The "Market Garden" set looks real interesting.

Thanks, Darren. That's a lively tank crew! Love the animation in MA figure sets.

Another good add by MiniArt. It looks like the German tank crew is wearing the naval leather clothing! Rather rare and another example of the desperate industrial situation in Germany. Another painting challenge, but also an opportunity to show something different. Naval clothing? What I am talking about? In the summer of 1944 the German industry started to suffer seriously from shortages of many basic materials. Also the textile industry. Therefore, Navy surplus stock was used and issued to Heer field units. A fine example of this jacket can be found on LINK Furthermore, a good description is given in Gordon Williamson's Panzer Crewman 1939-45, Warrior series, published by Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84176-328-6

That, IMO, is one of the reasons that Mrrt, is where it is. Not because they do a particular piece of clothing, but because they have the imagination to do something different. Personaly though, I much prefer the Arnhem set...

Good release by Miniart and thanks for posting the ref pix on the uniform items. I must point out though,that the leather u-boat clothing was issued to the Panzermanner on purpose! It was not because of clothing shortages. The tankers valued them because it gave increased protection from fire,the biggest fear of all tank crewmen. I have read numerous accounts by German tankmen praising the forthought of their commanders for procuring these leather suits as it saved many guys from severe burns. J

The reason for the naval leathers, I believe, is that 12th SS were in Italy when the Italians surrendered to the Allies. Italian military stocks became fair game to German occupying forces, and these submarine leathers were liberated/looted from a warehouse by 12th SS. They're use as panzer crew protective clothing was recognized and so the uniforms were kept.

12SS HJ were never in Italy. LAH were posted there after Kursk and "liberated" a load of this ex-German U Boat clothing from Italian stocks, along with Italian camo stocks. The only issue with the tank crew set is that if you don't like SS troops, particularly HJ, you can't use them. The leather suits were only issued to HJ tank crews and SS sPzAbt 101/501 as LAH were grouped in 1SS Pz Kp with HJ for Normandy and the Ardennes.

Exactly right on all points. Still leaves a lot of possibilities open with this set though,as they are easily modified to other uniforms? J

You could use them as the crew for the Bronco 1/35 German "Seehund" XXVIIB/B5 Midget Submarine or you could scratchbuild a U Boat Conning tower