british tank on vacation

Okay honestly I have no idea if this tank is really travelling or if it was just sold to a new owner. It tried to pass the Swiss- German border last week but the border patrol told me, that not all papers had been cleared. So the tank is waiting there now for more than one week.

So be happy that you can cross the border much faster :-)

8 x 8 Einheitsdiesel or MAN Sperrbrecher, amphibious truck

The Germans made several attempts to standardize all trucks and cars. So one product was the well known Einheitsdiesel. This 6x6 version saw production with all bigger German truck manufacturers.
A very good overview you can find here: overview.

During development they thought about a 8x8 variant as well. Finally they decided to build 4 prototypes of this 8x8 truck. MAN got the order and build the 4 prototypes. Tests were made but somehow it looks like the results were not that convincing that the mass production started. So these 4 trucks left and were converted into so called "Sperrbrecher". Sperrbrecher means something like breaking through a barricade. A bit strange this maning. A bit more information about the 8x8 Sperrbrecher can you read here. There are not that much picture, so here you can see one from the testing in Austria.

It took me awhile to get all needed information and to start with the drawing.
Anyway I have to say, a lot of the dimensions are assumptions as I had only some basic dimensions I found no drawing for the final version.

1/114 design of the 8x8 Sperrbrecher

1/114 design of the 8x8 Sperrbrecher

The 1/114 modell of the 8X8 Einheitsdiesel:

I decided to go with two different designs. First of all, the one where I found some pictures and were I can say, yes this truck existed and was used in the Wehrmacht. The second design was a bit tricky. I found some sources, saying, that at least two trucks got a spade and a 40 ton winch. As MAN build these trucks, it is not so unrealistic, MAN build the Panther Bergepanzer, and yes they had a spade and a 40 ton winch for recovery use.
I hope you like the second version too, even I have no picture proofing his existence.

1/144 8x8 Einheitsdiesel

all German Einheitsdiesel trucks in 1/144

the Sperrbrecher with the winch and the spade

the Sperrbrecher with the winch and the spade

1/144 Einheitsdiesel with winch and spade as a recovery truck

1/144 8x8 Einheitsdiesel

1/144 8x8 Einheitsdiesel

1/144 8x8 Einheitsdiesel

my new 1/144 Brückenbauzug (Bridge building squad)

After some very busy weeks I will show you some of my latest stuff. The pontoon is one of my oldest models I have. So it was time to update it a bit, bringing it to a better level / quality.
As I was in the process of designing some new trailers, I decided to design the pontoon trailer and the trailer for the equipment as well.

Sdkfz 9 with trailer for material for ferry or bridge building

Sdkfrz 9 with plain trailer, if you want to build your own one

1/144 pontoon trailer

sdkfz9 with 3 ton standard trailer

all three new 1/144 trailers

1/144 trailer

So if you are now interested in creating your own platoon, here is a very interesting link

about the staff and material: http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/kstn/kstn7331jun44.htm

If you like them and you want to buy them, please look here:

1/144 pontoon trailer:            click me

1/144 plain trailer                   click me

1/144 material trailer              click me

1/144 3 ton standard trailer:  click me

Pionierlandungsboot 39 in 1/144 my next high light

The Pionierlandungsboot was the first design before the German Wehrmacht (not the Kriegsmarine!) changes later to the Pionierlandungsboot 40.
For me the Pionierlandungsboot 40 was the easier design, more straight lines / walls and less curves. But with the time I improved my skills, learned new functions with sketchup, so I started with the design of the Pionierlandungsboot 39. The original was a design from the Wehrmacht and had nothing to do with the Kriegsmarine. The Kriegsmarine concentrated on destroyers cruisers and other big ships. But the Wehrmacht thought about the need to transfer stuff from A to B, anyway on the open sea or via a river.
Back to my drawing. I am close the finish the 3D file. I found a way to open the doors and to use it very similar to the original design. The ramp and the doors are moveable.
There are still some small errors inside the drawing and I have to check some of the dimensions, but I would say in 2 or 3 days it should be done.
So enjoy the first impressions for the German Pionierlandungsboot.

Sonderanhänger 116 German heavy duty trailer

In the last weeks I had a chance to finalize the painting for my first Sonderanhanger 116. 
So far I have now three versions. The one from Metal Troops, nice, but the one I bought, some years ago has a slightly damaged frame.
From Shapeways, I have the version in white strong and flexible (WSF) and with Frosted ultra detail (FUD).
Below are some pictures where you can see the difference. 

left the Metal Troops version, then WSF and right the FUD version

Sonderanhanger in 1/144