Chaps,

I'm trying to ring the changes amongst my Cold War armour collection; can anyone confirm if the East German Beritschaftpolizei (Bepo I believe) were ever equipped with the BTR 40? I know they had the PSzH variants from the early 70s (again I think) onwards, but am after confirmation that I could portray a model BTR as a Bepo version c.1960s. Whilst not much more than a paint job (I'm assuming the NVA paler shade of olive here) and some bright green epaulettes on the planned figures, such an even mild contrast will make a bit of a difference to my Warsaw Pact/Sov collection - which for the most part is in a plain olive.

Any East German experts out there?

Thanks in anticipation.

Brian

PS: Of course, if anyone knows of a resin manufacturer of the PSzH please let me know!

Accrding to the info you can find here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landespolizei_(Germany)

The BEPO was a West German organization, contrary to the VoPo.

Anyway the East German VoPo was equipped with BTR-40s :





Full-size

On a side note, a resin 1/35th scale PSZH had been released by Botond Models but I guess it's OOP




HTH

Frenchy

Frenchy,

These pics are just the job; many thanks. I am sure that back in "the day" my esteemed Intelligence Corps colleagues referred to these units as "Bepo", however, it may have been a colloquialism and I'm probably guilty of quibbling.

The colour photo would seem to portray the BTR in its original Soviet colour (ie no NVA lighter olive or black wheel hubs) but this is all useful stuff. The badge is also useful - does anyone have it in greater detail or is it just the Vopo badge on a light green diamond? Is there a date or era for these photos at all? No problem if there isn't I can always generalise.

I had planned to utilise the Alanger DDR figures for this vehicle but now I have a cunning plan to see if I can modify suitable Wehrmacht figures although I am still undecided if I go for the action poses or the more placid seated group - but these pictures are inspirational. All I need are some AK 47s and the odd Milliput modification/respirator case, a Hornet head or 2, and I'm there. Oh, of course, I've got to wade through Trumpeter's model first of course.

Thanks again Frenchy; outstanding. I only wish the Botond model was available. A quick Google would indicate that it is indeed, pretty rare - but I would love one of those!

Brian

You're welcome Brian. I haven't found any date or era for these two pics...and these are the only ones I've came across so far

Frenchy

Hi Brian,

after the weekend, I can ask some colleagues of mine about the Bereitschaftspolizei. I know a few guys from East Germany, I think one of them even served with BePo.
BTW The PSzH was commenly referred in Ex-GDR as SPW-PSH. PSH was "translated" into "Puszta-Scheisshaus", a rough term for Puszta toilet.

Greetz
Hans-Hermann

Hi Brian,

a quick visit on German Wikipedia showed that the was a so-called Volkspolzei Bereitschaft a.k.a. Bereitschaftpolizei. They were paramilitary organized and had SPW-40 (BTR-40) and PSzH.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkspolizei
More in-deep informations on the Bewaffneten Organe der DDR
can be found on German Wikipedia.

Greetz
Hans-Hermann

HTH

Frenchy

Gentlemen,

Thank you so very much; all hail to Armorama!

Frenchy, you're the Man(!)I have a friend who produces his own decals so many thanks for the badge.

Hans-Herman: Vielen Dank! Anything extra you - or your fiends can provide will be much appreciated. Whilst the PSzH may well be a Scheisshaus, I would still love to get one in 1:35; it takes me back to my military days when I was flown over Berlin in 1980 and briefed on the Soviet and NVA dispositions (including the Bepo) and remember seeing the seried ranks of vehicles in barracks. All fascinating and I only wish I had had a camera with me.

Anyway, I have sufficient to crack on with the Trumpeter model; if I arm it the excellent Italeri/now Zvezda SGM machine gun will be all that is needed, save for some decent figures.

This has been really helpful and thank you all again.

Brian

Just don't forget to add a "frame" to the green diamond. You can notice it in the full-size version of the color picture.

Frenchy

Hi Brian,

I just called my friend Falk. He served from 1986 to 1989 with the Volkspolizei Bereitschaft. He was- as we say today - a designated marksman - with the Dragunov sniper rifle. It was called SSGD or Scharfschützengewehr Dragunov. At that timeframe the Vopo Bereitschaften were equipped with SPW-PSH only. The SPW-40 had been handed over to the Betriebskampf-gruppen paramilitary units. He said the SPW PSH were painted in standard NVA green with only the police star as a marking. They had no licence plate, so it was mandatory to have Regulierer (Traffic control) on MZ motorbikes with them.
Falk said he wore the standard NVA EinStrich-KeinStrich uniform (Raindrop pattern) and the Volkspolizei "Parade" Uniform.
The Volkspolizei Bereitschaften were orignially intended as a second-line defence against the western aggression, but in the mid 1980`s they were also trained in anti-riot operations
with helmets, shields and batons.
As for the SPW-PSH, if I find enough reference material, I might convince Trumpeter to make a kit of it. With Trumpeter being on the Warsaw Pact "trip", there is a good chance for it, but I won`t hold my breath for it.
@ Frenchy: Start digging for PSzH references

HTH
Hans-Hermann

Hi Brian,

if you won`t wait for a Trumpeter release, a quick googleseach proved some interesting results.
http://www.multi-board.com/board/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=15299
I found that there is at least on SPW-PSH preserved in a collection in Kummerdorf. There are some SPW-PSH models in HO scale available here.
A good base for some scratch-building.

Good Hunting
Hans-Hermann

http://svsm.org/gallery/PSZH-IV

http://www.toadmanstankpictures.com/pszh-iv.htm


http://mhrfweb.makett.org/MHRF/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=category&id=259%3Acsepel-pszh-d-944-vegyes-kecel-2005&Itemid=11&lang=en

http://mhrfweb.makett.org/MHRF/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=category&id=167%3Acsepel-pszh-d-944-vegyes-kecel-2005&Itemid=11&lang=en

http://mhrfweb.makett.org/MHRF/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=category&id=166%3Acsepel-pszh-d-944-kecel-2005&Itemid=11&lang=en

http://mhrfweb.makett.org/MHRF/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=category&id=33%3Acsepel-pszh-d-944-zamardi-2009&Itemid=11&lang=en

http://www.makettinfo.hu/upload/201101/1206718_48467_CSD944_PSZH_04.jpg

http://makettinfo.hu/upload/201101/1206718_48397_CSD944_PSZH_02.jpg

http://makettinfo.hu/upload/201101/1206718_48438_CSD944_PSZH_03.jpg





Frenchy

Hans-Hermann,

Thank you again for this very interesting piece. I will, I think, try and set my BTR 40 in, say, the mid-60s. That way there will be a nice contrast of Soviet olive, the grey-green of the uniforms, bright epaulettes, and of course the badge on the side of the BTR. I may even try and model the action with figures leaping from the vehicle; that may be difficult to achieve but I am sure I can modify say, some old Tamiya Wehrmacht figures relatively easily. There could/should also be a nice contrast on the figures as I suspect that their personal equipment, not least ammo puches and waterbottles, would have been in the older Flaechentarnmuster, again providing some interest. All I have to do is to start building the vehicle; so many ideas, so many models but so little time!

I am sure that the PSzH is no more esoteric than some of Trumpeter's recent releases; the design of the vehicle is very much in accordance with other Warsaw Pact vehicles yet sufficiently different to provoke some interest I would have thought. I would certainly snap a couple up, but then I've never forgotten that aerial view I was so privileged to have over Berlin back in 1980. A model of this would be an interesting contrast to say, a BGS Saladin (another project of mine!)

Thanks again to all who have assisted me in this project; the information has been priceless and has actually re-defined way beyond my original intention.

Brian

According to this document :
http://fr.scribd.com/doc/32452650/East-German-9-Police-Volkspolizei (on page 23)
the BTR-40 was apparently used by the VoPo until 1975*, so you're good to go

*along with BTR-152s :



Frenchy

Frenchy,

That's a very good picture indeed. I feel I'm in danger of getting sidetracked into a Vopo theme! My original plan was just to ring the changes from plain olive drab - ie most of my Cold War collection - and produce something different, but now......

I do have a Skif BTR 152 awaiting construction but hope to portray that as an NVA vehicle complete with a full complement of soldiers alongside (re a photo I have somewhere). This will entail around 12 x boxes of the Alanger/ICM "DDR Motorized troops" together with a Soviet figure. That should - when I start/complete look different enough as the original photo shows the NVA in the earlier mottled camouflage uniform, which I'm looking quite forward to painting. BTR will be in the NVA paler green and together with the emplem should look the business. But as we all know, it's not the lack of ideas, but time.

Mind you, the Vopo 152 does look interesting!

Thanks again for another great picture. Who would have thought the Bepo question would provoke so much interest?

Brian

Hi Brian




I'm afraid things could even go worse (I can't vouch for the colors accuracy though...)





Frenchy

Frenchy,

This is hopeless!

I'm actually hoping to save the olive, grey, dark grey scheme for a Kladivo T72 towards the end of the Cold War era but now I feel a sudden urge to go and lay down a stock of BRDMs.

Mind you, a bit worrying if a Police force has to equip itself with a NBC Recce version is it not (assuming that that is what the last image is)??!!

Regards,

Brian

Hi Brian,

Nice to see someone else on the NVA track, if you search NVA CAMO you may find something to interest you plus some good links.

Redprol

Redprol,

Thanks for the tip; 'always been interested in the NVA ever since I stumbled over a SOLDIER magazine in the mid 60s which showed some NVA troops in camouflage uniforms astride a D44 SP (ie auxiliary engine) anti-tank gun. It all blew me away with both the concept (of the equipment) and the mystery. Fast forward to today and it's all great fun portraying those esoteric armies of the Cold War in 1:35. We've never had it so good - there is even 1:35 D44 nigh - but I'm getting way off subject here!

Brian

Hi Brian

Just sent you a PM

Frenchy