"The Bridge"

Nice work in the bridge detail. Lookinf forward to more progress shots.

Steve

 Good work so far!

 So much potential yet to come!!

                        60

SternO,

Fallschirmjaeger units operated in North Africa, Carentan France, Battle for Normandy, Ortona Italy, Crete, Monte Casino Italy, Norway and Denmark, Berlin, all areas that might see bridges like that. No reason you can't use them. Though they stopped being dropped out of airplanes later in the war, they were still formed and organized as ground troops till the end. THey still used the same style helmets, the m1938 fallschirmhelm and had some of the best equipment available, including the first assault rifles and recoiless rifles. They also had armored brigades equipped with Stugs.

Have fun. Looks like a cool project.

 A bridge is a project I have yet to tackle, and your's look fine to me..

Don't sweat the title either... "The Bridge" (Die Brücke) is a 1959 or so German film about a group of German teenagers defending a bridge in 1945... It's pretty brutal, and if you ever get a chance to buy a copy, grab it... One of the best war movies I've ever seen..

Here's the plot overview:

A group of German boys is ordered to protect a small bridge in their home village during the waning months of the second world war. Truckloads of defeated, cynical Wehrmacht soldiers flee the approaching American troops, but the boys, full of enthusiasm for the "blood and honor" Nazi ideology, stay to defend the useless bridge.

Steve, Tankluver, 60. Thank you all for the great feedback! Love input from the pros!

renarts, thank you for the history, I thought there was only a couple actual drops by german troopers (Crete, Holland) did not know they operated in the places you described. (sure they needed every swinging ---- they could at the end) That helps me alot. Good to know the equipment is acurate. The kit came with drop canisters and origanaly I wanted to do a chute in the trees with the troopers organizing directly after the drop. Hope I have a mp-44 somewhere

Col. von Hammer, Thank you for the input. Will be on the lookout for "Die Brucke" sounds  like a good one, is there much reference material in it?

Mine was given to me as a gift about 10-15 years ago, but if ayone still has it, it'd be Belle & Blade Productions:http://www.warshows.com/StoreFront.bok

As for a reference, not much there, outside uniforms (even the tanks are wood mock-ups towed by rope ;The German Army didn't have any tanks to use in the filming of the movie), but if you want to get some ideas for fighting near a bridge, there's some REALLY good stuff in it for dio story-lines... I only mentioned it because you seemed disappointed in the title of your work and wanted to let ya know that simple titles can be quite good... That, and it's just a damned-good movie, lol...

Crete 1941 was the last divisional strength drop that the Fallschirmjaegers made. Though they still made some batallion strength drops throughout the Med later in the war. Mid 1944 Hitler realized the futility of the tactic as he lost air supieriority and the incredibly heavy losses involved in a drop, and drop training ended. After that they were all utilizied as ground troops by Heer, Luftwaffe and SS.

Fallschirmjaeger units did not drop with their weapons. They were armed with a pistol and a knife. Cannisters were dropped with them separately which contained arms, equipment and supplies. Mainly because of the way they harness was rigged. The chute was on back and they were suspended from the chute by a back clip or harness. This made it difficult to control the drop as well as land holding any gear.

The chute was on back and they were suspended from the chute by a back clip or harness. This made it difficult to control the drop as well as land holding any gear.

Which, ironically, was the very reason for the adoption of that design in the first place: To be able to fire a weapon during decent...

Hello,

you can also use Boys from the Hithleryouth. Here in Germany we have very popular movie with the same title.

greets Thomas

Jester75 wrote:

Cool, reminds me of a certain map in Medal of Honor:Allied Assault!

renarts wrote:

Luftwaffe fallschirmjaeger units in France were using the Splinter and Water camo patterned smock.

Thank you kindly! A nice camo scheme will livin them up!!

Looking good, Stern0!

In my travels, I have founf that much of the stonework around Europe is quite similar--the castles, walls, bridges--they all echo each other. 

One thing for sure is that it all looks different from AMerica--but it's all very similar in other European countires. That should expand your possibilities somewhat?