new AK sets (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

Carlos,

How big is the diorama that you have for the AK stuff? Looks quite nice. I've got a compressed diorama of about 9.5 by 25 inches, with Germans on the one side facing off against 8th Army.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Really nice diorama Carlos! Well done. Post some more shots once you've added the new sets.

 

[desk11desk12]

Carlos,

How big is the diorama that you have for the AK stuff? Looks quite nice. I've got a compressed diorama of about 9.5 by 25 inches, with Germans on the one side facing off against 8th Army.

Thanks Jazzeum,

That Diorama is only 12"x36" shelf lying within a converted bookcase with fluorescent lighting. The top shelf has KC Hellcat, KC M7 Priest and a pair of Britains US 105MM Howitzers with camo canopy, Figarti US Tent and an assorted KC and Britains US paratroopers. The 3rd shelf has most of the KC 8th Army and FOC British Sherman in a European back drop.

I also have a huge Curio Cabinet (20”D x 41” W x 81” H) with some cool KC German BoB and US BOB scenes on separate shelves. There is another shelf with North Africa and the last shelf with French/ German town being occupied by KC Troops and vehicles surrounded by JGM and Build-A-Rama buildings. I’ll need to re-shoot these scenes to make sure the file size meets the requirements for posting.

I’m about to build another large diorama on 4”x 8” table in the second room. It will be Europe with the Germans facing off with US troops. I’ll be using Conte painted Form Tech building (thanks George), JGM and Kancali streets and a ton of Build-A-Rama accessories. KC, ONTC, Conte, Britains and TSSD painted GI’s will be liberally used. Most of the vehicles will be FOV with some KC vehicles.

This will be fun.

See you all at the West Coaster March 5th.
http://www.oldtoysoldierhome.com/thewestcoaster/westcoaster.htm


Carlos

 

[desk11desk12]

Really nice diorama Carlos! Well done. Post some more shots once you've added the new sets.

Thank you Louis,

I will in the future

Carlos

 

[Steven Chong]

... See you all at the West Coaster March 5th ...

Dear Carlos,
I will be arriving at the West Coaster on March 3rd. Check out the thread from Sierra (Mike) inviting people to a talk by Andy Neilson.

 

[johngambale]

Hello Again! Now guys, for the Member's who has Ganged Up on me about me Complaining, some may call it, but I have been Requesting and Suggesting; that Andy will continue to ADD-ON to the N. Africa Sets, hopefully in the near future, for All K & C N. Africa Collector's! And don't forget about an Awesome Afrika Korps Fighting Infantry, along with the ITALIANS, FRENCH, AND AUSSIE'S, and their ARMOR! 'GOODDAY'

 

[Rob]

I agree with you there John,i hope this range goes on and on.(but then i want all the ww2 ranges to go on and on!!)I am hoping that one day we may see an AK 88mm with crew.

Rob.

 

[desk11desk12]

Dear Carlos,
I will be arriving at the West Coaster on March 3rd. Check out the thread from Sierra (Mike) inviting people to a talk by Andy Neilson.

Cool Steve,

I live in the LA area, so I will be there Friday and Saturday visiting the room trading and at the show on Sunday. I'd like to meet you when in your in town. Send me a private message when you're in town and we'll meet. Aside from Sierra, are there anymore shops to visit in the SF area? I have a brother there and when I'm up there I'd like to drop in on them.

For those staying in So Cal for the West Coaster there is a cool Military Museum in El Monte, CA checkout the website. El Monte is about 30 miles north of Irvine, CA, lots of WWII and Modern Military tanks, SP, Higgins boats and other vechiles.

http://www.laavenue.com/militarymuseum.htm



By the way, anyone have a list of Toy Soldier Shows for So. CA in 2006?

Carlos

 

[Louis Badolato]

Believe me, I am thrilled by any new sets for North Afrika, and I would really love to see some more Long Range Desert Group and SAS Desert vehicles, figures, even planes (the LRDG had two American WACO planes with RAF rondells). Also Rommel's Feisler Storch recon plane has been discussed. I guess Andy will get to it all in his good time.

 

[Combat]

The new AK figures look great. I am still on the fence about starting up this collection though due mostly to space concerns. Also, I always thought Rommel's talents were greatly overestimated both in Africa and as reflected later in the war. Mostly a product of German PR. The uniforms are nice though! So I am probably in.

 

[jazzeum]

I really love this collection and it's also a fascinating period of history although merely a sideshow for Hitler. It's also apparently a war where the Commonwealth forces and the Germans treated each other as adversaries but not hated enemies. For instance, doctors and medics would treat the injured enemy as well as they would treat their men. There are some great books to be had to get you going.

The modeling on the figures in this series is also first rate. Even though I started late, I now have all the EA and all but one of the AK sets. Trust me, when the Mark III and Mark IV go retired, they will fetch a great deal of money. They are wonderful jobs.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Combat,

This is going to sound strange coming from a guy who is on the record as believeing that most 20th Century Generals were incompetents, but I have to respectfully disagree with your assessment of Rommel in North Africa. The man was always under supplied, led mostly extremely poorly armed and equipped Italian troops against the cream of British and Commonwealth troops, was drastically outnumbered in quantity and quality of tanks (he had only a couple of dozen Panzer III and Panzer IV specials with long barreled high velocity guns, and the remainder of his tanks were a few short barreled Panzers and junky Italian M13 tanks and Semovente self propelled guns)always faced both Allied Air dominance and, later due to the code breakers at Blenchly Park, had all his plans revealed to his opposition, and still came within a whiskers breath of total victory in North Africa (if the ANZAC forces don't hold out a Tobruk, Rommel has his dinner in Cairo). If anybody was overrated in North Africa, it was that bumbler Montgomery, who made his name by triumphing under the above described circumstances. Lets face it, you give a first year cadet at any military school the advantages Monty had over Rommel (including 500 brand new M3 Lee and M4 Sherman tanks going up against less than 125 German and Italian tanks, 100 of which were Italian) and the first year student is going to win.

 

[jazzeum]

Sorry Louis, I won't take the bait on this one. However, the Commonwealth forces had superior numerical forces in many areas. A lot of this was due to the fact that Rommel's supply lines were stretched to the max (just as O'Connor's were when the Commonwealth forces were occuping Cyrenaica -- not sure I spelled that right). Also, the Germans had not been able to knock out Malta, thereby ennabling the British to prey on German shipping and preventing Rommel from getting many supplies. Regarding Monty, yes, it wasn't his plan, but at the time he took over, the Eighth Army was very demoralized. Monty had a lot to do with giving some of that confidence back.

In http://www.treefrogtreasures.com/forum/showthread.php?t=972, I mentioned a few books about the Desert War that may be a good read.

 

[PanzerTruppen]

Louis & Brad,

I am about 8 hours drive from both the Chicago and New York shows. I will lean more torwards the East for now, as my close friend works and lives in Mannhatton. We have increased our family to 4 now, with the birth of our daughter Sophya, last week . So I will have to pass on the NY Symposium this year due to a drought in Vaction time. But Louis, I will need additional information for next year, as I plan on attending the NYS in 2007. To work out the details with the wife in advance. feel free to Email me back at

jabaldwin@sympatico.ca

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Eazy]

Combat,

This is going to sound strange coming from a guy who is on the record as believeing that most 20th Century Generals were incompetents, but I have to respectfully disagree with your assessment of Rommel in North Africa. The man was always under supplied, led mostly extremely poorly armed and equipped Italian troops against the cream of British and Commonwealth troops, was drastically outnumbered in quantity and quality of tanks (he had only a couple of dozen Panzer III and Panzer IV specials with long barreled high velocity guns, and the remainder of his tanks were a few short barreled Panzers and junky Italian M13 tanks and Semovente self propelled guns)always faced both Allied Air dominance and, later due to the code breakers at Blenchly Park, had all his plans revealed to his opposition, and still came within a whiskers breath of total victory in North Africa (if the ANZAC forces don't hold out a Tobruk, Rommel has his dinner in Cairo). If anybody was overrated in North Africa, it was that bumbler Montgomery, who made his name by triumphing under the above described circumstances. Lets face it, you give a first year cadet at any military school the advantages Monty had over Rommel (including 500 brand new M3 Lee and M4 Sherman tanks going up against less than 125 German and Italian tanks, 100 of which were Italian) and the first year student is going to win.

Interestingly in 1941 the Germans were being supplied information on the British deployments and plans by intercepted US signals from military attache Colonel Bonner Frank Fellers.

It's an interesting story so i'll post a link to an account of the details.

http://africanhistory.about.com/library/prm/bldesertfox1.htm


Oh and with your comments about superior numbers, military history has it's share of examples where superior numbers or greater technology have not always triumphed.

It not the size that counts. It's what you do with it.

 

[jazzeum]

I've seen that article or a similar one. Very interesting. He was an unwitting leak for the Germans, which, when the British figured it out, dried up.

Eazy,

You'll realize eventually that Louis has a thing about Monty as do many Americans, justified or not. I think you can find criticism aplenty for his later actions but not necessarily in North Africa.

 

[Combat]

Rommel was certainly more competent than Monty or Ike. But that is perhaps not saying a great deal. His aggressive campaign in N. Africa achieved some impressive tactical successes but most likely accelerated the final defeat. Interesting to compare the achievements of Rommel with those of Kesselring in Italy fighting primarily on the defensive. By extending the fighting, Kesselring was far more successful in fulfilling the strategic objectives of the Germans in these secondary campaigns. I think the notion of Rommel as the "Desert Fox" is one of the few enduring myths of the German propaganda machine.

 

[Eazy]

I agree in no way did Monty distinguish himself particularly well in Europe but to be honest no US General did particularly well either.

If anyone says Patton just point them in the direction of the bloodbath at Metz and his campaign in Alsace Lorraine.

A contender for best General of the war was Zhukov though his successes came with no regard for the lives of his troops. Results were all that counted in the Red Army.

Rommel is the one everyone thinks of as the best. The real proof of his abilities would have been if he'd had a free hand in Normandy. Thankfully we'll never know.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Eazy,

I agree with you about Patton, and would add to your list his aborted and disasterous raid to rescue his son in law. I also agree that Kesselring did a fantastic job in Italy, exposing Mark Clark as yet another overrated underskilled allied general.

 

[OzDigger]

I have always had a fondness for the African Campaign with its fluid and aggressive attacks and counter attacks. I like the desert colors that remind me of Australia's interior and also the camouflage patterns used on aircraft, tanks etc. The Afrika Korps would be my favourite of the German Armies and Rommel one of my favourite German Generals.

When considering battles of WWII it should be noted that the Germans were usually outnumbered by their enemy in men, aircraft, and tanks. However they frequently won against the odds because their soldiers were well trained and motivated and they used concentrations of combined forces (Men, tanks, aircraft etc) against selected weak points - their 'Blitzkreig' method.

Rommel: An aggressive, courageous and skilled Commander that lead from the front and was known to be very cool in battle conditions, giving calm orders over radio while under fire on more than one occassion. Being headstrong he disobeyed direct orders from Hitler on more than one occassion in Africa and attacked before logistical support had been fully established. In short he was someone that was quick to see and take advantage of an enemy weakness but didn't give logistic support his full considerataion - thus more a tactical rather than strategic Commander.

Montgomery: Was in charge of defences in England before his hasty appointment as Commander of the Eighth Army after the initial replacement Gen Gott was shot down and killed (it should be noted that Gott's previous track record was not good). Montgomery, like most Generals had a large ego. He was a superb motivator and organiser that loved his troops and never exposed them to needless danger, he was content to wait until everything was in his favour.

I would consider him to be one of the best Strategists in the Allied Command, afterall he did plan the allied invasion of Europe (D-Day etc). And all should note that he was often obliged to alter his plans (against his better judgment) to accomodate requests from more senior Commanders - including Eisenhower. For example operation 'Market-Garden' was altered and delayed at Eisenhower's request, or should that be insistance.

Considering his popularity with British troops and even cynical ANZACs in Africa, few people could convince me that he was totally lacking in people skills. However his sharp mind and equally sharp tongue meant that he seldom endeared himself to those with equaly large egos and superior political ability, of which there were many. In battle his main problem was that he lacked the ability to adapt quickly if his opponent did something he did not expect, which was not often fortunately.

Patton: America's best fighting General, he was aggressive, courageous and lead from the front like Rommel. And like Rommel he didn't give logistics the attention they deserved expecting his superiors to keep him supplied despite ever lengthening lines of communication. Such tactics have in the past often resulted in major gains but have also caused disasters when the enemy regroups and counter attacks enclosing the invading force.

Eisenhower: Never saw combat being in Staff positions during WWI and subsequently promoted to more senior positions because of his incisive and analytical mind together with his planning ability. However most people consider his greatest attribute was his ability to get along with people and get the best from them. In this way Eisenhower enabled a very diverse group of 'Allies' to see beyond narrow concerns and infighting and concentrate on the main objective - the defeat of Hitler.