Another Fallschirmjager

Yet again a test figure;

This is another Artizan Designs Fallschirmjager, but this time I've painted the smock in the traditional grey/green. I've used Foundry's Granite paint pallette, which I'm quite happy with. These is plenty of contemporary photographic evidence that Fallschirmjager were still wearing these smocks. Osprey Publishing Men-at-Arms No 139 'German Airborne Troops 1939-1945, on pages 30 and 36 has photographs of paratroopers in both Italy and Normandy wearing these smocks in 1944. But other than coloured drawings, I had never seen (or not that I can recall) a colour photo of this style of smock.

That was until After the Battle No 152 arrived on the door mat. This issue has articles on the Liberation of Rome in 1944, but begins with the German seizure of Rome in September 1943, after the Italian armistice. On Page 3 is a colour photo of Fallshirmjager of the 2nd FJ Division, taken in Rome, and the majority of paratroopers in the photo are wearing the grey/green smock. I used this photo as a colour guide, and I think the Granite pallette is not too far out. The German attack on Rome and the sporadic fighting with Italian forces would make an interesting and different wargame scenario(s).

The helmet on this figure I have painted dark grey and then sponged on desert yellow again. I knew I had seen a colour photo of this scheme but could not recall where. Until I remember this: Trigger Time, Mark Bando's site for the 101st Airborne Div., scroll down the page on the link and hey presto FJ helmets. Interestingly I was closer with my first attempt in painting the base colour Vallejo Field grey (which is a dark green).

Now I must decide whether or not to adopt the 'lazy boy' approach to these FJ and paint a batch in grey/green smocks, which will be quicker than doing the splinter camo smock. Then add in figures in camo smocks later, to build up the force?

Fallschirmjager

Well after a bit of a hiatus, I've finally got round to doing some painting. Ta-da.......

My first ever Fallshirmjager. As always a test figure first, so I can decide on colours and techniques. This model has been mainly painted with Foundry colours, from their palette range. Some Vallejo and GW colours used as well. The uniform/smock is all Foundry. The trousers are 'Late WW2 Field Grey', which came out a more blue/grey colour, for the ammo pouches and haversack I used 'Early WW2 Field Grey' which is a more Green/blue/grey. Neither were quite what I expected. The smock is painted in the 'Splinter' colours. The helmet I painted in Vallejo 'Field grey' which is a more green/grey colour, and then sponged on desert yellow, to represent the sand colour sprayed onto late war FJ helmets.

Overall I like the foundry range (this being the first time of used it), and will be buying more colours. I haven't been entirely accurate with colours, e.g. the ammo pouches were a more darker grey, as should be the base colour of the helmet. But I figured late in the war, shortages and all.

Anyway, plenty more to paint. Once the camo smock is done the rest of the figure is fairly straight forward. At present I'm still concentrating on WW2, with the intention of splitting the painting between US and German Airborne, vehicles and terrain to keep the interest going.

The figure is from the excellent Artizan Designs range.

More Trees!

Just a quick post. Haven't got alot done over the past 7-10 days, work, family , blah. blah! You get the picture. But I did get these finished.

More trees for my 28mm games, or these can be used for 15mm. Again based on 60mm hex bases, from Warbases. These were pre-made trees and I had purchased them for use in FOW games, but they will work well for 28mm. This gives me a further fifteen bases to use.

I did start my 28mm Fallschirmjager, or a test figure at least but just not happy with the way the camo smock came out, so I too embarrassed to show it (damn pride). Will start again when I get back off a short break.