Hi Guys

Quick question, I would like to build a diorama depicting 5th SS Wiking Division grenadiers and tank crews in late Autumn 1944, Poland. Can anyone provide insight to the appropriate miniature figures I should use?

My candidate list is below:

http://www.alpineminiatures.com/imagepages/35113.html

http://www.alpineminiatures.com/imagepages/35235.html

http://www.alpineminiatures.com/imagepages/35151.html

http://www.alpineminiatures.com/imagepages/35240.html

Any of those would work. End of the war saw a big mish mash of uniforms being used.
Just remember if you will include a Panther,Wiking never received any type G Panthers. The Type A that were issued to them went to Poland with them in summer'44 and were the same tanks they ended the war with.
j

These figures would all work,but one of the figures in the first pair and the second figure are wearing what was referred to as the 'Kharkov Parka'. It was issued in the'42-'43 time frame and wasn't seen much in the late war period. That being said it's okay to use those figures. Just remember that the parka wasn't issued in camouflage colors only the grey-green color shown.
As far as tanks go Wlking also operated Early Panther A's and some D's with zimmerit added. The D's were primarily used as command tanks.
They also had PZ IV H's and J's and Stug IVs. An excellent little monograph on this subject is 'Wiking Summer' from the Firefly Collection by ADH Publishing. It covers the summer of '44 in Poland,but the division would still have had a lot of the same equipment operating into the fall and winter months.
Hope this helps.
Regards,Bob

The Kharkov parka was used until the end of the war. Later models had a full lenght opening across the length.
Winter clothing was distributed according to the seasons. During the off seasons it was repaired, to be distributed again the next winter.
Here's an image showing Wiking in fur anoraks

I agree Marc,it's pretty much what I said in my original post.
Regards,Bob

Thanks Jerry, I would like to make a Panzer IV H late version with Zimmerit applied.

I am not sure if they had the H's still at that point but I am not up on it like others here.
I know the Panther Bn was equipped and trained on the Panther and joined the division in Poland during the summer of '44. They kept these same Panthers until wars' end,mostly type A's with a few D's. The PanzerIV Bn was re-equipped after they lost all their tanks withdrawing from Korsun in early'44 but were pretty much always operational and kept getting new issues of replacement tanks. So a late H with zimm may be possible. Anyone?
J

Wiking received Pz IV in January, March and September 44. Which kit will you be using?

Star decal has two offerings

Panzer J Late 1944 Poland
http://www.star-decals.net/35-C1136.html

Panzer H Early 1945
http://www.star-decals.net/35-C1135.html

Panzer IV Ausf. H
Late Production
Dragon - 6300

According to "Firebrigades", by Kamen Nevenkin, 27 Pz IV were shipped between Feb 9 and Feb 24 to the division. My guess is these would have been Ausf H or J. Production changed from the Ausf H to J in Feb '44.
You could an early Ausf J. All you need to change is delete the small muffler on the rear and close up the hole.

Regards,

Marc