German Panzergrenadier support

German Panzergrenadier Support

Sdkfz 251/9D

SHQ model and crew with added stowage

Sdkfz 251/2D

Another SHQ model with crew plus added stowage

Together with the Drilling I did earlier, this represents the Hvy Kompanie of my Panzergrenadier battalion

 

Corporal Cotton DCM

Kuneitra, Syria, June 16th 1941 

During the desperate fighting for the town Corporal Cotton once again distinguished himself manning a captured French Hotchkiss until they ran out of ammunition. At which point he picked up a Boys AT rifle and went out alone hunting French tanks, he was later killed whilst performing that task.

I am planing a to run the battle and decided to create this team as a one-off piece.

Figures by SHQ and Combat Miniatures (both modified), the gun is Early War Miniatures

Sdkfz 251/21

Sd.Kfz. 251/21 - Schützenpanzerwagen (Drilling MG151s).

Britannia model with added stowage, Britannia crew

US Army Engineer dozer

Started life as a 99p child`s toy 

A little surgery, added stowage and driver, a repaint; wash and a white star - done 

More Mexican stuff

About two weeks work (struggling to get focused at present)

A pack of cacti from Shellhole Scenics (12 pieces to a pack) I`ve added tufts to the bases

12 Federales in peaked cap Shellhole Scenics plus 3 more Combat Miniatures Russo-Japanese War Japs painted up as Federals

Pancho Villa command pack (dismounted) again Shellhole Scenics

Mexican Artillery Battery

We had a great time with the game over Easter in Spain, so I came back all enthused and decided to build an extra gun battery. This project is a fun make-do and mend project so i built the entire battery from the bits box and odd figures.

A composite 70mm battery

Ex-German Revell limber with Imex seated figures (both head-swapped) and an Airfix outrider 

Guns & crews

Guns are Imex carriages with PSC Pak38 guns (modified to fit), crew are a mix of - HAT Gatling gun set, old Airfix ACW gunners, some soft plastic WW2 German gunners with head swaps, an Imex ACW gunner (head-swapped) a HAT French gunner (head-swapped) and a Raventhorpe metal gunner,the deployed limber is HAT (from their French `75 set), the tethered horse team are all Imex

Odds`n sods

Mounted gunner (Hat figure on an old Airfix horse) + Hat officer

Hat Heliograph team

Combat Miniatures Japanese (Russo-Japanese War) painted up as Federales

Cervantes Refuge, Alcoy

Cervantes Refuge, Alcoy

One of a number of public bomb shelters build around the town now preserved as a tribute/museum. Entry was very cheap (about a Euro each), the attendant gave us a booklet in English to explain the exhibits.

The town was never faced with ground attack during the war isolated as it is by high peaks and steep-sided valleys, there was several factories and a large international hospital run by Swedes and Norwegians. Refugees plus sick and injured were sent to this relatively safe area.

   

But eventually between 20th September 1938 and 11th February 1939 the town was subject to raids from Italian planes (mostly Savoia SM-79s), the worst period being 20th - 23rd Sept `38 when a total of 50,000 kilos were dropped over several ten-plane raids! The town initially had no anti-aircraft defences, but eventually was given three 20mm AA guns.

Tunnel leading down

Wartime signs still on the walls, an air-raid siren echoed through the galleries, causing the boys to jump

Medical room

Maps of the layout and construction plans

History boards

Diorama

Wartime posters

Republican soldiers ID card and weapon

There was also a short film with survivors and eye witnesses giving their accounts (in Spanish), but easy to follow if you know enough.