"Building a 1/72 katyusha battery" Topic

Recently my long term schemses have turned to building a complete battery of katyushas (Bm-13s). I'm building my first one. My plan is to make 4. Italeri's winter soviet infantry, was rather poorly scupted. Their submachine guns are so small they look like toys. I'm taking the submachine gunners wearing the quilted uniforms from two of these sets, removing their guns and replaceing it with a rocket being carried with both ends in the arms of a figure. 16 figures, 4 loading crews, 4 men per truck. 8 Rockets per level of the Bm-13. So take 2 rockets to give to each loading crew, and my first katyusha has 8 rockets left. (we'll say the other 8 were previously fired)

This is more of a long term goal, but what else do i need to do to fill at a katyusha unit? I was thinking a couple of trucks would go nicely with 4 rocket lauchers and their crews, but what do i know. Also should i use the same platform for all the bm-13 lauchers? I'm using a kit from PST which is a lend lease studbaker truck. Should all the lunchers be the same vehicle, and what besides my converted crew should be included to make it a complete "unit"? (eventually)

Thx

Hi Soviet605,

Try and get a copy of the latest issue 84 (May) of 'Classic Military Vehicle' magazine. It has a profile on the Katyusha, which includes it's history and Operational Deployment. As Studebakers were available in their thousands there should be no problem keeping them all the same. Studebakers were the standard transport for the BM-13N system from April 1943. However there are a number of alternatives including a fully tracked STZ Tractor chassis. As the unit was Top Secret and under NKVD control I would suggest a mechanised protection detatchment, with some AAA and AT ability.

I hope this helps.

Oliver

I plan on painting them itleri's "medium green" cause i have a spray can and a bottle of it (enamel). The spray should make painting the intricasys* of the launcher much easier. Any reasons not to use that color? Since these are lend lease trucks we'll call it 1943 or latter, what other vehicles would go with the katyushas at that point in the war?

Go take a look at the "Foreign Trucks" section on o5m6.de o5m6.de/ForeignTrucks.html

You'll see that the Soviets used dang near anything that could carry the launcher. In general, the trucks were left in their original colors and only overpainted Soviet Green when overhauled.

Wyatt

I did earlier before your sugguestion (which was a good one) but the one section i want to look at only comes up with an error message when i click on it. The studebaker mounting a BM-13. I'm not really sure what would be an original color or soviet one. What would "meduim green" qualify as? So far i've painted my vehicles whatever shade of green i feel like, because i figure it the soviets after all.

I understand that a small number of T-40s* & T-60s were fitted with rockets, BM-8, I think. Were they used exactly like other Katyusha mounts, or more agressively forward? Were they as popular as the American T-40 (noted for having the rockets about a foot above the hatches, judging from the photos) ?

*The last dozen preoduced, from what I recall.