HIRIART World War II Slovak Infantry, Operation Barbarossa, 1941 (1 Viewer)

[ucla1967]

I have always been interested in collecting toy soldier sets from the secondary powers who took part in World War II. For example, one would be hard pressed to find any toy soldier maker who has made sets from the countries that fought on the Eastern Front: Finns, Poles, Hungarians, Slovaks, or Romanians. I have actually ordered special commission sets from Hiriart from all these countries. The latest is World War II Slovak Infantry from Operation Barbarossa in 1941.

The Slovak 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions and the Slovak Mobile Brigade were part of the LII Corps along with the German 101st Light Infantry Division. This corps was assigned to the Seventeeth Army in Army Group South. The Mobile Brigade consisted of single tank, motorized infantry, artillery, and engineer battalions . It was equipted with Czech Skoda LT vz 35 light tanks armed with a 37mm main gun. NB: This tank was in service with the German Army as the Panzer 35(t). In August 1941, the infantry divsions were sent back to Slovakia and a 10,000 man Mobile Division and a 6,000 man Security Division were formed. The Slovak Mobile Division took part in battles at Lemberg, Kiev, on the Mius, and Rostov. They advanced into the Kuban with the 1st Panzer Army and help cover the retreat from the Caucasus after Stalingrad, but was nearly cut off near Krasnodar. Its survivors were airlifted to the Crimea, leaving their heavy equipment behind.

The Slovaks wore pre-war Czech Army uniforms. They painted a blue band around the rim of their helmets and they also had a Slovak cross on each side above that band. This was to help prevent them from being confused for Soviets who had similar shaped helmets.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is a close-up of a Slovak infantryman from the left side where you can get a better view of the Slovak cross on his helmet. The camera's flash distorted them in the first post.

 

[ucla1967]

I have asked Hiriart if they could make a die cast Czech LT vz 35 tank for me in the future (2015). I told them I would order a minimum of ten tanks in three versions: the Slovak LT vz 35, the German Panzer 35(t), and the Romanian R-2. Hiriart has only made three other die cast AVF in the past: the British Bren Gun Carrier, the Italian CV33 tankett, and the German Panzer II. Since the LT vz 35 is about the same size as the Panzer II, I am hoping they can/will do it.

THe Slovak version would have the three-color Czech camouflage scheme with red turret numbers outlined in white with the Slovak cross national insignia also on the turret. The German version would be in panzer grey while the Romanian R-2s would be in the Skoda factory painted Czech olive drab. The Skoda LT vz 35 was a light tank which weighed 10.3 tons compared to the German Panzer II ausf F which weighed 9.3 tons. The Slovak LT vz 35 was armed with a 37mm main gun as was the early German Panzer III. Both its hull front and turret front rivited-armor was only 25mm thick with only 15 or 16mm of armor protection on the hull and turret sides. During the Polish campaign more than 70 of the German Panzer 35(t)s were either destroyed or damaged out of the 112 deployed.

During Operation Barbarossa about, 189 German Panzer 35(t)s, 79 Slovak LT vz 35s, and 126 Romanian R-2s took part in the campaign. Most were removed from front line service as the campaign progressed due to battle losses and their increasingly obselence compared to the Soviet KV-1 and T-34/76 tanks they faced.

I have attached a photo of what the Slovak LT vz 35 looked like.

 

[jager7080]

I have asked Hiriart if they could make a die cast Czech LT vz 35 tank for me in the future (2015). I told them I would order a minimum of ten tanks in three versions: the Slovak LT vz 35, the German Panzer 35(t), and the Romanian R-2. Hiriart has only made three other die cast AVF in the past: the British Bren Gun Carrier, the Italian CV33 tankett, and the German Panzer II. Since the LT vz 35 is about the same size as the Panzer II, I am hoping they can/will do it.

THe Slovak version would have the three-color Czech camouflage scheme with red turret numbers outlined in white with the Slovak cross national insignia also on the turret. The German version would be in panzer grey while the Romanian R-2s would be in the Skoda factory painted Czech olive drab. The Skoda LT vz 35 was a light tank which weighed 10.3 tons compared to the German Panzer II ausf F which weighed 9.3 tons. The Slovak LT vz 35 was armed with a 37mm main gun as was the early German Panzer III. Both its hull front and turret front rivited-armor was only 25mm thick with only 15 or 16mm of armor protection on the hull and turret sides. During the Polish campaign more than 70 of the German Panzer 35(t)s were either destroyed or damaged out of the 112 deployed.

During Operation Barbarossa about, 189 German Panzer 35(t)s, 79 Slovak LT vz 35s, and 126 Romanian R-2s took part in the campaign. Most were removed from front line service as the campaign progressed due to battle losses and their increasingly obselence compared to the Soviet KV-1 and T-34/76 tanks they faced.

I have attached a photo of what the Slovak LT vz 35 looked like.

Mike ,

You know I love the idea...Would really like to see Hiriart's version of the Pz 35t...
I really like my Hiriart Pz II 's...
When I pitched the idea on the K&C thread of the 35t & 38t...I thought my chances were slim to none that Andy would build either of them...But as you know was able to get the 38t produced...It is an awesome little AFV , got two of them...Would love to get a Hiriart German 35t , would look good next to the Pz II...

Joe

 

[ucla1967]

Mike ,

You know I love the idea...Would really like to see Hiriart's version of the Pz 35t...
I really like my Hiriart Pz II 's...
When I pitched the idea on the K&C thread of the 35t & 38t...I thought my chances were slim to none that Andy would build either of them...But as you know was able to get the 38t produced...It is an awesome little AFV , got two of them...Would love to get a Hiriart German 35t , would look good next to the Pz II...

Joe

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

Here is an interesting photo of Slovak World War II re-enactors riding on a RR flatcar.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is what the Hiriart special commission "Slovenska Pesia" World War II Slovak Infantry look like in their box.