Military Armoured Vehicles & Warfare Army Life - AFV NEWS

1942 El Alamein: The Inspection

This diorama is set after the fierce battle at El Alamein in 1942. Depicts an inspection over a British destroyed and abandoned Crusader MK II.

The Crusader (an Italeri kit n.6385 ) was one of my first ever build models.  So I took the decision to recycle it for a 'burning improvement '! The figures are also '2nd hand' and are Dragon's 'old generation' sets with small modifications for the case.

The

Crusader as said before was already painted and to fit the scene was treated with

Mig pigments: Black Smoke with the addition of oxide and various shades

of rust.

A bit of white pigment White Ashes was added near the wheels, where the rubber was burned out. (The photos are not updated with this detail)

Deformations caused by explosions were gained  with a lighter  . As a reference for reproducing the scene I  used New Vanguard – Crusader Cruiser Tank 1939 to 1945. Excellent source of reference on the Crusader tanks.

The

whole idea is to represent a little chaos that reigned in DAK: Uniforms

messy, out of order and exchange of resources between the different

divisions. 

To this end I gave a touch of color as you can see some red or blue handkerchiefs around their necks. In general, the clothing has many different shades, from yellow to very faded green.

The

first divisions of DAK to arrive in Africa were still equipped with the

normal European clothing and were put together very quickly. It

was not uncommon that many specially lightened their uniforms, as for camouflage issues as to make some scene on the newcommers.

 The figure above the Crusader is a resin kit of Toro. The

Kubelwagen Type 82, is a model produced by Tamiya and it belongs to  Ramcke division, as we have also near it  a Ramcke officer  enjoying the scene.

Used kits:

Crusader MK II Italeri kit 6385

KubelWagen type 82 dak Tamiya

Figures: Dragon – Toro – Soldati.

Books:

21st Panzer Division – Rommel's Afrika Korps Spearhead.

New Vanguard – Crusader cruiser tank

Thanks!