Polish Cromwell project - plans

Hi folks,

I'd moved away from doing work in progress posts, as I'm not sure they have a huge amount of value. However, this does mean that it can be a while between posts, especially when I get tied up in working multiple things and not finishing anything. No big deal really, but I like to keep myself active on blogger to a certain extent. I certainly check it several times a day to see what everyone else is posting, and want to make sure I am contributing. Anyway, this is just a bit of info on what I plan to be working on next.  

I had mentioned in my previous post having been working on some other bits and bobs as well as the Universal Carriers. This included sorting out a lot of PSC plastic Cromwells that I had assembled four years ago (!!!). All the vehicles required for the force were assembled where required, detailed with stowage (where appropriate), cleaned up and base coated with a Battlefront 'Firefly Green' spray. 

I was really really pleased to see from the reference pictures I have that going into Operation Totalize the Polish Cromwells were very bare of stowage. The only thing obvious was a bundle of camo netting on the right rear, which I've replicated. Later in the campaign, these vehicles were covered in 'stuff', but at this stage they were nice and clean - making assembly and painting that little bit faster. 

Disappointingly when I assembled my Cromwells using Poly Cement, I had the turret hatches opening to the turret sides, when most of the images I've seen have them opening front to back. Still, not much I can do about that now. 

Below are some images of Polish Cromwells in the correct period (August 1944). 

IWM Image

IWM Image

This project will be focusing on the Poles from C Squadron, 10 Pulk Strzelcow Konnych (10th Dragoons Regiment), 10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej (10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade), 1st Polish Armoured Division. In support will be a troop of M10Cs from the Polish Armoured Divisions 1 Pułk Artylerii Przeciwpancernej (1st Anti-Tank Regiment). This will fill a current gap in my collection of 17-pdr armed M10s. 

This is what the above looks like (with a Ram OP tank):

All sprayed at the same time - One Stuart has had the next hand painted primer coat, but the rest are all identical - just to show how much light changes the appearance in the picture. 

I've added my 'final' Highland Division infantry platoon to this plan (not in the picture above), just to keep track of them painting wise. 

I've marked the AA Platoon as optional - I like to have all the options for the FoW company charts, but I've already got 4 of these vehicles painted with another 2 planned for other units. I would need to buy more to fill out all the required models and they just don't seem hugely important at this point. I might pick up some of the new plastic ones in the future just to fill out this squadron. At the same time, this unit has been in the planning stages for so long that I already had the Battlefront resin Cromwell ARV. 

Annoyingly, I actually should have had two Cromwell ARVs - one of those few times I had bought duplicate stuff without realising. The 2nd option would have been a S&S Models conversion kit for a plastic PSC Cromwell. However, somewhat frustratingly, I've been unable to lay my hands on this conversion kit. The spare Cromwell hull may be turned into a Cromwell OP tank, which seems like a good use for it. 

Speaking of OP tanks, I also did some work on converting a resin Battlefront Ram Kangaroo hull into the hull of a Ram OP tank. This, along with a 3d Printed Ram turret I had commissioned and printed years ago, will be an OP tank for my Canadians. This tank, being an oddity, is also in the current painting queue. 

Hopefully, I can make some progress for this project over the winter months!

Finished: 15mm Battlefront Universal Carriers

 Hi folks,

Production has continued over the last three weeks, with a few little odd jobs done hobby wise and a weekend away. Painting wise, I've been focusing on finishing the last bits for the 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry squadron. These two patrols of 3 Universal Carriers plus crews are now done. 

These are older resin Battlefront 15mm models, with the addition of a few extra crew members. I believe these extra crew are from some Forged in Battle carriers I bought and painted a long time ago. 

These carriers are marked up for the 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry. My info on this unit indicates that they had two carrier patrols, each of three vehicles, per squadron. I've not added any radio aerials to these, but may return to this after a bit of research. These vehicles use up more of less all of my Dom's Decals Highland Division markings. 

I've added some of my usual (at the moment) weathering, although not as heavy as the armoured cars. Since doing these pictures I've added a few small clumps of flowers and tufts to the grass on the front. I also avoided adding the extra Brens or machine guns, just to differentiate these a bit from those I painted for my infantry support company. 

With these done, the painting chart looks like this:

My other hobby time over the last few weeks has been detailing vehicles for my next painting plan (more on this in another blog post). 

I also sorted the figures out for the 2nd dismounted patrol (in yellow above) as well as a platoon of infantry for my Jocks. This involved converting some commando figures into Jocks with Tam o'Shanters. The infantry is currently all base coated. 

This infantry platoon will be the final one needed to finish off the full battalion (7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders). I've also spent some time looking and thinking about what I could do for some battalion HQ units. Maybe some sort of HQ diorama, but I'm stuck on the fact that the infantry battalion HQ was pretty mobile. I also want something that would be useable on the table rather than a stationary piece. The naval observation team I did on the medium bases before has given me the idea of some medium based command teams - I will continue to ponder. My other idea would be to have two elements, a static diorama style base with a CMP radio truck and maybe some other vehicles along with a couple of medium bases (for the Lt. Col and the 2IC).  

There is always more to do!