it looks like in the flesh. The 3D graphic doesn't look perfect (I used to own the prototype for years and know it quite well). I'll show the model here when it's finished...
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... and the Leo 2 is too modern for my needs.
The Cromwell tank tribute band apparently was touring from 1982.
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Solido produce a decent, certainly useable Leopard 1 in 1/50. Alas, as it comes it's only useable as the least fielded version, the 1A2. It could be converted to the almost ubiquitous 1A1 by adding some plastic card spaced armour to the turret and at least it has the sideskirts. That's a project, I've been putting off for ages. Sadly my Marders are 1/48 so the Leopard looks a bit small by comparison. Maybe it's bite the bullet time. I've largely run out of things I fancy painting at the moment.
Our very knowledgeabe fellow LAFer Jemina Fawr introduced me to the complexity of Leopard fielding within the Bundeswehr.
https://www.jemimafawr.co.uk/2019/09/02/beware-of-the-leopard-part-2-1980s-west-german-tank-distribution/
Sometimes you pay the price for too much knowledge, as I realised that with Germany no longer fielding any standard Leopard A1s by 1980 that the plastic kit I had bought on spec was useless. Oh well, maybe it will become a Belgian Leopard one day.
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I am getting a certificate error on the Jemima Fawr link.
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Solido produce a decent, certainly useable Leopard 1 in 1/50. Alas, as it comes it's only useable as the least fielded version, the 1A2. It could be converted to the almost ubiquitous 1A1 by adding some plastic card spaced armour to the turret and at least it has the sideskirts. That's a project, I've been putting off for ages. Sadly my Marders are 1/48 so the Leopard looks a bit small by comparison. Maybe it's bite the bullet time. I've largely run out of things I fancy painting at the moment.
Our very knowledgeabe fellow LAFer Jemina Fawr introduced me to the complexity of Leopard fielding within the Bundeswehr.
https://www.jemimafawr.co.uk/2019/09/02/beware-of-the-leopard-part-2-1980s-west-german-tank-distribution/
Sometimes you pay the price for too much knowledge, as I realised that with Germany no longer fielding any standard Leopard A1s by 1980 that the plastic kit I had bought on spec was useless. Oh well, maybe it will become a Belgian Leopard one day.
I blame myself... :'(
The Belgians are a good call. They STILL had them in 2005 when they came down to Wales and hosted my cadets for a range-day! :o
You could always use it as a 1A2 in the LANDJUT Corps (6. Panzergrenadier-Division)? Alternatively, the Canadians received a load of 1A2 as stop-gaps during the late 70s and still had a few knocking around as reserve tanks. There's at least one photo of a Canadian 1A2 from sometime around 1983ish. There's also the Italians...
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I am getting a certificate error on the Jemima Fawr link.
Oh yes, so do I using that link. It's also asking me to log in (I'm already logged in), which is odd... :?
Try this one: http://www.jemimafawr.co.uk/2019/09/02/beware-of-the-leopard-part-2-1980s-west-german-tank-distribution/
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I am getting a certificate error on the Jemima Fawr link.
That's really strange. I get the error when using Carlos' link, but not when using my link, but it appears to be exactly the same link! :?
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I blame myself... :'(
The Belgians are a good call. They STILL had them in 2005 when they came down to Wales and hosted my cadets for a range-day! :o
You could always use it as a 1A2 in the LANDJUT Corps (6. Panzergrenadier-Division)? Alternatively, the Canadians received a load of 1A2 as stop-gaps during the late 70s and still had a few knocking around as reserve tanks. There's at least one photo of a Canadian 1A2 from sometime around 1983ish. There's also the Italians...
All good suggestions but alas, Italians and Canucks are thin on the ground in 28mm. I'm waiting for Rubicon to release their Australians. Kit bashed with their US troops, they should make reasonable Canuck proxies. They'll be fairly limited as Aussies anyway due to dodgy research.
Having contemplated the amount of work involved in converting late WW2 US troops into chaps with M14's I'm loathe to do the same for BM49 wielding Italians. Belgians can at least be proxied using the Mofo Argentines.
Yeah, I'm torn between the extra work involved (which would mostly be covered in camo neeting anyway) and the limitation of it belonging to a single brigade in Landjut.
Things were simple in Awwstraya. We just had AS1s which were Leopard 1A4 with Belgian fire control. The only exception were the two 1972 trials vehicle which were 1A2 models.
BTW On my laptop I got a Bitdefender warning for the link I put up but ignored it as I have the same page bookmarked on my iPad.
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That's really strange. I get the error when using Carlos' link, but not when using my link, but it appears to be exactly the same link! :?
Your link worked fine. Thanks.
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Try this one: http://www.jemimafawr.co.uk/2019/09/02/beware-of-the-leopard-part-2-1980s-west-german-tank-distribution/
Very helpful, thanks a lot!
Now that I checked, I see that mine seem to be Leopard 1(A0) from one of the first 3 batches:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbtIgZmCtzDd2ZxeH_bzYgqkX6zrxVGk1WbMMYPyUYcE4my-qgrG9cHuDmtbBeiSSjT2zuNWBeptUv3frO4HkL6RghAyY2GqR9S26mWdgA0NGbx8NXzOTeesdguLSgIL8ikMmbyVbP40/s1600/Miniaturenfotos,+Originale+637.jpg)
I imagine them to be from the third batch (which was delivered shortly before I was born) and not upgraded until second half of the 1970s. That way they will match Rubicon's M113 & Huey, my VW Kübelwagen and the newly ordered Unimog 404 (and even a Borgward B2000 that was in use until 1975).
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Lovely! Whenever I see a 'classic' Leopard 1 it always takes me straight back to the 70s, being about 5 or 6 and being taken by my Dad to see them firing on range open days at Castlemartin and getting to crawl all over one. :-*
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You have a troop's (platoon) worth and they're nicely painted. :-* :-*
I'd be sticking them whatever the mark.
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Your link worked fine. Thanks.
Oh, great stuff! :D Weird...
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You have a troop's (platoon) worth and they're nicely painted. :-* :-*
I'd be sticking them whatever the mark.
Absolutely! :D
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That's excellent work there Michi. As owner/operator of Under Fire Miniatures I very definitely approve this post.
The RTO is the guy peering around the corner at the front left of the second photo & I'm sure a Charlie G plus second marksman can be organized in the future.
Bill Weston.
www.underfireminiatures.com
Bill, I love to hear that and I'm definitely going to do a similar project in the future. So far, my plan was to buy the Charlie G from the Danish pack and simply discard the Armbrust shooter, as the weapon was never introduced in the Bundeswehr. But an additional support weapons team would be great! Maybe round it off with a MG3 on Feldlafette? The Bundeswehr Jäger battalions (and Panzergrenadiere) made quite some use of these. Or a figure with HK69 GraPi. It's available for your Bundesgrenzschutz units, but the Bundeswehr was and still is the main user of that weapon.
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Thank you very much for the link!
M113s are available from Rubicon, I already have one (yet unbuilt) and the Leo 2 is too modern for my needs.
However I ordered one of the Unimogs to get an impression of what it looks like in the flesh. The 3D graphic doesn't look perfect (I used to own the prototype for years and know it quite well). I'll show the model here when it's finished...
The Assault Group also do M113, though they somethimes run out of them. They're incredibly cheap to buy from them, I think I paid 9 £ for an M113 and the same for a HMMWV.
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The Assault Group also do M113, though they somethimes run out of them. They're incredibly cheap to buy from them, I think I paid 9 £ for an M113 and the same for a HMMWV.
Thanks for the hint! l‘m in progress of pimping two of those printed Unimogs mentioned earlier, but once they are finished, I can start planning APCs too… :D
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Just noticing these. I especially appreciate the highlights on the uniforms as well as the dark almost-black (or black?) separating the web gear from the uniforms.
I struggle painting these two aspects of painting and really like what you've done here.
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I finished the Rubicon model of the Huey in 1/56th scale today. My Bundeswehr infantry can now be airborne and deployed from above... :D
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgttMNbEnv-rA5ext2DFRkUWPS-KswR_4iQ09jENbwnmL6M5MVMKXZ30qN5lTGfi85WkECdy3FAi1aaEMvGjuxEToiDp34iAfdJtkncnEKlacZatdLs-DwyMNEj65cTX3Tf2_kMjpVte1mEsScA4qUed_5WdktRdGIzv5GLmuoMOV16gxCr4hSS_45tPpvn/s1024/IMG_1631.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35LKqYx7m-GMtMwVjVkCYGKIEa8RyP_V8HMr7HHhXGQLm1NqG1LMnOxxnMxJ7xhjcaaHuooh6mXnb35r2f9ZXLoqqCUoKcjUt4iyvKrTbOEZCIr_LUAmfTJ5eRXgfe-RGbfJXpKb_P-O26cTDFaOcAj6Fnp7oEoXVyFYdwkQewG5xh6hc4Sh4oqVJoWdK/s1024/IMG_1630.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTB-x-ZCnNFX15F8mWxLPf9PqOZzP0NYecAHNy3VovrVuphasmt67dwONQ2QEb65h3NXAMHSm-5dun6-o21DWMzZ-2bcF2zKkE_5BAEbs70WycPtyIhQqGlQlQXotiz_zp8VGNWQcWgT6idoCGDw-8Z_XyMPJX9nevXGcTP8TjV_a0Loiq4gQ9upcVQPD/s1024/IMG_1629.JPG)
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Lovely work! :-*
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Indeed! Beautiful looking model! :-* :-*
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What a great project buddy 👌
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That Huey looks great!
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That looks very good.
Where'd you get the markings?
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That looks very good.
Where'd you get the markings?
Thank you all for the kind words! :)
The markings are freehand painted with a pointy size 1 brush. I wish the model had come with decals for the German version, but those were only US (even the bunnies from Apocalypse now! :o ) and British looking roundels with kangaroos lol
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BriirwTDm5goiOHsUCG7336GLdRYUNrmmuFfkWYPA1Co3w3Cpf5oAquv1CrtXmHhU9JYlJb1MtO5FrdvUevTq6QsTRMAuFtTBjT5jYDqt9uxApXNylgnvDqUAxCLAgCN4LZMjLBUvSntw4xE98ihdnvfpnnDiIXwEExPBukJUwKb4mTZVInquT66Tzkd/s1024/IMG_1634.JPG)
Now off to paint the Unimogs...
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Lovely work on all this, Michi.
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Wowsa! That looks fantastic...!! :-*
Mike Demana
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I finished the Rubicon model of the Huey in 1/56th scale today. My Bundeswehr infantry can now be airborne and deployed from above... :D
Wow, what a beauty! I need to build mine. I cannot decide if it's going to be German for the late Cold War or Vietnam era US, though.
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This project just gets better and better ... I loved the Leos but the Huey is just :-*
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I really should put mine together. Looking for some additional bits to turn it into a 9 Sqdn Bushranger.
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Wow, what a beauty! I need to build mine. I cannot decide if it's going to be German for the late Cold War or Vietnam era US, though.
Why choose? Get another one, and do both! ;)
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Why choose? Get another one, and do both! ;)
Please don't say such things in my presence. My will is weak.
https://www.16va.be/page_uh-1h.html
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The Unimogs are done too:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kYtCI32lS2XBIzkrpjrO9lArmN10VULEG2pp7BRXzhzoi6KbOL_kcyKGWgvXSZvPeoWoGpkHKkxpeM7kyqmblWPnqgyRRMR46dp88BTqAr0-s-QjRLlziDdhPMgytgasePbcduDCNJ-fbJ2bxZDtzvT_KdOhuf2K1Au89GaxFsdWA5wHoTQi6hvJcQmd/s1024/IMG_1709.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ7W9izr81xpmHS1DA1XkzXVAIXxzSAQgtPyYhSaJK19BiCBwdS0RwgLzwHGtnzhuIReodLImnjymHyq7OrW3zD5hfEIIOWAXhzzfOwss52FPLNhtdZtXpkRq0t2O03CnsYmg-KalH7AlPWqQPdKvaDkAkICzYzHJdL0aGeXdHKs0EqR7LL1pNfnzkz8l/s1024/IMG_1713.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwELHllkTufe9ldla73QCVt7mTp5gZZPSPS6ANehdMH58Jjbbvkjc-0GJPSX3vwZG14JlVIiPN_6fjvhPAEubVgohKSpdDZITBYSJ0DkI7-ZqpEgqt3pzgbWVHjCKwLp-m7jXjRd53f-i_-zs_mCaNoW3hRiLsdcbSsVMtkbSfRH6OAybDgI6m8Gh8ayQb/s1024/IMG_1744.JPG)
I followed this advice:
If you fancy a Leopard upgrade, some Unimogs or an actual Bundeswehr M113A1G try this chap. He's based in Germany and I can vouch for the quality of his prints, they're excellent. He also has an Etsy store which frequently has good discounts.
https://patrickminiatures.de/
The 3D resin printed Unimog is a very nice model. There were a few minor flaws that I could accept, but some major ones had to be improved. The front wasn't rounded enough and the missing side windows looked odd with a solid vertical surface instead of an interior. I fixed that with Greenstuff and took care for the bumper and tailgate with it as well. The overall appearance was then alright for me.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCq7ktpJ-twp76Z-wbHhJoaLAsyGZ50caPrV7K7w-JFGHbvfjjeY3DLzYItGmFwjjtlHB3txfn6G2W02DiWZt3ZVaJI_aPD5hbK7T5_5Q5sBF13HYdJOAOT0gwXJl0YVc4qGyx0u-DzbiQSA-tni0k-i4Ar6VWHv1Hz-K9ismDlsFE7Uy7Zyv29bEzPWp/s1024/HMGM5165.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0W-UnnUpCnFoZKyVyJKsoBLdOXy9_VW3O9BsXbTpjKY6-hiyUKa679cbIBGbLIhk2NsSXrawaHQVzSAm_-dqc5u9E46ZkWzN47OJXX11_uI7IGqQNdAp2-K0IJTNwRS86PFSdxjQm_EnGwOD8No5hRGwVSEf6RZqzh3ZQg5418wr17UV2FPo2a4FIbnb/s1024/IMG_1732.JPG)
Some size comparisons...
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAt8jFEEQNGcMxPNnnaHx0kK1BSxSDksoDS4lvDmY4kwJ0baYc555ayTyHgmFDSMVZwRE8NQVidMMGtta5zcMc8GMYbeOHD5s9tDOX5sVLaW2EdF4LsGuYAMigzpokcdOtJplQAEQWIktqiG3zdMDR6thMVw0sk9HT7JPEQwlr4fXDCRQX4ipfurU2Sce/s919/IMG_1743.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEez3OCUMEx2maISyxObzU4ngq6GMEBUm1xtfbC1TDjvN7KkY6J64D9B1z-cEU9OpS0MdyGgCegBC8aRKfM1py5MOZ5v5YWrmTzrrHBY0ZUsFFqs3r04K35XnSOlqdvzHdYO0cNRUs4-ajaqcRZCKs1oItMs7uz0iKNGc8Ec0Y78u7SQStfFBpUyJxGmc/s1024/IMG_1723.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYM1Vn5XrntLN-peAAypD5CUU63Hd1IQHXKXTyRqTsphoKN-tHqxsMdOL6HWSaof65l-p2MFtuziUSnx8LYjZqEUTVBlhDThy8F07frM-DfJcjTa0CkA9zQ0mWgp68ZD0lPvM7koZdnrGLSrgfQOLMBdAFf7H0Z-fY3sbXEwHhmODBtBhNbmvBQD5s86U/s1024/IMG_1734.JPG)
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Nice work on those. Great looking selection. :-* :-*
Love the Mog. We had the later, U1700 versions in Australia. Tough as nails, you still see quite a few surplus examples on the roads today.
Now, as you have mentioned your love of lorries, I feel obliged to mention that there's a very serviceable Solido diecast 1/50 Mercedes Benz NG out there. I have one in civilan garb but with very little work it could easily be made into a LKW 5t tmil / Mercedes Benz 1017. Usually reasonably priced second hand.
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A. Nice Unimogs. And that comparison looks about right. Thise 5-tons were big trucks...
B. Sorry, Charlie. :D. But I know what ya mean. Willpower ain't always my strong suit, either... ;)
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It's OK I just remembered still have an unbuilt 1/48 one somewhere and besides making that toilet bowl exhaust looks like a PITA. Still the idea of a glossy black Huey does appeal.
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That Unimog looks nice, though odd you had to add the window. Having seen the print on the site, I am surprised no one there noticed.
What scale did you choose? 1/56 or 1/50 (28 or 32)?
[Edit] I am guessing 1/56 if that is your Rubicon M54.
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We had the later, U1700 versions in Australia. Tough as nails, you still see quite a few surplus examples on the roads today.
Now, as you have mentioned your love of lorries, I feel obliged to mention that there's a very serviceable Solido diecast 1/50 Mercedes Benz NG out there. I have one in civilan garb but with very little work it could easily be made into a LKW 5t tmil / Mercedes Benz 1017. Usually reasonably priced second hand.
I used to drive the U1300L which is the 1700 model without turbo charger. The latter is powered by the very same enginge as the 1017. I passed my driving school in 1017A in the army and will most likely scratchbuild one someday. I already did in1:87th scale as of all vehicles I was permitted to drive (yet lacking the Mercedes O303 40 passengers coach). :D
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/48/2603-191020134851-48812515.jpeg)
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MAN oh MAN that's a nice little collection! :D
Of course we now want to see the bus in 1/50. lol
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Of course we now want to see the bus in 1/50. lol
What he said.
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Of course we now want to see the bus in 1/50. lol
Meh, you won't! My wargaming approach is mid seventies, when it's predecessor was in service. However I built that one (also in 1/87th schale, but even with sound, light and radio-controlled!):
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXFCa9vM_MjEoiI2-TqZeb9WANWSiSjTYeM0pEwq8H7_x5o2FmfbnOU1ZIVzCMVCLvErOiQu1HdM6OZOrCh_JYfwqk0FmV89kbioRZOd4nSSaRU0qA7um35fVhQ4qW62lve838p-YuWHGEqkFCvEceFqOuNz6H0IrdWwy3kmClLQMQxcSAnyKl06_86QD/s1024/IMG_8758.JPG)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnPFqWh-kZY&t=94s
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That is absurdly cool! :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
I loved the way the tiny driver even paused at the give way markings before turning.
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That is cool. But I think that bus driver had been drinkin'...he was weaving about some... :D
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Why choose? Get another one, and do both! ;)
Obviously. :D
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I have the M113 finished as well. It's another Rubicon plastic kit in 1/56th scale and the third of their Vietnam war range of three models. The German army used these APCs as well, but in a slightly adapted version. I built it as it comes from the box and instead and hope that the livery and markings allow to recognize it as being German on the gaming table. I simply wasn't in the mood to scratchbuilt tiny head lights, tail lights and fog thrower pods.
Fourth companies of Panzergrenadier battalions were equipped with M113 instead of Marders like the others in the 1970/80s. This is one is from 132nd Panzergrenadier batallion, 13th Panzergrenadier brigade, 5th Panzer division. It was garrisoned in Wetzlar, Germany.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwe0Up7nveHxl9YEXGlRHEsAnOng3fbZ6vPnV7QgMz2RGm7nz3UhNUs3izSpr_kxpLsi7_eZLkO9Q-2T3cNulB9BBjRXk6fwZs0nTFfwHuv07BaecQyGDMhLLONxN3WKTBSkLAiJuYOFYUGlFG81bMA0eD9nTBtyla2HKYjr7rHxrqWhC7f0gvFWM5gRCy/s1000/IMG_1771.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJBAruqbSfpPfFsCCBgsIiWLnFU5PNrfhhBo5VtHWq0VU33jg23rPW3LxvX1wFPueEQOgNivD0BqvuyAsGbZ4zgNgqbE-mbusL8yuGwdilBfs4Ql87omfPq5ge8OjdhdueMKq6tDVANYfUPc-Fxv5_AUZoBnW2qjneHjQwhLvon78ODunHQcO3aqivUfV/s1000/IMG_1769.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnMkSj6BFma2Imt3R19zy1iZb6eb5-D9wx4QHqAjpt1XtQDtooNeTAOm3p4_qbu-xhj1TFWetIi15WoZF_mHJC3j4-UJaQBWTVl2ZGnd90NwF97q7VIjkGo7zVkACnY-yngZUCXcXTUiBEvC6kw81AGKBNinV8W-SzhcKdd9gUNqYWRnU2ra3PAleB2wx/s1000/IMG_1772.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf1mUTZhyphenhyphenGegqsw0PIwj1tEVqcqDW7Yf39dZo19T3mf6IxcCy5D_l5oKYa_MCleifUbhHAZa9VAZjzuUAZY1SnNEo5iRJN_ZsGkxxsIACI3f-oF4weEEi7laX3xGcveiG13zY1k551hgOtaS84ViZ0LU6HWssGFhj-GP7jfeQWYawz6hhBE0Y2HbLqwc-/s1000/IMG_1775.JPG)
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Nicely done! The Rubicon M113 is a really fantastic little kit, so detailed yet so well engineered it falls together. The level of interior detail really puts you in a dilemna as whether or not to just open it all up and have it as diorama piece. Our mutual friend Patryk does the M113A2G if you want more and don't fancy doing the additional work.
I'd be interested in what paint / paint mixyou've been using for gelboliv. Your's looks perfect.
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I'd be interested in what paint / paint mixyou've been using for gelboliv. Your's looks perfect.
Thanks, it's Revell enamel no. 46 as with the Unimogs and the Huey. I paint plastic with it for 50 years now.
No. 36146 is their acrylic equivalent, but I never tried it. I mix Vallejo paints black, ochre and white instead.
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I was thinking of buying one. Your great work convinces me! ;D :)
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Yeah, I may need to get a few too. But more likely for my US troops in the late 80s (they hadn't all switched to Bradleys yet).
That one does look good, though.
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There's a good Bundeswehr M113 available as a 3D print, as well. The files were done by BobMack3D and prints can be bought, among other vendors I presume, from PatrickMiniaturs.de. Try this one: https://patrickminiatures.de/products/m113a1g-3d-printed-28mm-scale-60352?_pos=3&_sid=fa7da103a&_ss=r
There's a mortar carrier variant as well available from the same shop.
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Yeah, I may need to get a few too. But more likely for my US troops in the late 80s (they hadn't all switched to Bradleys yet).
That one does look good, though.
I'll be bunging up photos of the Bob Mack via Patrick Minatures M113A2 and M60A3 in Berlin Brigade livery this weekend. Lovely models and you get both open or closed cupolas, so if you fancy swapping them mid game to denote closed down or not, you could.
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Oh and a full review of the Rubicon kit and photos of it in another guise here:
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=144468.msg1844601#msg1844601
Apols for the thread hijack Michi.
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Oh and a full review of the Rubicon kit and photos of it in another guise here:
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=144468.msg1844601#msg1844601
Apols for the thread hijack Michi.
Perfectly fine, Carlos - thank you! Anything that adds to the subject is much appreciated. :)
There's a good Bundeswehr M113 available as a 3D print, as well. The files were done by BobMack3D and prints can be bought, among other vendors I presume, from PatrickMiniaturs.de. Try this one: https://patrickminiatures.de/products/m113a1g-3d-printed-28mm-scale-60352?_pos=3&_sid=fa7da103a&_ss=r
There's a mortar carrier variant as well available from the same shop.
I considered buying that one too, but the kit was a third cheaper to be honest, although having the correct details on the model would have been nice. The decision was a no-brainer then. As said above, I can live with the American in German disguise... :D
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I'll be bunging up photos of the Bob Mack via Patrick Minatures M113A2 and M60A3 in Berlin Brigade livery this weekend. Lovely models and you get both open or closed cupolas, so if you fancy swapping them mid game to denote closed down or not, you could.
Hmm. Maybe I'll wait until i see these pics. The US intervention in El Perdomo (the overt one, anyway) isn't gonna happen until later this year at the earliest...
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So I placed another order at patrickminiatures and received it two days later:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyssmGmANDjwfGZA6dXkvwAEN-zgMo1FJanv_3Bq8pbaZcacveT_cQO2S4Kowciqz3df4ojYm4ijQBKn6N7BEfgcMcVKsh5bjbGylQcbLs93ldx9NH9SZ-izreexStcZOltxKdU8cUdDYZPY_3vnPGCBVickIkokZBc7DBWPuY3E4Bsd-hZMwEM_Vo6m0/s1024/IMG_1859.JPG)
I didn't want a radio van, but it was the only van body offered. Therefore I had to convert it into an ambulance body by removing hatches, aerials, camouflage gear and adding a beacon instead.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxrHdUAv_S38ehIXpn_qPo7zdifFs3JxxiO_zWihI_lwLcplrv03hktu-pMCj86MQ7iK6NtTRGrwaVujjP0krbWQ_Syzb4VPtBdxI5RL7YgEkxS9WApZwtiaUKzWze3AZNg1rsfui5X28vqMPdFmrd9kTKdR6sI1tEQv0ICRjroCAjHZ3fGT85IEpRxmV/s1024/IMG_1881.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZJ6fysq5DCmz5M0N0XE991SN6x4dMNl5Q70gnQ9ZEWtN1H_jG3lAxJu_Qx4zjcNA-2lRNQCpnrLbPNzS-EvWD1SlQNR3km0q6TbifrssH-aVMNq724eyEaDy7jmjXT_E5r4j_CM4gw0QweVFthQAS13PpIiBUAd3HUb_hV6PQOekTaxBMs-RlVDqIXoM/s1024/IMG_1924.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHUDzboGOM077oDFDXje8VfGfIPhn-xpc44TWbwDscOHy_pc7ogY_ijzO1sHdZ2SnhKfVl5H1P7m1LUTvL-EM9kndodSOR_hivfm7TE9Faa1aYslg8qab7zKZuD39o06Ro6liZ8YCc8eN8I9dLUU-i_OyUDDdUZPdC1REuoREgVjN2GQm0KWZqDcvmMt_/s1024/IMG_1928.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-13KVf4un2qbStnnGNDh0RNWFDyvR_ZKKt-g1xTSlxwoeLA9DVXxgDSRgybvfg5BTxwqoCv1O-xW6XFWd1HxqHfR8ItoSWFGaR5mOR7XUaxPeMWngG23Vif6_PRg8TjILnjFzE5fZDvYemuFM3ckBXPFf9s5-O6FKaVVDJR64Cvekq12FQnYRWWWnubUr/s983/IMG_1929.JPG)
It is marked as an ambulance of 3rd company of 5th medic batallion - garrisoned in Rennerod/West Germany, which belongs to 5th Panzerdivision.
Comparison of body variants:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8q61i-tthuVN8jMl6AvIwF6tkJ4OPT3fRS1nTBb4k53a8I4ur46f-_w7rDHMago4CmFvwQZmt2JYHdq5pQV3l9VmZa3jXtRuVz_IWbrVDcYEYtMboIIqoH8AshLWgdWDe2zQli-T-ED6fOYXy8agAnEptTHU4ujADL0gueAQtcMreZzPXOU1iaNhxa4mR/s1024/IMG_1933.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgdioCrqe-KbpXDxFrBJ-VikPEPGbX0YGvd4yAKQ8fkG5SAW9WG4uii4ljbz3AkxdgL63RUBeQN3fx59JKlyRZvmUrNOTVpW7Ft7Q_rGGFZ-UZ02j2QGXWFTgmP-QEQVcWHRHFqLzT1zbNOLd8AoJuB76PebO50WzwvA447NRjGxl4DmmAvYYPETtiv0l/s1024/IMG_1932.JPG)
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Fantastic once again! And big dose of deja-vu for me, as those Unimog ambulances (along with the military police Munga/Iltis) were probably the most often-seen military vehicle on the roads around here (in West Wales) when I was a kid.
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Nice work on the ambulance.
I look forward to seeing a comparison between the Rubicon M113 and the 3D print one.
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Great painting.
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Fabulous stuff! The ambulance looks terrific.
I want to replace my existing Marders (plastic 1/48 motorised kits) at some point and this is tipping me over the edge.
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Here comes the AFV. It's the Marder 1A2 variant, which looks perfectly as it should - at least to my limited knowledge of armoured vehicles. I left the MILAN away, because I wanted it battle ready. The MILAN would have been handed to the commandant from the hatch on the right behind the turret. It would have been ready to fire within 30 seconds, therefore no need to leave it exposed to damage by fire or shrapnel outside.
Marked as vehicle of the 2nd company of 132rd Panzergrenadier battalion, 5th Panzerdivision:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_g2DeMwJkzn6C7pOqfQ1SJOIVRioWO_FqPyoDVoCzxTz1ZpVy5ABvvYtCMVmkZqSXcL1iH6-cX-PDdCMGpwXNWNslSHqIG3-ac89sPnLrna0oZ1ejAnYEZs1vlPjw8yvVP68dH9dStj8zP-j361TFLHxFNTseUDoo-7jHN_ZBr41BL3xyHkf1PoN4r7eQ/s1024/IMG_1968.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBbgt5whoKhgwCfSvCW3fVap6cK55URnv7UTDolHnDw9C-leY9_8XUZvFtVCTVa-CfHv2fnBD1TDcmXYDvWKW_u28J2_35KHsjrFGHyYL220LAA1gaIS4bMOmAA7W1VKgrvS1JYmiZx3VgrVEzK3wY7qtT606La8-BloBX25mkBpTfukScc9N6sh3qimC/s1024/IMG_1971.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xTlt3ihK5Qoso9gOyAUvHskP4sLZOYidDRDHdMyzYPv-ep5eZB8wU3NOGZnPcxq8dFfWbLXt6QVqzBD0n0p-dUys5f4A7EQPfkjcF9NTADa9KZwA9zUWt_02mK5kxhUPhQCZgeZi5rIuZiI_FqcnufeH1LzgqxNuvkED5m27Ep3HwJDN7xazuRCKD_4j/s1000/IMG_1973.JPG)
The germanised M113 is also finished. Actually it's even more detailed than the Rubicon model and the alterations seem correct to me. However you'll spot traces of printing layers. It was hard to remove them on both the Marder and the APC. That wasn't necessary with the Rubicon kit, and it also offers a detailed interior and opening hatches. If I had to choose now that I built both, I would prefer the printed one though. It's the one on the left:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfTW5uwuQetV-LclPYc_-fOdho5TCS7nc0aPL3Y_AsNsifW5LitZZBauLjgLh__r-orDd-1PpKxQyrAjYbHSosKfF4NKEx0nAI7ZRQRQd2uHQbV9WuaNuyiFujC5kFdBcJ5JLQqCp-4I5_uwna3m1Ebt_BMmEp2Sy2jGPynU2LTOs1VbYMx4bCq4h4Ata/s1024/IMG_1962.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJo2hUJqkG5-nPVCHvooNa0ABve6NoRldgW20i9k2Kh6UCAsa64-Shxg7DDXG9kgdqxz1NPDdYt7VmIZsyz_4WfKP2AFSxr3cnIEH-9PCtzQSgVRFWKeQRbOWa96AuAIvctJapdOfxP4jYZQfVtbnDaMevLOAS6G7y3CUz8i5wwFDTqWS0UkO4BE3gb3H1/s1024/IMG_1966.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOj6Aujn6POQIcwkalKsdRyc7JyMJJmsx7iZ5c15XM_J2GRQ1KCQyo0ji40OZjJqlLXYCC-d1DqaZhbkbOcFaiDjI8IWKiDC6T82a0rPtp5jNi6249KYDv7zQcgQIwfQIwnArBTuTSNmSSQc3-aYLA2H4TlBNZak9l_N-DrA3hztgv1k-iSpHQI_jIW8b/s1024/IMG_1967.JPG)
Size comparisons:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LFSjoN-CwqPW-ridIj73piu0ZE1TTals8ZNqufhpAG31kuE_M-Caw4-rHRgZakEJcwDdZF9kKhy6PVCRUE1gzgt67341BfkJmRE1LwbKkvwF496GFCRBC68oS3qQUaQYFFbOa5iqe_EPxTrNjbUcKjt9sfGchyNqI9nVnNkadnS60yogfNgE2piOtcDI/s1024/IMG_1976.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnfpiUpIJDSRMj0q5tW3v_tp2xR-qlYAZnIlNhTzxSlNOeF8oqVerF3Bt2ueqr4by0bhQ1cpfcO2xrjzXedr8QT60eAg4zo_nRFhz3woGn2HYQu8nvQFyvO8t26h9OIyC1efQf6oe-9Wfgei6m5lnRJNiYcRxg1P8Idsa0U45BwxFsugil7w78b0YZwLI/s1024/IMG_1977.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2wly1c9QTdGgKDheeD_srkC4uOrk_Mim9m-Iu-zOcrZEamb0fXiBOmNWsSQ32dRx1nePj2h7dv0kzHZsrwCCz6bp2jU_mpXiECYKXWfXvpYsQ44gD9M1lemqQps3BH8xZefnWj43LLJrKZ-v4Ms6i7Y0owWDfX3ZRmkaL2doLj94uVDH5tNwF1an7NZN/s1024/IMG_1980.JPG)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwXP2l7tKyOl1RcS9siEa9PjJu3ABbERMwk8Ry_bNoCfVIWtcQd-8-6lUkhagjKnJutApTP00eDQuk9QqUwobKz_VIwCj7UmRQul6RlBVLFSelGbObPDh1m4F2RG5DdJ3wHr6JEfVxlEHii0BH0xazMEiZuIe2YbRreorblDF1M7WNbKXrLW48-Uc1oPR/s1024/IMG_1981.JPG)
I really like how Bill Weston's miniatures match the models. Hopefully there will be some more in the future.
I consider this little project finished now, but I have visions of Bundesgrenzschutz to fight at their side. I wonder where I can find G3 assault rifles to give them to WW2 German miniatures. This should make nearly perfect BGS first responders...
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They look really good.
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Nic Robson was kind enough to cast me a load of G3s. I will be seeking some more in the not too distant to do some more conversion work of my own, so I may have some spare in the not too distant future. Happy to send you some if you fancy. Probably be a month or so off between me getting down and back to Nic's factory.
That said, I can't recall if the BGS were using G3s in the 1980s. I know that in the late 1970s they definitely still had G1s (FALs) on strength and there are photos suggesting their continued use into the 1980s. Quite a few people making loose FALS including TAG and Crooked Dice to name but two.
Some alternatives are available almost off the peg. Underfire do a range of generic Polizei, which work as BGS in the Oestergaard uniforms (both dress and working dress types). They come tooled up with G3s and MG3s and even Panzerfaust 3s, which seems a bit of the top for the average bulle.
You could probably just modify the Underfire panzergrenadiers by adding a WW2 stahlhelm and a green stuff hood to their jackets.
Then there are the Eureka Portuguese. I bunged some stahlhelms on a few as proxy Cold War era Spanish infantry. The potential drawback for BGS is that they all have rolled up sleeves. Webbing is minimal so that makes conversions easier. The Eureka Portuguese are also the only source for the MG8 AKA the HK21 squad automatic. These definitely did see some service with the BGS, alongside MG3s. I even seen a photo of one mounted on a lafette.
If you want to go the G1 and camouflage smock route, probably your best conversion source would be the Gripping Beast/MoFo Argentinians. They have hooded parkas and FALs. Would require a head swap and some work on the webbing but much of your work would be done.
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Nic Robson was kind enough to cast me a load of G3s. ... Happy to send you some if you fancy.
Thank you very much, I'll get back to you for these! :D
That said, I can't recall if the BGS were using G3s in the 1980s. They did, I learned. There aren't too many photos, but descriptions to find in the web.
Underfire do a range of generic Polizei, which work as BGS in the Oestergaard uniforms (both dress and working dress types). They come tooled up with G3s and MG3s and even Panzerfaust 3s, which seems a bit of the top for the average bulle. Oestergard uniforms and arms would be alright for BGS too. Bavarian police at least did have MG3s. However, it would have been BGS on the border, because guarding the inner-german frontier was a federal task. These were also armed with Panzerfausts. Therefore you could use Underfire for Bundesgrenzschutz without any changes.
You could probably just modify the Underfire panzergrenadiers by adding a WW2 stahlhelm and a green stuff hood to their jackets. The easiest way would be Waffen-SS in smocks with their weapons changed for G3s, MG42 is already recognizable as MG3 (only the nozzle was different, but who would spot this in 28mm?).
If you want to go the G1 and camouflage smock route, probably your best conversion source would be the Gripping Beast/MoFo Argentinians. G3, camo smock, WW2 webbing and M35 Stahlhelm would be correct.
The only difference to WW2 were G3 ammo pouches instead of 98K ones on the webbing. They definitely kept on using Wehrmacht gear instead of Bundeswehr issued canteens and webbing. BGS even kept the old gas masks in tins due to the use of matching M35 helmets.
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Cool! Interesting that they had switched to G3s as quite a few photos show them G1 armed in photos supposedly from the 1980s. No doubt it was a gradual transition and the G1s would have been getting a little long in the tooth.
The Bavarian Border Police did of course patrol the border but only in Bavaria, naturally enough. Lots of photos showing them doing joint patrols with the US Army, the Underfire Polizei seem a decent match.
I painted mine and converted some other figures for the West Berlin police. The old Wargames Factory/WG Zombie Survivors box had a number of useful Walther SMGs. I suppose I should look into the West Berlin Bereitschaftspolizei.
Oh, forgot to mention it but Eureka has a sniper with a PSG1 sniper rifle in their modern German range. He has a beanie/ woolen watch cap and jacket with hood. he does have a stab vest but it's easily filed back to look like part of the jacket.
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Cool! Interesting that they had switched to G3s as quite a few photos show them G1 armed in photos supposedly from the 1980s. No doubt it was a gradual transition and the G1s would have been getting a little long in the tooth.
G1s replaced by G3s since 1975:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_Handwaffen_des_Bundesgrenzschutzes
Any kind of equipment and uniform details:
https://www.hotdogandsodacompany.de/hot-dog-and-soda-company/uniformen-bundesgrenzschutz/einsatzanz%C3%BCge/
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Nice work here.
I have a question on the Rubicon M113, though. Does it have an M2 Browning HMG for the commander's station?
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Nice work here.
I have a question on the Rubicon M113, though. Does it have an M2 Browning HMG for the commander's station?
It has a HMG, but I‘m not familiar with US made guns. The model is from the Vietnam war. It sure has the weapon that was used then.
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Yes, it does. You will also get a couple of M60s for your spares box as a bonus.
https://forum.rubiconmodels.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=fc1d413dba958d7e955470bb5562fe4d&topic=1209.0
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"Underfire do a range of generic Polizei, which work as BGS in the Oestergaard uniforms (both dress and working dress types). They come tooled up with G3s and MG3s and even Panzerfaust 3s, which seems a bit of the top for the average bulle".
The Polizei packs were designed around the Berlin 'Knife Fight' game in the Cold War Goes Hot supplement published by Force on Force many years ago. This sees Berlin Polizei go up against East German motor rifle troops. The Adidas bag the figure carries is where he carries his reloads. This & the skeleton webbing our heroes wear is a nod to the improvised nature of their defense & their lack of more heavier weapons.
Hope this clears things up.
Regards,
Bill @ Under Fire o7.
www.underfireminiatures.com
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The Polizei packs were designed around the Berlin 'Knife Fight' game in the Cold War Goes Hot supplement published by Force on Force many years ago.
Bill, these are perfect for being painted as Bundesgrenzschutz as well. I will definitely try to get some of them along with a couple of Volksarmee from you. You don't seem to ship to the continent anymore - would collection in Huddersfield (or somewhere else in the UK) be an option? I'll drive to the north this summer.