Wire Cutter

Plastruct makes a very ridged wire that is plastic covered. It is so stiff that it creates a small divot in most wire cutters. The wire used in Roco Minitanks axles is also sometimes very stiff and hard to cut.

On a recent trip to OSH hardware stores I discovered this pair of cutters by H.K. Porter. It cut the wire without any problems and was not damaged by the wire.

This is a big tool and almost $30 so it was not cheap. It cut the wire straight across which made it easy to put the wire into the Roco wheel holes. If you cut a lot of wire or own a large Roco collection, this is a great tool to have in your tool box.

Eastern Front Combat

The real title of this book should be Wargame Scenarios for Late War Eastern Front Gamers. This book as 12 chapters and at least 11 of them are perfect wargames. Twilight of the Gods, A Swedish Waffen-SS Volunteers's Experiences with the 11th SS-Panzergrenadier Division 'Nordland", Easter Front 1944-45 by Thorolf Hillbald, published by Helion, West Midlands, England, 2004, first published 1945.

ISBN 978-1-874622-16-1

The author was a corporal in the SS from Sweden. He was in charge of a mortar platoon of armored halftracks. At every turn they face overwhelming odds and are forced to retreat. They have a number of adventures and as the fall back they end up in Berlin for the end. The Swede manages to escape a short Russian capture and make his way home at the end.

Highly recommended.

Cold Weather Survival

This log cabin is made of all natural materials. Soldiers sometimes have to construct shelters, as at Valley Forge to withstand the cold and snow of a harsh winter.

These soldiers know that Russian winters can be very difficult and so they have been learning how to build a shelter to keep them safe when the temperatures get so cold that the motor oil in their tanks can freeze.

Modern warfare may need this ancient skill if the Cold War ever goes hot! US Army troops by MPC, Ring Hand figures.

Roy Toys makes the log cabin, and a large range of other buildings. They fit together very well, are all natural and very sturdy and inexpensive enough to build up a small village. Sold by mail and in shops.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0846903/

As many of your know, my step-daughter is movie and TV star Marissa Tait. This Christmas she got me this log cabin for my 60mm army men to live in. Thanks Marissa!

M-47 Roco

Despite the United States desire to move to push button warfare, the demise of the tank had not yet happened and so they were forced to develop new tanks to take on the Soviet Union in the Cold War.

The M-103 heavy tank, the M-47 medium tank and the M-41 light tank were some of the main vehicles in the US Army tank battalion in the Cold War era.

The M-47 tank was not used in combat by the US Army and only served in US service for a few years. Later upgraded with new engines and later new guns and fire control they served with many allied nations.

Perhaps the most lasting use of the M-47 was as German Tiger II tanks in the movie The Battle of the Bulge. I may make up a few for that use in my own collection. At least 15 were used in the movie in the days before CGI tanks had to be used where they could be found.

This is my second M-47 battalion, when you have as many Roco T-54 as I have, you need a lot of these old soldiers to keep up. I have no actual evidence that the US Army painted any of these tanks in a brown camo, but here in California it has been a common scheme in the National Guard for M-48 and M-60 series tanks so I took the liberty and got a company in that color.