Quote;
I can configure my scenario as a sort of rolling replen for the Bundeswehr à la BATUS-style - well, up to a point perhaps!
I think that would cover it Brian very nicely. Looking forward to seeing more of this one.
Looks great!
The Bundeswehr Leopards would most likely live fire at Grafenwoehr in Germany, Castlemartin in Wales or Shilo in Canada. Here’s some loading pictures at Shilo.
http://www.leopardclub.ca/InTheField/Germany/Shilo_1A2/
2 Likes
Some great shots of in the field live fire exercises there Paul, I think that will really help Brian…where abouts is this Shilo in Canada, I never heard of that before, or if I did it was many many moons ago and it’s gone from memory. Sadly they don’t use Castlemartin anymore, I think they stopped using it properly mid to late 90’s.
Thanks Paul - excellent pictures; I don’t feel I’m that wide of the mark now. I’ll still try and make it tactical eg perhaps a replen along a forested track or something, but thanks for the pictures and the encouragement.
Brian
Hi John,
CFB Shilo is the training area used by the German army´s armed forces and is located in Manitoba, Canada. It is only approximately 1/6 of the size of BATUS. Operation by German army ended in year 2000.
Andreas
1 Like
Thanks for that Andreas, I actually don’t ever recall hearing about that before. Interesting to know though. I know we now use big exercise areas in Poland now as well. I presume other European forces do as well ? Sorry for going off topic Brian.
This is looking great! Ya gotta love those Bundeswehr cats!
Thanks Carlos!
John, no worries re off topic business, the more info the better in this case.
1 Like
Chaps - I probably need some Bundeswehr experts here; my model proceeds albeit not as quickly as I’d like. To augment the main armament rounds of this model (reloading scenario c. 1974) I wish to depict some MG3 ammo boxes. I have acquired some in 1:35 scale from Mantis Miniatures (and very nice they look too); despite extensive Googling I cannot confirm whether or not these ammo boxes had any stencilling on them. In fact, most images appear to be marking-free. This seems wrong, if only against the spirit of NATO standardisation.
Can anyone confirm if these ammo boxes had any markings whatsoever - nomenclature, seals etc?
I likes cats I do…
Very nice Brian- that gonna be a nice like little dio.
I can say this of my one week exchange with the 1st Gerbirgjäger Division with a Panzer Grenadier Battalion in Munich. When we qualified with weapons, the ammo came in cardboard boxes, in 20 or 50 round batches. I don’t recall exactly. Anyways, for the MG-3 we placed the ammo into the feed chute of a linking machine, fed in the metal non disintegrating link belt, turned a crank handle, and got our link belts. Fire the weapon and repeat the process.
If that is their standard procedure, and the ammo does not come linked from the factory, why stencil the ammo cans? They know that can is for the MG-3.
But do not the FN-MAG/M240 and the M60 all use the same disintegrating link belt and the cans are stenciled for NATO ID purposes?
Thanks Carlos; it’s becoming a bit of a conundrum. It’s counter-intuitive to think of such ammo cans not having any markings whatsoever, but perhaps despite the STANAGs the Bundeswehr in this case followed their own rationale.
I think the answer is to apply some form of stencilling (say, in yellow) on 2 x boxes; as the boxes will be in a row - packed alongside one another on the ground, I can put a stencilled one each end of the row and if any further info turns up and they don’t have any markings then it should be easy enough just to paint the markings out; a lot simpler than adding decals if it’s the other way round.
Ya know what Brian, there are a couple or three Bundeswehr vets over on another site where I am active. I’ll post this question there and see if they answer it. I know that one of them was a Leopard tank crewman.
1 Like
Carlos, that’s brilliant. A minor detail perhaps but I’d like to get it right if I can.
Thanks a lot.
1 Like
Brian, if Carlos doesn’t get any joy I can ask Andreas who was on Gepards, so he may know also. I am watching this thread anyway so hopefully you will get your answer 
Thanks John - much appreciated.
1 Like
Have just emailed Andreas so hopefully he may be able to help
Brian,
Your Leo is a splendid model, I like it very much.
But here comes the ultimate nitpick: The “tracks” on the MG rings around the turret hatches are NOT raised. What you see there are the results of the MG skates’ rollers rubbing off the paint and burnishing the metal of absolutely flat and very thin rings. Once you start searching for them, you’ll find lots of photos evidencing this - a prime example of “we only see what we know”, and Italeri’s kit designers obviously didn’t know …
If you can’t change it any more, my apologies for mentioning this!
Peter
Hi Brian.
I was unsure what to expect when I was reading your post before seeing the images. When I saw them I thought, and I quote “Wow that looks amazing!”
1 Like
Peter, thanks for pointing that out; I should have known as God knows I have enough reference material. Such an error is really due to continuing a build started around 20 years ago and never completed until more recently. I think (hope) that were I to start a fresh build today I would have noticed this and amended it.
I think now, as it stands, it would really mean dismantling the hatches (the MG rings are pretty fragile assemblies), with the good chance of collateral damage, so I think I will have to live with it, though I take your point.
One to put down for any further Leo builds I think.
Thanks again.