Messages

31

Wish Lists / Re: why not a M24 chaffee ?

« on: June 28, 2020, 11:47:28 am »

If I got a vote to cast, I would ALSO vote for the Grant/Lee over the other choices discussed. But with a screen name of Early War Gamer, I will ALWAYS vote for something that was available sooner rather than later.

My interest in a Chaffee would be for Korea, and not to build a force for WWII late war.

But I understand that way more gamers are into the big mid to late-war armor choices, so I keep to myself, and hope that on occasion, something will come my way!

32

Wish Lists / Re: why not a M24 chaffee ?

« on: June 28, 2020, 02:53:50 am »

The M24 Chaffee was ALSO the first allied tank to be shipped to Korea in 1950. There were no US tanks present when the conflict started because the terrain was deemed unsuitable. The nearest armored unit was stationed in Japan, and only light tanks had been deployed there due to the poor condition of Japanese roads and bridges.

A total of 138 M24s served in Korea, representing 10% of the total armored force deployed by December 1950.

I don't know if there is enough of a market for Rubicon to pursue a plastic Chaffee, but if they did, I would certainly be a customer.

33

General Discussions / Re: Project of the Month - July 2020 Countdown Begins...

« on: June 28, 2020, 02:41:46 am »

Yeah! We are getting mile markers!   

34

General Discussions / Re: Happy Father's Day 2020! 200621

« on: June 22, 2020, 01:49:49 am »

I find it really easy to add my own finger groves to make them a bit more pronounced (when it is called for). I would rather not have separate hand pieces that need to be assembled.

35

General Discussions / Re: Otter in resin ?

« on: June 22, 2020, 01:48:02 am »

Neucraft Models (I believe)

They had a web site (now defunct) and an ebay web store (also now gone).

36

Wish Lists / Re: 1:56 scale StuG III, StuH, StuG IV, Jagdpanzer IV, Panzer IV/70(V) or /70 (A)

« on: June 20, 2020, 11:50:28 pm »

An early short barrel Stug III would probably go over well with the early war gamers .

Amen to that!

37

Work In Progress / Re: British Centurion TS1 Plastic 200619

« on: June 19, 2020, 10:36:42 pm »

Lovely detail!

38

Wish Lists / Re: Sdkfz 251 A/B and 232

« on: June 10, 2020, 10:49:52 am »

The Panzer Tracts volumes that I do have are outstanding. Super well researched, using original sources. If he (Jentz) can't verify something, he tells you instead of just passing along the accepted understanding which could be wrong.  Nice photos, great drawings, very detailed.

I don't have 15-2 and 15-3 yet (both cover different years of the 251) ... but I ordered both of them and I am waiting for them to arrive. Can't wait for them to get here!

39

Wish Lists / Re: Sdkfz 251 A/B and 232

« on: June 09, 2020, 10:08:32 am »

@Jaeger ... If you know what to look for, it doesn't take much to determine which of the four infantry haulers you are looking at.

Are their vision ports on the sides of the fighting compartment?  If yes - Ausf A
Is the engine grill area two armored plates?  If yes - Ausf B
Is the engine grill a single sloped armored plate, and the rear doors bulge out?  If yes - Ausf C
Are the rear doors slanted outward only?  If yes - Ausf D

There are many other things you "can" look at, but no need if you have a good enough photo or drawing that you can go thru the four steps above.  For example:

Can't see the upper fighting compartment, but you can see the side storage box area?  If forward on the fender, it's an A or B. If rearward, it's a C or D.

Can only see the hood area but not the front grill or fighting compartment?  If the side vents are single panels it's an A or B. If there is a bulging mix of armored plates covering where the engine vents are, that's a C. If there is no side engine vent at all, then it is a D.
'

40

Wish Lists / Re: Sdkfz 251 A/B and 232

« on: June 08, 2020, 01:13:49 pm »

@ripley ... Many Thanks!  I just ordered three of them! I remember stumbling upon a kickstarter of theirs 3-4 years ago, but didn't back at the time, and promptly forgot all about them.  Thanks for bringing them up.  I've got a book on order that will hopefully give me better details regarding the differences between the A and B. If there were all sorts of internal changes, I may let it go, but if it is mostly the removal of some vision ports, and moving the antenna ... I may need to get three more.

My "ideal" would be to have three As painted for Poland, and 3 Bs painted for France and the Low Countries.

41

Wish Lists / Re: Sdkfz 251 A/B and 232

« on: June 08, 2020, 09:43:05 am »

@Tracks ... I substitute all the time, and have no issues doing so. But as you can tell from my screen name, I personally focus on Early War.  If I can find a "proper" model for the campaign in question, I will get it. If not, I substitute.

I own no Tigers (for example). So if I am playing a game that requires a Tiger, anything else must be the stand-in.

I play games for the socializing aspects, and for fun. Winning is fun.  But loosing while playing a fun game with a friend was still an afternoon or evening well spent!

42

Wish Lists / Re: Sdkfz 251 A/B and 232

« on: June 08, 2020, 09:38:41 am »

@Jaeger ... It was not my post that said the Ausf C was built starting in 1942. That was a post by @Ad.

I was correcting what might have been an assumption people could make from your quote that the C was produced starting January 1940. A casual gamer might then expect an Sd.Kfz 251 Ausf C to be in France. And that assumption is wrong.

I certainly don't disagree that production of the C started in early 1940. But as none were delivered to combat units in time for France and the Low Countries in 1940, it means that lacking a "proper" vehicle, anyone who wants to game the early campaigns needs to substitute something else for the correct vehicle.

And I am no stranger to substitutions. My guess is that just about every gamer does it.  My chiming in on this thread from the start was because someone else started a thread which is dear to me: a request for a 251 A/B kit of some sort.

As you mentioned, turning a C into an A or a B has many different stages.  I suspect the front would be an easy mod. Not sure where all the tools that an A/B had on the hull would be found, but I suppose a lot of effort to make them could be invested.  But to me, the biggest change is shifting the side storage boxes towards the rear, so that a portion of the "fender" can angle up over the drive sprocket.  That seems like a deal breaker for me.  I will ignore all of the "fighting compartment" changes and stick just to the external differences.  That last one would require just too much time (for me). I have limited hobby time, and would rather spend the $$$ to get a kit and assemble, than customize an existing kit to make a missing model.

So I will simply substitute an Ausf C for an Ausf A/B.  But would I buy a kit (be it a complete A/B kit or just a mods kit to turn a C into an A/B)?  I sure would. I have three Ausf Cs now. I would want three A/Bs if I could get them.

43

Wish Lists / Re: Sdkfz 251 A/B and 232

« on: June 08, 2020, 04:22:16 am »

@Jaeger ... I am going to respectfully disagree with the info in that book - but ONLY because I don't like the use of the word "produced".  When it comes to people (like me) who want to know when they entered combat, production doesn't mean anything. Being inspected, being signed-off as passing inspection, being shipped to and distributed to combat units, having them train with them so they are ready to see combat, and THEN entering combat is what matters.

The 251 Ausf A was in development for a few years (I have seen sources state either 1937 or 1938), but the first production models were delivered to military units in Spring 1939.  Only one of the Panzer divisions that saw service in Poland were partially equipped with any of these (the 1st Pz Divisions). And they were NOT fully supplied. Many grenadiers from this unit still rode in trucks! Production ended in mid-1940. 

The 251 Ausf B was a direct result of combat experiences in Poland. The design was simplified a bit to speed production.  These were produced until late 1940.

The 251 Ausf C may have entered production in January 1940, but they were not delivered to military units until the summer of 1940 ... too late to have seen any combat in France or the Low Countries.  So there were no Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf Cs used in France 1940.

Which is why I would love to have a kit that allowed me to build either an A or a B ... because those are the only two models that saw any action up until the fall of France in 1940.

As for production numbers, the Ausf A and Ausf B were produced in limited numbers (maybe 500 of each). Total production of the A, B and C is 4,650 - so the majority of those first three models was the Ausf C,

Compare that to the Ausf D, which they built  10,602 of.  And since it appears that most gamers prefer the mid to late war period, this is the model that would most likely be seen.

So I see why a model company would offer up the Ausf D, and if they really wanted to make gamers happy, the Ausf C. And I can see why the Ausf A and Ausf B might never see the light of day.  But I can hope :-)

44

Wish Lists / Re: Sdkfz 251 A/B and 232

« on: June 03, 2020, 05:58:36 pm »

I would love a 251 A/B kit, even if it were just parts to turn a C into an earlier model. Always looking for "proper" models for Poland 1939 and France 1940 and Greece 1941!

45

Work In Progress / Re: New Project of the Month - June 2020 - RSO/01 3D Drawings 200601

« on: June 02, 2020, 12:55:32 am »

What a cool looking vehicle. Doesn't fit into my early war (I believe these did not see service until late 1943 onwards), but I still want one!