15mm WWII Russians

[Gunner Dunbar]

Very cool, would they work for italy too?

Yes for Sicily, need more research on Italy.

[CapnJim]

I think you're on to something here.  Nice conversions...

[Cubs]

Okay, from my fancy book 'For King and Country' (thoroughly recommended for all things British Airborne if you can get it for less than the price of a kidney), the Para uniform went through considerable change in 1942, so probably in time for operations in Tunisia, given that they began in Nov '42. This means Denison camo smock and brown Parachutist trousers with the pocket on left leg (replacing the infantry trousers and plain olive Airborne smock). Troops often wore older style uniforms for extended periods in the field, but given that they went in from the off as part of Operation Torch, I reckon they would have the newer kit and would likely have retained that through at least Sicily and maybe into Italy in '43 with minor changes as the Denison was updated with later marks.

Pre-1942 Airborne smock https://www.imcsmilitaria.com/shop.php?code=70091

1942 pattern Denison smock https://www.imcsmilitaria.com/shop.php?code=70464

[Kikuchiyo]

I've a copy of that without the dust cover. Great book

I think that first one was very early and there was a half zip version of the denison too?

[carlos marighela]

I've a copy of that without the dust cover. Great book

I think that first one was very early and there was a half zip version of the denison too?

The war time versions all came with half- lengths zip, unless personally modified by the wearer. The issue full length zip was post war version. Denisons kept soldiering on until the 1970s.

[Gunner Dunbar]

Okay, from my fancy book 'For King and Country' (thoroughly recommended for all things British Airborne if you can get it for less than the price of a kidney), the Para uniform went through considerable change in 1942, so probably in time for operations in Tunisia, given that they began in Nov '42. This means Denison camo smock and brown Parachutist trousers with the pocket on left leg (replacing the infantry trousers and plain olive Airborne smock). Troops often wore older style uniforms for extended periods in the field, but given that they went in from the off as part of Operation Torch, I reckon they would have the newer kit and would likely have retained that through at least Sicily and maybe into Italy in '43 with minor changes as the Denison was updated with later marks.
Thanks, pretty much what I was thinking.

Pre-1942 Airborne smock https://www.imcsmilitaria.com/shop.php?code=70091

1942 pattern Denison smock https://www.imcsmilitaria.com/shop.php?code=70464

[Gunner Dunbar]

Hi guys

I have done the head swap portion of this Brit para in Tunisia project, still need to putty the joins and add some details, this will be the bulk of the project, there’s a mortar team to add, and I will add 3 more ammo guys to the vickers team to fit it into the CoC rules, I might add an FO team, and a sniper, and maybe an engineer team (I have a flamethrower there) I’ve got a handful of figures in denisons, becuase they are to cool to leave out all together, and they undoubtedly did wear them in Tunisia, 2 of the AB secos have Mk V stens, I’m either going to cut them off and replace with Mk IIIs from a Revell Brit para box I have coming in the mail, or I will convert 2 NCOs from that box when it arrives.

I recently bought a job lot of 2nd hand (cut from the sprue but not painted) matchbox figures to add to my Nostalgic project, mostly matchbox US and German infantry, there’s a lot of US infantry, maybe 5-6 boxes worth, but there was also 1st generation Airfix US marines, I was quite surprised, I have been in this hobby for nearly 50 years, and I thought I had owned every plastic set as a kid at one time or another, but I have never even seen this set and didn’t know what they were at first, but there are a few classic Airfix poses that pointed me in the right direction, and after a bit of google searching I found 1 picture of the set, they aren’t even on Plastic soldier review, so my question, how rare is this set? It’s very rare to see any of the other 1st gen sets nowadays, I’ve never seen them advertised for sale, the figures are quite nice and the plastic is good, no brittleness, I haven’t counted them yet, but there’s are a fare few,  might even be more than 1 box worth.
https://gunnerswargamming.blogspot.com/2024/08/1st-gen-airfix-marines-tunisia-brit.html

[carlos marighela]

Nice work on the para conversions.

Those marines bring back memories. They seemed crude even way back when, at least compared to the other Airfix kits.  They alsmost seemed like someone else had made them. The rubber dinghies were cool but then the klepper canoes in the Commando box were even cooler and the accompanying figures much better executed.

[Captain Blood]

Dear God. I haven’t seen those for most of a lifetime 

Yes, they always looked crude to me too. Although marginally better than the weirdly named ‘Infantry Combat Group’.

[SJWi]

Yes, I recall those US Marines. Same era as the original Germans, British Commandos in cap comforter and British Paras. The Marines were very crude even by 1960s standards.

[fred]

I had those US Marines back in the day - may well still have them in a box somewhere - hadn’t realised they weren’t on Plastic Soldier Review - but don’t think they are particularly rare.

[Gunner Dunbar]

I had those US Marines back in the day - may well still have them in a box somewhere - hadn’t realised they weren’t on Plastic Soldier Review - but don’t think they are particularly rare.

They are actually on PSR, but you have to do some digging, here’s the link

[Gunner Dunbar]

 Hi guys

A mixed bag of 1/72 WWII vehicles finished on commission, some for France 1940 and some for North Africa, figures are all AB, I particularly enjoyed painting the little M11/39 Italian tanks, I need to start my planned Italian project at some stage, I plan on doing Italians at Stalingrad rather than North Africa.
https://gunnerswargamming.blogspot.com/2024/08/172-mixed-bad-wwii-vehicles.html

[MaaX]

Very nice collection 

[gamer Mac]

Cracking job