Review: "Classic Armor" Marder III Sdkfz 139 1:48

Classic Armor Marder III with Artizan commander.

As I mentioned in an earlier posting, the arguments about the correct vehicle "scale" for a given size of wargames figure are seemingly never ending.  I have a rather flexible approach.  Whilst I would certainly refrain from using a 1:56 Panzer IV alongside a 1:48 SPW, I think most scales are usable if coupled with the right figures.

A case in point is the "Classic Armor" Marder III produced by the now defunct "New Millennium Toys"  These vehicles were available in Target and Wal-Mart - at very low prices - approximately three years ago.  I picked up a few at around $4.00 a time (they are still obtainable online at an inflated but still reasonable price) and added them to the vehicle park.

Sdkfz 139 on the Ostfront 1943.

These are nice little models, a good level of detail and acceptable painting.  The latter is nothing great but can be easily improved with a few touches here and there.  Of course, you could strip them but it is not really worth the effort.  They seem to sport a metal core around which a host of plastic parts have been attached.  The tracks are of the "rubber band" variety but have no unsightly join point.  Considering the fact that these are "toys" I am amazed that none of the seven in my collection have any warped, bent or mis-aligned components.  Personally, I will be filling a few gaps here and there and also replacing the decals but the models are usable "out of the box"

So, we have established they are nice enough models.  Now we come to the all-important "With what can I use them?" question!  I was pleasantly surprised at just how easy it is to get an acceptable result.  In my parts box I had an Artizan PaK 40 crew in winter gear (ideal for Ukraine 1943/4) so I positioned them around the vehicle.  Hey presto - they look fine!  The commander is a slight figure but compares favourably to period pictures of Marder III crews.  I reckon after removing the bases he and his friends could be attached to the vehicle "as is" and look good.

The crew look truly tiny in this shot (Autumn 1942)

Now why does this work when the figure is clearly not 1:48 scale?  It is all to do with the caricatured nature of nearly all 28mm models (even the "realistic" ones such as Artizan)  Extremities and details are usually over-played on wargames figures but we have become inured to this by years of exposure.  Just take a picture of a real person and compare it to a 28mm figure.   Unless the former is severely deformed you will see that the miniature's proportions are just wrong!

Anyway, I have posted a couple of pictures showing real Marder IIIs so that you can make your own call - I think the miniature combo looks pretty good - not perfect - but good.  The vehicle was deployed in all theatres during the 1942-45 period and thus it's utility is great.  When it comes to crew, I am sure that there are other models out there that will work just as well, BAM and BTD spring to mind.

So if you agree with my findings and need a cheap Panzerjäger go and snap up the remaining Classic Armor stock ASAP!

"Kampfgruppe von Retzbach" - the components

The basis of my force- plus T34 "scenery"

After the serendipitous rediscovery of my 20mm World War Two collection, I have decided that some of these kits will be used to model the nascent Kampfgruppe.  My (still ongoing) parts inventory has revealed a variety of vehicles, from Panzer IIIs to E25s!  This force may well have a winter 1942/3 theme as the frantic battles fought by HGS and HGM are of great interest to me.  Also, I really like skirt-less gray Panzer IIIs and these were not as common by late 1943!

When deciding to step down to 20mm (1:72 / 1:76) I was a little concerned about the availability of hard plastic or metal "cold-weather" infantry figures.  I had forgotten completely the two packs of Chiltern Miniatures' winter clad troops that I obtained at "Colours  2009".  These chaps are large but will "do the job" nicely.  I am not sure if they are still available following Chiltern's sale of metal ranges to SHQ.  If you are interested, I recommend calling the latter - hopefully they will have improved their service since my last dealings with them 3 years back!

Chiltern Winter Infantry.

Anyway, the top picture shows the basics of the force led by the redoubtable "Rittmeister von Retzbach"  To start with there will be minimal armour support.  I am still drifting between StuGs and Panzers.  The fact that I have both in the stockpile doesn't make the decision any easier.

The commander will ride in an Airfix Kübelwagen backed up by two Armourfast SPWs containing the infantry.  Then comes the armour - either StuGs or Panzers.  In order to keep the project achievable, that's the extent of my planning thus far.  I will try to resist the temptation to let it grow!

Ironically, if I go for 42/43 as the setting - my smart little chap in the Panzer III N turret and his shoulders become moot as he is wearing an M43 cap - Murphy's Law strikes again...

Panzer III N - Commanding an hybrid in 1:72

The hybrid Panzer III N.

After having a look in my cupboards I have found a wealth of 1:72 items.  This was something of a boon and means I can assemble a new force at no extra cost!  As my funds are pretty strained this is most welcome.

Included in this haul was a project started about two years ago, namely my hybrid Panzer III N.  To make this little vehicle I used the turret from an Armourfast tank and the hull from one of the Italeri fast-builds.  

Panzer III L or M with "Winterkette"

Both are fair kits but the Italeri version is superior.  To make an "N" you have to mix and match.  The turret from the Armourfast kit is correct for the vast majority of "N"s whereas the Italeri version sports the spaced turret armour that was very uncommon on this vehicle*.  I may well compare the kits later - but I digress.

Close ups of the WIP.

Having added various parts to the turret (more still to come) and re-arming with a turned aluminium barrel - I moved on to the crewman.  I wanted to show someone in a non-regulation garment (even more heavily padded than the regulation two-piece) as was commonly seen in the East.  My quandary was and remains is he just too big for the tank!   At the time I asked my most critical associate (Frau K) to look it over.  She decreed that he looked about right and I duly secured him into the cupola with an epoxy putty blob.  When asked yesterday, after a pause of two years, she thought he looked much too big!  

Another Panzer III in the Russian winter.

I am hovering, at first sight he does appear too large but when viewing period photographs in less bulky uniforms the commanders do look to be of a comparable size.  I can certainly remove the little fellow if need be but would obviously prefer not to do so as he is very well secured.

Constructive criticism would be welcomed before I complete the sculpting and spray the vehicle.  I have included, for comparison, a couple of shots showing "winterised" tanks complete with commanders.  For the record the Panzer III was approximately 8' or 2.5 metres high.  

Fingers crossed I will get away with this...

*I say uncommon as somewhere I have a photograph of a III N with spaced turret armour.  Accepted wisdom says this was never done but in at least one case an L/24 75mm and extra armour were combined!

Making plans

Planning: Ukraine, Summer 1941

When it comes to the modelling/wargaming side of this project, where to start is a big question.

I have amassed a fairly large collection of World War Two figures and vehicles over the past decade.  Having recently sold all my 15mm items I am left with 20 and 28mm from which to chose.  Due to a number of reasons (not least the commonality of "scale" with my ImagiNation terrain) I think I will most probably opt for the latter.

As the thorny issue of scale has been broached, I will get it out of the way at the very start!  Unusually, I flip-flop a bit in this area.  It is patently obvious that 1:48 / 1:50 is technically too large for a realistically proportioned figure of 28-30mm height.  However the majority of 28mm figures are caricatures having heads and hands that are overscale and a physique that is too stocky.  Thus I would summarise my approach to be a pragmatic - "If it looks OK then go with it"

My plans for the Kampfgruppe are modest.  A couple of Sdkfz.251 halftracks, a Marder III and a Kübelwagen should do the trick.  Perhaps if I am feeling flush I will work in a Panzer IV G as well.  The period I will be modelling is the winter of 1943/4 and the theatre Western Ukraine/Galicia.  Dark days for the Ostheer but very interesting from a gaming and model-making perspective.

For infantry, I suspect I will use the large number of unpainted Artizan types I have lying around supplemented with some of Bolt Action Miniatures' plastics.  I am not a great fan of the BAM metals as they seem to be a disparate bunch - some showing great sculpting whilst others look very odd.  That said, I haven't really been perusing WW2 ranges lately and things may have improved under Warlord's ownership.

Anyway, that's a fair summary of the plan.  The terrain is being worked on in conjunction with that of my other project - simple "Isbas" (peasant houses) and a few outbuildings.  These I intend to make into masters for casting but that is a different story.

To follow, postings describing the models to be used - then a new feature that should prove popular...