German Hetzer

My co-blogger Klumzey Keith is down with the flu. So to cheer him up I'd thought I'd post this picture of Keith's favorite AFV, the German Hetzer, which was a jadgpanzer adapted from the Czech T38 tank. This left side is open so you can look inside and see exactly how "cozy" it must have been for the crew of four. You can even see the remote control mechanism for the MG up on top. Now I ask you, who else but the Germans could have come up with something like that in those days?
My son Andy took this picture just this past Saturday up in Aberdeen. Maryland that is.

Italian M13/40

Keith has also been painting up a 15mm force of Italian Areite Division tanks, guns, and troops. So, in order to inspire him to get off his sick bed and back to working on them, I am posting this new and improved picture of the M13/40. This is the "mystery tank" I posted a few days ago under "Stump the Blogmeister." Since nobody ventured a guess; I win! Anyway this is a much better picture. To begin with the sun was shining, and my son Andy used his camera which actually takes better pictures than mine! How did I let that situation occur?

British Mark IV and Whippet from WWI

Okay everybody, as I said before, I drove back to Aberdeen to get some better pictures. My son Andrew and I both had our cameras going and between the two of us we got about 120 shots. It's a lot to go through. In the first round of looking through the pictures, these two that Andrew took stood out for me. These close ups of the British Mark IV and the Whippet were just so clear and detailed that I just had to post them. I hope you not tired of looking at pictures of tanks because its about all we have right now. Keith and I have been so preoccupied with things lately that neither of us has been able to do hardly anything gaming-wise. That will be rectified soon because I am going to the Cold Wars convention in Lancaster, Pennsylvania this weekend! If any of you have a chance to go, I highly recommend it. Check out our "Historical Miniature Gaming Society, East" link under "Gamer Resources" if you want to learn more about it.

Blogmeister Keith and a Panzer I

Here's another interesting picture for you. This is our very own Klumzey Keith standing next to a Panzer I on a cold, misty, rainy day. You can't get a good feel for how small those things are until you stand someone next to one. Keith is not a short man, he is about 6 feet tall.

Incidently, I drove back to Aberdeen this past Saturday to get better pictures. I'll be posting some of them soon.
So, more later,
Bwana Bill

Stump the Blogmeister, Again

Alright everybody, I don't know about you but we had so much fun with our Stump the Blogmeister games (see below) that we just have to do it again. This time we know the answer to the question, but lets see how many of you can get it. Here it is; can you identify this particular tank? Leave a comment if you can!

The Ever-Impressive and Imposing Jagdtiger

Here are a few more armor pictures I thought you might like. This Jagdtiger is on display at the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen, Maryland. It is certainly one of the more spectacular things up there due to its imposing size. This vehicle is the tank destroyer(or what the Germans called, the "jagdpanzer") version of the infamous Tiger II, or King Tiger. There is one interesting tidbit about this particular vehicle. The main gun appears to be smaller than it actually is because this vehicle was "scuttled" by its crew. They drained the hydraulic fluid out of the main gun's recoil damper and fired the gun; for the last time. They say that the breech remains impacted to the rear wall of the gun compartment. So, even though the gun still looks quite huge, it is the 128mm Pak 80, it is actually bigger than it appears to the observer today. I'm sure there are some other interesting stories that could be told about this particular Jagdtiger. If you look carefully at the closeup shot of the glacis plate you will see scars from projectiles that impacted and were deflected. You can also see a big gouge that was taken out of the recoil sleeve surrounding the main gun.

Reader Response to "Stump the Blogmeister"

Reader Jay very kindly responded to our query on the unusual tanks here and here:

"About your tanks...

The second tank is the M6 heavy tank. It was developed but never put into production because the Army ground forces calculated that they could ship 1.5 M-4 shermans for every M-6 heavy. By the time we got into combat in France, the M-6 design was obsolete. The M-26 pershing was developed and shipped instead, arriving a few weeks before the war endded.

Your first tank is either a "stretched" M-26 or a a "stretched" M-46. The rear drive sprocket which is out of your photo will tell which is which.

The M-26 has a rear drive sprocket lower than the line of return rollers for the upper line of track.

The M-46 has the rear drive sprocket in line with the upper return rollers.

There were a number of these "stretched" experimental tanks. This one looks like it has been lengthened about 4 feet, having an extra pair of road wheels, and a much larger turrret carrying the 120mm AA gun instead of the normal 90mm gun. The enlarged turret also had 2 loaders, one for the shot and one for the powder charge. There was even one of these things built, carrying the 155mm gun (that is a BIG gun guys!)

This philosphy of "stretched" hulls was actually put in to production about 1959 or 60 with the M-103 heavy tank. This was a stretched M-48 tank, again carrying the 120mm AA gun. About 50 were built and they were fielded in Germany as independent companies, held at corps level. The philosphy was they they would loiter at the rear of the battle area, picking off the JSIII Russian tanks, while the M-48 mediums mixed it up with the T-34 and T-44 tanks at shorter ranges.

You can see info about the M-6 in Chamberlain and Ellis' wonderful book "British and American Tanks and AFVs of WWII"."

If anyone can find a link to that book, I'd love to publish it here! I searched Amazon and Google, but no luck.

Thanks so much for your time and the great information Jay! We're not tankers, but we love our tanks!

Update from Armaments In Miniature - 15mm WWII Aircraft for the Discerning Wargamer

I wanted to pass on some good news about Armaments In Miniature(AIM). I was checking out the website there, looking specifically for an Italian airplane model to compliment my Compagnia Carri. In addition I was hoping to find a P40 to support my American paratroopers. Dave produces some the absolute finest true 15mm resin aircraft models I've ever seen. You can buy painted metal planes for slightly less, however they are not in proper scale. It always looks better, to me at least, to have everything in the same scale! Another reason that his models are great to use is that they fit so nicely on his terrain clearing stand, which is something every 15mm World War II gamer should have!

What follows is Dave's reply to my email query on the current status of various remolds!

"The Fiat CR.42 is in production and I have detailed decals for it (two different squadriglia). I also have the CR.42AS version which was a dedicated ground attack version for North Africa. I also have two different decal set for it.

I have an Italian version of the Ju-87B-2 (Ba/Ju-87B-2/R-2/TROP) with Italian bombs, drop tanks, dust filter and Italian decals.

The P-40E was just completed and I am working on the parts mold to provide a bomb and drop tank.

Also waiting to complete the parts mold for the Kittyhawk IA (British version of the P-40E).

Just competed the remaster of the Me-109G-6 and added a bomb, drop tank, 21 cm rocket launchers, and 30mm add on wing guns. Have an Italian version available with decals.

Just ready to pour the first part of the production mold for the Junkers Ju-52/3m 5ge model.

Late in March I will have the Bell P-39 D and a remaster of the French D.520.

I also have a early war landing craft available, the LCP(L).

I remastered the Il-2, Il-2 Type 3, I-16 and the Ju-87D-1."

As a Post Script to the above information, Dave also sends: "...the new models will be introduced at HMGS East Cold Wars '06 in Lancaster, PA and I hope the have my web site updated by the end of March"

Wow! I'm so excited about these new releases, I'm going to have to order several new models! I'll make sure I post photos when I get done!

For photos and previous posts about AIM, click here and here. The Terrain Clearing Stand can be found here.

A New Game - to Your Blogmeisters!

Bwana Bill and I have been talking about Legends of the Old West by Warhammer Historicals.

After reading the rules, I feel that they are full of fun fluff and they are completely playable. Apparently this ruleset is somewhat like of Games Workshops Lord of the Rings - mixed with Mordheim - which are both games I love to play!

Basically, you start with $200.00 and use that to build a "posse". You have to have at least 3 members to start, though it's probably better to have a lot of members. More figures mean you can make your opponent roll more die!

With Bwana Bill's Whitewash City buildings and a bit of home-baked terrain we'll be all set!

Figures are another topic entirely. I have a few that I've collected, but so far my favorite are by Shadowforge Miniatures which I purchased through Brigade Games - the "Earp Sisters" set! I actually bought them for my wife, however they are such great minis that I recon I'll have to mosey on down to my paintin' room and slap a dab o' paint on them thar critters!

The figures I have were purchased, cleaned, and painted are from the Desperado line by Monday Knight Productions. I am happy with the quality, however they are true 25mm, which makes them a tad small compared to the Shadowforge minis.

Still, I look forward to my gang of banditos riding into town, guns blazing, taking hostages, robbing banks, and being generally bad hombres! I have a 'gunslinger' looking figure with two pistols, a former Southern Army Scout with a Winchester rifle, a buffalo hunter/trapper/trader with a buffalo gun, and a gunslingin' gambler, as well as a Mexican bandito and a renegade deputy.

Bwana will have to come up with a band of cowpokes or lawmen to counter the threat of my dastardly gunslingers!

Stump the Blogmeister

Hello again all you tankmeisters! Today we want to return to discussing our recent trip to the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen, Maryland. Our tour guide took us to a remote lot were a lot of old prototype stuff is parked. This was a great opportunity because these vehicles are not considered to be on public display.

We saw two enormous U.S. heavy tank prototypes from the WWII era. They were never put into production because the logistics of getting them to the overseas war zones was just too hard. Here's the problem, I was so busy taking pictures that I was only half listening to what our guide was saying, so I can't remember the names of these beasts. He called one "the M6" and the other I don't know at all. If anyone knows, please leave a comment. I could always send an E-mail question to the kind gent who showed us around, but that would spoil all the fun, don't you think?

Anyway, I was kind of shocked when I saw these. I had never seen or heard of them before. I might be exaggerating, but it seemed to me that these things were comparable in size to the German Tiger tanks of WWII. If you think I'm wrong, please tell me!

Here is a photo of the first one:

Stump the Blogmeister (continued)

Here is the second one, unfortunately it is not a very good picture, the weather was really bad that day:

It looks to me that this one is the M6. It had a 3 inch gun (which is equivalent to about 75mm)AND a 37mm gun side-by-side in the turret. It also had twin .50 cal. MGs in the bow and it weighed 63 tons! That would make it comparable in size to a Tiger II wouldn't it?

The Miniatures We Use

For the most part, our figures and tank models are Battlefront Miniatures however we have a few that are by Old Glory as well.

Another minature manufacturer we have seen in 15mm is Quality Casting, which is actually by Battle Honours Miniatures of the U.K.

In addition, the terrain you see in our games is in part terrain that we have created ourselves, but we also put out some buildings by The Miniature Building Authority.

The Platoon that didn't move. This M14/41 platoon was in range of the British command section from about turn 2 or 3. They sat still to maintain their rate of fire and supported the light tanks and armored cars in their valiant attempt at assaulting the British left flank.












The Lancia da 90/53s burn. They were both knocked out on turn 2 or 3.

The British Headquarters dies in flames at the hand of a combined assault by the light tanks, the last surviving Autoblinda, and the M14/41 platoon that never moved!

Two Panzer III tanks burn, vicitims of the combined fire from two Desert Rat Grant tank platoons. Their platoon-mates are not amused.











M14/41s and Panzer IIIs advance towards the objective.

A pair of Grant platoons suffer from the combined fire of the Lancia da 90/53s, and a platoon of m14/41s, supported by Afrika Korps Panzer IIIs.












In a mad rush, a platoon of 'Honey' Stuarts charge into the rear of the M14/41 platoon on the Italian right flank. They put the smack down on that platoon - but are denied by lucky rolls.












Another platoon of Grants rush to support the crumbling British left flank.

The Semoventi 75/18s take the first round of fire from the British Grants. With it's powerful 75mm gun, this was a dangerous vehicle. Unfortunately it had the same armor as the M14/41s - which is to say, not enough.











Another view of the destroyed village where the British Infantry were dug in and supported by tanks.












I move the L6/40 light tank platoon forward into harms way. A two-man tank armed with even less armor than the M14/41, and a 20mm gun. I didn't expect great things from this platoon! Still, they are great little miniatures, and looked good on the table.

We created much of the terrain using model train scenery gear. The hills are all from foam, painted with a textured paint I mix up especially for this use.












The light tanks are slightly behind the Autoblinda armored cars as the British HQ unit moves forward and prepares to open fire.

The Autoblindas race forward. A 20mm canon and six wheels with light armor! Avanti! Charge the tanks!











The Panzer IIIs of the Deutches Afrika Korps 'stiffen the resolve' of the poorly armed and amored Arieta Division M14/41 tanks.












Lancia da 90/53s gaurd the captured Hurricane IIC. This was a wicked little model to build. Interesting bits and pieces for a start, not to mention that enormous AA/AT gun!
Apparently this was the Italian version of the dreaded German .88 - and it proved effective when it fired!












British Infantry prepare for the armored assault of the Arieta Division, backed up by a platoon of Grant tanks.

The buildings are those mentioned in an earlier post, made by The Miniature Building Authority.

First round of photos from our "Flames of War" game

As promised, here are some shots from our latest game using the "Flames of War" (FoW) rules. FoW is the hottest thing going right now when it comes to wargaming World War II with 15mm miniatures. FoW is a fast paced game that enables you to play out large engagements in a fairly short timeframe. You will be amazed at how quickly you can play out a typical scenario. If you want to learn more about it go to the "Flames of War" link down on the right margin of this page.

In these two photos a company of Italian M14 tanks from the Italian Ariete Armored Division, supported by four German Panzer IIIs, are "squaring off" against a company of M3 Grants from the British 7th Armored Division.












A platoon of Battlefront Miniatures Italian M14/41 tanks protects the objective while a platoon of Autoblindas and a platoon of L6/40 light tanks (also by Flames of War, Battlefront Miniatures) moves forward to death or glory.











Grants of the Desert Rats, 8th British Army supported by an infantry platoon gaurd their objective.

Avanti!

Bwana Bill and I played Flames of War last Saturday; another desert battle took place!

This time it was the Italians in the hot-seat against the British 8th Army’s Desert Rats.

I had just barely finished the great little models of the L6/40 light tanks, the M14/41s and the Semoventes, not to mention the Lancia da 90/53 Anti-Aircraft/Tank gun on the back of a truck. In fact the army isn’t really finished to my normal standards, however it was good enough for us to have the opportunity to do something different.

I added 4 Panzer IIIs from the DAK to stiffen the resolve of the Italians.

Bill has some photos, and I’m sure he’ll post them soon, so there is some new eye-candy to look forward to!

Avanti Savoia!!!

More Shots From Aberdeen

Today we will get back to looking at photos from our recent trip to the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen, Maryland. In the workshop/warehouse that we were allowed to see there was a British Crusader Mark III tank and an Italian Semovente Assault Gun. The Crusader Mark III can be identified by the large muzzle brake. The Mark III had a 57mm gun (called 6 pounder by the Brits) whereas its two predecessors had 37mm guns (2 pounder). Both of these vehicles were very common sights during the epic struggle between the British 8th Army and the German Afrika Korps during World War II. Both of them had very recently been restored and they look like they just rolled off the assembly line!

More Shots From Aberdeen (continued)

Here is the Italian Semovente. It looks good, doesn't it? These vehicles carried a 75mm gun and during the North Africa campaign anything with a gun that large commanded a lot of respect. I can not identify the unit markings on this vehicle. If anybody knows please leave a comment.

Whitewash City card-stock models

Okay everybody, let’s take a break from looking at tanks for a while and talk about something else. Lately I have been setting up a new Zulu War scenario for some “The Sword and the Flame” action. I have a scenario description called “the Church.” In this scenario a force composed of British regulars and Boers needs to round up some settlers from their widely dispersed homes and get them into a built-up camp in the middle of the table. Meanwhile the Zulus are entering from various points all round the table creating mayhem. I needed to come up with three rustic looking houses and a small church. I agonized over this for a long time because I did not want to spend much money on them. I knew about the Whitewash City models designed for Wild West gaming, but I never had much success with card-stock models in the past, so I kept on looking and pondering. But then I just decided to give it a try. I didn’t see why these models wouldn’t work in a Zulu War setting. So, I purchased a set that I was able to create myself for only $9.99. I think I got five models all together. That’s pretty cheap! Eric Hotz, the Whitewash City proprietor e-mailed the PDF files to me after he received my payment. Using Eric’s instructions I discovered the correct way to assemble these things. It turned out that it is a lot easier than I thought. My past problems stemmed from the fact that I just did not know what I was doing. The most important thing is using a metal ruler, not only to cut the pieces out, but to score a nice little scratch in the card stock at each spot that needs to be folded. You score the side that will be opposite the direction of the fold. I found that is makes it easy to get all the pieces to fit together nicely. Also, you need to find some cardstock to print the patterns. Eric recommends 110LB cardstock. I had to go to an office supply store to find it. I didn’t buy it there though because they only sell it in large reams. Instead I went to Michael’s craft store and bought some loose white cardstock that they had in their bins. I don’t think that what I ended up with was 110LB; it was probably more like 80LB. The bins at Michael’s were not marked so it was hard to know. Anyway whatever it was that I ended up with, it worked well. You have to run it through color laser jet printer and this paper worked well in an ordinary laser jet. So, I think they turned out pretty nicely. Have a look, this one is called House #2:

Whitewash City Town Church

This one is called the Town Church. The last picture shows another nice feature of these Whitewash City Models. They all come with a floor plan that you can print out and place under the model. That way, if your action moves inside you just pick up the model and play it out on the floor plan.

Russian T34 cutaway

As I mentioned on Feb 6th, we visited the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum a few days ago. (See Below) Here are a few more pictures from that visit. This is a Soviet T34/76 that has been cut away on the left side so you can see the entire interior. We were lucky to be able to see this, it is in a building that is not open to the public.

T34 close up

Here you can see both the turret and hull a bit better.

T34: views of turret interior and hull interior

Here is a view of both the turret and hull close up.

A Visit to the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum

This past Saturday your blog hosts, Bwana Bill and El Bandito, drove up to the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen, Maryland. We received an invitation through the Flames of War Northern Virginia Yahoo Web Group. Bob Smart, who is a regular volunteer at the museum invited everyone in the group to Aberdeen for a special tour. About a dozen of us dedicated gamers braved a bad rain storm and took Bob up on his generous invitation. We got to see things that are not normally open to the public. It was a really great opportunity even though the weather was really bad. If you scroll down you will see photos of three tanks that we saw. We saw a lot more of course, and we will post those pictures later. Hopefully all you Tabletop Gamers out there will find them useful in terms of the colors used and the markings.