Group Build Description: D Day … The longest day. This campaign is to bring together and show any type of military platform from land, sea or air, that was used directly during the landings at the Normandy beach heads on 6th June 1944. This will include inland Airborne drops to secure key areas, US Ranger cliff assaults, Pre landing shore and inland bombardments from sea and air and all German defensive units on the landing areas, to include rear units up to 25 -30 miles from beachheads that carried out counter attacks on the 6th of June only. I will be open to discuss other D Day tasks that I have not mentioned for inclusion if they fit the bill.
Builds can be from Allied or German units.
Any scale.
Only in production prior to and used on 6th June 1944 only.
Partially built kits may be used but less than 25% assembled.
Finished build pictures posted in thread.
Start up picture required showing kit in the box either unstarted or less than 20% started.
Finished build can part of a diorama or the build can be a diorama of the event.
Correctly marked vehicles/aircraft is a must wherever possible.
Event Details: (Remember to click “Going” if you want to join the build!) 2024-01-11T00:00:00Z
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Completion Award: A badge will be designed and awarded for anyone who completes at least full build with images posted in the thread. Multiple builds may be done, but only one award will be given.
Thank you for taking on this campaign and setting the start date out a bit.
Is there a good book or web site focusing on equipment used during the first 24 hours of the assault? My first thought was to build an 88mm flak, plane wearing invasion stripes, or LCM.
Hi Doug and thanks for showing some interest. I think google is going to be everyones best friend on this campaign to show what was being used on that actual day, especially for German equipment. I have just put probably the first of many links hopefully showing what was used by both sides. my link is regarding ships that were used on the invasion day. All your ideas sound great for builds
So I am finding it hard to find reliable information of M5 Stuart’s deployed on June 6th. Two tank battalions with M5 Stuart’s hit the beaches, but the companies (D company from both) which had Stuart’s seem to be not deployed until later. This makes sense, light tanks would have been sitting ducks on the beach had panzer divisions reached the beaches, and didn’t have much of recon role on June 6th
I think I may do a Vignette of the Brecourt manor assault instead. I will grab the AFV club Lefh 18. Anyone know of any good WW2 USA paratroopers figures I could use for 101st airborne forces storming the gun?
Yes thats perfect Wade … It happened on the 6th within the 25 mile or so locality of the beachheads and I would class that as counter attack action … I believe 21 Pzr Div made it quite close to the beach areas (the Brit/Canadian ones) … I read somewhere that elements of 12th SS also made counter attacks into the area plus of Caen but I need to look into that more.
" On 6 June 1944, the division, along with the 21st Panzer Division, were the closest Panzer divisions to the landing beaches but they were unable to move until ordered by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW, armed forces high command). The division was ordered to the front at 14:30 hours on 6 June, over twelve hours after the first reports of the landings. Prior to this Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt had ordered over half of the division to deal with a parachute landing on the coast near Lisieux which was found to be dummies from Operation Titanic.(12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend - Wikipedia)
The division’s advance to the areas near the British–Canadian landing beaches of Sword and Juno Beaches proceeded slowly due to Allied air attacks. The first units of the 12th SS finally reached their assembly area near Evrecy at 22:00 hours on 6 June but the Panther battalion ran out of fuel east of the Orne River.(12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend - Wikipedia) According to Marc Milner, “[t]his was just the first example of sloppy staff work and command and control that characterized 12th SS Division’s experience in the beachhead battles”.(12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend - Wikipedia)"
As they had been ordered to counter attack and were within the 25 miles I will be happy with vehicles from 12th SS - that includes the Panthers that ran out of fuel.
I’ll join with an aircraft of some description.
I’ve always been tempted to do one of the Spitfire Vb’s operated by the US Navy as spotters for naval gunfire. I think they were all ex-RAF and retained their original markings. Will have to do a little digging around, but plenty of time to research.
Interesting to see how this one builds. I’ve got the boxing without the fascine carrier. I’ve heard that the AFV Churchill is - challenging.
I found a little background information about my proposed US Navy Spits. It’s a starting off point now I know the squadron. Seems that markings were minimal.
I had the honor of meeting Mr. McNiece and get a signed copy of his book “The Filthy 13” back in 2010. I was a WW2 reenactor and i even wore the signature haircut during the event.
I have a couple pictures of me at Camp Toccoa, Ga in full 101st Airborne regalia back then. Gonna have to dig them out of my desktop computer back home.
After going through my stash I don’t actually have nearly as many AFV as I thought that were present on June 6th, I have a ton that were around in the days after.
I’ll likely join in with a P-47 razorback from the 56th fighter wing or an RCAF mosquito
