"Ongoing 20mm Stalingrad project" Topic

Hi guys

My painting business has gone off with a smashing start, I have been painting full time for a couple of weeks now, and I am reminded of the saying, "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" so I want a little project for some "me" time, all ready having a gazillion projects on the go of course means I need to start a new one, I have always wanted to do a Stalingrad project, so here I go.
I have rummaged through my stash of WWII Germans and picked out the most suitable, they are mostly AB Heer troops, there are a couple of problems though, they mostly have ankle boots, although I have read ankle boots were used from 41 on, most pics of Germans at Stalingrad I have seen are wearing marching boots, so I will need to do some converting here, remarkably I also have very few MG 34s only 1 of 4, the others are MG 42s, I have some AB Fallschirmjagers with MG 34s, I may do an MG transplant.
So I have 50 suitable figs for an Infantry platoon, I will be doing some supporting elements, mortars, HMG, AT etc, and some armoured support (will need to rummage through my model stash to see what I have.
gunnerswargamming.blogspot.com.au

I will be following this with great interest.

Hi guys

Airfix to the rescue.

Whilst I only had one metal MG34 for my Stalingrad platoon, I had a heap of plastic MG34s, so I rummaged through my plastics and pulled a few likely suspects out, most didn't have enough detail, or were to spindly, I settled on that good old mainstay, Airfix, it amazes me how Airfix could get the bipod right when all the companies that followed couldn't, Italeri didn't even bother trying, even the excellent Pegusis SS figure has an off set bipod.

So how to fix a soft plastic barrel to a metal figure? the best way is to use a little putty and superglue, I drilled a hole in the end of the reciever group, filled with putty, put a blob of super glue on, and push the barrel into the putty, should be strong enough to hold.
I am also converting a loader from a AB radio operator, I added a gasmask container and water bottle from the Airfix fig and will do a headswap.
Those Airfix figs are so good, almost seems a shame to use them for conversions, oh well, stay tuned.
more pics
link

Hi guys

These updates may be slow due to limited personal hobby time, have finished and based the MG34 conversions with the Airfix barrels, I like the open bipod on the standing "over the shoulder" MG34 guy, he looks ready for immediate deployment, I also found the sand coloured Italeri MG34 guy in my stash, couldn't resist adding him to the team, even though he is a tad taller, he is a nice figure. the bottom picture is my scratch built 5cm mortar, will convert the 2 figs for the crew.
link

Cool! I wasn't sure if making metal/plastic hybrids was something many gamers would do, but like you – only probably not as well ;-) – I've started to do so.

I will use anything that works.

Hi Guys

Anyone would be justified in thinking my Stalingrad project was a German one, although I will do my best on them, I have a few German forces planned so the Germans are really only an OPFOR, the Stars of this project will be Russian Marines, who I will only ever do once.
I ordered a pack of Pegasus Russian Naval Infantry and will bulk out the force with converted regular Russian infantry, the Pegasus figures are OK, but they are incorrectly depicted in unbloused square rig, the square rig was less common than the pea jacket in land operations, and the shirt is always tucked into the trousers, also the details like ammo pouches are a bit small and to fine or missing, so the conversions I will be doing are
1) Will head swap a few helmets in
2) Will convert at least half the troops to pea jackets
3) Any in square rig will have their shirts tucked in
4) will re do the ammo pouches etc
5) will add ammo bandoliers (cross belts)
6) Will untuck some of their trousers from their boots

more pic

Hi guys

It may sound strange but I have found out since starting my own painting service that I don't have time to develop my painting skills whilst doing commissions, I do develop speed skills, but not technical skills, because I am painting as fast as I can to make minimum wage, so I have decided to take my time on this project and do things I normally wouldn't.
I normally do not paint eyes on anything smaller than 28mm, so I have given it a go on these figs, pretty time consuming but I think I avoided the surprised look and they came out nice, let me know what you think.
On another note, I really like that standing MG34 guy in the first pic, great detail and nice pose, ABs are great figures aren't they.

More pics
gunnerswargamming.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/ongoing-20mm-stalingrad-project-part-4.html

Hi guys, I am after some help from WWII German uniform experts with a uniform colour for my Stalingrad project, what colour shirt is on the soldier on the right in the first pic, middle 2nd, right 3rd, and left 4th, it is very light compared to the others in field grey, and his own pants, which I assume are field grey as well, could it be really faded field grey? or an officer in a tailored shirt of lighter material or is there another general issue uniform that it may be? I thought it may be just really dusty, but his pants would be light as well, any thoughts? I think the bottom picture is the same soldier from a different angle, he is on the left this time, lastly if this is a known uniform or soldier, are there any colour plates or other related photos out there that anyone knows of? The bottom link is to the footage the pics are taken from,the scene starts at 3:12, Thanks.

youtube.com/watch?v=Mq_zUUDmAAY

Cheers
Dan