Project - 'Wehrmacht Firepower' - PAKem in

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all, hope everyone is travelling fine?,

For those that have followed my various 'Wehrmacht on the Move' threads and the fact that my planned dioramas won't go ahead this year due to a COVID-Cancelled model show, I'm now combining the 'on the Move' with next year's planned 'Wehrmacht Firepower'. Alternating between vehicle models and weapons in the process (and naturally all will have appropriately-dressed figures to match the theatre of ops).

First off is a series of Panzerabwehrkanones or 'PAK's for short. I thought I'd commence with the CHE 5cm PAK38 which is the middle gun of the three (flanked by the mighty 7.5cm PAK40 (it's successor) and the old 3.7cm PAK36 (its predecessor). All three indicative of advances in enemy tank armour and the need to have suitable weapons on-hand to cope.

Even though this series highlights successive models to counter the increase in enemy tank armour as the war progressed, each remained in-service throughout the war to some degree. The PAK38, I decided, whilst as a pre-build that came in a three-camo with criss-cross whitewash, I wanted a more 'used' look to suit the end of Winter in Russia where whitewash, wear and tear of a long slogmatch that was the Russian Front is evident in the finish. The PAK36 is next and though the one pictured is in early-war Dunkelgrau, I've another in kit-form which allows for the front armoured shield to fold which is to my liking. This gun will be in three-tone camo also, with netting and foliage and will represent a gun in-use with the Fallschirmjager in Normandy. As such, it'll also be fitted with Steilgranate 41. The PAK i've yet to decide on. Enjoy, Steve

 

[tankfan0720]

Very nice collection. What brand is the PAK 40? Don't see many..
B

 

[SteveKrieg]

The 1/6th scale PAK 40 is courtesy of 21st Century Toys (noting they also produced one in 1/18th scale). They were released early-on in the century and though I'm not a big fan of the 21st Century Toys 1/6th range (I always found them rather too plastic-like and clunky in detail compared to more recent offerings but, for their day when such vehicles just weren't around in that larger scale they sufficed).

I bought three back in 2005 rather cheaply from a model shop which was closing down and remains one of my favourite pieces from the 21st CT 1/6th range with moveable elevation, trails, breech plus comes with an ammo container and four rather plain rounds (which will also do up nicely) with the idea of doing up an outdoor diorama of them all waiting in ambush and I've always been keen to paint one of them in three-tone camo (they come in dark grey).

Alas, 15 years later, I've finally got the chance to do so as part of the PAK gun diorama which ostensibly will be all three lined up with crews, ammo and info cards. I do recall Cyber Hobby Exclusive brought one out as well which, like their PAK38, is made of the heavy polystone common to CHE 1/6th back in the day.

Two more 21st Century PAK40s were procured unfortunately a friend's deceased estate so with five in-total, I plan to paint/detail at least three of them (keeping with that ambitious ambush plan of 2005) leaving options open for the other two.

Cheers, Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all,

Just a quick one on this phase of 'PAKem in'...with the PAK38 complete and the PAK36 now fully in-progress (pics to follow), I thought I'd dabble with the camo-pattern for the PAK40. Enjoy, Steve

 

[thegreatshaggy]

Looking good so far

 

[Panzercommander HOH]

Nice three color camo, Steve!

Well done!

Fred

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all,

Just a quick update ref the 3.7cm PAK 36...

I've now added the final part to the gun - that of a Stielgranate 41 ('stick bomb' so-called from the rod that protrudes from its tail assembly). I found the one that came with the CHE variant was inaccurate in that it fitted to the front of the gun in its entirety as opposed to the tail assembly fitting over the barrel like a sleeve (which it's suppose to); I ended-up getting a mate of mine whose big on 3d printing to produce such a round and its transport container. The trade-off here was that given the model's barrel circumference and thickness, the tail sleeve had to be made slightly larger to fit though is negligible in the big scheme of things.

The Stielgranate 41 ensured the obsolete PAK 36 remained in somewhat effective service even right up 'til June 1944 in Normandy where the Fallschirmjager (who favoured the gun for its lightweight capabilities - an inherent requirement for airborne forces) employed them in Normandy amongst the bocage where concealment was ideal given the relative short range of the bomb which could only be fitted for firing by a crew member brave enough to venture out in-front of the gun shield to fit to the barrel (a blank round loaded into the breech powered the hollow-charge grenade towards its target).

The grenade weighed around 8.5kg and though it was cumbersome to carry it was noted as being extremely effective with a normal engagement range of some 300 metres (once again, ideal for the close confines of the Normandy hedgerows). It was also employed against the Soviets.

I intend to assemble an FJR crew for the gun (which will be posed as is with two of its three shields down for better observation by the commander and firer) to befit the Normandy front. Enjoy, Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all,

Just another quick update ref this series on PAK guns. The DML PAK36 is now complete and now onto the PAK40 (21st Century).

As with all the hardware of this project, the figures (in their various uniforms) will be done last and then posed along with the piece to close it off (essentially packed-away until the model show where it will feature along with an information panel).

Enjoy, Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all,

Just another quick one to signal the end of the PAK gun build phase after completing the 21st Century Toys PAK40. As stated earlier, all crews for the weapon platforms will be done last (doing all the figures at once, I reckon, will save time and reduce the 'stop/start' process given I seem to be on a roll with weapons of late.

Of the three PAK guns, I'd have to say the PAK40 was probably the least satisfying to do up and I think this is because it's somewhat 'clunky' in detail compared to the DML PAK36 and CHE PAK38 though she came up nicely enough as a companion piece for the others. I've other PAK40s - all 21st Century - in the collection, a couple I did back in 2005 (experimentation) but now that I've got a decent airbrush I'll no doubt re-do them in a process line system with the other two (an unfortunate acquisition via the loss of a fellow collector and friend some years back). After a diorama will all of them redone, I'll probably sell three with crews (such is the eventual plan).

The PAK40 will have a W-SS crew and I'm in two minds whether or not to apply netting/foliage, I guess I'll do a bit of dabbling and see how it looks in the near future. Once all the crews are done, I'll post another pic or two of all three with their crews, ammo and such.

Enjoy, Steve

 

[Pangaea95]

Egad...how many Pak's do you have altogether!!! Great stuff!!!

 

[SteveKrieg]

Haha...yeah, more than I need though three of the PAK40s were gained via a model shop clearance back in 2005 for $60 AUD and given I had nothing really large in terms of firepower in 1/6th it was too good an opportunity to pass-up.

Cheers, Steve

 

[Panzercommander HOH]

Love the work on the PAK 36, Steve!

Nicely done!

Fred

 

[SteveKrieg]

Thanks very muchly Fred. Out of the three is it also my favourite and the addition of the Steilgranate '41 coupled with the camo pattern is most likely the reason why. Will post some completion pics once I assign the FJR crew to it. Cheers, Steve