Ever taken inspiration from those excellent Tankograd books covering the Reforger exercises, and yet wondered why your diorama appears to be missing something? You find it doesn’t resemble those German farmlands after all, despite your best efforts?
Well, here’s the answer Folks! A German Deutz tractor; a snip at 25 odd-quid off eBay, and will, I feel, make the difference once I place a grumpy farmer figure on it, and apply some much needed farmland mud and other effects - oh - and a couple of USAREUR AFVs/softskins in the vicinity of course!
Note that such tractors were used country-wide so not just useful for the US zone - it’s just that I’ve a particular project in mind at the moment; would be a useful background addition to anything with a Chieftain or Leopard in it I reckon. The (scenic) world is your oyster).
Now, it is 1/32 scale but I’m not too fussed about that; it should get an effect. It’s not often I’m blessed with any evidence whatsoever of lateral thinking, but perhaps for once this will work out. We’ll see!
That will be a cool addition to the scene, for sure! I’m looking forward to seeing how you will make it fit within the overall scene.
In my deceptive search for more civilian kits, the 1/32 diecast option has always been of some interest. It seems that there is a rather active community that works on turning those models into something more realistic by stripping the paint and adding weathering effects, as well as building dioramas.
I’ve just remembered that as lovely as this kit is, CSM didn’t include the machine gun ammunition racks and boxes for the inside. Luckily though, they are in the reference diagrams that they helpfully provide in the instructions. You may have already seen them. I think there are tanks (petrol or oil maybe?) too in the roof.
Somebody did make a resin aftermarket set for these, but I don’t remember who or even if it’s still available. I was just going to wing it with plastruct stock as not a huge amount will be visible. When I did the Lanchester, I had to scratch a complete interior as nothing was inside that kit.
Some flexible cabling, destined for a Sheridan; thanks to a useful tip off from Joachim (lkwman); I had no idea that the product existed. The advantage is that it’s flexible as opposed to “springy” which is normally the case with such items, so this will conform to exactly where I want it to go, if it lives up to its reputation.
I might just make them up from some rectangle section plastic and a simple bent wire handle. Should be fine for what will be visible through the hatch. You do get a couple of Schwarzlose boxes in ICM’s Austro-Hungarian Infantry, not enough to fill this vehicle! I did consider making some moulds and casting, but I suspect it would be a long and laborious proces.
That should be a really nice one too. I’ll have to follow your build.
I treated myself to another Tamiya today at my local shop. This time the little R35.
Anthony, it probably would. I’m not very good with figures and 0.6mm doesn’t actually mean very much to me! I just took a guess and thought it would be fine for a Sheridan; I think it will having tested it all out this evening. My kit is an Academy one so probably reviled by the cognoscenti, not that I care particularly. I matched it up with the actual tow shackles and they seemed made for one another. I suspect a heavier cable though would be needed for larger vehicles such as an MBT.
I suspect that this particular gauge would be fine for WW2 AFVs, being generally smaller than their post-war compatriots. I imagine, for instance, this would be fine on Sherman say.
The great selling point to me they conform to the model they’re being put on. No springiness to deal with; I also thought they were relativley inexpensive.
