Armorama :: Kampfgruppe Krause at the Falaise Gate

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Kampfgruppe Krause at the Falaise Gate

jrutman

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Posted: Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 06:28 PM UTC

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What got me going on this are the first hand accounts available from both sides....... There is seldom so much info concerning a small unit action.

Absolutely!

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...but then I have to make the whole building....

Could you get away with just the corner of the building behind the Pak? Kind of what's visible in the 1944 photo?
You could also include the steep bank which is quite an interesting feature.

What about the street itself? There was I think a barbed wire barricade too.

Looking forward to seing what you come up with

Cheers

Sean

Building just the corner is what I am leaning towards right now and yes,I will want to include some of the bank. The drop-off it self it a bit confusing. If you compare the pic from right after the war with the gun in it the bank looks like it starts more past the corner of the house. Modern pics show the bank starts very close to the houses' corner.
The barbed wire barrier ,if these guys followed standard obstacle rules, would be far enough in front of the position that it could be defended by fire. Too close and it is not as effective. These guys were very good at what they did so I am guessing the wire was closer to that bend in the National road.
Thanks for following my ramblings buddy !
J

jrutman

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Posted: Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 06:31 PM UTC

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Talking about the house behind the PaK, I guess the faded painted advertisement is for the Saint Raphaël Quinquina and should looks like this (maybe minus the two waiter silhouettes...) :

H.P.

Another excellent piece of the puzzle Frenchie! Thanks for this.
I will see if I can fit this in with whatever I come up with for the layout.
That Google Earth panoramic was beautiful to give me the lay of the land.
J

Frenchy

Rhone, France
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Posted: Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 07:33 PM UTC

Just came across another example (from http://www.elve.net/padv/en/home.htm ) :

The typeface may be closer to the one used in the original picture...

H.P.

jrutman

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Posted: Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 08:08 PM UTC

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Just came across another example (from http://www.elve.net/padv/en/home.htm ) :

The typeface may be closer to the one used in the original picture...

H.P.

Even better ! Thanks again buddy !
J

jrutman

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Posted: Friday, July 28, 2017 - 02:36 AM UTC

I got my new PAK in the mail from Dragon. For my personal tastes in building I like it much better than the AFC and I think it has crisper and more accurate detail. The wheels are way better and you have the choice of three different wheels and muzzle brakes. Early,Mid and Late styles. I will use the plastic splinter shield from Dragon as I hate the PE one from AFC. The PE one requires adding a bizillion tiny bolts so...uh-uh. I do like the alum. tube from AFC though.

jrutman

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Posted: Friday, July 28, 2017 - 07:58 AM UTC

Got the main pieces gathered for number 2 gunner. When all is final I will switch the round for a metal Tamiya one. I may switch the head still. I want them to look like they are bracing for that god-awful bang this gun makes when it's fired. You have to see it to believe it.

jrutman

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Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 06:31 AM UTC

Bit more putty work on both figs and a lot of work on the tiny pieces that compose that gun.

timcc2008

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Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 05:35 PM UTC

Really looking great so far, Jerry! Have you done a sketch up of the dio plan that you can share?

vr

Tim

jrutman

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Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 06:29 PM UTC

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Really looking great so far, Jerry! Have you done a sketch up of the dio plan that you can share?

vr

Tim

I am still running that around in my noggin Tim. I am getting pretty close now to my final plan. The MG team is the thing giving me problems as to where I will place it and what it is doing.
J

jrutman

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Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 11:03 PM UTC

I am getting ready to add the personal gear to the two crew members and I am keeping these two well known pics in mind.
They both show the 12SS Begleit Kompanie PAK platoon in position roughly 6 weeks earlier in Normandy fro when my scene takes place.
You can see the uniforms well and also the fact that little,if any,of the combat pack is worn. These guys were used to stowing the gear on the towing vehicle. I will assume "my"guys were no different at the Gate.
Pics are posted for reference. They have been in many books but I recommend Concord publications edition on the HJ and the 12SS Pz Div by Tom Cockle and illustrated by the great Ron Volstad. Inexpensive and full of good pics and a concise unit history.

Thanks for lurking,looking and lasting through the long intermissions.
J

BUTA46

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Posted: Wednesday, August 02, 2017 - 03:37 PM UTC

PAK on Jerry! Keep it real, keep it accurate and fill it with love! Love your figure adaptations like I love your face painting and Granma's cookin! Your "little brothers" always have that "been there done that" going on.

jrutman

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Posted: Wednesday, August 02, 2017 - 08:33 PM UTC

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PAK on Jerry! Keep it real, keep it accurate and fill it with love! Love your figure adaptations like I love your face painting and Granma's cookin! Your "little brothers" always have that "been there done that" going on.

Thanks for the much needed words of encouragement brother !
J

americanpanzer

Iowa, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, August 02, 2017 - 09:17 PM UTC

very cool stuff! that gun did make a "god-awful bang;" YouTube has a channel called Forgotten Weapons where a restored PAK 75mm is fired; you can clearly see the effect of the blast on the guy firing it

jrutman

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Posted: Wednesday, August 02, 2017 - 11:53 PM UTC

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very cool stuff! that gun did make a "god-awful bang;" YouTube has a channel called Forgotten Weapons where a restored PAK 75mm is fired; you can clearly see the effect of the blast on the guy firing it

Thanks for the comment. Yes,that exact video is what I am talking about. Another aspect you don't notice from that video however is how far the spent shell gets ejected out the back ! It goes a good 8 feet or so!
J

kurnuy

West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
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Posted: Thursday, August 03, 2017 - 12:18 AM UTC

Nice plan J , looking forward to see more.

Kurt

jrutman

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Posted: Thursday, August 03, 2017 - 06:40 AM UTC

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Nice plan J , looking forward to see more.

Kurt

Thanks Kurt,for checking in buddy! Nice to se you here.

I added another layer of putty to this guy and made the switch to the brass Tamiya round as well. Still not totally happy with the head as it seems like the helmet is too small.

I started to sculpt my own helmet cover on a slightly larger helmet.

I need to let this dry and finish it up plus add the cloth foliage strips. If it looks decent I will make a mold of it.
Thanks for looking !
J

jrutman

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Posted: Thursday, August 03, 2017 - 11:10 PM UTC

Decided to switch heads and also use my new,almost completed helmet.

white4doc

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Posted: Friday, August 04, 2017 - 07:08 PM UTC

Outstanding work, Jerry. I'm always psyched to see what new thing that fertile mind of yours cooks up for your next project, so I don't know how I managed to miss this one's start, but I'm following from now on Brother.

bill_c

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MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS

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Posted: Friday, August 04, 2017 - 08:24 PM UTC

Nice work as always, Jerry!

See you at ArmorCon next month?

jrutman

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Posted: Monday, August 07, 2017 - 01:54 AM UTC

Thanks John,very nice things to hear from you buddy ! Glad to see you found this one !
Bill-thanks man. I may try for that show but I have heart surgery tomorrow and we will see how things turn out.

I got some tweeks done. I folded the split in the trousers bottom and added the drawstrings. I also added the empty e-tool carrier(late style).