Category: world war two

15mm German SdKfz 251 Armoured Half Track

The SdKfz 251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251) half-track was an armored fighting vehicle designed and first built by Nazi Germany’s Hanomag company during World War II. One of the most common, and best armoured of the wartime half-tracks, the SdKfz 251 was designed to transport the panzergrenadiers of the German mechanized infantry corps into battle. Widely known simply as “Hanomags” by both German and Allied forces, they were widely produced throughout the war, with over 15,252 vehicles and variants produced in total by various manufacturers.

This is an old metal model that I think was made by SDD. I am using it as a testbed for which method I should use with my Flames of War resin models and I suspect in the end it will probably end up as a piece of scenery.

Having given the model a white undercoat I gave the underneath of the model an undercoat of Humbrol Dark Brown spray.

This will add shadow to the underneath of the model.

I then gave the model a basecoat of Warpaint German Armour.

The next stage will be to add the disruptive camouflage.

See the workbench feature on the German SdKfz 251 Armoured Half Track.

Age of Heroes

Inspired by the true story of ‘James Bond’ author Sir Ian Fleming’s creation of one of most important elite units in the history of the British Armed Forces, this spectacular World War II action-thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat. An inspiration to the modern day SAS, 30 Commando was a new breed of special operations taskforce created to carry out some of the most dangerous missions in the Second World War. Starring Sean Bean (Lord Of The Rings, Black Death) and Danny Dyer (The Business, The Football Factory), together again for the first time since Nick Love’s The Outlaw, Age of Heroes follows the unique circumstances behind 30 Commando’s inception and the unit’s first highly classified smash-and-grab mission into occupied Norway, to capture vital radar technology that will change the course of the war. But when their escape route is uncovered, the commandos find themselves in a pitched battle to reach the border against vicious Nazi General Dietl (Christian Rubeck) and his deadly 5th Alpine Division.

I recently rented this movie from iTunes (for just 99p) and really quite enjoyed it. It’s no Saving Private Ryan but it did remind of Where Eagles Dare and The Heroes of Telemark.

I thought it was well filmed and there is some fantastic scenery. The action sequences are pretty good and I like the period feel.

Of course any film with Sean Bean…


…is always worth watching.

Watch Age of Heroes on Amazon Video.

 

Constructing the Flames of War Cromwell IV

The Cromwell Tank was one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in World War II. The Cromwell tank, named after the English Civil War leader Oliver Cromwell, was the first tank in the British arsenal to combine a dual-purpose gun, high speed from the powerful and reliable Meteor engine, and reasonable armour, all in one balanced package. Its design formed the basis of the Comet tank. The Cromwell first saw action in June 1944, with the reconnaissance regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps.

As with my Cromwell ARV (which I did first) I glued the track guards to the tracks and the main weapon to the turret and the hull MG to the hull.

I then glued the tracks to the hull.

I also glued the hatches to the turret.

This time I decided that I would not use the tank commanders.

Unlike the boxed set these models are all the same.

See the full workbench feature on the Flames of War Cromwell IV.

Undercoating the Universal Carriers

The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrong.

Produced between 1934 and 1960, the vehicle was used widely by Allied forces during the Second World War. Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, mostly support weapons, or as machine gun platforms. With some 113,000 built in the United Kingdom and abroad, it was the most numerous armoured fighting vehicle in history.

As with some of my other metal models I can’t remember the manufacturer of these.These metal models are not as well defined as the Flames of War resin models, so in the end I might use them for scenery or objectives.

I gave them a white undercoat.

Full workbench feature on the Universal Carriers.

Flames of War German Armoured Train

Battlefront have released details about their plans for 2012 and one of the releases will be a German Armoured Train.

As you can see from the picture it is a “captured” Polish Armoured Train with extra German bits. Looks good, but I I don’t know about you, but I think I would prefer a “proper” German armoured train rather than the captured version.

Of course the other reason for not getting one, is that I don’t have forces from the Eastern Front and most of my collection is for D-Day and onwards.

French Renault R35

The Renault R35, an abbreviation of Char léger Modèle 1935 R or R 35, was a French light infantry tank of the Second World War. Designed from 1933 and produced from 1936, the type was intended as a light infantry support tank, equipping autonomous tank battalions, that would be allocated to individual infantry divisions to assist them in executing offensive operations. To this end it was relatively well-armoured but slow and lacking a good antitank-capacity, fitted with a short 37 mm gun. At the outbreak of the war, the antitank-rôle was more emphasized leading to the development and eventual production from April 1940 of a subtype with a more powerful longer gun, the Renault R40. It was planned to shift new production capacity to the manufacture of other, faster, types, but due to the defeat of France the R35/40 remained the most numerous French tank of the war, about 1685 vehicles having been produced in June 1940.

Like some of my other models I am unsure of the manufacturer of this one. After a bit of internet research I believe it is an old SDD miniature. Not convinced totally, but other miniatures in the box it was in carry SDD codes.

I am going to use this one as the test vehicle for my Flames of War French tanks to try out different paint schemes. Tempted though to paint as a captured German version.

I gave the model a white undercoat.

15mm British Vickers Dutchman

I have had this tank for sometime. Don’t remember the manufacturer. It actually took me a while to work out which tank this was exactly… I used another website as a reference.

Mechanically similar to the Mark IV, though armament and other features were like the Mark II, the “Dutchmen” were a 1936 commercial version. 40 vehicles were sold to the Netherlands. All 40 were taken over by the War Office in 1939 before export. All vehicles were used for training only by the British Army. The term “Dutchmen” or “Dutchman” was an unofficial moniker.

Though never used in service, in the event of a German invasion (Operation Sealion) they probably would have been used to help defend the country.

After a bit of internet research I believe it is an old SDD miniature. Not convinced totally, but other miniatures in the box it was in carry SDD codes.

I gave the model a white undercoat.