Project 'BLITZKRIEG'- Soldaten

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all...


Work is proceeding just fine, albeit slowly, with the deep weathering of the Panzer II Ausf. B's (and update pics of them will be posted on the 'Panzer Factory' thread sometime this week) but here's a sneak peak of another crucial ingredient to the overall diorama - the soldier figures. Central to the figure assembly is a 48-man early-war composition infantry platoon which consisted of a 4-5 man platoon HQ in command of four 10-man sections, a three-man mortar team was also attached to provide immediate (plunging fire) support.


So I spent a couple of hours fitting up the platoon in M35 uniforms (even though the all-field grey M40 had begun issue by the invasion of France, many units had yet to receive them). All the additional equipment to fit it out has been assembled, painted and detailed over the last several months so now it's just a matter of putting it all together. Aside from the platoon, there are around another 15 or so figures that'll be used for such areas as sentry post, gun crews and spud-peelers (field kitchen), signallers (5), officers (5), kitchen staff (4) and the unique panzer pioneers (4)...this is aside from the dozen or so tankers and several tank maintenance figures...phew...bound to be quite a show.


Enjoy...Steve

 

[pangaloss]

Absolutely awe inspiring. I have few platoon sized groups, but my bashing was always a couple at a time over a long time. This is going to be Herculean in scope.

 

[egonzinc]

Herculean is right! Wow. I think my biggest group was around 12 figures... And it is VERY time consuming...
Awesome!

 

[MadDogCPL]

Wow what a huge dio you are working on!
I look forward to seeing the finished diorama.

 

[SteveKrieg]

Cheers for the great comments fellas...


Yes, she's bound to be a doozy (in technical speak) and I've just sorted the gear for the first section. Once done, I have it posing in front of Panzer '721'...then three more sections and three more tanks and then I can move on to other aspects of the diorama as I'm keen to get back into the Krupp Protze field kitchen. For the platoon, the diorama will feature all four sections with one section posing for a group photo in front of one of the Panzer IIs, another coming back from patrol with a POW or two, the third will be cleaning weapons and re-ammunitioning whilst the fourth will be relaxing eating food with several figures lining up for chow. Around 15 or so additional infantry figures will be assembled for sentry post duty (manning an MG34 heavy mount at the tank maint area entry point, two gun crews and some spud-peelers in the field kitchen area.
Enjoy...Steve

 

[vonklerks]

Woh that a lot of material

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all...


Just an update, been awhile, have just recently completed one of the four 10-man sections of the early-war config German infantry platoon...much research went into exactly on the composition of the platoon and the section in terms of uniform and equipment. From left to right - the section commander (unteroffizier or corporal), the three-man MG34 machine gun team (to which the section's assault doctrine was centred around) with the machine gunner, assistant gunner and ammunition carrier and the six-man rifle team.
Before tackling another section, I'm now back onto the Panzer IIB's with deep weathering now being applied to '722'.
Enjoy...Steve

 

[egonzinc]

Coming along nicely.
I see you decided on Y straps.
I would suggest painting black the white stiching on both sides of the rivet that attaches the D ring belt to the Y strap near the shoulder. The Y straps that had this stiching are good for 1944 and beyond. The stiching in real life held a small piece of leather in the interior which protected the tunic from the rivet.

 

[pangaloss]

How I love a good group shot. This is really going to be great.

 

[SteveKrieg]

Cheers all...and thanks for the advice Eduardo, I've referred to many a reference book on the assemblage and I have noticed, through period pics, that Y-straps do not feature largely many of them however I chose to fit them out as they were an issue item at that stage of the war and there is evidence of their use (more so by the foot-sloggers that followed the motorised units)...cheers for the tips though, I'll put 'blackening' of the Y-Strap into effect prior to taking the platoon photo.


Thanks again...Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

I forgot to add that the helmets used were the older-style DML plastic variant, I had quiet a few in my warstores and found they'll suit better for the intended diorama (with regards to hanging off belts for example) than the metal variant which tends to off-balance a figure in certain poses. I replaced the black elastic straps of the plastic type with leather strapping, retaining the catch part of the elastic strap and feeding the chinstrap through like the real deal...don't know why I didn't think of that sooner. The helmets were then weathered with a tint of metallic grey around the edges and areas of likely impact...all in all, they turned out better than expected.


Whilst all soldiers will have the helmet for the platoon photo, around half will be changed-out with the boat cap for the diorama with helmets resting on their pers kit and around the admin area.


Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all...


Another section of early-war German infantry completed along with Panzer '722'. The third pic shows the soldier production line with section 2 at the end of the table (then nearing completion) and sections 3 and 4 awaiting detailing and assembling with the platoon HQ nearest. It's all coming along at a good pace, hopefully I can maintain the pace in order to get the remainder of the platoon and tanks '723'and '724' completed by end of August....such is the plan.


Enjoy...Steve

 

[Hammer's Africaners]

Those are coming along very well.

 

[Panzercommander HOH]

Very impressive, Steve!

I would opt out on the y-straps for 1940 France personally. Maybe with an artillery or cavalry unit using the cavalry y-straps - but not regular infantry. I would also suggest giving your NCOs 98ks and not MP-38s. The MP-38, while available, was more for specialist troops and officers at the time.

Looking forward to seeing them in the big dio you are planning! It's going to be sharp.

Fred

 

[SteveKrieg]

Cheers all...as for Fred's comments...concur fully with the historical aspects you mentioned however this is the conundrum that I find myself in regarding the use of belt support straps and the MP38/40 SMGs for the section leaders in that for every reference I have referring to no or limited issue/use of these items (at infantry formation level) during the French Campaign I find a reference stating, whilst not in the main, some units were indeed so-equipped and I've utilised both written and period picture references during the research stage in order to determine the appearance sought whilst remaining true to historical detail.


Initially, I was going to have the platoon configured wearing a combination, that is a couple of section leaders with rifle and a couple with SMG and some with and some without the support straps but I guess my own experiences got in the way and I chose uniformity overall. Of course I do intend to show other types of German soldiers such as gun crews and other supporting types so I'm hoping this will illustrate the differences nicely.


Appreciate the comments though...cheers, Steve

 

[Panzercommander HOH]

Fair enough, Steve.

Very much looking forward to the entire setup when it's all together. Your DAK setup was fantastic!

Keep the updates coming!

Fred

 

[SteveKrieg]

Thanks very much Fred...will certainly do so...I've still a lot on the project board to get done by mid-Nov (the date of the 1/6th invasion) but it's coming along nicely. I mentioned other infantry figures in the last post, these include sentry figures for the MG34 heavy mount, soldiers, in various states of dress, sitting in a circle peeling spuds and several soldiers relaxing and lining up for a feed. For the platoon, near-on half will be marching alongside a couple of tanks coming into the position, a section will be cleaning weapons and re-ammunitioning and another section will be split doing various other duties, the platoon HQ staff will mostly be hanging out at the company-level CP tent...but that's another story all together.


Steve

 

[Waters]

Just 'wow'!

Awe inspiring! Can't wait to see the finish.

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all...


Well it's taken as long as the actual Battle for France but, finally, today I was able to enjoy the fruits of my labour by taking pics of the final product. As far as Project 'BLITZKRIEG' goes, I knew this phase was going to be the most tedious however it had to be done if the big diorama goes ahead as envisioned. Most of the platoon (a veritable who's who of DML figures) will be positioned marching in column with a couple of Panzer IIs rumbling past (which though it sounds big is only one part of the overall plan). I had a couple of 'domino' experiences during the platoon's set-up and both happened right after I'd finished it. It was then that I realised that if I'm to set them up in a tight column (and to avoid a domino collapse) at the show then I'll have to find some way of ensuring they stand fast...any suggestions most welcome.


Enjoy...Steve

 

[Waldo H]

Wunderbar ! Following this topic with joy !

2 observations; is there not a radio team ?
the height of the soldiers is more or less the same.

Cheers,
Waldo