Rommel vs Monty (North African GB 1941-43) Jan. 1 - Aug. 31 2014

Tigerman, I am in with Monogram's Panzerspahwagen Sdkfz 232. The scale is unusual 1:32 but for the price of $15 I couldn't resist.

Cheers...

Does a DUKW count?  I've never done any kind of military ground vehicle but I've always liked the DUKW and wanted to build one. My father-in-law was in the invasion of North Africa where he was captured and spent the remainder of the war in a German POW camp.

AlanF, unless someone can claim otherwise, I'm not sure that it would qualify.

I have found some conflicting info on the DUKW. They were in N Africa as part of the build up for Op Torch. Wiki claims this was the first time it was used in an invasion. But then I have found another site which says it was used in the invasion of N Africa.

I'm finding sort of the same thing with regards to the DUKW.  Seems the few sites that do mention it's use for the Torch landings provide no other info.  I have a feeling that those entries might have been in error, wrongly equating the presence of DUKW in North Africa with that of Operation Torch.   Photos do show these vehicles were only present in North Africa for training in preparation for Sicilian or even the later landings on the Italian mainland.

http://www.458thseatigers.org/page.php?page=DUKW

... the above link looks to have a pretty concise history, with their first use in military action taking place in the Pacific, March 1943.  Training was still being formulated in the summer and fall of '42.

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Eric, thanks for putting me down on the list as I had forgot to ask.  No problem with leaving the aircraft out, as I still have well over a dozen choices in the stash.

regards,

Jack

jack, that's sort of the impression I was getting. People have assumed that because they were in N Africa, they must have been used for the invasion.

I did find a forum where one guys was saying he had spoken to a vet in the 8th army who recalled DUKW's in N Africa with artillery pieces on board. But he thought these were just being used for transport. So again, this could just be a part of the build up for Sicily.

So Eric, I think we can safely say they were present in N Africa. Whether they were used there in combat is open to question.

Forgot to mention- Hasegawa.

Thanks for all the info on the DUKW - very informative.  Since the DUKW is out and I have no experience in modeling armor, can someone recommend a kit for this GB. Probably something without tank threads - baby steps here.

My personal suggestion would be a Tamiya kit. They have a couple of German and British armour kits that would fit, and I would guess one of their Sherman's would also suit.

Alan, do you have any nationality preference?  Armoured cars of many varieties were plenty across the board.  If you want two wheels, there are motorcycles and there is also artillery, both wheeled or in static mode.

As Bish suggests Tamiya, the British Daimler scout car could be an idea.

regards,

Jack

You know I'm in Eric!  I've got about a dozen different kits to choose from so I'll mull it over and let you know what I decide before the start date!

Ops, ye sorry Alan, I misread the without treads bit.

Tamiya also do a German SdKfz 222. I think they have 2 different kits, not sure if they are the same moulds or not. Not sure about American vehicles, I was going to suggest the Greyhound, but I think that was to late for Africa.

Alan, how about Tamiya's Sd.Kfz.222? The fit is very good and it has wheels...

That's the ones. I built the bottom one, I think it was my first ever armour dio. A nice kit.

Looks like we kinda crossposted.

They are both the same molds. The DAK boxing has a motorcycle and some figures included as well and the normal version has a set of barrels in the box. I built one of them as well and everything was very easy to put together, but then I screwed up the paint and the model was ruined... I definitely have to get me another one (or the Tristar kit)...

I still have mine, its in a box in the shed. It needs a bit of TLC, but not bad seeing as I built it over 20 years ago.

Bish

Ops, ye sorry Alan, I misread the without treads bit.

Tamiya also do a German SdKfz 222. I think they have 2 different kits, not sure if they are the same moulds or not. Not sure about American vehicles, I was going to suggest the Greyhound, but I think that was to late for Africa.

Indeed the M8 is too late for North Africa. The M8 did not appear in combat until summer 1944 in France and Italy. In North Africa, US force used the M3 Scout Car. There is the old Peerless/Italeri/Testors/Zvezda kit or the new tooled Hobbyboss kit.

How about a Kubelwagen with the sand tires?

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Tigerman, here are two builds I'd like to enter. 

Tigerman, thanks for taking the lead on this build.

Thanks Jibber. Very ambitious of you, but i have faith. This will be a very fun and engaging GB.. Ready to throw in the World at War DVD to get inspired. ;)

Hey Eric: What version of the Tiger I saw action in Africa? I want to build one to put it next to my Tiger 2, but I don't know which one.

I believe the early version qualifies. It has the feifel filters on the rear with the hoses on the rear deck.

Thank you very much!

How about the "initial" version? The 1/35 Tamiya kit marked as "Africa" Version appears to be an initial Tiger:

Initial production with 501st Heavy Tank battalion, and early production with 504th Heavy Tank battaion. Both type had the Fiefel air cleaners.

Atm, I don't think Dragon fields a kit that builds straight into either Tunisian Tiger.    So Tamiya still seems best option for now - dimension wise they are fine.

Spartan, I believe the kit you linked is the same Tiger I had built, except it was 1/48 scale.  You might be interested in this link that outlines what further needs correcting to be more accurate:

http://tiger1.info/models/products/TAM35227

regards,

Jack

Way to go Stik and Jack.

I did a boatload of research on Africa Tigers before my Tiger build... LOL! much of it is still in my head.

Thanks guys. I'll have a look at my stash today and see what is lying around here!

Eric: Please put me down for Dragon's Pz.IV Ausf.E (DAK) and a Tiger (not sure which one yet)

Oh, I have another (probably really stupid) question:

Jack, you painted your Tiger with a sand/light brown camo. Are their any specific 

units/vehicles that used this camo?

I'm more of an aircraft guy, so I still have to learn things like that...