Next Year, September 1st, 2014 will mark the 75th Anniversary of what is commonly accepted as the start of World War II -The German invasion of Poland.

France and England declared war on Germany for the action and I want to propose a campaign that deals with the year 1939.

This would involve any kit of any manufacturer of any scale for any subject of any country that represents something from the year 1939.

This could include Polish and German vehicles used in the Polish invasion or the vehicles/weapons of any other country, weather they were officially at war yet or not as long as it is representative of something from that nation in 1939.

Such as a US aircraft in pre-war, 1939 colors or Japanese vehicles weapons being used in China in 1939.

I plan to use my 1/35 Mirage 7TP



Any takers or any suggestions for this campaign?

Not a bad idea!

Personally, I would suggest keep it slightly narrower than simply being "anything available or in service in 1939" or some such - I would favor, for instance, a campaign devoted to the actual launching of WWII in 1939 - to equipment of those involved as actual contestants at that time (i.e., Germany, Poland, Russia (which of course attacked the mostly-defeated Polish as the Germans wound down their campaign in 1939), France and the UK (which of course declared war on Germany when Germany attacked Poland - albeit there was little active prosecution of this declaration, these powers did 1) have extant militaries and equipment, and 2) did start their movements of same for what became largely a "SitzKrieg" until May 1940).

There would be plenty of stuff to work with just within the above definition.

Just a suggestion as you form up your ideas!

I'll declare that I would join, regardless of being narrower or wider "1939" - Poland has a few representatives in my closet, as do Britain, France, Germany, and Russia. I'm ready for a "Poland 1939" campaign.

Bob

Bob,

Thanks for the comments.

My original thought was for just those subjects that were actual combatants from September 1939 and onward for the rest of the year but I was afraid that would be too restrictive.

I like the idea of staying with subjects that were involved with the war's start if we can get enough consensus on it.

I had envisioned yearly campaigns for each successive year of the war with representative subjects for that year, up to 1945/2020 if interest can be maintained.

I'd like to say I'd join, no Idea yet what but I like a historicaly based campaign.

I also agree that restricting it to models of thigns actually involved in the war in one wa yor another at that point would be better. Still plenty to choose from.

Cheers
Tristan

Michael,
The Blitz series of campaigns is similar to what you are proposing. Would this start on September 1 I wasnt around for the first Blitz but I would be up for this count me in

I was thinking of starting in on September first but what does everyone think would be better? Start in June, give it 6 months and to December or start September and give it to the end of February, 2015?

I like 6 month windows since I'll also be involved with other campaigns in the year.

Michael nice one, and as Sal said I also wasn't there for the similar "blitz" campaign, I'll do this one. If it runs till 2020
I can do all 8 versions of the StuG III (again)



Paul

Exactly. Think of all the Spitfire Marks!

Thinking "historically", September 2014 would be a likely start month, as that's when the Germans kicked off.

But, by me, that seems rather far away! I would be game for a six-month run (seems pretty right length for many folks - things will get done) and starting up quite a bit sooner. I would love to see this start end of March or, more sort of historically-meaningful, 06 April - run for 6 months - and end 06 October (when Fall Weiss concluded with the partitioning of Poland between Germany and Russia, 06 OCT 1939). Just an idea.

One kit that is screaming loudly from my closet to get built for this possible campaign is Dragon's SdKfz 265 (Kleiner PanzerBefehlsWagen 1B) initial production kit. But there are some other voices out there that cannot be simply ignored!

Cheers!

Bob

I'll make this a Poland, 1939, focus for this campaign if we get enough interest. I like the idea of starting in April and going to October next year.

For my personal builds, I think I'll do something related to Poland for each year of the war - a 7TP for 1939, A MS406 in Polish service with the French Air Force or a Spitfire in the RAF, 1st Armored division Shermans in 1944, etc.

For some reason this past year I got into a kick of Polish WWII history.

Michael,
I have this kit ready to go here
but we still need 5 more participants

How's that Bronco kit ?
It's been in and out of my wishlist every now and then..

I have a Bronco Panzer II D waiting to be built. Count me in.

It looks like a pretty full box of parts fo such a small vehicle, it even has a fret of PE and options for 3 different unit markings

Woohoo! 4 more to go!

Couldn't wait to make a ribbobn:



Hope I didn't just jinx it!

Jumping right on it, aren't you!

I might suggest that you make that "75" to be "75th", on account of you do abbreviate "1939" to be "'39".

The Polish eagles look fine - but would it be better to use the simpler military symbol of red and white squares? That is what planes and other stuff wore in 1939.

Bob

I get a bit excited about less popular topics, so I'd be keen to join in, even though I'm only just getting abck into the hobby.

Count me in!

Like this?:

That could work!

Or (but maybe this would appear to slant stuff overly toward Germany versus Poland) you could replace your eagle space in your original configuration with that Polish red and white, and do the numbers - blocks black on white or white on black?.

Bob

Like this?:



Or how about one that shows national symbols to all combatants to the fall of 1939? The Polish emblem bracketed by half Soviet stars and German crosses:



Or even simpler with just the colors of the nations and the numbers of the campaign:

IMHO, the upper one hits exactly where I was thinking - it's clear and visible and catches the eye and conveys some topic info pretty straight-forwardly. That one has my sincere vote!

The national symbols will immediately suggest that we are dealing here with Poland, Germany and Russia - when we (you) really want to bring in all folks actually lined up and "ready" to fight in the 1939 period - even those French folks sitting behind the Maginot, etc. France and Britain came to war as soon as Case Weiss launched in 1939, so they count here, I think.. Just my opinion, of course!

WELL DONE on that ribbon, Michael, WELL DONE!

Bob

Thanks, Bob.

Now with interested parties of Bob, Tristan, Sal, Paul, Peter and Nigel, we just need 4 more to make it a go.

And to reiterate, we're talking about any vehicle, afv, plane, ship, sub, artillery piece or figure that were part of the invasion of Poland starting September 1st, 1939.

That leaves a wide assortment for Polish, German and Russian subjects.

I'm open to the idea for anything from 1939 but I really do like the focus on the Poland invasion itself since that's what started the war.

I found this site (from Japan, I believe) that has a build of that same kit.

http://www.saimitsutogenkyo.com/making_adler_kfz13_e.htm

Will a Polish Tankette work? If so, I'm in!



Jeff

Just how could you get more "Poland, 1939" than one of those Polish tankettes?

But probably it will be one of those interesting-but-challenging RPM or Mirage miniature monster things... gird for a tiny-but-significant work-out, friend!

Bob