Marinefährprahm and Artilleriefährprahm some progress 16/52

During the last days I found some time to continue painting my new new Kriegsmarine ships. Parallel I started painting the second one, the Marinefährprahm type D. For the Artilleriefährprahm I went with the 3 tone which was used in Norway. The Fährprahm will get something similar, but I haven't decided finally.
Further I added several Details like the guns and the 3.7 cm Flak. All life rafts are painted and the two sets for the Crew arrived from Arrowhead Miniatures Originally they are designed to work for the Luftwaffe, but I am sure they will do their duty for the Kriegsmarine as well.

So here are the next pictures, enjoy them:

Marinefährprahm

Marinefährprahm and Artilleriefährprahm

back of both Prahms, even the same design, they look different

The Artilleriefährprahm had the cargo bay welded while the Fährprahm could load several tanks

for the prototype it is okay, with the next design I have to add the front door and have to change the cover of the cargo bay

the weapons constantly changed and had been increased

1/144 Artilleriefährprahm

the cargo bay, in original, it was covered with corrugated sheet iron

1/144 Marinefährprahm typ D, a German landing ship 15/52

I' m going to build again a ship!

Because of a request from a friend of mine, I changed the design from my Artilleriefährprahm to the "Standard" Prahm. So this is then a Marinefährprahm Type D.
The difference was that this type had the task to transport troops and tanks. The Artillerifährprahm was designed to give heavy artillery support. The Marinefährprahm was designed for landing Operations. The Marinefährprahm had a ramp, so that tanks and other vehicles could leave the ship directly on the shores. At the design of the Artilleriefährprahm, the ramp was closed and welded. The guns and flak changed constantly because it depended on what was available or what was planed. So in the first design a 8.8 submarine flak ( because several of These were left from the submarines) and two machine gus on the back were the only armment. This changed during the war and the Marinefährprahms got more and more guns and even several vierlings flak.
Later even the Marinefährprahms got guns, I know a Picture, where two Vierlings Flak had been installed on the top of the Prahm.
The last design Change was the modification to Transport and lay mines.
This will be the starting point for my year of the model 2018!

Here are the first pictures of the Marinefährprahm Type D:

top view of the German landing craft

Fährprahm, the German version of an LST

at the beginning only with a 8.8 U-Boot canon

Before I can start selling it, I have to improve some details and will add some more stuff.

Here one last picture from my work bench, where the new and the old Prahm are waiting for the final assembly.

Finally here some sources for more information:

http://historisches-marinearchiv.de/projekte/landungsfahrzeuge/beschreibung.php

 There are the topics Marinefährprähme and Artilleriefährprähme are a very rich source of information. They list a quick history to each ever built Prahm.

A report about a built Fährprahm in the scale 1/72, you can find here: http://www.modellversium.de/galerie/5-schiffe-ww2/627-marinefaehrprahm-eigenbau.html

And here you can buy a Marinefährprahm in the scale 1/700: 

http://www.klueser.eu/kit.php?index=2622&language=de

or what about a very interesting version but in the scale 1/250:

http://www.die-kartonmodellbauer.de/index.php?thread/3912-marinef%C3%A4hrprahm-f-811-kmw%C2%B2-1-250/

1/144 Tatra truck with two versions in 1/144 14/52

I had to wait a bit before I could start publishing this new set. With the first print, somehow one front wheel got lost. But now it looks like everything works perfect.

The Tatra T111 was a new design for a heavy truck, close to the end of the war. Designed and produced by Tatra for the Wehrmacht, they later produced thousand of these trucks for the Warschauer Pakt.  The Wehrmacht got these all terrain trucks in two versions. One was the standard truck, but with the material and work saving Einheitsführerhaus, the second version as a closed truck. There might be a mistake with translations. If you search in the internet for the Tatra T111, you find the word "Servicewagen". I assume, here the word Werkstattwagen or Instandsetzungswagen would fit better. They used the 3 axis truck for the maintenance troops.

Enough words, here the new trucks. 

Tatra T111 in 1-144

Tatra T111 in 1-144

Tatra T111 in 1-144

The set comes with both versions.
If you like it, you can buy here.

My new 1/144 Artilleryfährprahm with 3 tone camouflage 13/52

While I painted my first Artilleriefährpram in dark gey, I wanted to get it done asap, so for the sales Version I had to add some improvements to my prototype.
Just an example, I added a wooden floor to several areas and added some more stuff like ladders and rescue boats.
So with all these changes I ordered a new version for myself. After some weeks in my shelf, I started this week with painting it. So the same question raised again, which colour do you want?
The answer I found here: http://www.modellversium.de/kit/artikel.php?id=838

There you can find guidance to several painting schemas. I decided to go with the version the Kriegsmarine used in Norway.

So far, so good, here you can see my results after nearly one evening painting. Still a lot to do but I come closer. In the next days I will continue painting and will add the first equipment. Maybe I will find this time a crew, taff enough to hire on my small Artilleriefährprahm.

Artilleriefährprahm, work in progress

Artilleriefährprahm, back view

Artilleriefährprahm, front view

To get an Imagination about a real one, here you can find an old Picture of an Artilleriefährprahm. I believe it is a type D, but 100% sure I am not.
http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/44-07.htm

Still the best source for a lot of Information and good Pictures is this German site: Forum Marinearchiv click on the Header Grafiken and you will find tons of Information and scetches.

Soon I will present my next prototype, the marinefährprahm type D but as a standard transport type and a surprise. 

Launch tower for the Bachem Natter 12/52

Today I was surprised to see, that you can buy again some older sets from the Asian company Fox one. Teh reproduce the two launch towers for the Bachem Natter.
At the beginning the Germans worked with an wooden design to start the Natter.

Later they came up with the steel frame tower which was installed close to Stuttgart in Germany.

Several of these launch towers should be installed to allow a constant start of Natters, but the end of the war came much faster.

So here is the second set with the steel frame tower:

Both sets can you order online, for example from here:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10526320

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10526321

Or if you prefer my solution, then you can buy my launch tower here:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/UXTDT7K6F/1-144-natter-launch-tower-steel-version