Fifty Shades of Feldgrau

The joke goes that in Heaven, the chefs are French, the lovers Italian, the taxi drivers are German and the police are British … so Fifty Shades of Feldgrau is perhaps a glimpse into Hell, and the least sexiest blog title ever. Hell of course has Italian taxi drivers, British Chefs, and the French and Germans fighting it out for the rest, with rubber truncheons! Fear not, this post is just about grey-painted 1:100 scale models.

I have never bought a consistent “realistic” shade of Panzer or Feldgrau because there is just so much variation. I have white paint, and I have black, so therefore I have as many shades of grey as I want. By the time the mud goes over the top, it doesn’t matter anyway. So there!

From top row left to right: Trippel, Kfz 81, leichter Einheits Pkw.

Front row left to right resin, FDM, Resin Kfz 21.

Review -Paint and Glue Miniatures Krupp Protze Kfz 21 Staff Car

The Krupp Protze Kfz 21 Staff Car seems to have been quite a rare beast if photographic evidence is anything to go by. It was a variant of the Protze family of 6 x 4 trucks, listed as follow:

“Several variants of the Krupp Protze were produced before and during World War II for various purposes. The first variant was the Kfz 19, which was a special telephone and communications truck, which featured a fully enclosed steel roof. The second variant was the Kfz 21, which was used as a staff car and command car. The Kfz 21 had an open top and could carry seven passengers. The third variant was the Kfz 68, which, like the Kfz 19, had fully enclosed steel roof and was used to carry radio communication masts. The fourth variant was the Kfz 69, which featured the standard body of the Protze but had a special rear tow bar fitted for towing the 37 mm PaK 35 or PaK 36 anti-tank guns. The fifth variant was the Kfz 70, which was the original standard body configuration for the Protze, and was used as a troop carrier, with capacity for up to nine passengers. The sixth variant of the Protze was the Kfz 81, which featured the standard body configuration but had a modified load bed for carrying 20 mm ammunition for the FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun, one of which was usually towed by the Kfz 81 as well. The final variant of the Protze was the Kfz 83, which was a fully enclosed generator truck for mobile anti-aircraft search lights, one of which was usually towed behind the Kfz 83.”

https://ww2-history.fandom.com/wiki/Krupp_L2H43/L2H143 [Accessed 2/2/2023]

The Führer Begleit Batallion had a variant with a deeper bonnet, according to Erdmann, who lists production as “few”, but these are the only photographs that I have found:, so I’m going with it only having equipped one Panzergrenadier regiment in the NQM campaign of two battalions and an RHQ, although the three models will probably be split up to represent regimental, divisional or Armeekorps commanders. The troops in the photo above look vaguely Hungarian, so it may be that mine end up in the Hungarian box.

In this scale, you could paint practically any model car Panzer grey, and it would be close enough. With this model’s long sloping bonnet, resin is definitely the way to go. Printing lines on the bonnet of the model  in the right of the top photo are still slightly visible, even after four coats of varnish and paint. I can’t complain though as this was a free misprint, generously thrown in as an extra.

Review – Paint and Glue Miniatures leichter Einheits Pkw 15mm

The benefits of resin over FDM (or PLA) for reproducing models are self evident. It is worth mentioning that they are less robust now that it is possible to mold ever-finer detail, but I consider that to be a small price to pay.  This beautiful 15mm leichter Einheits Personenkraftwagen is an example of what is now possible. I’m aware that the seats of these vehicles were faced with a waterproof grey synthetic cloth, rather than the rich brown leather that I have painted them in, but with so much grey around I need a break! The driver is a command decision and the commander is a Peter Pig 15mm.

Wehrmacht standing orders insisted that vehicle commanders stood to ensure best possible situational awareness, when moving tactically, so I have reproduced this in a number of my vehicles. As ever, the model is in its battle-ready paint job before weathering, detailing and varnishing.

Some good examples of this vehicle can be found in the two German vehicle reference tabs in the sidebar to the right.

Review – Syborg Trippel SG6 Pioneer

The printing on this FDM model is up to Syborg’s usual standard, but the rounded contours of the model really deserve to be rendered in resin in order to do justice to the STL by Bergmann. It took two varnish coats and two thick-ish coats of emulsion before the print lines faded enough not to be the main feature of the model. The end result is a nice model that is well worth the purchase price.

The Trippel SG-6/38 Pionier (Schwimmfähiger Geländewagen) is a nice model of an unusual subject that appeared in  small numbers as a variant of the smaller SG 6/41 (800 of all versions, probably <100 of them being Pioniere?). The Pionier was, itself, an engineer variant of the SG 6/41, having a larger body and comfortable capacity of 6 (Wiki quotes a design specification? of 16 pax but I cannot see where they would fit in, or how a Trippel would stay afloat with a roughly 1,280Kg load (assuming 80kg per man with kit), against a 500kg quoted load capacity for the SG 6/41!

My Pionier will find a home in the engineer battalion of one of my Ostfront divisions. I have found pictures with tactical markings for an unknown (blanked out) SS Panzergrenadier division, a self-propelled heavy howitzer battalion, and a few with WH army plates. Extreme esoteriaphiles will enjoy Reference 5. below as  it shows a picture of an amphibious armoured recce variant and a Trippel towing two amphibious trailers (visible to the left below). Perhaps this is how the design specification was met? However, as exiting a river is the main obstacle to a river crossing, only prepared sites or very shallow bank profiles would be viable if towing even one trailer.

Trippel with 2 trailers

Trippel SG 6 Pionier with 13 pax on board. Testing to destruction!

The photo seen above shows 13? men in light order on a Pionier entering the water during what looks like a flotation trial. Very little spare freeboard is evident, judging by the waterline marks, but I found no shots of it actually floating!  I am quite prepared to believe, however that in a retreat, 16 men would have squeezed onboard and been prepared to bail. To put things in perspective, the much larger 13 tonne 8.6m long Landwasserschlepper had a design specification of 20 pax. In the end, the Trippel was superseded by the VW Schwimmwagen, which was cheaper and easier to build.

References :

1. https://en.topwar.ru/13883-amfibiynye-mashiny-germanii.html
2. http://www.kfzderwehrmacht.de/Homepage_english/Motor_Vehicles/Germany/Trippel/trippel.html
3. http://www.fahrzeuge-der-wehrmacht.de/Artikel/Trippel_SG6.html
4. Wikipedia quotes Ref 2. as one of its sources.
5. https://en.topwar.ru/13883-amfibiynye-mashiny-germanii.html also shows an armoured prototype.

Half-baked Tray

For obvious reasons, the NQM Eastern Front Campaign is on pause. I have little appetite for fighting a campaign along the DNIPRO (Dnieper), when a real conflict is raging there. A tray of new models has been sitting in a half-finished state since the war started.¹

Garry at Paint and Glue Miniatures, and Simon at Syborg 3-D printing continue to produce excellent prints, increasingly in resin. A couple of Peter Pig castings are lurking in trenches on the left. I am busy filing and filling the 1/144 Kittyhawks, IL-15 and Hs 129 as the print lines on curved surfaces are quite obtrusive in this scale.

My wargaming time is currently being profitably being spent over on the Pigs in Spaaace  blog, where things are getting very stabby with Tibetan cataphracts and brass spears. No, there was no real blood!

Footnotes

1. Putin’s attempts to dress an illegal invasion of a sovereign nation by calling it a “special military operation” fool no-one except himself. He needs to lose badly, and be deposed. By threatening nuclear use, he has demonstrated that he is not fit to speak for the Russian people, who have an honourable tradition of resisting foreign invasion themselves, whilst being subject to oppressive regimes at home. Russia will be better without him.

Review – Paint and Glue Miniatures 1:100 Scale (15mm) Scammell Pioneer – Part 3

The improved Scammell Pioneer resin print is on the right.

Back here and here, I reviewed the Scammell Pioneer from Paint and Glue Miniatures. I had to do a bit of chopping about to correct the chassis height, but ended up with two models that I was very happy with. So I was even happier to receive a surprise package in the post. Garry has updated the STL to correct the suspension height, and sent an updated model. It was one of the earlier prints, so a couple of details have been further updated since

Improved Scammell Pioneer print is on the right.

In addition to printing the front spring and torsion bar at the correct orientation, with the rear suspension at the correct height, the crane gantry I-beam and basket for add-on tracks under the driver’s door are now printed separately, as more modellers are likely to be using the tractor with the jib retracted rather than extended, and making the model easier to paint prior to assembly.  The front tow hook and bar has been beefed up slightly and the front mudguards are now sitting at the  correct factory angle on the wheels.

Having done a bit more digging, I found this photo, and a couple more, so it is evident that sometimes the angle of the mudguards got knocked about in service. Panzerserra has a useful collection of photos on his blog here. It means that if the angles on the mudguards are not even, then that’s OK too.

The headlights are now part of the radiator moulding and survived transit. Contemporary photographs show two headlights or singles on both sides, and also Pioneers missing the front tow hook assembly, so I’m not too worried about future gaming damage 🙂

Looking at the photos, I noticed that I missed a couple of minor blemishes on the windscreen bars of my original print, and will have to scalpel them off. Blast! I just have to upgrade my own models to the standard of the new one now. Again from photo captions, it may be that some Pioneers captured in France made it out to the Eastern Front.

All of these detail changes highlight the advantage that an STL printer has over an injection moulding firm – errors can be corrected after a model goes to print, so full marks to Garry for reacting to customer feedback. That’s 10/10 for customer service in my book.

Review – Paint and Glue Miniatures Hanomag SS-100 LN Prime Mover 15mm 1:100 scale

This 15mm 1:100 scale model from Paint and glue Miniatures is a superb  resin print of the Hanomag SS-100 LN prime mover (Gigant). Best known as a tractor for the V2 rocket, the SS-100 was widely used by the Luftwaffe, and to a lesser degree the Wehrmacht, as a prime mover for aircraft, fuel trailers and AA guns – particularly the 8.8cm and 12cm Flak pieces. Pictures found online show them in use mostly around airfields and on roads. Both two and four door versions were built, this model being the four door version. It would not be uncommon on airfields to see them towing two or even three trailers. Panzerserra has posted a very useful piece on the SS-100, from which I have taken these dimensions:

Length	5.040m
Width	2.480m
Height	2.420m
Wheelbase Road clearance	3.000m 220mm

I was initially surprised that the model was not larger. The road clearance figure above is suspect, as the model measures 5mm from running board to ground, and contemporary pictures show the Gigant’s running boards sitting at least level with the wheel hubs, confirming that the model is correct. It may be that there is a sump cover or transmission shaft hanging about under there! The larger than life pictures highlight a couple of minor printing flaws that I had not noticed looking at the raw resin print. Bear in mind that this is a 1:100 scale model that is only 5cm from nose to tail.

Something odd is going on visually with the unpainted model, because although the dimensions are all spot-on, there appears to be insufficient space around the fuel tanks, due to the filled in space inboard of the running boards, which gives a false impression of the width, and somehow makes it look lower to the ground than it actually is. If I really cared, then a fine drill and burr would clear the supporting struts away. I expect that painting will solve this, and it does not detract from a superb print. I am very pleased to be able to add this model to my collection. I suspect that rather like Tom Cruise, it appears bigger on screen than in real life.

Review – Paint and Glue Miniatures Scammell Pioneer in 1:100 scale – part 2

Scammel Pioneers with Italian front and Caunter camouflage

After the initial cut-and-shunt bodge of the first Scammell Pioneer model, I had a closer look at the second print. Taking a more considered view of where to perform surgery led to the front and rear assemblies being removed. The rear wheels came off as a pair with their trans-axle assemblies. Cutting inboard of the trans-axle spared the rear mudflaps, which remained in-situ on the main body. Then the front two wheels were razor-sawed off. Next, the front axle came off with the track rod. A further two cuts removed the front tow bar. They can be seen disassembled in the picture below. Apologies for the blurred photograph.

Scammell wheels front axle and towbar removed

The first bodged Scammell was pulled apart at the same time to remove the front axle assembly. The height of the Pioneer was 2.97m, which is 3cm at 1:100 scale, assuming no-one can see the difference of a third of a millimetre. The model as printed sits 4mm too low, which is noticeable.

Scammell Pioneer camouflaged for the Italian front

After looking more closely at the rear wheels, I realised that they have the flat segment taken out of the TOP of the wheels, not the bottom as I originally thought. This is only revealed when the wheel assembly is cut away from the main body, and is clear evidence that the designer couldn’t make the wheels fit properly on his STL. Cutting card to 15mm for the rear wheel assembly and 10mm for the front allowed me to prop the model up to the correct height, prior to gluing everything back together again¹.

Scammell shims in place prior to refitting wheels²

 

Once the shims were firm enough to bear weight, I glued the front assembly back on, rotated through 90º so that the track rod was visible. The rear wheels were glued to the outside of the shim, upside down so that the cutaway segment was not visible. Scrap rod replaced the headlamps that I knocked off during surgery. Overall, the quality of my work doesn’t do justice to the original print, but I now have two models that work for me. The cabs are still rolling about like drunken sailors ashore, so that’s fine!

Scammell front axles reassembled

I would not consider this to be a tutorial, more a cautionary roadmap of the potholes along the road that I took towards producing something that I was happy with. More to the point, the STL now does justice to the care that Garry has taken with producing the print.

Scammells with reset suspension. I’m happy now!

 

1. Sensible people will use superglue or hot melt glue for this sort of thing. I use contact adhesive, because I have used it professionally for 15 years, manufacturing prescription orthoses, so I’m comfortable with its peculiarities, and because I recycle and rebase models as the hobby, and my ruleset evolves. This is much easier with contact adhesive.
2. Update 28 Oct 2021: Initially this post featured “Scammel” as a misspelling. I had to find a picture of a Scammell badge online to verify the correct spelling as the internet features both spellings

Review – Paint and Glue Miniatures Scammell Pioneer in 1:100 scale (15mm)

 

I was looking forward to receiving this model in resin from Paint and Glue Miniatures as a 1:100 scale print, and initial impressions did not disappoint. The printing is crisp and flawless. The detail on the side basket excellent, with everything square. Closer inspection revealed a single headlight and one front wheel broken in transit despite Garry’s careful packing in bubble wrap, neither being a problem and both easily glued back. The major flaw in this model comes from the height of the suspension, which is too low. Width and length for the model is spot-on, but the model just looks wrong, hunkered as it is over its wheels, which almost touch the rear body, whereas the tops of the wheels should almost be level with base of the rear body.

Scammell Pioneer side view post- and pre-modification (L>R).

Have a look at the contemporary photograph below to see what I mean.

THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE 1940 A Scammell Pioneer tows an 8-inch howitzer of 1st Heavy Regiment, near Calais

Photographer: Davies (Lt) War Office official photographer – This is photograph F 2119 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 4700-35)

Other details include the pot on top of the radiator being too low and the front suspension track bar has been modelled horizontally rather than vertically, which is what has led to the suspension being too low in the first place. On the plus side, the model comes with the crane gantry bar extended. This can be trimmed off if not needed.

Scammell Pioneer chassis, showing STL orientation error.

Rotating the relevant element in the STL through 90 degrees to the rear of the model and lowering the rear wheel suspension assembly should fix the problem.

Scammell Pioneer Side view, post modification

The visual discrepancy was solved with a razor saw and cork blocks. To my eye, the model now looks better, even in its quickly bodged state. I reserve my usual right as the purchaser to care about some things but not others, such as the newly inserted jaunty angle of the cab as it lurches over uneven ground! The model is seen here in a simple green spray undercoat prior to having the front track rod reinstated. Any spider webs seen are simply strings of contact adhesive, which will be removed when they have hardened. The rear mudflaps were broken off by me to get a razor saw in to the wheels, and will be glued back on for painting.

In summary, an excellent model, not available elsewhere to my knowledge,  that needs a major flaw in the suspension height to be addressed.

Steyr 1500A Review

L To R – S3D x 2 – FiB x 2 – PSC – FoW Front PP back

I own a fair few Steyr heavy cars now – nine to be precise, and if you add in three Horch Heavy cars, there are enough for a comparative review between Peter Pig (PP), Forged in Battle (FiB), Flames of War (FoW), Plastic Soldier Company (PSC); and Syborg 3D Printing (S3D) (as representative of all three printers that I have bought from – Butlers Printed Models and Paint & Glue Miniatures being the other two).

Horch 108 PP and FoW. The different bonnet shapes are evident.

First up is the FoW Horch 108, (4.84m long x 2.00m wide and 2.04m high) so  at 46mm x 18mm x 12mm to the cab side, it is a fraction small, but not FoW’s usual 1:120-ish. Next to PP’s metal model at 47mm x 20mm x 15mm, which is pretty much spot-on (the missing mm of length comes from a poorly cast tow-hook and a front bumper that sits too close to the nose. The FoW Horch looks a little smaller but not worryingly so, and more rounded in the bonnet, which is a more accurate profile. The PP Horch is altogether squarer in the bonnet, with blockier detail, which is not accurate. It does however sit convincingly higher on its wheels.

Steyr 1500A FiB. The 37mm PaK 36 shows that this stand is an RHQ whereas the General (R) designates a divisional HQ

The dimensions of the 1500A measured 5.08 meters long, 2.03 meters wide, and 2.23 meters high (presumably with the canopy up). The FiB Steyr is similar to the FoB Horch in many ways. It sits low to the ground, and at 47mm x 21mm x 15mm, is 3mm too short and 1mm too wide. Nevertheless it is a convincing model. To my eyes, the 3mm has been stolen from the nose and boot, in order to give more space in the rear passenger compartment. This visual flaw is only evident when you compare it to the next two models, and is actually quite handy for squeezing fat generals in.

Steyr 1500A Cabriolet S3D and 1500A FiB

The S3D (50mmL x 19mmW x 16mmH) and PSC (51mmL x 20mmW x 16mmH) models are very close in dimensions. The missing mm of width on the S3D makes no difference until you compare it to the PSC model, which although it is a millimetre too long has the best-looking bonnet profile of all the models, has the finest detail and comes with crew as well.  Were it not for the mismatched angles of the cab sides, I would have no hesitation in recommending this as the best model on review.

Steyr 1500A FiB and PSC

Will over at Will’s Wargames Blog (see Sidebar) tells me that the 20mm version has no such flaw, and goes together perfectly. As usual, the print lines of the S3D are visible enough to need work to obscure them. It occurs to me that I have only made the early model 1500A up, whereas all of Will’s models look to be late. I will have to make up a late model in 15mm to see if the error is confined to the early model.

Steyr 1500A Cabriolet and 1500A AA both S3D

S3D also offer a Horch and Steyr AA version with twin MGs. I have twinned the Steyr AA with a Flak Trailer for ammo. Finally, S3D offer a Steyr 1500A Cabriolet for generals to ponce about in at corps Level. I have filled mine with rank and file for the time being until I buy some more PP officers to take over. In summary, all the offerings are well up to standard for wargaming. All have limitations or flaws. I’m just happy that there is so much choice.