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Being a modeller for quite a few years now, I decided to explore the endless possibilities that the world (through internet) offers, and come up with a series of ways of building, modelling and painting fast (but not hastily), to create the worlds I was seeing in history books since I was little. . .If you care to join me. . . This is the place to be! And, I promise you to find the way (or ways)!!

Monday 3 January 2011

Armourfast's Sdkfz 251/1 with a twist!

Good day, good week and Happy New Year everyone!!!!

I hope you had a great time, drinking, eating, sleeping, shagging (well, in not that particular order) with your beloved ones!!!

After a big hangover from last Saturday, I decided to get back on track and I made the resolution to be more productive this year! At least this is my intention!! :-)

Last Friday I bought a kit from Armourfast (Sdkfz. 251/1) which contains two small German half-tracks. The detail is in very good standards (compared to the dreadful T34's they produced in their early stages - I am sure we can all remember this kit. . .).
They are designed for wargames purposes, so they don't have many bits and bobs (rivet-counters beware. . .) that many people would have hoped that they'd have.

The half-tracks are the Ausf C. versions (see link for reference). Their armament is consisted by two machineguns / half track. Bearing that in mind, and having a spare 75 mm L/24 gun, nicknamed "Stummel" ("stump"), I decided to go both ways!

One halftrack would have the standard two machine guns, and the other the Stummel gun!

For the first I used an old Esci German machine gunner, and for the latter (crew) I used one figure from Caesars' German Infantry, and one from Pegasus German Mortar teams.

Visually, they came out rather well IMO, but the level of historical accuracy is a subject that I want to neglect (and for a reason)! :-)

I hope you like it!

T.













14 comments:

  1. Good work on reasonable vehicles (personally I would go for DML, but for wargames this will do just fine). Where did you get the 75mm gun from?

    And a happy new year to you too,
    Maurice

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  2. Nice work. The painting looks good and your choice of figures is excellent.
    A happy new year!
    Mork

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  3. Haha! We had almost the same idea!
    Maybe you have seen it, I have also put a 75mm gun (but a PAK 40) on a 251c.
    And I also used the same guy from Pegasus' German mortar Team :D
    New year starts funny ;)

    //mojo

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  4. Very nice modelling! I like the poses of the weapons crews.

    Simon

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  5. Bloody nice work Thanos, it all has come up a treat. Well done!

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  6. Yeah, I really like the camo, very originally done T

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  7. I see you took the ESCI/Italeri MG-34 gunner with his gun (minus the bipod and wall portion) and dropped in straight in behind the gun shield. Good thinking! I did the same with two old ESCI 251's that had the MGs broken and needed renovating.
    They fit in there well, don't they?

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  8. Thank you all for your kind words!!!
    @Maurice: I had bought a while ago two other 251's halftracks from Milicast (www.milicast.com). When making them I decided to keep the gun, and not use it. But, time made me use it nevertheless... :-)
    @Mojo: Your blog's post (Pak 40) was very inspiring indeed! I enjoyed it, and stole your idea!!! :-)
    @Easternfunker: One thing is for sure mate: We won't get Alzheimer when we get old! This hobby makes us think of how we can improve our models all day long!! Combining the new with the old, that is how tradition (Esci) remains sustainable and the future (Armourfast) evolves!!!
    Thank you all again! :-)
    T.

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  9. Greetings from a compatriot! I just discovered your blog and your work is really cool. Glad to see that there are some modelers in Greece. When I was living in Athens, I thought there were absolutely none. I will be following your blog closely.

    Ta leme!

    Dimitris

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  10. Kalimera agaphte!!!
    Our hobby gets us to be ''loners'', but after a while I managed to find some fellow modellers! I am almost 30 years old, so you can imagine the time period I was searching for them!

    Do you have your own blog??Perhaps we could exchange ideas!! :-)
    Se efharistw gia ta kala sou logia, exw polla na mathw akoma omws! :-)
    T.

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  11. Hey there!

    Yes, I do have my own blog:

    http://docphobossdiary.blogspot.com/

    I have been lucky in the fact that I moved to a country that has a strong Tabletop and Wargames scene; Germany. At the moment I am at an even wilder Tabletop place till the end of February... I am in Nottingham, the Mecca of 28mm miniatures.

    I am really glad you have found some more fellow hobbyists in Greece. Maybe next time I am visiting my parents in Athens we should meet up. I live in Marousi in Greece.

    We are all learning constantly in this hobby. :) As our ancient forefathers said: Gyrasko aei didaskomenos. ;)

    D

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  12. Etsi einai!
    I will visit some relatives in late Feb(if my salary permits so) in Germany (Furth). I've never been there! I am sure that I am going to get really dissapointed with the comparison I am going to make there, same as it was when I was studying in England!
    I will be very happy to meet you in person whenever you come to Greece! You now know my blog, and my mail address!:-)
    T.

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