Tamiya 7.5mm Anti-Tank gun (PAK40/L46) Diorama Ideas

PS, the resolution on my camera seems to bring out some details more than they appear to the naked eye, at least to mine! Those seams look horrible! 

I am not sure what camo you are going for. It doesn't match any of the camo i am aware of. Also, camoflage trousers only appeared late in the war with the SS dot pattern camo. Unfortunatly, the jackets on those figures don't match early war camoflage as worn by the SS, but they can be converted into early war smocks with a bit of work.

One reason you can't find any photo's of gun crews in camo is that most of the pics you find are of the German army. While it did have camo, it was not that common. Camoflage uniforms is most common in the Waffern SS, with many troops haveing smocks in a variety of patterns from the start of the war. These images show SS PaK 40 crews with camoflage smocks.

This one shows a crew in the late war Dot pattern tunic and trousers.

The gun was introduced in 1942 and yes, was used in the east. Your scheme on the gun puts it post Feb 1943. But the figures are wearing M36 tunics which were replaced in 1943 with the M43, though of course the M36 was still in use beyond that. The leather marching boots were also relaced in 1943 with ankle boots and gaiters.

So given the camo on the gun and the uniform on the figures, that would place your build in summer 1943, in which case i would go with Field Grey for the trousers.

Bish, You're a wealth of information! I'll plan on repainting their trousers over to field grey in that case. I had no idea about the change in jacket styles, and figured some guys where lucky enough to get gaiters, others where not. As for the scene, I'll shoot for something summery. 

Thanks again for the feedback!

-Raindog

In addition to the great info Bish gave you, the boots and web gear should be black, not brown.

Typical German Wehrmacht  (Regular Army) WWII unifrom.

Some period pics in color.

And in addition to what Gino said, you may notice that the uniform is not the green colour that Field Grey usually is. I am guessing you are useing tamiya paint judging by the look of the field grey. While it is a good match, German uniforms actually varied quite a bit, especially a sthe war went on and they were useing low quality material as well as re-issueing old material. For some variation, you could try painting the trousers in a differant shade of grey.

The jackets are painted Vallejo German Field Grey, and the Helmets Tamiya Olive Drab. I sanded down the seams last night, and I think I may do the trousers again in Tamiyas Field Grey and see if there is a subtle difference in the colors that can add some interest to the scene. It definitly appears that there is some difference between jacket and trouser  color in those photos. 

Thanks again guys!

-RD

Ok, it does lok similar to tamiya Field Grey. I use vallejo's Field Grey mixed with Extra dark Green and then add some Field Drab and camo beige for dry brushing. If your up for getting books for referance and ideas, i would recomend Osprey's Modelling waffern SS figures. It has some great suggestions for eqipment as well as the Field Grey and various SS camo. Its really helped improve my figure painting.

I also mix tamiya XF 53 and 63 which i find is a good match for Steel grey and use that on some late war uniforms. You could try that on the trousers.

Yes Bish you are SO correct. Unfortunately as powerful and prolific a PaK gun the Pak 40 was only Tamiya makes it and the crew ALL wear the early Wehrmacht uniforms. I had ordered a PaK 40 crew ( 2 men) when I did my dio from Warriors but I think they went out of business too. They had 2 sets with 2 man crews and they ALL wore the camo smocks and gaiters. It would be nice to see someone else come up with a PaK 40 crew.

I think you might be right about warrior, i have not seen anything of there is a while. I know Dragon has a couple of PaK 40 kits, but one, like the tamiya, comes with pre 43 figures, the otehr with paratroopers.

Bish

I think you might be right about warrior, i have not seen anything of there is a while

Warriors was one of the VLS in-house figure brands.  When MMD/Squadron bought VLS at the end of 2006, the line continued for a few months, but the main person behind the figures (will not mention names here) left MMD, and all of the previous VLS in-house brands were allowed to die off.

Bronto

 

Bish

I think you might be right about warrior, i have not seen anything of there is a while

 

 

 

Warriors was one of the VLS in-house figure brands.  When MMD/Squadron bought VLS at the end of 2006, the line continued for a few months, but the main person behind the figures (will not mention names here) left MMD, and all of the previous VLS in-house brands were allowed to die off.

 

Thanks Bronto, didn't know that, but it does clear up what happened to warrior.

Note, too, from Bish's photos, that the PAK 40 was dug in ta about axle deep on the flat Russian steppes.  The goal seems to have been to get the gun shield about level with the local grass.

Some photos show a pit under the  breech end of the gun, but that seems to be something related to how long the gun was in position.  Looks like shallow ditches are made for the trails, too, and the cut piled behind the spades.

The Germans pushed tactial doctrine down to small unit level, so a PAK 40 crew would have sought out any advantage, such as a hilloc or hummoc of even 1 meter, to set behind..  Which would also let the supplies be set behind and allowed some cover  without having to crawl about.

In this dio with the Tamiya Pak 40 that I've posted earlier the loader and the gunner are from Warriors. I had no choice but to use the Gun Chief from the kit with the old Wehrmacht uniform. But yes someone needs to either put out another Pak 40 kit our make some updated Panzerjager crews. 

This is a 1/48th scale Bandai kit diorama that's not finished yet. Plan to have a surmovick flying over. I think yours looks fantastic. Gary