German reinforcements

Here be the some additions to my 28mm Axis forces: a Flakvierling 38 and PaK 40 from Warlord Games, and a Horch 1a from Company B.

Flakvierling 38

As far as I can recall (it was a project that was spread out over months due to numerous interruptions) this kit was built "out of the box" without any extra detailing aside from the ammo crate on the base. I decided against taking the time to add details as I found the original kit, although quite fussy and intricate, lacked some definition and detail in places. The magazines, and magazine racks, for example, were devoid of detail. And each pair of autocannons suffered from casting defects or poor mastering.

I think the result is passable. However, when I compare this kit to plastic models of the same weapon in 1/72th and 1/48th scale, I cant help but think that Warlord could have produced a better kit without putting too much more time into the master.

I debated magnetising the bases, the weapon and the trailer, so that it could be depicted towed and emplaced, but decided against that once I realised that there was no easy way of magnetising the crew without compromising the strength, or the detail of the seating. In most rule sets and games this weapon will be deployed emplaced, if not from the start of the game, very soon into the game, so the usefulness of have it depicted towed would be limited. However, I was sure to model the trailer to ensure that opponents cant claim that the weapon is a fixed and cant be manhandled...

Horch 1a

Loved this kit from Company B. Very clean castings and crisp detail. I havent had a chance to compare it with the Warlord offering of the same vehicle, but on the face of it the difference is that this kit has plenty of little details that are cast separately, while the Warlord kit has fewer parts and lots of the detail cast on. Whether that is a good thing or not is up to the individual  - more to knock off the Company B kit during a game (in fact, the eagle-eyed amongst you will notice the later pix of the Horch show one of its side mirrors knocked off) but a more detailed representation.

I added a bit of stowage in the cargo area, but apart from that, the kit is built as sold. A really neat staff officer which was included in the kit was left off, given that this vehicle would be in most cases be use a little colser to the front than the staff would car to get - most likely as as a tow for various light AT and AA guns.

As with most of my German vehicles, I have deliberately left off any unit insignia, as the vehicle will be used to represent various units in various campaigns.

 

Pak 40 (7.5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 40)

This was bult a while back, but didnt make it onto the blog pages for some reason. Its the Warlord kit, and if I recall correctly, was built with a few tiny detail changes - head swaps and the like. It a neat kit - seems to me to make a good of job of representing the substantial size of the Pak 40.