Thanks Alan, I was just thinking of viginette 4) a pair of Fallschirmjaeger taking a break next to their bicycles. Hmmm.

Gentlemen, While watching "A Bridge Too Far", I fixed the headsets and throat mikes to the SS Tankers. I took a couple of photos to check my work and noticed I'd overlooked a nasty molding on the commanders right arm. I have to repair the casting before proceeding with paint. The headsets are from a Tasca command aerial set that was leftover from my "The Hungary Bear" dio. IMO an excellent set worth mention, because the figures didn't include them.
Anyway, here is a shot of the figures fitted into the JgdPz.
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This is a close up of the Alpine SS Panzer Crew.

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And that's the spot that I forgot!
Back to the Movie...

Nice work on the headsets and plumbing Mobious, look the business.

Al

Thanks Alan, I've finished the skin tones and getting ready to do the uniforms. Have to find a reference for them too.
XXX Corps is laying smoke for the river crossing. prepping the way for the river crossing led by Major Julian Cook's 3rd Battalion of the 504th. So back to the Action, and back to the Movie!

The Movie is over and the figures turned out as well as Operation Market Garden did for Monty. Anyway, there will be no close ups of these blokes. This is about as close as I dare get with damaging the camera.
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Still have the shoulder boards to do, but these guys have pretty much had it. Finishing up on the JgdPz IV should be sometime next week, if all goes well.

Great looking build there Mobious. Really impressive work.

I finally picked up my kit today. Cyber-hobby Firefly with British paras. I do not quite know how to link the two... Where did XXX Corps link up the British paras? I know some elements of the Polish paras and Brits were at Grave, and that XXX Corps made it that far. My question would be, then, would I be able to put the two in a dio together?

Thanks,
Mike

Hi Mike,

The Household Cavalry were the first to link up with the Polish Brigade at Driel on 22nd September. They had 8 vehicles 4 Ac and 4 Sc. 43rd Wessex Division attacked at Oosterhout which was weakly held but the attack took all day. Finally a supply column made up of 4th/7th Dragoon Guards, some light infantry from the Duke of Cornwalls regt and some DUKWs set out at 1850 hours.

Hope that helps.

Al

Thanks for comments Mike, wish I could help with the question. Most of the reference I have is from the German perpective of Op Market Garden. I do have Cornelius Ryans account, but haven't read it yet. Watched the movie a dozen or so times, I love that shot of 30th Corps lined up. I'll try and read the book after I finish "The Longest Battle, September 1944 to February1945, From Aachen to the Roer and across" by Harry Yiede. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Hi Mobious,

Kit and figures look excellent, sorry I forgot to comment.

Hi guys,

About finished the airborne trailers:





Al

Thanks Alan,
I really wanted to comment on the trailers you've built. I really like the folded tarp on the open trailer and the contents. Very nice work there my freind. Loads of detail. Looking forward to progress on the dio.

Hi Mobious, thanks they were an interesting build.

Just for info you also get a set of rear tail light but I've omitted these as not all the trailers had them. Also looking at pictures of them in Op Market Garden they seem to be devoid of WD numbers.

I am tempted to add some camo to the closed top but I wanted to see the difference in finish and painting MM camo on such a small surface isn't that easy.

Cheers

Al

Hey Alan, If there were no set practice for camo on Para equipment, I would leave them the way you have them now. One with camo and one without. Makes for visual interest and also a historical side note. The camo does look good.
Went to the woods and found a couple of braches to add supplemental camo to the JgdPz.
A photo of the additional camo,
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The extra camo helps keep the Mosquito's away, and the Mustangs, Milk Jugs, and Spits too.

Alan, thanks for the info. Mind my stupidity for a moment. What do you mean by AC and SC? Thanks!

-Mike

Hi Mike,

Armoured Cars x 4 and Scout Cars x 4. Not sure what vehicles the Household Cavalry had, Staghouds for the ACs I'd assume and Dingos for the Scout Cars but I'll check fot you.

Also I'll have a look and see what vehicles 43rd (Wessex) Div had, but I'd also assume a Firefly would be OK. pause - read.......

The armoured column comprised tanks of B Squadron of the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards with D ompany of the 5th Duke of Cornwall's Liight Infantry riding on top. The remainder of the column was made up of the Battalion Command Group of DCLI a platoon from A and B companies, a section of 6dpr ATguns, a machine gun carrier platoon from the 8th Middlesex Regiment and 2 DUKWS laden with supplies and ammo. I have a picture of the tank column and I count at least 5 Shermans unfortunately the angle of the picture hides the type other than the first tank which could be an M4A2 Sherman Mk III with the cast transmission and early gun mount. So a platoon of Shermans would indicate the presence of a Firefly.

The reached Driel at 1935 hours but unfortunately shot up one of the Household Cavalry Dingos not expecting to meet friendly armour. They were motering becasue they covered the distance from Oosterhunt to Driel in about 45 minutes!

Have a search on IWM, I am sure there are pictures ther of 43 (Wessex) Divisions advance.

Hope that helps.

Al

Thank you Alan. I really appreciate the input. British and Canadian subjects are simply a new venture. I know very little about them. I'm going to go see if I can find a book today. This subject has sparked my interest. Thanks again!

-Mike

Hi Mike,

A Bridge Too Far is probably the best known book. I recently got a copy of Vol I and Vol 2 of Op Market Garden Then and Now, by Karel Margry. Not cheap but what I like about them is it brings the story down to individual level as well as giving a stage by stage account of the operation from beginning to end. About 20 years of research have gone into the Volumes and it is facinating reading and I have only touched the surface and concentrated on the British end of things so far.


Al

Hey Mike, I can relate to that. Allied armor in general is something I've not spent much time on, but have been wanting to build for some time. The Firefly is one of my favorites. Looking forward to seeing updates on the Cyber Hobby kit.

what I have so far for my dio, the jeep and figs are in the works while I finish the Sherman and the Flak 38.

Nice work on that 2cm flak gun Cody. Me Likey! Nice detail on the spent casing deflector and adjustment knobs. Very nice. The Firefly looks great too. I have a sneaky feeling you guys are going to have me building a Sherman soon.
Anyway, Nice update and looking forward to seeing more.
M

Hi Cody,

Nice work on the Flak and the FF is coming along well too.

Al

Hi Guys,

The next jeep- started a build blog on it here:

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/142295&page=1

Thought I'd start on the crew first - a test fit in the RA jeep:



Al

Nice work, Mobious. I appreciate the reference. I think I am probably to the weathering stage with my bike, but the figures are a problem! I cant do anything until they start to look better.

lol. In the meantime, I started my second scene for this project, and it is almost done!

But I am always interested in reference pictures of german bikes. cool stuff!

guille

yes, that happened to me. I didn't notice the cracks that I needed to fill until I saw the photos. Good to catch them early.

nice work with the headsets btw

Hey Guille, Thanks for the comments, always greatly appreciated. A primer coat and a photo are a good way to check for any seam missed. I missed a big one on the commander. Thanks again for checking in on the JgdPz.
Alan, the Resicast set looks great. Checked out the build log of the Jeep, Very nice work.

Hi Mobious,

Thanks, made a start on the chassis tonight, smoothed off the rear bumper and cleaned up the sink marks and on the underside.

Yip bikes are cool, opportuity for some British ones too as there aren't any in 1/35 plastic!!



Al