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: British and Polish Shermans

Hi folks,

Another busy week, but I managed to progress a few things. Tank wise I'm waiting on 3 bases drying and I can get all of this batch done. As it stands I have finished (other than a couple of touch ups) my 144 RAC tanks and my Polish troop command tank.

For the 144 RAC tanks I painted:

3 x M4's (Sherman I's)
1 x M4 Composite with 75mm (Sherman I Hybrid)
1 x M4 Composite with OQF 17 Pounder (Sherman Ic Hybrid)

The turret numbers all match the correct allocations for the unit - so each troop will have the correct consecutive numbers. I'm pretty sure that the inclusion of the Hybrid Ic Firefly won't be correct for the time frame. I think these tanks became available later in the NWE campaign, certainly by the Ardennes offensive. However the unit did use them at some point and I'm happy (!!!) to let this one slip. It's a nice model and nice to see it compared to my home made 75mm Hybrid conversions.

As usual, two aerials and a commander signifies a troop leader. These tanks complete the 4th troop of the Squadron and provide the '3rd body' tank for the command troop as well.

Painting wise on these guys I toned down my edge highlights, used some of the weathering powders/wax and used my own mix of Magic Wash. I think the result is that these tanks are a bit lighter than some of the earlier ones - but I think now the unit is completed model wise, a bit of work is needed to unify the bases and hull painting techniques, as well as the decals on the turrets. I've decided, bases on mixed written and visual evidence (sources which say the unit did not use geometric Squadron markings vs film footage where the bloody tanks of the unit did have them) to leave some with and some without geometric hull markings. I think the unit may have deployed using them, but that replacement tanks wouldn't have them added.

My first Sherman Squadron is up to full strength!

Next up we have a Sherman M4A4 (Sherman V) of the 24th Polish Lancers Regiment, 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade, 1st Polish Armoured Division. This is the troop command tank, and the other 3 are done but awaiting the static grass drying before they can be based!

This tank was one of the plastic 'Open Fire' models that I rescued. The sand bags (yes, they are supposed to be sand bags...) on the front help cover some of the damage. I decided for the Polish tanks to add pennants to the command tanks aerials. These are made from a little bit of yogurt pot lid and I received a lot of good tips from Steve and Bill on the MMM Hangouts while trying to figure out how to do them. Thanks guys!

The .50cal was from the Plastic Soldier Company half track box, and all my Polish command tanks have a similar mount. I think it looks much better 'at rest' on this tank than sitting horizontally. The mould line on the front hull I really thought I had gotten rid of, but is shows up on the pics!

I tried to follow guides and reference pictures for the placement of the markings, again to make the tanks look authentic and give a bit of variation from my other Shermans. I think these tanks should have the rear turret Squadron marking on the sides of the hull, but sources vary and I don't have enough of the blue triangles, so I have left them for now. I may revisit in the future!

For the Poles I had considered messing with my usual basing colours. Using red and white flowers, rather than yellow and white, really appealed and seemed like it might be a nice touch. In the end I went with the same basing as my other units.