More SWS Halftrak Photos

The SWS Schwerer Wehrmachtschlepper halftrack was intended as a lightly armored supply vehicle.  They were also used to carry 20mm, and 37mm anti-aircraft guns, as well as 150mm rocket launchers.  Everywhere I look, I find different production numbers for the individual versions but there seem to have been at least 500 manufactured in various configurations, and probably many more.  There was also one with an unarmored cab.

Recently I have posted a few photos of an SWS halftrack that has a camouflage paint job.  The same halftrack has appeared in a number of different set up.  This caused a few people to ask if it is the only SWS halftrack in my collection.  The SWS series is one of the oldest Roco Minitanks ever made.  They come in six versions, but sadly, don't make the unarmed cab version.  They are also some of the oldest vehicles in my collection as I likely have not purchased a new one in the package in at least 20 years.

Here is a company of them employed as armored infantry vehicles.  Two Kubelwagen and one SWS command radio version.  I got this in a collection I purchased forever ago and figured it was too nicely done to change.  This is the original paint job it had when I got it.

I have no evidence that the SWS halftrack was ever used as an armored infantry carrier, and no evidence of even troops simply riding in the back of the vehicle.  Back in olden times we could not get HO scale SdKfz 251 armored infantry carrier halftracks so we use the Matchbox or Eadai / Arii / Grip versions in 1/76th scale.  Even so they were much more expensive than the Roco SWS and so it was not uncommon to improvise and use the SWS instead or in addition to the 1/76th scale versions.

The first platoon, all Roco, the platoon commander has the 37mm anti-tank gun on top, and the three others have light machine guns.  I painted these probably 30 years ago.  One dot at a time with the brush.  I added a few other details that will be seen later.

Second platoon, no machine gun, but I have them ready to install.  These came painted and marked like this.

Third infantry platoon also came like this.  Years ago my wargame group and I purchased two collections that were in excess of a thousand vehicles.   I got a lot of these in that purchase as no one else was interested.
 

The Kraken

The first to go was the captain.

Next the engineer fell under the tentacle of the kraken. 

Only the mate made it to a life raft.

He drifted away as the monster dragged the little boat under the waves.

Now he is alone on a tiny island, doubtful that an SOS was sent.
 

SS Dollar Tree At Sea

The crew is at sea, preparing the nets as the storm is subsiding.

Still a heavy sea they seek some relief from the winds behind some small islands.

It seems things are calming down a bit.

Yep, everything is just fine.

Until giant tentacles break the water and reach over the boat! 

 

Part Three SS Dollar Tree

Rear view, I kept the net to use for salvage operations.  Note the life ring on the cabin.  Bollards also added at the bow end.

More progress on carving out the entrance door.

Antennas for communications, direction finding and radar.

Small anchor at the bow.

1943 forward antenna array with radar.  Note small light on the front top.

Pre 1943 antennas with direction finding and communications.

I made two removable inserts so the ship can serve for a long number of years.  Small craft like this are often used in harbors and in close to shore for all sorts of routine work.  Small diving and salvage jobs, cargo and personnel transfers, message delivery.
 

Part Two SS Dollar Tree

Strelets WWII US Navy sailors man the SS Dollar Tree.

Here I have made some improvements to the ship.  I used my Dremel tool to buzz off most of the chian.

I added a bumper, anchor, ladder, box of cargo, a pump for a hard hat diver, and various antennas and lights.

View without the crew.

The air compressor pump is removable so I can have the live bait tank or pump in place as the scenario demands.

I am also making the rear window into a split window with a doorway on the starboard side of the ship.
 

SS Dollar Tree

A small fishing boat I got at Dollar Tree a while back.  Not a bad paint job.

Only a few inches long but about 1/72nd scale, more or less.

Lots of anchor chain, probably more than necessary for a little fishing boat like this.

Big net on the back.

Bottom of the boat with the price sticker removed, needs a little glue scraping.

Top view.  I did not get a fleet of these but it is a nice sturdy, resin model, one piece.  I will likely tidy it up a little before it sees service.
 

Kubelwagen, SWS and Others

Roco Tiger II, HO scale, this kit is probably 50 years old.  Roco kept them in production for decades.

Slightly different view, I have a lot of these and have formed most of them into battalions.  Three are 4 in a platoon, 14 in a company, and 45 in a battalion.  Of course, late war finding a whole battalion together in one spot was pretty rare.

This was an experimental vehicle and no more than 5 vehicles have ever been claimed for production, with other sources claiming three, and most sources saying none were every completed.  I opted to have one in my late war German army as that seemed reasonable.

German infantry man a roadblock.  I like to have as many different vehicles in my collection as possible, but when it comes to experimental vehicles I prefer to limit the numbers to no more than a platoon of 5, 4, or 3 depending on the type of vehicle.

Another Roco Minitank, this time a Kubelwagen.  This particular model I got used and was pretty beat up.  I fixed several problems and now it soldiers on.  Infantry from Caesar Miniatures.
 

SWS and Ruins

German Hetzer light tank destroyer and E25 heavy tank destroyer cover the intersection with the support of infantry.

The building in the back with the green plants is Stately Wayne Manor from Funko Pop Town.  I don't think it is based on any specific Batman series but several of them from the animated versions look like this building.  I think it also makes a good government building from the WWII era.

SWS halftrack from Roco and the E25 from Filament Fighters, 3D printed model.

The SWS has been detailed by adding a machine gun to the front of the cargo compartment and a Jerry can to the rear side.  It is a very old model but with a good paint job and a little extra detail I think it holds up well for being 50 years old.

I have a wire mesh table that is oval shape, so I took a couple 2x4s and two sheets of chip board and bolted them all together so my table is about 4x8 feet outdoors on my gravel patio.  It looks towards the property boundary which is marked by a barbed wire fence and treeline.  I spray paint outdoors on this tabletop and make no effort to protect the top from overspray.  It makes for a varied table color and with the irregular surface of the chip board works well for urban ruins.  I have no idea what the other buildings are, they have been in my collection for over 20 years and I source building from wherever I can find them.
 

Late War German City

Very late war, Germany.

Could be Berlin.

Maybe Hamburg.

Perhaps Cologne.

By the end of the war the cities looked all about the same.