Finished: 15mm Polish Stuart VIs

Hi folks,

Alongside the Ram OP tank, I also recently completed another element of my Polish Cromwell project. 

These are a trio of Stuart VI (M5A1) tanks from the HQ Squadron of 10 Pulk Strzelcow Konnych (10th Polish Mounted Rifles), 1st Polish Armoured Division. While not part of A squadron, these HQ squadron vehicles were assigned out as required. All of my armoured squadrons have Stuarts attached for recce purposes, so I'm building quite a collection of variants of these little tanks. 

As such, these tanks have been marked up with the HQ squadron diamond on the front hull. Other decals are the 1st Polish Armoured Division markings and the regimental markings, as well as the bridge classification weights and allied recognition stars. I've still to figure out crew figures, but each vehicle will have one and the command vehicle will have two. Two aerials also mark out the command vehicle. 

Stowage was limited to a single bogey on the front hull, again based on these vehicles being so new to combat and the Poles having a reputation for being so neat. Later pictures from the NWE campaign show the Poles as having the same, if not more, levels of track links, tarps, boxes and jerry cans as everyone else. 

Each tank has a .30cal turret mounted MG. Something I didn't realises prior to working on these models was that the odd armoured shape on the side of the turret was actually in place to protect the MG, which could be dropped down into the compartment so as not to be damaged by shell fire, etc. 

These models being completed (bar the crew figures) adds yet more green to the painting progress chart.