Thursday, 15 June 2023

"The Panzerkampfwagen I Was A Light Tank Produced In Germany In The 1930s."

"The Panzer I's performance... was limited by its thin armour and light armament of two machine guns,"

This 10mm metal German Panzerkampfwagen I tank used to sold by “Pendraken Miniatures” as Code GR186 - Panzer Ib. But nowadays appears to have been superseded by a much more detailed product under Code GRV3 - Panzer I, Ausf. B. Rather embarrassingly, I probably bought this tiny model as part of a huge 'Battle Of Moscow" project some twelve years ago to use with an old version of "Blitzkrieg Commander", and only recently discovered it whilst searching through my collection for any Early World War Two units.

Originally, I did consider just adding it to my previously painted Panzer I contingent. However, having recently started a 10mm non-Winter WW2 project using various British armoured vehicles like the Matilda II and Crusader II tanks, I eventually decided on simply adding it to the German forces I plan to field as opposition. The move also meant I wouldn't need to drop my brush into my sole surviving pot of "Citadel" Adeptus Battlegrey - which I have been saving simply to pigment all my German cold weather forces in order for them to 'precisely' match the forces I finished over a decade ago.

"The legendary Tiger had a reputation way above its real statistics."

As a result, the armoured vehicle was treated to a couple of coats "Vallejo" Neutral Grey - which 'near as damn it' matches the Out Of Production (OOP) "Citadel" Foundation paint anyway, and washed with the new formula "Citadel" Nuln Oil. It was then dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Neutral Grey, before having the tank's wheels/tracks treated to a combination of Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Finally, I added a single German cross onto the hull using a transfer taken from the WWII German Insignia and Swastika sheet by "Decal Details".

Sticking with 10mm German armoured vehicles produced by "Pendraken Miniatures", I have also completed a second of Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausführung H models for my Battle of the Bulge campaign. This was one of two models bought together as a pair within a single clamshell from the Middlesbrough-based manufacturer's stall at Salute 50, and was simply labelled as a Tiger I.

"Pendraken Miniatures" WIPs - These three Panzerjagers are at different stages of completion.

Due to wanting the tank to fit in with the rest of my increasingly old Third Reich forces, it was primed using some "Citadel" Adeptus Battlegrey and shaded using plenty of Nuln Oil. The hefty metal miniature was then dry-brushed with more "Citadel" Adeptus Battlegrey, before its tracks were 'picked out' with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, base-coated in "Vallejo" Gunmetal, and finally drenched in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. It too was then 'peppered' with transfers from the WWII German Insignia and Swastika sheet by "Decal Details", as well as their RU-108 Russian 10/12mm armour numbers set.

Finally, with the arrival of my latest 'reinforcements' from "Pendraken Miniatures" I have been able to add some crew members to a trio of old Panzerjagers I discovered alongside my Panzer Ib. In the past, for my Battle Of Moscow project, I've just based these self-propelled anti-tank artillery pieces unattended, despite never really liking the empty hull. This time round though, I thought I'd plonk a crewman into each vehicle, to at least give the impression that the gun is actually manned...

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