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. 

Finished: 15mm Canadian Ram OP tank

Hi folks,

Busy times of late, leaving little time for painting. I did, however, manage to finish off a couple of units which had been work in progress after Christmas. 

First up is a Ram OP tank for my planned future Sexton battery from 23rd Field Regiment (Self Propelled), Royal Canadian Artillery. Intrigued by a period photograph of one of these vehicles waiting on the start of Operation Totalize, a few years ago (2017!) I set in motion a plan to have a suitable turret made by Butlers Printed Models. You can find the earlier blog article about this here. 

Suffice to say, this project has gone untouched for a while, as I focussed on other units. 

With the AHPC challenge coming up in December, and knowing that I might be a bit stuck for time over the first few months of the year, I decided to bump this model up the painting queue and had it prepped to work on along with the Polish Cromwells. 

Just to show the reference picture I was using:

I do have a further image, taken at around the same time and showing the same vehicle from a different angle (it's the 3rd vehicle in the column). While I can't spot any unit marking on the Shermans, there is a geometric diamond shape on the side hull of the lead tank, which would make it part of an HQ squadron. The Stowage and attempts at added armour indicate that this is not a picture taken in the UK:

This model consists of the hull of a Battlefront Ram Kangeroo, which was modified via green stuff to change it from the early mk.1 hull with the mini turret, to the later solid mk.II hull. Onto this, the BPM turret was mounted. I also added stowage and some bits of plastic offcuts to build some shape under the camo netting on the rear deck. The camo netting is a 1/72 scale product that I think works well at 15mm. The print quality of the turret is not great, so I added some additional stowage to the hull, and the camo netting thankfully covered up some of the rougher bits (print lines). 

I tried to paint the camo netting to show the strips of brown/khaki and green cloth interwoven through it. Aerials were added using fishing line. Decals were also added, marking this tank out as an OP vehicle from the above mentioned unit. I have 4 Canadian Sextons to go with this at some point, but not any time soon. The turret and hull were also magnetised. 

This tank, along with some Stuart Vs and Sherman DDs painted a while back, are currently my only Canadian armour for Normandy, but I have plans/models for more... here is the painting plan for the list including the Ram tank. 

Finished: 15mm PSC Polish Cromwells (Command elements)

Hi folks,

As part of the AHPC this year, my goal is to make progress with my planned 15mm Cromwell tanks squadron as part of my Polish Armoured Division for Operation Totalize. Over the Christmas period I made some progress with the first five vehicles of this squadron, making up the HQ element, close support 95mm armed Cromwell section and an ARV Cromwell. 

These tanks are all decaled up to be part of C Squadron, 10 Pulk Strzelcow Konnych (10th Polish Mounted Rifle Regiment), 1st Polish Armoured Division. I'm representing this unit as of it's initial entry into combat in Normandy on 8 August 1944.

Thankfully from a modelling perspective, at the time of Operation Totalize this unit had only been in France for a short time. As such, period photos from 8 August 1944 show these tanks as being devoid of much stowage or any other paraphernalia. Photos from later in the campaign show a huge accumulation of additional track armour, stowage, etc. But to keep the painting simple, I only had to contend with a seemingly standard bundle of camo netting on the right rear deck. 

In keeping with my standard style, the command tanks have been given two aerials to help mark them out on the table. The Squadron commander will also be in the open hatch, once a suitable model is painted. These and the 95mm armed version are PSC models. 

The 95mm armed close support tanks have not been given a crew figure, but one of the two has been given twin aerials incase that becomes relevant during a game. In the v4 rules the CS tanks form part of the troop with the HQ tanks, rather than an individual unit. This may change in our home games. 

The ARV model was an old Battlefront resin and metal kit I had picked up years ago (the PSC tanks were assembled in 2016). No use for these rules wise now, but I will find a use for it on the table!

I've 12 more Cromwells to paint, along with 3 Stuarts to round out this force. I have picked up some Crusader AA tanks as well, which I am waiting on, and may add a Cromwell OP tank as I have a spare PSC kit. Not sure how much progress will be made before March - that will depend on the baby I suspect!

Painting plan wise, progress looks like this: