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JJDESIGNS NEWS UPDATE 28th JULY 2025
THE SECOND WORLD WAR
GERMAN ARMOUR
The Deutsches Afrikakorps in North Africa (1941–1943)
JJD is excited to step into the windswept sands of North Africa with upcoming releases representing the Deutsches Afrikakorps. Commanded by the brilliant and daring General Erwin Rommel—The Desert Fox—the hard-fighting troops of the Afrikakorps would win their commander immortal fame and etch their name into the annals of military history through a series of lightning-fast campaigns across the Libyan and Egyptian deserts from 1941–1942.
Warfare in the desert was also different. Here, the combatants often fought with mutual respect and generally strove to treat prisoners humanely. Furthermore, no other theatre of operations matched the ebb and flow of battle that took place on the endless sands of the Western Desert, nor the dramatic victories and defeats that seesawed back and forth between the opposing armies.
At the heart of Rommel's Afrikakorps thundered two formidable Panzer divisions:
The 15th Panzer Division, spearheaded by the relentless Panzer-Regiment 8
The 21st Panzer Division, driven forward by the elite crews of Panzer-Regiment 5
Originally envisioned as nothing more than a blocking force to prevent the collapse of Italian forces in North Africa, Rommel would launch bold offensives spearheaded by these two Panzer divisions. With their fast-moving panzers, the Afrikakorps swept across the sands in a series of high-risk, high-reward manoeuvres that saw them seize vast swathes of territory and rout Allied forces.
In 1941 and 1942, their tactical brilliance stunned the world—from the siege of Tobruk to deep thrusts into Egypt that threatened both Alexandria and the Suez Canal. Rommel and his Afrikakorps turned the desert into a chessboard and played it with daring brilliance. The Desert Fox’s cunning use of terrain, feints, and mobile combined-arms formations stunned the British Eighth Army and earned him a near-mythic reputation among both Axis and Allied troops.
Yet the fortunes of war would turn.
Late 1942 brought forth a new adversary: General Bernard Montgomery, who gained renown during the Second Battle of El Alamein. Backed by overwhelming Allied material superiority and a stiffened resolve, Montgomery’s methodical counteroffensive pushed Rommel’s forces back, pinning the Germans in Tunisia.
With the United States and General George S. Patton entering the theater during the brilliantly executed Operation Torch, the pressure on the Germans mounted. Unwilling to concede defeat, Hitler reinforced the African front, expanding German forces to the size of a Panzerarmee and committing fresh divisions—including the newly developed Tiger tank—to stem the Allied advance. Rommel, never short on offensive spirit, bloodied the inexperienced American troops at Kasserine Pass, but this tactical success only delayed the inevitable. By May 1943, after months of desperate action, the once-invincible Afrikakorps was overwhelmed in Tunisia and surrendered—marking the end of Axis dreams of African conquest.
The campaigns in North Africa remain one of the most iconic chapters of World War II—where dust, valour, and roaring engines carved legends into the desert sand.
The JJD releases of Panzer I, II, and III tanks for the desert theatre, will be available over the next 6 months.
These new additions faithfully recreate the vehicles of the Afrikakorps, including historically accurate German two-color tropical camouflage patterns.
Known colloquially as "Tropen camo", these vehicles feature the early war scheme of RAL8000 Gelbbraun and RAL7008 Graugrün—a low-contrast camouflage that blended beautifully with the desert environment.
In addition to these historically authentic paint jobs, the models feature all the intricate details you've come to expect from JJD armour: interior detail, opening and closing hatches, detailed engine bays, and more.
Many thanks to Hunter Rose, for the notes, guidance and support, especially over the past couple of months.
Best wishes,
john jenkins
THE SECOND WORLD WAR
GERMAN ARMOUR
The Deutsches Afrikakorps in North Africa (1941–1943)
JJD is excited to step into the windswept sands of North Africa with upcoming releases representing the Deutsches Afrikakorps. Commanded by the brilliant and daring General Erwin Rommel—The Desert Fox—the hard-fighting troops of the Afrikakorps would win their commander immortal fame and etch their name into the annals of military history through a series of lightning-fast campaigns across the Libyan and Egyptian deserts from 1941–1942.
Warfare in the desert was also different. Here, the combatants often fought with mutual respect and generally strove to treat prisoners humanely. Furthermore, no other theatre of operations matched the ebb and flow of battle that took place on the endless sands of the Western Desert, nor the dramatic victories and defeats that seesawed back and forth between the opposing armies.
At the heart of Rommel's Afrikakorps thundered two formidable Panzer divisions:
The 15th Panzer Division, spearheaded by the relentless Panzer-Regiment 8
The 21st Panzer Division, driven forward by the elite crews of Panzer-Regiment 5
Originally envisioned as nothing more than a blocking force to prevent the collapse of Italian forces in North Africa, Rommel would launch bold offensives spearheaded by these two Panzer divisions. With their fast-moving panzers, the Afrikakorps swept across the sands in a series of high-risk, high-reward manoeuvres that saw them seize vast swathes of territory and rout Allied forces.
In 1941 and 1942, their tactical brilliance stunned the world—from the siege of Tobruk to deep thrusts into Egypt that threatened both Alexandria and the Suez Canal. Rommel and his Afrikakorps turned the desert into a chessboard and played it with daring brilliance. The Desert Fox’s cunning use of terrain, feints, and mobile combined-arms formations stunned the British Eighth Army and earned him a near-mythic reputation among both Axis and Allied troops.
Yet the fortunes of war would turn.
Late 1942 brought forth a new adversary: General Bernard Montgomery, who gained renown during the Second Battle of El Alamein. Backed by overwhelming Allied material superiority and a stiffened resolve, Montgomery’s methodical counteroffensive pushed Rommel’s forces back, pinning the Germans in Tunisia.
With the United States and General George S. Patton entering the theater during the brilliantly executed Operation Torch, the pressure on the Germans mounted. Unwilling to concede defeat, Hitler reinforced the African front, expanding German forces to the size of a Panzerarmee and committing fresh divisions—including the newly developed Tiger tank—to stem the Allied advance. Rommel, never short on offensive spirit, bloodied the inexperienced American troops at Kasserine Pass, but this tactical success only delayed the inevitable. By May 1943, after months of desperate action, the once-invincible Afrikakorps was overwhelmed in Tunisia and surrendered—marking the end of Axis dreams of African conquest.
The campaigns in North Africa remain one of the most iconic chapters of World War II—where dust, valour, and roaring engines carved legends into the desert sand.
The JJD releases of Panzer I, II, and III tanks for the desert theatre, will be available over the next 6 months.
These new additions faithfully recreate the vehicles of the Afrikakorps, including historically accurate German two-color tropical camouflage patterns.
Known colloquially as "Tropen camo", these vehicles feature the early war scheme of RAL8000 Gelbbraun and RAL7008 Graugrün—a low-contrast camouflage that blended beautifully with the desert environment.
In addition to these historically authentic paint jobs, the models feature all the intricate details you've come to expect from JJD armour: interior detail, opening and closing hatches, detailed engine bays, and more.
Many thanks to Hunter Rose, for the notes, guidance and support, especially over the past couple of months.
Best wishes,
john jenkins
