Machine Gun Ops

Modern US Army troops from Zvezda.

Using a Hot Wheels dune buggy for heavy machine gun fire support.

High mobility, great speed, makes up for it's open top and limited armor.

The vehicle has good ground clearance.

The troops join in with their Ma Deuce and M60 machine guns.

Rocket Tank

Another opportunity to use the excellent Zvezda 15mm katyusha rocket launcher.

This little tank is a T60 from Mir in HO scale.

A robust little model perfect for the rough handling of wargaming.

These tanks were obsolete very early on in the war.

So the Soviets mounted rocket launchers on some of them; here you can see the actual loaded rockets.

I built a few of them to support my Soviet WWII troops.

A quick, simple conversion.

A full battery is eight and these are the first four.

Zvezda Soviet 37mm AA Gun

Zvezda makes a very good Soviet 37mm AA gun in 1/72nd scale.

It is flash free and fits together perfectly.

They can be mounted on a base or kept separate.

A WWII Soviet 37mm anti-aircraft unit was four guns per platoon, and four platoons per company.

I am building 12 at a time, I have already built four individually as practice.

Some parts are very small so I put model glue on the aluminum foil.

Then apply the glue with a wooden toothpick.

AA Guns

I often use a toothpick to help apply the glue.

The ice cube tray is a good parts sorter.

This 37mm AA gun has a lot of tiny bits.

Parts get cut off the sprue, and go on the right.  Parts get trimmed and go on the left side.

Punch used to make holes larger.  More tomorrow.

Artillery

Generally, I don't like to equip units with foreign gear.

Troops should have their own national equipment when possible.

Still we have some good opportunities to use some Soviet equipment with my Germans.

I think it's kind of interesting to have these in my German army.

This model paints up well.

German Soviet Artillery

The Germans captured a lot of Soviet equipment in WWII.

Their combat doctrine in the defense was to counterattack as soon as possible if they lost a position.  

So even late war, they captured Allied and Soviet equipment. 

This is a Zvezda, Soviet 122mm howitzer, staffed by Revell German Artillery Crews.

Guns have been painted panzer grey.

122mm Howitzer

Soviet WWII D30 howitzers by Zvezda.

Sorted parts waiting to be put together.

Parts assembled.

Some of the tools of the trade.

The kit goes together well and has no flash.

I ordered some of these from Hannants.  They shipped me seven extra that I did not pay for.  I emailed them back and asked if they wanted me to return them.  They told me to keep them.  Kudos to Hannants for that!  https://www.hannants.co.uk/

Several of the extras went on to join the German army as captured stock.  The Germans used them on the Western Front and in the Mediterranean. 

Mass Building

When working on a large project, I typically build a couple sample models first.  That way I can alter the directions to suit my taste, the specific version I am building, or to speed or simplify assembly.  

Then I begin the mass building.

Each assembly gets done one part at a time.

I trim all the parts off the sprue, and cut off the flash.

This is a package from deviled eggs, re-purposed to hold model parts.

Motorcycle

Zvezda Art of Tactic sets are great ways to add a few poses or vehicles to your collection.
 

 The German motorcycle is one of my favorites.

It's really easy to assemble.

I think the Fujimi version has about 30 more parts than this one does and is not as nice.