Granatwerfer...FEUER Korsun Pocket 1/23/1944

[granatwerfer]

This is my first post on Sixth Army Group. My apologies to those of you who have already seen this on 6th division but I've taken some much better photos yesterday and I hope you enjoy.



















I'd like to dedicate this work in the memory of a few of my friends who were it's inspiration. Tony N, Karl P, and "Uncle Josef" all Ost Front vets and granatwerfer crewmen, friends of mine since the early 90's enthralled me for hours in the barrcks and around the campfire with their humor, songs, brilliant eye for detail, and tales of life on the Eastern Front.I'll never forget their friendshipand hope that I did some justice incorporating their many detailed accounts and experiances into this diorama.

Phil

[mp1stshirt]

This sir is probably one of the most outstanding dio's I have seen!!!!!!

Bob

[k ration]

Great layout, well done.

[Feldwebel]

Really really nice photos, awesome headsculpts...

[viaad]

Your dio has some great detail to it. Have you been a mortarman in the past or have some experience with them? A lot of the little things I see that really add to it! Great work!

[ActionMan]

What an outstanding dio! Absolutely perfect.

Can you tell me where the bomb carrier cases came from please?

[Will1/6]

Great diorama..

[andy101506]

Hang it!! thats all i have to say. cool dio

[Mortar_crew]

Agree. A lot of detail for a wonderful dio.

I second the question about the ammo case...and the scope case (is it?)
as well.

First rate craftmanship!

[Rolling Thunder Tech]

Very nice. Can't wait to see more of your work.

Leonard
RTT

[granatwerfer]

Thanks to everyone for their very kind comments. This diorama was really a work of love.

For quite a few years I presented a German Granatwerfer emplacement at many airshows, living histories, German vetran reunions, ect. Many ex granatwerfer crewman would come up to me, tell me their stories, point out any innaccuracies, and relay details about the war from a mortarman's point of view..... the many propellant charge tins scattered about, the paint being burned off of the barrel, the replacement sight, and the cleaning rod at ready. It was to these gentlemen that I dedicated this project-- I really wanted to do them proud.

The breakdown of the mortar and accessories are:

The mortar is the Dragon kit accurized with a rebuilt elevation mechanism, rebuilt sight, and replaced tube with a Toys City tube that the incorrect safety had been removed.

The "stamped metal" boxes were vacuformed from a mold I made from an accurized box from the CH Alwin Streich. The handles were off of Twisted Toys grenade cases, hinges from 1/16 plastic rod, interiors from plastic sheet, and decals modified from Michigan Dawg's suberb 5cm mortar set.

The propellant charges (white discs at the base of the mortar round) are reduced copies of an original. I do not know why the box art never shows these in use.. any attempt to fire a round without would probably have had lethal effects on the crew.

The propellant charge tins, RA 35 sight box, and range table on the replaced tube are all vacuformed over molds I made.

All labels on the boxes and tins are reduced from originals.

The aiming stake is two nails soldered together.

Again, thank you for all of your comments. They are very much appreciated.

Phil

[Kapernakis]

This is really an outstanding first post. All the detail added really makes it look real, from the propellent charges to the dent in the case. You have done an excellent job on the weathering and posing of the figures, you say that the diorama was really a work of love and it shows.

[pangaloss]

So many good shots, you really get a feel for the action. Thanks for sharing this great dio with us, and please feel free to share more here at SAG.
Thanks again.

Tim

[Sixth Vanguard]

Great dio and great information. Thanks you!

[mp1stshirt]

Phil,

If possible perhaps you can regale us with some stories from these mortarmen on the Eastern Front???

Bob

[Leatherneck]

Ausgezeichnet!

Outstanding dio. Welcome aboard!

[thunderclap]

Top notch,excellent work!!!

[granatwerfer]

Again, I'd like to thank everyone for their kind comments and the warm welcome I've recieved from the Sixth Army Group.


Kapernakis - you were the only person who ever mentioned the dent in the ammo box... which was supprisingly hard to do without melting or tearing the small vacuformed piece. One of my favorite shots is of that ammo can just sitting off to the side. The vets occasionally told me that my mortar position was too undamaged but I never could work up the nerve to dent a freshly restored box.


Bob,as I'd stated earlier, the detail on the mortar and in this diorma comes from many years of displays and getting to listen to the actual vets. They all described the almost mechanical rythm they'd get into into a fire mission-- the commander calling out range and charges; the ammo handler hustling to prepare the propellant charges, sometimes sensitizing the fuzes, and getting the rounds to the loader; and the loader getting the rounds in the tube and slinging the empty boxes out of the way.


Almost all the vets hated the Wgr. 39 ( bouncing betty round) recogniziable by their green color. They told me that these rounds did poorly in soft conditions such as snow sand or mud and that the nose of the round was filled with a charge to bounce it up at the expense of explosive power.


I heard stories from more than one man of firing the mortar, during a Russian overrun attack, until the barrel was red hot and all of the paint peeled off. It got more tense when the tube got more and more vertical.

Of the last fire mission of the 18 SS division near Moravia where my friend mournfully buried his mortar( swearing he'd be back to get it later) and luckily managed to make it back to American lines.


Of a Fallschirmjaeger jumping out of his Ju52 trying to carry the tube in his arms during an anti partisian drop. He dropped the tube when the parachute opened and although they found the hole where it landed it was unretrievable.

Of counter battery fire so intense at Cassino that as soon as a 3 round fire mission could be performed the crew would "run like hell" back to the bunker while their position got pounded. After 2 weeks their 8cm battery was down to 1 remaining mortar. And that one was a composit of scrounged parts from the rest.


And , finally a very sad story of when my friends unit ( Fallschirmjaeger Rgt 3) recieved their first short barrel 8cm which he called the stummel wurfer. The loader, not being accustomed to compensating for a shorter barrel lenght , managed to pass his arm directly over the tube at the moment of firing. His arm was blown off and my friend lost yet another young Komerad.

I can still hear them.

In the end I tried to incorporate many of these details into my work and I'm glad it showed.

I thank you all for the very warm welcome.

Phil

[Peter the painter]

Originally Posted by ActionMan

What an outstanding dio! Absolutely perfect.

Can you tell me where the bomb carrier cases came from please?

Excellent dio, everything about it is very well done.
Cheers
Peter.

[Von13]

I keep coming back and looking at this. Outstanding figures and dio. It's nice to see all of the proper gear that goes with a mortar crew.

[Tuche]

Really great job.

Great figures, very good dio base, and such amount of details !

[granatwerfer]

Thanks again guys, your comments are very much appreciated.

Phil

[Dougmo]

Love. It, Phil. Like Alphonso mentioned, lots of little mortar specific details....and what a great base to compliment your fine figures!

[hansalbin]

I guess I missed this one when it was posted originally.
OUTSTANDING dio