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Mortar Crew, HJ Division, 1944

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#1: Mortar Crew, HJ Division, 1944 Author: egonzinc, Location: Puerto Rico, USA

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 7:27 pm
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Mortar Crew (8 cm Granatwerfer 34)
25.SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment Hitlerjugend
12.SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend"
Normandy, June 1944

This is my latest addition to my stable of Normandy figures.
In this case it is a SS panzergrenadier mortar crew. The mortar is dissasembled and carried by the figures. These can be removend and re-assembled for in action possibilities.
The figures can also be used as regular panzergrenadiers.
In the group image I used a brand new large scenic base to use for studio images of crews and larger groups.
Here is the group, left to right: Grenadier with the mortar’s barrel, Grenadier with base plate, Sturmann gunner, Rottenfuhrer gun commander, Grenadier with tripod and grenadier with extra ammo.

Some individual images:

Commander:

Grenadier with mortar barrel:

Gunner:

Grenadier with ammo:

Grenadier with base plate:

Grenadier with tripod:

#2: Author: tiger calico, Location: Barcelona,Spain

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:36 pm
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superb work as always,Eduardo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Exclamation

#3: Author: Frasmet,

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:23 pm
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Beautiful work as always. but wouldn't those guys carrying the heavy bits need the metal pack frame thingies? (sorry can't remember the real name, too much wine I suppose). Other wise I am envious of you collection of M44 peadot uniforms.

#4: Author: jbcat, Location: Granollers. Catalonia

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 4:05 am
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Excellent group Eduardo, again

#5: Author: Heeresbergführer, Location: In the Mountains of Life

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 5:08 am
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Grüß Di' Eduardo,

Excellent rendition of a HJ mortar crew!

The only drawback that I see is the method of carrying the mortar. The poor little A-frames would never sustain the load of the mortar pieces. As modelers, we see pieces of plastic that don't weigh much. Unless one has been in the military, or even a reenactor, we don't usually think about the real weight of things...we just want to load up our figures with all the cool gear and weapons.

The typical German 81mm Granatwerfer 34 weighs in at a hefty 140 lbs (64 kg). We have one in our reenactment group...let me tell you that it is no fun to carry.

There are special padded carriers for the Granatwerfer 34 bipod and baseplate. The mortar tube was carried with a special shoulderstrap. Here are some pictures of the padded carriers:

Granatwerfer vor!
Patrick

#6: Author: k ration, Location: in a cardboard box. in back of walmart.

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:17 pm
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man eduardo, i really have gotten to like your fugue's. Exclamation

#7: Author: egonzinc, Location: Puerto Rico, USA

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 2:26 pm
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I know the barrel is heavy, that is why he is only carrying ONE grenade! jajajaja!

I knew of the special carrying contraptions for the base plate and tripod, but have never found how they carried the barrel.
Anyway, one thing was regulation and the other was getting along with what was available.
Maybe these grenadiers would have normaly been in a vehicle, but now they have to carry the pieces themselves. Thought of making a cradle with straps to carry the barrel among two of the grenadiers, but since it would have been also incorrect, went with this incorrect version.
If these special carriers were made, it means that one soldier was expected to carry each of these pieces, all by himself, heavy as they may have been.
Probably very hard to carry 140 lbs on your back, but probably easier than any other way. I bet the base plate weighed over 100 lbs too. The tripod, probably a bit less but who knows. Too bad the DML tripod does not retract...
Trust me they will not have to walk to far before they get the mortar "off their backs" and into action.
Thanks for the comments and reference images.
Que siga la fiesta!

#8: Author: Sourdoh, Location: Peoria, AZ, USA

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 3:13 pm
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Disassembled into the constituent parts, as Eduardo shows, each piece is not overly heavy. The base plate is probably the heaviest. The barrel would be carried on a strap over the shoulder hanging veritally, like a rifle. Can you imagine trying to dive through a doorway or move through heavy brush with the barrel hanging horizonally on your back!

#9: Author: Heeresbergführer, Location: In the Mountains of Life

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:24 pm
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Servus Kameraden,

The barrel weighs about 40 pounds (19kg), the baseplate about 60-70 lbs, and the bipod around 30-40 lbs...the total weight of all three pieces is about 140 pounds. Not to mention that a mortar round weighs almost 8 lbs. each!

Here's how the 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 was carried in the field:

Granatwerfer vor!

#10: Author: egonzinc, Location: Puerto Rico, USA

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:07 pm
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Great reference here!
I had misunderstood, thought that only the barrel weighed 140 lbs!
40lbs is nothing!
I'll make a strap for the barrel. Easy enough, and remove the A frame to lighten his load.
Already saved the images here for reference. If anyone else does this, they will have much better documentation that I had.

#11: Author: TBowman, Location: Northern California

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 7:37 pm
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Excellent mortar crew Eduardo Exclamation

mixed, weathered uniforms and nicely done faces (as always). I really like seeing these "crew" groups.

Super reference photos as always Heeresbergführer Exclamation

Great stuff.

regards
Tim

#12: Author: egonzinc, Location: Puerto Rico, USA

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:17 pm
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Thanks Tim!
The reference from Heeresbergführer is so fantastic that I decided to try and make a better representation of the actual contraptions.
A little more work, but hopefully worth it.
Que siga la fiesta!
E

#13: Author: egonzinc, Location: Puerto Rico, USA

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:03 pm
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Thanks to the great reference of Patrick (Heeresbergführer SAG forum member) now my mortar crew is a little more accurate.
Made the strap from Rio Rondo leather and some DML buckels.
Made the two carriers with thick styrene, which I covered with cloth. Straps are Mfisher cloth ribbon with DML buckles and a couple of DID snaps (on the bipod).

Thanks again Patrick!

#14: Author: k ration, Location: in a cardboard box. in back of walmart.

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:21 pm
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just a few little thing,just made a awesome team. Exclamation

well done.

#15: Author: Frasmet,

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:54 pm
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Wonderfully done!

#16: Author: thetoysurgeon, Location: Anderson, SC

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:25 am
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Fantastic Eduardo. How about making me a few of those backpacks....

#17: Author: toychest, Location: Bowdon GA

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:46 am
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Really like the crew, fast recovery on the carriers too!

#18: Author: egonzinc, Location: Puerto Rico, USA

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:20 pm
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Thanks!

Dennis you can use mine when you come down again! Laughing

I should have made some plans on these carriers, did not know they were going to turn out as well as they did. Wehn I have them in action they will be seen better and will be a nice prop to an in action dio.
I ended up with about 1/16 inch of crazy glue in both my thumb and index finger! Rolling Eyes

#19: Author: Germanbilly1, Location: High Desert ,CA

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:22 am
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Eduardo, very nice work and the updated packs really finished it off. Great Job.
GB

Sixth Army Group -> Ground Pounders

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