Here are my two king tigers. Bought a pack of three and Martin took one I took two
They’ve been sitting in my cupboard (like everything I have) primed and ready to be painted for about three years. I guess about six months ago I attacked them with the airbrush and got some base coat and camo pattern on them, they then sat idle until I painted Michael Potters panzer grenadiers last year. After painting Mikes Tiger and Stugs I figured it was high time that I finish these.
As it is I might do a bit more weathering on them but that could take many more months so I figured I’d photograph them and stick them up.
Pretty happy with them, they look reasonably tidy and again they look a touch better in person/tank than the harsh light of the photo. Part of the reason for holding off on them like I do a lot of expensive models is I want to do a really good job and I’m often unsure whether I’m in the right frame of mind or practiced enough to do such work. Problem is I find I’m always second guessing myself and regardless any paint job looks better than primer or raw model. My airbrushing skills could do with a bit of work and it’s that that I’m probably least pleased with on the model.
No idea when I’ll ever play a game where I can fit to king tigers though.
Well my army has always been modeled on the 331st Grenadier Division. Unfortunately they didn’t have any tanks but they did serve with the 5th Panzer army in Normandy before being systematically slaughtered in the Falaise Pocket.
And as a part of the 5th Panzer army they had opportunity to serve with some very veteran tank divisions. Being a couple of SS divisions, Lehr Division and 116th. As I’m not a real big fan of the SS units I have adopted the 116th as the stable mate for my 331st.
116th was also a Veteran of the Eastern Front, they had Panthers and Panzer IV’s.
So anyways for my upcoming tournament army I am having Stug IIIG’s organic of the 331st. Numbered inappropriately as the 4th Battalion.. even though they only had two.
And the Panzer support is a platoon of three PzIV’s. I finished four tanks even though I only needed three, so as I can field a decent or larger platoon later.
These tanks are PzIVG late tanks.. in the tournament the book says PzIVH should be used.. they almost look the same except the big air filters that should be on the right hand side… but I’m cool with it. And I don’t think they will notice. (Which reminds me I must sculpt some Panzerfausts to lay on the base of some of the command teams to stay WYSIWYG legal.
Going on… the tanks are numbered from the BF decal sheet except the black crosses which are command decision decals. The swastika flag is green stuff. I have a sculpted whippet dog to sit beside the platoon commander but I wasn’t happy with it..looked more like a German Shepard.. wasn’t thin enough. So I left that off..You will notice his hand seems to be resting in mid air.
The command figures on the Stug III G are Peter Pig figures.. Craig Courtis put me on to these years back. You need only buy these and glue (or in my case putty GS) them on. I find these very good as they are stronger and look right. You will notice I left the MG42’s open on the earlier two Stug’s .. because of he fidliness of the figures and MG’s.
The Stugs have got some of that paint rot that seems to have plagued some of my earlier figures and vehicles. Which I am sure is associated with the floor polish glaze and the polyurethane Matt varnish… but i also have a suspicion it is a Tamya paint issue too as I have some that aren’t glazed or varnished which have it really bad. But I digress… the Shurtzen has some obvious parts where the paint has rotted off… however it looks like a white or light gray has been added to the cammo pattern.. and I like the effect so instead of totally stuffing it up and trying to repair the paint job, I have kept it as is.
Anyway enough of this Jibber Jabber as a TV famous Judge in a Boston court who also played the part in a very funny Blues Brother movie as a Nazi once said (yes I’m loosing it) on to my poor photography…
Platoon commander
2ic with flag custom stowage.
Number 3
Number 4
The line up.. 1st platoon, 1st company, 1st Battalion, 116th Pz Div
OK! “Show us the Stugs” I hear you shouting! OK ok but don’t ring in just yet because we have even more to offer you….
3 vehicle platoon… I still have the StuH 42 vehicle to add.. which is mostly finished.
As a bonus.. if you can pick out the inaccuracy with the uniforms of the stug crew you can win a prize.
