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!