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Author Topic: Sappers! update 2021-05-28  (Read 4573 times)

Offline Will Bailie

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Sappers! update 2021-05-28
« on: December 08, 2019, 01:07:44 AM »
I'm slowly building up a small force to represent the 1st Canadian Division in Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily.  I determined that I needed some sappers or pioneers to clear obstacles, so I got some Perry Desert Rats, a sharp knife and some extra bits, and this is what I ended up with.

A section of the Royal Canadian Engineers.


Some wire cutters.


Mine clearing team




And a Bangalore Torpedo team


More photos on the blog:  https://willstoysoldiers.blogspot.com/2019/12/sappers.html
« Last Edit: May 28, 2021, 03:22:56 PM by Will Bailie »

Offline vodkafan

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Re: Sappers!
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2019, 10:04:18 AM »
Good conversion work. These Perrys really remind me of the old 1/32 Airfix Multipose in their styling.
I am going to build a wargames army, a big beautiful wargames army, and Mexico is going to pay for it.

2019 Painting Challenge :
figures bought: 500+
figures painted: 57
9 vehicles painted
4 terrain pieces scratchbuilt

Offline Will Bailie

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Re: Sappers!
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2019, 04:56:26 AM »
Thanks, vodkafan.  They are great fun to modify!

Offline Will Bailie

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Re: Mule Cart
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2020, 12:44:01 AM »
For a bit of fun, I decided to copy this photo (Canadian Soldiers near Modica, Sicily, July 1943, by Frank Royal):





Cart is Empress Miniatures, soldiers are Perry Miniatures, more on my blog here:  https://willstoysoldiers.blogspot.com/2020/02/canadian-army-mule-cart.html

Offline gamer Mac

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Re: Sappers!
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2020, 01:13:33 AM »
Nice work on the conversions :-* :-* :-*

Offline Will Bailie

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Re: Sappers!
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2020, 07:39:43 AM »
Thanks!   :)

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Sappers!
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2020, 10:00:58 AM »
Nice work.

Offline Will Bailie

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Re: Sappers! update 2021-05-04
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2021, 04:21:58 AM »
A little bit of threadomancy, I hope this doesn't break any forum rules or protocols!

I've been having some fun converting Perry Miniatures plastic Desert Rats into sappers.  And since I picked up a Wespe 1:48 scale Bailey Bridge, I decided to build an 'under construction' version.

These are some kitbash conversions, adding bits from the Perry Zulu War British Infantry to make a survey crew.  The dumpy level is built from two heliographs, and the level rod used to be an arm holding the colours.





A Bailey Bridge panel weighs 600-lbs and is a 6-man load:  each man is responsible for his 100-lb share, and the men need to lift together to put the panel in place.  Here is what the manual shows:


And here is my version:


The transom is normally an eight-man load, but I cheated a bit, these four men are each doing the equivalent of two men's work:


Here is the 'under construction' version of the bridge, with the angled launching nose at the front:


And finally here are the sappers constructing the bridge.  Two men are directing the others, getting the bridge panel lined up so they can hammer the panel pin into place to connect the panel to the bridge:

« Last Edit: May 05, 2021, 05:26:46 AM by Will Bailie »

Offline Poiter50

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Re: Sappers! update 2021-05-04
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2021, 05:57:29 AM »
That is really outside the square, following this thread with keen interest.
Cheers,
Poiter50

Offline malto cortese

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Re: Sappers! update 2021-05-04
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2021, 07:28:52 AM »
One of these bridges is still working outside of Florence, right below the Certosa - aptly known as "il ponte degli inglesi"...
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made. Groucho Marx

Offline Mad Lord Snapcase

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Re: Sappers! update 2021-05-04
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2021, 09:30:30 AM »
Some really lovely ideas here. Great stuff!   :-*


Offline carlos marighela

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 10762
  • Flamenguista até morrer.
Re: Sappers! update 2021-05-04
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2021, 10:34:57 AM »
That’s brilliant! I never imagined in my wildest that I would see a miniature theodolite gracing a table.
Em dezembro de '81
Botou os ingleses na roda
3 a 0 no Liverpool
Ficou marcado na história
E no Rio não tem outro igual
Só o Flamengo é campeão mundial
E agora seu povo
Pede o mundo de novo

Offline gamer Mac

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Re: Sappers! update 2021-05-04
« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2021, 10:46:39 AM »
Very nice :-* :-* :-*
How are you going to use it in a game?

Offline Will Bailie

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Re: Sappers! update 2021-05-04
« Reply #13 on: May 05, 2021, 03:07:58 PM »
Thanks for all the comments!  I'm having lots of fun with this project.  I'm inspired by stories of Bailey Bridges built under fire, in particular at Leonforte in Sicily:
https://cmea-agmc.ca/historical-battle/sapper-bravery-sicily

How are you going to use it in a game?

I haven't yet worked out how to fit these pieces into a game.  I'm thinking along the lines that the Engineers need to complete some tasks, as in the CoC 1940 Blitzkrieg book.  Each time they are activated, they roll a die.  Once the cumulative total of the dice rolls reaches the target number, the bridge will be complete.  Meanwhile, of course, the enemy will be trying to stop them!

I never imagined in my wildest that I would see a miniature theodolite gracing a table.

I considered making a theodolite, but decided it was too complicated, so I chickened out and settled for a dumpy level  ;)

Offline Captain Blood

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Re: Sappers! update 2021-05-04
« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2021, 03:18:11 PM »
Very nifty creative conversions, well done  8)

 

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