Captain Blood's Western Desert: P.125 - SdKfz10 half-track with 2cm Flak 30

[dodge]

oh yes 

[James Morris]

Lovely work again.  Particularly appreciated the character in the faces, and I like the contrast between the uniforms and the bases.

[NurgleHH]

Thank you for sharing, great work...

[Captain Blood]

Thanks chaps 
Pip pip!

[Hammers]

I always wondered about this pose...



...meaning a grunt running towards combat with a spare hand clapped on top of his helmet. While quite emblematic, you see it quite often in images of both Americans and Commonwealth soldiers, one can't but wonder just how rubbish the chinstraps must have been on the helmets in use. It seems like a sure fire way to get your hand shot away. Or is it just a action image which has established itself without being firmly rooted in real custom?

[aircav]

Superb Stuff Richard 

[Keith]

It seems like a sure fire way to get your hand shot away. Or is it just a action image which has established itself without being firmly rooted in real custom?

The American liner system was particularly bad, in that it would often separate from the steel 'pot' with vigorous movement (both being only attached by a strap). All nation's helmets, like the British one here, are remarkably heavy and fast movement such as running will often 'jig' them around a lot - especially over the eyes. If you luck out with a perfect fit (or have extra padding in there) then they are better, but often not.
As for losing your hand? No helmet was designed to provide ballistic protection. Sometimes a glancing hit might have been deflected (if you were super-lucky) but if a bullet was that close to your helmet, then it stands a very good chance of just going straight into your head anyway. So losing a hand would, I'm sure, be a pretty low risk in the scheme of things!  

[Remington]

Beautiful work, Richard!

The chap pointed out by Hammers is the bee's knees! I've tried to re-create it but in a more casual way.

@Keith: Weren't helmets back then thought of a shrapnel protection primarily?

[Keith]

Yep.
Majority of serious head-wounds in WW1 were caused by shrapnel smaller than a peanut! That was what the original Stahlhelm was designed to counter.

[Londoncopper]

When I joined the RAF back in 1983 we were issued '44 pattern helmets, when you ran they bounced all over the place so they guy running, holding his helmet, is spot on in my book!
He really need a few Anadin, to take the resulting headache away   

[Jeff965]

I can back up what London copper says, I was in the army from 78 until 91 and we had the old 44 pattern initially. I remember doing section attacks in Canada with live ammunition and apart from worrying about getting shot from behind my other main concern was keeping my skid lid on. I remember one of the boys was an ex para and had the para helmet which had a much better chinstrap and sat on the head much better.
Running with one hand on top of your head was very common, unless you were firing in which case nine times out of ten you were lying down or when you had reached the enemy trenches when you needed both hands for the obvious.

Jeff

[gamer Mac]

When I joined the RAF back in 1983 we were issued '44 pattern helmets, when you ran they bounced all over the place so they guy running, holding his helmet, is spot on in my book!
He really need a few Anadin, to take the resulting headache away   

I had the same problem about the same time. The chin strap was elastic but ancient and stretched, so the helmet used to bounce up end down when you ran. I remember them being heavy as well. The difference to the new plastic one was amazing, really took the weight off.

[Hammers]

I had the same problem about the same time. The chin strap was elastic but ancient and stretched, so the helmet used to bounce up end down when you ran. I remember them being heavy as well. The difference to the new plastic one was amazing, really took the weight off.

I know the marvel of composite material but that *sounds* funny. LIke it was made from recycled PET-bottles. Glasshammer type of thing.

[gamer Mac]

Well it was really Kevlar but plastic sounds better

[Blackwolf]

More lovely work! Love the tones you have used,smashing!