Yesterday I visited the London Toy Soldier Show. The 8-wheel armoured car looks even better in the flesh than the pictures. Also bought the latest Toy Solier Collector magazine and one of the two the First legion ads showed the two forthcoming Soviet ATR teams - one moving the other firing, but the surprise was a splendid looking German three-man arty observation team consisting of an officer with scissors telescope and two m radio men - looks super. Any release date available ? Will they come before or after the Pz III?
Stalingrad Russian ATRs and German Arty Observers (1 Viewer)
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Spitfrnd
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FirstLegion
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Pre-order on these sets to start in just a few days. Final ship dates will be provided at that time, but at least 2 of the 3 sets referenced (including the obvservation team) will be shipping late April.
Best,
Matt
Gebhard
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WOW , It seems Toy Soldier Collector Magazine is becoming a very good source for First Legion info. I bought the Dec/Jan issue 31 a while back and it had advance pictures of several as of yet still unreleased figures plus the new Russian stuff , also had a Great interview with Mr Matt . I may have to look into a subscription 
Thanks for posting the photo Bill , Really some nice looking new stuff coming. All the best Gebhard
Thanks for posting the photo Bill , Really some nice looking new stuff coming. All the best Gebhard
FirstLegion
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WOW , It seems Toy Soldier Collector Magazine is becoming a very good source for First Legion info. I bought the Dec/Jan issue 31 a while back and it had advance pictures of several as of yet still unreleased figures plus the new Russian stuff , also had a Great interview with Mr Matt . I may have to look into a subscription
I'd highly recommend TSC to any First Legion customer. We get a lot of coverage in TSC beyond just our adverts so those of you unfamiliar with the magazine really should check it out.
This is of course exactly what I was waiting for for my Stalingrad diorama since Matt showed us the first pictures of the sculpt. Admittedly, I was unfamiliar with this weapon:
The PTRD-41 (Shortened from Russian, ProtivoTankovoye Ruzhyo Degtyaryova) was an anti-tank rifle produced and used from early 1941 by the Soviet Red Army during World War II. It was a single-shot weapon which fired a 14.5x114mm round. Although unable to penetrate the frontal armor of German tanks, it could penetrate the thinner sides of early-war German tanks as well as thinly armored self-propelled guns. The 14.5 mm armor-piercing bullet had a muzzle velocity of 1012 m/s. It could penetrate an armor plate up to 35 to 40mm(40mm with tungsten ammunition) thick at a distance of 100 meters at 0 degrees. During the initial invasion, and indeed through-out the war, most German tanks had side armor thinner than 40mm (PzKpfw I & II: 13-20mm, III & IV series: 30mm, PzKpfw V Panther (combat debut mid-1943): 40-50mm) which meant that the PTRD teams need to be close to very close sometimes point blank distances to have a chance of penetrating the sides of these tanks however due to the high velocity and small nature of the round it had a very high chance of shattering or utterly failing against armor it should have penetrated which was aggravated if the target was not at a perpendicular angle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTRD
"Russian Use of the Antitank Rifle" from Intelligence Bulletin
Translation of a set of seven directions for Russian antitank riflemen, from the Intelligence Bulletin, November 1942.
In destroying German tanks, Russian antitank riflemen follow a set of directions, which are given here in condensed form as a matter of information:
"1. Show daring. Let the enemy tanks come within 200 yards or closer. The best range is 100 to 200 yards. Don't let the enemy fire lead you to open your own fire too soon.
"2. The antitank rifle can fire 8 to 10 rounds per minute, if the gunner and his assistant use teamwork. The gunner opens and closes the breech, aims, and fires; the assistant, lying on his right, cleans and oils the shell and places it in the chamber.
"3. Remember that for a distance of as much as 400 yards, the effect of the wind need not be considered.
"4. Remember the deflection correction for the movement of the tank. At a speed of 22.5 miles per hour, a lead of 1 yard is required for every 100 yards of range.
"5. Aim for the rear of the turret—the gunner and ammunition are there. If you hit the ammunition, you can blow up the tank.
"6. Fire at the center of the rear half of the tank—the motor and the fuel containers are there. If you hit either one, you will put the tank out of action.
"7. A well-camouflaged gun crew can put any tank out of action with well-aimed shots, and can block a road to a whole column of tanks."
http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/atrifle/index.html
The PTRD-41 (Shortened from Russian, ProtivoTankovoye Ruzhyo Degtyaryova) was an anti-tank rifle produced and used from early 1941 by the Soviet Red Army during World War II. It was a single-shot weapon which fired a 14.5x114mm round. Although unable to penetrate the frontal armor of German tanks, it could penetrate the thinner sides of early-war German tanks as well as thinly armored self-propelled guns. The 14.5 mm armor-piercing bullet had a muzzle velocity of 1012 m/s. It could penetrate an armor plate up to 35 to 40mm(40mm with tungsten ammunition) thick at a distance of 100 meters at 0 degrees. During the initial invasion, and indeed through-out the war, most German tanks had side armor thinner than 40mm (PzKpfw I & II: 13-20mm, III & IV series: 30mm, PzKpfw V Panther (combat debut mid-1943): 40-50mm) which meant that the PTRD teams need to be close to very close sometimes point blank distances to have a chance of penetrating the sides of these tanks however due to the high velocity and small nature of the round it had a very high chance of shattering or utterly failing against armor it should have penetrated which was aggravated if the target was not at a perpendicular angle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTRD
"Russian Use of the Antitank Rifle" from Intelligence Bulletin
Translation of a set of seven directions for Russian antitank riflemen, from the Intelligence Bulletin, November 1942.
In destroying German tanks, Russian antitank riflemen follow a set of directions, which are given here in condensed form as a matter of information:
"1. Show daring. Let the enemy tanks come within 200 yards or closer. The best range is 100 to 200 yards. Don't let the enemy fire lead you to open your own fire too soon.
"2. The antitank rifle can fire 8 to 10 rounds per minute, if the gunner and his assistant use teamwork. The gunner opens and closes the breech, aims, and fires; the assistant, lying on his right, cleans and oils the shell and places it in the chamber.
"3. Remember that for a distance of as much as 400 yards, the effect of the wind need not be considered.
"4. Remember the deflection correction for the movement of the tank. At a speed of 22.5 miles per hour, a lead of 1 yard is required for every 100 yards of range.
"5. Aim for the rear of the turret—the gunner and ammunition are there. If you hit the ammunition, you can blow up the tank.
"6. Fire at the center of the rear half of the tank—the motor and the fuel containers are there. If you hit either one, you will put the tank out of action.
"7. A well-camouflaged gun crew can put any tank out of action with well-aimed shots, and can block a road to a whole column of tanks."
http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/atrifle/index.html
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![Ptrd-1941[1].jpg](/data/attachments/38/38132-b92627f5c8d233452b1c1c6bb9565435.jpg)
Gebhard
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Looking at the photo provided of the two Soviet soldiers carrying a ATR and taking up position and then looking at the add for the upcoming First Legion set all one can say is that First Legion do their homework . I'm looking forward to this one . Gebhard
sammy719
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Hhmmm, Iwas just re-rereading the thread about the Gerstal 020 German arty observers, and noticed in the small print describing the set in the magazine states....."It also just might provide the vanguard of much larger things to come"
well could that be...I dare say it but a mighty 88 antiaircraft gun??? oh my, that would be sweet, by standards of First Legion of course, if so sign me up first...Sammy
well could that be...I dare say it but a mighty 88 antiaircraft gun??? oh my, that would be sweet, by standards of First Legion of course, if so sign me up first...Sammy
DCN1898
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I do not collect WWII but if First Legion was to do a proper 88mm with crew, I think that I would have to get it. As a kid, I used to build models and my first "Grown up" kit was the 88mm by Tamiya. A First Legion 88 would be a "must have".
sammy719
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Absolutely would be a must have, or at this point any artillery piece would be a great add on to our collections, can't wait to see some!!!!!!
fmethorst
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I've always liked the big artillery that made use of the Mörserlafette such as the 21 cm Mörser 18 and 17 cm Kanone 18.
http://ww2photo.mimerswell.com/gun/d/ha/21cm%20m18.htm
http://ww2photo.mimerswell.com/gun/d/ha/21cm%20m18.htm
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sammy719
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Oh My!!!! that's a monster of a gun!!!! I'll take any, big or small to get the ball rollin sort of speak...Sammy