German Forces 1944 - 1945

Reconnaissance, Motorised Troops and Artillery

The project continues with the refurbishment of some of the combat units that support the tank forces.

Firstly the Panzer Grenadiers who supported the tanks in battle.  One battalion in each Regiment was equipped with SdKfz 251 series armoured half-tracks.  The three rifle companies are along the rear row each has 2 Matchbox/Revell Hanomag SdKfz 251/1 troop carriers and 1 Roco Minitank SWS with a 37mm FlaK gun.  This latter vehicle is substituting for a 2cm FlaK Half track.  This is an example of a large vehicle of one scale (1/87) being used as a smaller one in another scale (1/76).

The Front row represents battalion Headquarters and support units - all are converted from the Matchbox kit.  From left to right are SdKfz 251/21 (3 x 2cm FlaK cannon), SdKfz 251/22 (7.5cm PaK 40), SdKfz 251/9 (short 7.5cm Infantry support gun), SdKfz 251/2 (8cm mortar) and the commander's SdKfz 251/10 (3.7cm PaK and long range radio).

The other battalions were motorised.  This one is well equipped.  Battalion HQ has a (very old) diecast Matchbox Austin Radio truck and an Airfix Volkswagen Kubel, The support weapons are two Reiver 5cm PaK 38 anti-tank guns towed by Frontline Wargaming 1 ton half tracks, Edai Krupp Protze trucks pull a 2cm FlaK and a 7.5cm Infantry gun and the engineer platoon is carried in a covered ESCI Opel Blitz, the rifle companies are carried in open Opel Blitz.  Other soft vehicles can be used instead.

Regimental Headquarters

Another SdKfz 251/21 at the back, from the left at the front are; 15cm Infantry gun on Pz 38(t) chassis (converted Fujimi Pz 38(t)), SdKfz 251/3 Command vehicle, SdKfz 251/7 Engineer vehicle with light bridges, SdKfz 251/16Flamethrower and SdKfz 251/1 (Wurframmen 40) mounting five 28cm Sprengranate (HE) and one 32cm Flammgranate (Incendiary).

Anti-tank support comes from these 7.5cm PaK 40 (Matchbox) and 3 ton half tracks and one RSO.

Panzerwerfers - these are (1/87) Roco Minitanks SWS pretending to be (1/76) armoured Maultier halftracks each mounting 10 x 15cm rocket tubes.  The track units are wrong but the overall effect is okay for me.  These were bought second hand and lacked the rockets so I made them from plastic sprue and card.

Nebelwerfers (Fujimi) towed by Matchbox 3 ton Half tracks

The reconnaissance companies used a variety of equipment.  The models reflect the equipment available from about 1943 onwards.

These are ESCI (1/72) SDKfz 250 series,  at the back are 5 Sdkfz 250/1 personnel carriers and 3 SdKfz 250/9 armoured cars while along the front from the left are SdKfz 250/10 commander's version with 3.7cm PaK, SdKfz 250/3 radio vehicle, SdKfz 250/ 8 with 7.5cm infantry gun and 2 SdKfz 250/7 8cm mortars.

Airfix SdKfz 222 armoured cars and a SdKfz 223 radio car

The Heavy Armoured Cars are (back row) 3 SdKfz 234/1 (converted Matchbox Pumas) and 3 SdKfz 234/2 Puma (Matchbox).  The front row are 2 SdKfz 234/4 with 7.5cm PaK 40 (Airfix with Matchbox mudguards) flanking a SdKfz 234/3 short 7.5cm gun (Airfix with scratch built mudguards.

Recovery (conversions)

 

Inch High Club main page

British Armoured Vehicles

British Softskins and Artillery

German Defenders of the Reich

German Motorised Troops

German VolksGrenadiers, VolksSturm and horse drawn vehicles

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