The Thaw of '46

[Predatorpt]

Wyrmalla - since you are now on FB, try this group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1748013865454218/

It was created by our member "Weird WWII" (aka Brian Cottrel) and the owner of Blackball Games is also a member. Can't think of a better place to ask

[Wyrmalla]

@ Ballardian

Aye, I had a good look about the internet and oddly out of that whole range that's the only model I couldn't find on Ebay. There's some resellers, but I'm dubious to parts stocks. Thought I'd ask here due to the concept, but aye, the Bazaar might be the only option.

@ Predatorpt

Heh, yeah I thought I'd jump on that Facebook group for the sake of it. Enjoy my ugly mug. I'm dress like a pirate.

Well that escalated quickly...

I could make my own one of that guy, and personally the model could be a bit less chunky, but it looks the part. Thinking about it I passed on buying that mini years ago as well.

[Predatorpt]

I'm not a big fan of those AE-WWII models, they are a bit too fiddly to assemble. And since you mentioned conversions, maybe you can use a Wargames Factory greatcoat? The guy with the grenade launcher for instance

[Wyrmalla]

Coincidentally when I came home today I remembered that I had those WGF Shocktroopers.  Unfortunately they're just too big, even compared to the relatively chunky Warlord Plastics. I was considering use the heads, but they need to be at least a fifth smaller to work, so won't do for the Clockwork Goblin Power Armour guys at all either. :/

[Wyrmalla]

My own Weird Panther. WIP. ...Because I've been super lazy. Need top tidy up the plasticard, add straps to the barrels, maybe add more stowage to the sides; little bits and bobs.



The front Infra red sight seems a bit off, but I can't bring it any higher on the glacis because otherwise it'll obstruct the barrel. Thoughts?

[Predatorpt]

It doesn't seem off to me, to be honest. Wish I could do something similar to your work 

[Rich H]

Looks good where it is to me

[Wyrmalla]

How about swapping out the infra red for one of these?



Or maybe I should leave that for the E-75 - which has its hull mounted MG removed. Hmn, the pintle infrared on the turret is for the commander I imagine, but if I stuck on the above MG that would eliminate that and require adding an infrared sight to the gunner's position. ...Right?

[rabenga]

Not sure I follow...  Do you want to add a mg42 to the hull mount IR?  Thanks for the reference photo btw...  That's a good one.

[Wyrmalla]

Nah, I mean swap out the cupola Infrared which I already have on the model for a MG-42 with infra red sights instead. Thinking about it I'll keep the cupola sights as they are, and leave the MG for the E-75, as I two MGs is perhaps a little overkill.

Saying that the hull MG doesn't have infrared - only the driver and commander. I would have thought that would have sights along with the gunner as well, but I guess the commander coordinated everything.

Maybe I'll add a STG-44 with infrared instead.

[rabenga]

Do it!  Angry Hans waving his infrared equipped stg44 at the Bolshevik hordes... I like it!

[Ballardian]

There was supposedly an option for the gunner to also have an IR sight, but using older Ausf D & A vehicles/turrets (in fact FOW's plastic Panther G's come with this as well as those for the cupola & driver's periscope) which was attached to a mount on front of a second, seperate apature in the mantlet - but this is a 'pinch of salt' possibility.

"Panther Ausf.D and early Ausf.A had in common the binocular telescopic sight, while later versions had a monocular one. In case of the binocular sight a technical improvisation was possible: The binocular sight was replaced by 2 monocular telescopes. During the night the gunner would use the left one, which had a converter in front of it's frontal aperture. To the left of the telescopes the 30 cm IR searchlight was mounted. The whole arrangement was fitted on a tiny table, which was welded upon the mantlet below the two telescope apertures."

[Wyrmalla]

Whilst I am way behind on a bunch of projects. I saw something else which looked cool, so another planned project down the line...



A Soviet made attempt to give the T-34 sloped armour. It was never deployed due to the number of losses to German HEAT weapons at the time of production being 5% of the total.

I'm thinking that I ever add Panzer III/IV parts to a spare T34/85 I have, or... do it up as a Soviet one? In game terms a T34/85's just a Panzer IV, so I've no real need for one in German use other than rule of cool. My thinking would be that yes, the Soviets would have IS-3s by this point, but still thousands of T-34s in use, and enough sitting on the production line that it'd be a waste just to scrap them right away.

Beats bed frame armour. Not sure if it looks as cool though.

[Wyrmalla]

A follow up to my blether.

T-34/ 85s are so last year. How about a T-44 instead?



A proposed successor to the T-34, produced in some numbers, but ultimately quickly succeeded by the T-54.

I'm thinking I could find a T-54 kit and stick a T-34/85 turret on it. I'm not massively sure about the comparison between the 44 and 54, but they look similar enough that messing about with some of the cosmetics details would make it workable.





IIRC most of the 1/56th scale T-54s out there (when I was searching for my modern Ukrainians) were diecasts. A plastic one would be a lot easier to work with depending on how much of the detail needs to be redone, but I guess if that hull is workable most people would accept just a turret change and not care about minor glacis changes (...I would think the average guy wouldn't even know what a T-44 is).

Just another wee rambling, and aye, a continuation of my "I want G3s in my alt-history setting".

[Ballardian]

You could always step over the T-44 & go straight for the T-54-1 (in service in 1947), the turret is as issue, (though no more than for the 44) but is probably also convertable from a T-34 85.