I know that after the reunification and the downsizing/restructuring of the Army things changed over there. What do we still have left over there in terms of combat (ground) forces? Assuming we still have tanks over there waht is the cammo scheme we use on them? Could someone give them to me using Testors Model Master equivalents. And a little off topic here....how does the general German populace feel towards our troops...not the anti this that and the other thing demonstrator groups. In my day the kids used to come running out on the sidewalks and wave to us...then point their fingers to their mouths....give us C-Rats (go figure). The old folks woud walk up when we set up and look around. I was blessed with a pretty good German vocabulary so I could talk with them...oh the stories.... That was the 70's what's it like now?

Haven't been there in over 10 years. We used to have two corps (V & VII Corps). There were two armored cavalry regiments 2ACR, 11ACR), 1st Armor Division, 3rd Armor Division, and a brigade of the 2nd Armor Division (Forward). There was the 3rd Infantry Division, 8th Infantry Division and a brigade from the 1st Infantry Divison (Forward). There is also an airborne brigade in Italy (173rd ABN). The infantry and armor divisions were full-up three brigade divisions (except for the forward division).

Right now, the manuever units that remain are the 1st Armor Division and the 1st Infantry Division under the V Corps. The airborne brigade is still in Italy. I think the 1st ID is a partial division with a brigade stateside at Ft. Riley, KS.

I was in Germany in 95 and the younger crowd age 19 to about 30 didn't mind us to much but the consencis was that they wanted us out. but we would go about our buisness no problem. They claim that the US soilders are tearing up the country!

!st Armored also has a brigade stateside at Fort Riley. They where the Corps Resevre for OIF and got divided up into 101st and 82nd during the Invasion....

I was in 1st Armored from 1995-1997 and German population was pretty much indifferent to us being there. Overall pretty friendly and great place to visit and live for the 17 months I was in Germany.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Just got back from 4 years in Germany and loved every minute of it. While I am a zoomie in the real world, I moved the army and others on a day to day event. Most of you all are correct in that the 1 ID and 1AD are still in Germany. They deploy all the time and I think part of the 1 ID is in the sandbox as we read and write. 173 ABN Bg is stationed in Italy as part off the rapid reaction force and with the help on my zoomie brethren can get to the fight fast. There are a lot of units attached to the V Corps which I am not mentioning because I am not familiar with every army unit (Talk zoomie and I can tell you a different story!). However the second part of the question is how does the German population take us being there. I give two answers for this one. First from the community I was in. They want the Americans to stay. One reason is economic, we leave and close bases, and they loose jobs. The unemployment rate is like 10%. You do the math. It was my impression that the political situation is shaky at best in the country, and our way of doing things is not always liked...but it gets the job done. The second reason we are wanted is that it offers a small force ready to go forth and do things. Like it or not, we are making new friends and the 'Old Guard' is seeing this and not liking it. The world is a changing place and some countries still have their heads buried in the sand.
The second perspective is from a modelers point of view. I went to EVERY show or competition I could humanly make (and made my wife crazy!) I talked to people from almost every European country who were modelers like us. The theme was mostly the same, we can be a little heavy handed, but are most definitely wanted. The other thing which struck me as interesting, in some countries more than other, was that they have not forgotten we freed the whole place in ‘45 and kept it that way for the next 60 years. I was floored a couple of times with that.

SO for what its worth, hope it helps. They have their modelers and do shows and competitions just like us. Things are a lot more expensive ($4.00+ for a gallon of gas!), but they do it.

Tracy

Well, it does my heart good to hear that we've stil got stuff deployed and that the folks over there are pretty much the same...and thank you all very much for that info. So, I would still like to know how tanks are camoflagued and what the equivalent colors are in Model master's

Hi Tracy, as always a custom of mine, being American, I make it a habit to " thank you men & women of our nations military forces for doing one hell of a job and keeping America and it's citizens safe and free " ....... WELL DONE !
Anyhow, can you give us civilians a little hint on what " zoomie " means ?

One more thing, you mentioned you took in many scale model shows while over in Germany / Europe .... I myself wish I could be that lucky but at the same time I have seen many photo's from the European shows. There are many good modelers all over the world, but from what I have seen, it just seems that the static models and dioramas built by the Europeans are just so INTENSELY REAL ! They're skills in painting looks to be where they're talents stand out as a cut above the rest. Every year a friend of mine brings back photo's he takes at the Euro Militaire, and every year I'm left gasping for air ! ( lol )

- ralph

USAREUR equipment is painted in 3-color NATO camouflage scheme (FS34094 green, FS30051 brown and FS37030 black). I personally use Tamiya paints (XF-67 NATO green, XF-68 NATO brown and XF-69 NATO black, green and black are OK, brown is a bit too red for US armor). Unfortunately there are no exact matches for these colors in Model Master range - probably it is possible to find close matches but I didn't have a luck...

Rgds,
Pawel

Thanks for the color update and for Sceaming Eagle...... Zoomies are the Air Force, Squids are the Navy and Jarheads are the Marines Army used to be dogfaces... grunts are infantry and treadheads are tankers cannoncockers are Artillery and REMF's are anything not in combat