RSO Pak-40 / RSO Conversion - WIP

Ballardian on the Lead Adventure Forums asked about the 'strange' part in my previous work in progress shot. That part was the magnetized cabin of my WIP RSO Pak-40. The armored cabin is scratch built and it and the original cabin are both fitted with magnets so they can be swapped out. The Pak-40 gun is also magnetized as well. This allows me to get double duty out of the vehicle, either as an AFV or a simple tow/transport.

The Pak-40 gun barrel was left over from my (also WIP) Flakpanzer 38 (t) conversion. When converting to the AA AFV, the original Pak-40 gun isn't needed. Re-using it here made the most sense. I did have to scratch-build the gun mount and gun shield, with it's characteristic rivets. I think I did an ok job of that. With the mount being fully magnetized, the Pak-40 gun can swivel similarly to a turreted tank. Both the RSO and the Flakpanzer 38 (t) are on the work bench awaiting final painting, decals and detailing. Both also need some crew painted up for them. I have a convention to attend next weekend, and then a club game to prepare to host, so I don't expect any finished work on these to be completed for a few weeks.

Scratch-Built 28mm German Sd.Ah.24 Heavy Generator

One can't have a Freya limber radar without a portable power source for it to run off of now can they? There is one model manufacturer that offers this kit in 1:48 scale, which would have been quite sufficient, but I was unwilling to pay the cost plus the shipping from eastern Europe for it as it would have totaled well over $50.00. Instead, I chose to scratch built it myself. As a terrain piece I took some liberties and chose to model just the important stuff. I only had two matching wheels in my spares box (thanks to my friend Gordon for those) so I left off the spare tire over the tongue of the trailer. Some day if I can find a matching wheel maybe I'll add it on. The entire trailer is scratch built from polystyrene sheet and model sprue with the exception of the wheels and the towing eye on the tongue, both of which are lead. The power terminals were scratch built up from styrene stick stock and stretched sprue.

Here's a photo of an Sd.Ah.24 powering a German radio truck. For obvious reasons I chose to model the generator with the doors closed. I couldn't find any supporting photos for the right side of the trailer, so I went with the assumption that a single larger door was there to allow maintenance of the motor. I also took some liberties in making the attached tool boxes near the wheel wells uniform in size. It was just easier that way.

I'm counting this as my first completed item of 2017, putting my 'terrain/misc' total at one. I will be posting other items this year that I started in 2016, but this one I started yesterday afternoon and finished this afternoon. A nice quick project to get my first completion of the year in the books. Aww crud, now I need to build that radio truck......

WIP - Flakpanzer 38 (t) Gepard - Conversion from Warlord Hetzer

I've been reading all of the conversion articles on the Warlord Games website and have been itching to try one myself. After discussing my plans with the people on the Warlord forums, including prolific converters Rich H and Jacob Lotsz, I decided to give it a go.



These are some work in progress (WIP) shots so far. The Flak 38 AA gun is magnetized so that it can be pivoted, as well as removed to be used as a normal ground-based Flak 38 on it's original mount, which is also magnetized. The Warlord Hetzer III has had its superstructure removed, the compartment has been ground out to remove all of the Pak-40 ammo racks and to make space for crew. The Pak-40 travel lock has been removed and the access panel hinges added where the removed travel lock was sanded off.

The lower, fixed portion of the AA 'tub' has been created. This was a significant challenge as the geometry here is VERY complex. I've done my best, but in some places I had to just accept that as a wargaming model, IPMS standards need not apply. I've also kept the original rear hull panel in place for now. This was initially done to add structure during construction. The actual vehicle didn't have this panel in place when built, but removing it will be an amazingly difficult and dangerous operation. I may simply add another bench over it and call it 'good enough' for wargaming use.

Next up will be the upper portion of the tub. At this point I am thinking I will have these panels on the model in their lowered state, which is how they would usually be when the vehicle was deployed for AA use, as seen in this historic photo.

At this point I have what I believe should be the hardest part of the model behind me - the tub construction. I still have a lot of work to do with the folded panels, and then adding and restoring somewhere around 50-75 individual rivets. Then of course painting and final assembly. So far the project has been a lot of fun and I can finally see myself being able to successfully complete it.

28mm WWII German Limber Freya Radar Terrain Piece

I've always wanted to add a WWII radar station to my Bolt Action terrain, even before the great scene in Saving Private Ryan. This is a Freya Limber Radar station. From the other photos I've found on the Net, it appears that this was designed to use the same limber system as the 8.8 cm Flak gun - aka the '88'. Since no appropriate model exists in 1/56 scale, I decided to scratch build this one. I say 'scratch' built, but I did use my laser cutter to do all of the intricate work on the radar system's receiver support structure.

Radar systems in WWII were BIG. This might possibly be one of the smaller land-based systems. Often multiple were used in a single installation. Although the base turns, it wasn't operated in a spinning mode like more modern radar systems. Since this is a terrain piece, I've gone for a relatively simple rendition of what was a very complex system of antennae in front of the mesh reflective surface. The mesh for the array's reflector surface is fiberglass window screen. The weave shows up prominently in these photos, but much less so in person and is 'close enough' to giving the right feel for me.

Below are some additional photos, plus one 'scene' with a bunker I previously built, a radio antenna my Uncle scratch built for me and an SdKfz 250 command half track and a couple of infantry figures for scale.

The diagram I built my model from, and a couple of historical photos from the web below.

I'm counting this as one (1) terrain item in my annual painting totals. This may be one of my favorite laser-cut original creations.