Jack: My apologies to you too. For some reason I was thinking the Free French didn't really get organized until the liberation of France. And as you pointing out the Torch landings were after the ebb and flow fighting of the GB so any French here would be more likely the Free French forces.

Cliff

Still some great work going on here, i keep checking in every now and then.

I'll be in for a N African GB. The other problem with the Rommel v Monty idea is that they also faced each other in Normandy, at least until Rommel was injured in July.

"French fought too?  I thought they only were good at dropping their rifles... :D  Sorry I had to say it. LOL"

That reminds me of an old joke:

"Did you hear the one about the new Italian tank? It's got four gears. Three in reverse, and one forward -- in case the enemy attacks from behind."

M/TB379

Gamera, my apologies.  I automatically assumed you were asking about the direct involvement of the French in the North African Campaign (I have a bad habit of skipping over words to cut down on reading time and missed seeing Vichy in your post).

Hitler allowed the Vichy government to keep a small army for the purpose of maintaining order and defend against allies if invaded.  This included the territories of Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Syria and Lebanon.  In those situations where they actually did fight the allies, it was more a question of honour  and/or fear of what Germany would do to Vichy France if they didn't put up some resistance.  So I don't think any Vichy units were ever involved in the ebb and flow fighting that was characteristic of Libya and Egypt.

regards,

Jack

Andy - Don't know what reference materials you may have on North Africa Theater - found one titled Rommel's Afrika Korps - El Agheila to El Alamein - Stackpole Books ISBN 978-0-8117-0419-9 publish 2008. The book provides a complete T/O&E for British, Italian, and German forces.

Both PzKpfw. I/B and Kl-Pz-Bef SdKfz.265 saw service. PzKpfw. II C, F. SdKfz.221, 222, 223, 247, 260, 231, 232, 233, 263. Another reference has photos of PzKpfw I/A and PzKpfw II A/B/C light tanks - Older book published 1981 titled Panzers in the Desert - WW2 Photo Album series. Panzers in the Sand - Vol I & 2 - provide history, T/O&E, and numerous photos of the Panzer-Regiment 5 in theaters of France (1940) and North Africa - publisher Stackpole - 2011.  Armor86

Ok, I must be thinking about the Torch Landings in the French colonies of Morocco and Algeria. Vichy French forces opened fire on Allied troops landing on the beaches and put up spastic resistance until the French resistance pulled a coup and most of the French troops switched sides.  

Andy: I was going to comment on your comment but I'm afraid I'd get into trouble here 

Gamera

Oh Free French, I was thinking there were some Vichy French in there somewhere, maybe I'm just confused?

French fought too?  I thought they only were good at dropping their rifles... :D  Sorry I had to say it. LOL 

Oh Free French, I was thinking there were some Vichy French in there somewhere, maybe I'm just confused?

I know I have an old Italeri Crusader cruiser tank and a Tamiya Humber armoured car in my stash plus a half built Tamiya Grant and an ancient Valentine from some Russian/Eastern European company. Probably something else I'm sure. 

LOL!  Gosh I must have been very tired.  Tuesdays are usually busiest day of week for me... work then Boys Scout meetings for the boys.  

I am flexible whatever name for GB we can come up... you will find me signing up not just with my Pz II but maybe a nice sized diorama with Pz II and skz 222 or even a 232.  Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Yes , the 1st Free French brigade - most notable for their dogged defense at Bir Hakeim during the Gazala battles of 1942.  Also attached were two battalions of the mobile 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade  (13e DBLE).   This unit as a whole was attached to 8th Army HQ at that time.  You'd have to research for what the mech. unit had, but I imagine the British lent them some equipment.

regards,

Jack

'Desert Fox vs. Desert Rats'- I like it!

Weren't there some Vichy French involved as well though?

I will note that as well Jack. I'd probably put out a vote. I'd definitely would like the Italians involved. Even though the Americans were in Africa, it still felt like a German/British campaign for the most part. IMO

Romney ...  thanks for that chuckle.  Maybe due to tiredness, but I read something wrongly for that same reason.  Thought I saw Andy write he wanted to take Marc's Tiger out on a date for some steaks (instead of the word streaks).

Another idea for the desert GB is Desert Fox vs  Desert Rats.  If treated abstractly, it can be viewed as axis vs allies in the desert.  Italians can easily be included as they were fighting in a supportive role, and the desert rats was a nickname used for both the 7th Armd. Div. as well as the whole Eighth Army.  It does exclude the Americans and the initial Italian campaign of 1940, but it is just a theme title and the specific parameters can be set out in text in the GB description entry.

regards,

Jack

Thanks Andy-yeah...Dragon's instructions always add another layer of excitement to the build.....

deafpanzer

Eric- You know I am definitely interested... sign me up for DAK GB or whatever we will call it.  I really dig the name Romney vs Montgomery GB! Something different... I have Pz II B and Pz II C/D in stash so I need to find out if they were used by DAK or not.  Man, I can't wait... LOL 

Bob- Paint looks great on your Panther!  Always wanted to get that kit... have kit for Ausf A and D but no G yet.  Don't we love those instructions from Dragon... never trust 'em. LOL 

Jack- I always wanted to build a DAK Tiggy one day.  I have been following your build very closely... great historical information!  

Steve- LOL!  NO worries I am always learning.  Believe it or not the Tiggy was my ninth build I think.  I now understand what you were trying to tell me.  Will keep that in mind next time I add rust.  Nothing is ever uniform out there in real world too.  

Moving is usually hell... I have been relocated for corporations I worked for... five houses in 12 years.  No fun but you will make it thru.  Finally with chance of job I have been living under same roof for more than 8 years.  Hang in there... 

Eric- You know I am definitely interested... sign me up for DAK GB or whatever we will call it.  I really dig the name Romney vs Montgomery GB! Something different... I have Pz II B and Pz II C/D in stash so I need to find out if they were used by DAK or not.  Man, I can't wait... LOL 

Marc- I will repeat it... I want to take your KT out for a date.  Nice streaks! 

Hey Steve - I'll probably chip it up some more... The front of the hull is pretty clean. Cavalier was kind enough to include some wear & tear on other parts.

Marc - Looks really good.  It's gonna be kinda cool to see it side-by-side with the 1/72. Detail is killer.

SMJ, you have my sympathy, having come through what I call the "house move from hell" just recently, and have only just really got my space sorted out so I can start to get productive again.

Marc -- superb camo and streaking, it already has the feel of heavy iron about it!

On the North African front (pardon the pun) I recently picked up a kit of the early SiG 33 (open compartment) by, I think, Alan, which is said to be something if a gem, and IIRC they served only in North Africa. That might also be a candidate. If it's be to be open to aircraft also, I have been looking for an excuse to do a sand-over-blue Bf 109 F...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Marc:  I'm staying in the same town...but moving is a HUGE undertaking anyway.  I have to move into an apartment until I can find a house to rent which is why I have a workbench issue.  I'm considering paying for a small modeling room within the same office where I do my architecture work to do my train work which will then double as my AFV workbench too! 

KT is looking good!  The texture work is definately paying off

Marc - liking that ambush scheme, you got the mo*jo work'n the paint pallet

SMJmodeler

jgeratic: That's an interesting color...I like it...and I like the varaiation of the coverage in the inset photo.  I don't see the airbrshing problem.

Thanks SMJ -

I've visited the missinglynx axis forums numerous time and there is plenty to read on Tunisia Tigers.  Opinions/ideas vary, but most seem to conceed that the intial Tigers of the 1st company of 501 were shipped over in a single colour, and quite possibly over painted while waiting in Italy.  This colour was likely either Gelbbraun RAL 8000 or Graugrün RAL 7008 - the latter of which I choose. 

Both these colours were issued in 1941, RAL 8000 being the main body  colour and the other covering one third.  My thought is, though it likely has been stated elswhere, 7008 was more abundant in supply as it was not used as much, and/or it better matched the Tunisian terrain (much more vegetation is present compared to Libya and Egypt).

The "accidental" airbrush effect I ended up with is interesting because apparently, when the Bovington Tiger was being cleaned up for it's most recent makeover, it was found certain areas were camouflaged with a mixture of oil and sand.  Intriguing, as something similar was done back in 1941 when a mud mixture was applied to the stark grey vehicles.

The vehicle I'm portraying  is 02 from battalian HQ.  It has a nickname 'Heidi' on the bow plate and this is one of only two known photos of this particular Tiger - I've no idea how it was confirmed, must be something known about the crew?

regards,

Jack

Gamera-yes, those are LEDs left over from a work project-not going to use them for the Panther....just thinking of something that I could use them for though.

Marc-streaking on you KT looks great-nice weathered effect.  Dot filtering is on my 'to-do' list for my Panther.

Eric-thanks....you're right-I've spent hours researching colors for late Panther G's and know less than when I started.  The Panther will still be getting another coat of some shade of green before I decide on the final scheme.....and I took advantage of Sprue Brothers Dragon sale this weekend and ordered an El Alamein Sherman...plenty of aircraft in the stash that fit the War in the Desert theme, but it's always nice to have options.

Ebergerud, yes the GB has been extendend to the end of August. Would love to have your Tiger.

Bob, we all know the debates on color, especially how they get modified after weathering, so I wouldn't worry about your base.

Steve, yes an Afrika Korps or Western Desert theme appears to be much more popular now, then when I brought it up last year. I will start one after this ends. I don't want to promote it too early, because people will forget by then. I'll wait until early August and then promote it to the armor and aircraft forums.

Marc, that KT is looking great. Love the streaking.

Nice work all.  

Steve... moving houses or towns.  Although, there is little difference   My last move was 2 miles and I had to all the same crap as of i moved 200 miles.

Been working on the weathering the couple of days. Started with the filters, then some fading and streaking... which BTW appear more stark in the photo than in the flesh... and did the pin washes on the turret.

Opinions and critiques always welcome.

Hasenpfeffer:  I like the zim' work...but it feels a bit TOO good, have you considered knocking a few areas down to show a bit of wear and abuse?

bobbaily:  Great to see the paint flying!

jgeratic: That's an interesting color...I like it...and I like the varaiation of the coverage in the inset photo.  I don't see the airbrshing problem.

Tigerman:  A lot of DAK GB chat going on...have you posted an interest thread in Armor yet?...I' haven't checked yet...but I'm interested. 

I'm going to go with the Dragon Panther A Early 1/35 as my second build.  I may have mispoke when I said no sweat by August though.  I'm have to move...AGAIN...and I have a workbench issue to resolve...

deafpanzer:  Don't misunderstand...I LOVE THE RUST on your Tiger!!!...What I was trying to point out was that the lengths and color of the streaks were very similar and I thought a little variety would be interesting.  I looked at your work again when I logged in today and I'm still in awe...  I've been watching out for deals on a 1/35 Tamiya Tiger I Early and doing it with winter camo (Leningrad???)...you've made me want to bump that up on the priority list!

Hey Dan, I guess I should have explained a little more. I've had very good success in thinning Tamiya acrylics with isopropyl alcohol. But spraying at higher pressures will produce the effect Jack is seeing on some occasions.

I absolutely agree that Vallejo should not be thinned with alcohol. I have used distilled water as you mention above, and even had pretty good results with Windex. (For cleanup, Windex works way better than water...)

Jack: Despite the rough areas there she looks fine to me!

Bob: Nice work! Are those two red LEDs in the SW corner in the second photo? Are you going to light her up too?

Thanks Eric-from what I've read, it's all over the place-camo schemes of primer/green, all green as the base, different formats-nothing uniform.  I also had a pic of 421 in the primer/green scheme, but the writer also stated that green/yellow was also possible in this time period.

fwiw, I do have a bottle of olive-grun and it does need a second coat......

As an aside, the Dragon instructions call out Khaki Green....it's never easy, is it? 

If you're going to August, I'll add a Cyber-Hobby Tiger I "Early Production Operation Citadel." Never done a tiger or panther. About time to start I suppose.

Eric

bobbaily

Got a little bit done on the Panther-

First in red oxide primer:

Now with the first coat of dunkelgrun:

I noticed some spots that I missed and it seems that the Krylon primer soaks up the MM acrylic paint.  Not sure if dunkelgrun was correct-seems that there were many different paints used in the closing days of the war.  After some touch up with the dunkelgrun, I have to decide if I'm going to with the camo scheme depicted by the box art (and there are sources that argue that the scheme should be primer/green or add some brown striping.  Probably won't get anything else done the rest of the week.....oh well....maybe by the end of March?

I think an Olive-grun would be correct for a late Panther Bob, if what I've read is correct. By that time of the war, they may have used whatever was available.