Upgrading my WW2 US forces

[Fire at Will]

Some armour to provide a second Tank Battalion

Some Italeri quick builds


Followed with some Armourfast, not as nice as the Italeri, but picked up cheap at Bovvy, couple of Brittania Jeeps in the background, still need the crews painted


Plastic Soldier Company for the infantry, with various additional bits added from some Valiant sprues I picked up. These will replace all my 40 year old poorly painted collection

First the figures for an Armoured Infantry Battalion


I decided to ignore the scale issue with the MGs (overscale) and the 81mm mortar (underscale)




Just completed a normal leg battalion, I've given them a water cooled 30cal instead




Sharp eyed observers will note the lack of AT guns, I'll probably convert some of the spare PSC heavy weapons crews with some arms from the British or German AT crews to make these.

[loken32]

very nice!!!

[Peter]

Great work Will!

[Fire at Will]

More progress over the last couple of weeks.

A third battalion


and finally the fourth, Italeri infantry for a change




Some extras, OP teams and radio jeeps completed.

[Peter]

Great addition to your troops Will! Nice jeeps to!

[Dad's Army]

Yeah nice jeeps, including figures..
And shermans, and in th last picture those ruined houses!
In fact I love it al....

Well done!

[Beano Boy]

The Quick-Builds are ideal for building up an army quick,and with a lot less building work required. I like it all Fire at Will. Very nice Photo shoot! Placing model`s within a setting does certainly give pictures another dimension that well pleases the wondering eye. Well done.
( The ruined houses look very good,and are quite easy to scratch-build.) BB

[Fire at Will]

Completed the 57mm AT guns guns. I needed to finish my US infantry for a game using the 29th Infantry Division tomorrow, which meant I had to work with the resource to hand to create the guns and teams. So four of the guns are an Airfix hybrid with Plastic Soldier Company barrels and wheels and the crews are from the US heavy weapons set. The last is an old 6pdr.

For those who like comparisons, in the foreground and inset, there is from left to right a Plastic Soldier Company 6pdr, one of my conversions, then an original Airfix 6pdr.

[Fire at Will]

Yet more completed.

Reece Squadron upgrade - I've touched up and rebased the figures and replaced the 30cal MMG with that from PSC and the 60mm mortars with the Italeri ones, so the unit is over 50% new.


Still not got enough vehicle to go with them, Still missing are three more Greyhounds, another M8 HMC and three M5 light tanks. But depending on what the scenario requires I might not need them all or can borrow them from other units.


[url]Engineer Battalion upgrade[/url] - again touched up and rebased the old figures, only added repalced the 30cal M1917 MMGs this time. It is slightly over-strength as I've include a flamethrower for each company, which is needed for some scenarios

Just need an assault bridging trailer to complete it.

Some extra vehicles, two good one bad!
The good is a pair of short wheel base trucks as used for artillery tows converted from the Pegasus fast build kit. The bad is the Hasegawa M4A1 mortar carrier, way too wide and needed extra work to get the interior vaguely right, I should have converted one of the Plastic Soldier versions instead.

The CCKW352 conversion was relatively easy, just needing to cut the chassis and body to the correct length before reassembling, the two spare wheels behind the cab came from an old Airfix 88mm. A work in progress picture to give an idea of what was involved

[Peter]

Looking real good Will! Great conversion!

[Dad's Army]

Cool conversion, love all I see here

[Fire at Will]

Yet another batch completed

M2 and M3 Half Tracks
Although I already had a US Armoured infantry battalion (made with Airfix half tracks) I found a scenario that need two battalions, so I acquired more of the Plastic Soldier Company version when I bought their M5 Stuarts. I wanted to create some variety and perusing my books and plans I realised I could convert the M3 into an M2 especially for use as a gun tow.

A pair of M2s either side of an M2A1, which has a pulpit as the main visible difference. I'll use the later as a 57mm gun tow and the other pair for the 3" AT guns. Most the pictures I could find showed them covered with stowage at the back and note the shortened mine racks.


More M3s personalised with assorted stowage


For those interested in the M2 conversion, here's a work in progress picture showing the main changes.

The hull sides are reduced by 3mm at the rear end carefully leaving the triangle behind the tracks. The interior is similarly reduced but by separating the rear compartment. The rear compartment is then reversed and refitted. At the rear the panel has to be adjusted to align with the new upper hull position, but with the lower third cut to fit the triangles on either sides and the centre stepped in to match the upper hull. I didn't bother removing the rear door as it would be hidden by stowage. The hull sides have the existing central panel line filled and a new one added ahead of the cut down mine racks. Finally two large stowage boxes from plasticard were added to the interior.

US M8 HMCs and more Jeeps
My latest purchases from Derby, all models by Britannia. Hopefully I won'y need any more Jeeps after this. The Howitzer Motor Carriages are basically Britannia, but I've replace the metal tracks with spare from the Plastic Soldier M5 Stuarts to keep the weight down.



US Command Groups
I decided I wouldn't stint on the commanders for my forces and created enough for each variation to have their own even though I could swap them around. They're mainly based in threes as per most of the Rapid Fire schematics.

The two triads to the left are Britannia and will be used for my Armoured Combat Command. The rest are SHQ with a few Airfix USAAF figures mixed in, two triads will be used for the Infantry Regiment command and the other two for the artillery battalion HQs.

Lastly a CCKW353 and another converted CCKW352 with added winches this time

[Peter]

Great work again Will! Love the command stands!

[Panzer_Grenadire]

Impressive force...

[Fire at Will]

A final push before Christmas with some extra Britannia bits bought at Recon

Although I already had a pair each of 105mm howitzers and 3" AT guns I needed an extra 105mm (centre), and then I decided that existing ones needed a repaint job to bring them up to the standard of the rest of the army.

The artillery crews are mostly figures from the Matchbox Priest, but the AT guns have been given new Britannia crews.

A triad of M8 Greyhounds to round out my Reconnaissance Squadron


Then a pair of M3 command half tracks, I had debated converting the PSC models, but I'm glad I didn't as these are so nice. One will be for the Armoured Combat Command and the other for the Armoured Artillery Battalion.

There are still a few bits and pieces to buy/paint sometime, but effectively the army is complete, I just need a good day to be able to have a parade and view it all laid out.

[Peter]

Don't forget to post pictures of teh parade Will! Love to see that!

[Fire at Will]

My final update - the whole force laid out for review

Overall views
Front row left to right, three infantry battalions, the regimental HQ and an engineer battalion

Middle row, on the left armoured infantry battalion with tank battalion behind, middle a reconnaissance squadron, right, the transport needed to convert an infantry battalion into an armored infantry version and my old tank battalion. far right the AA company

Rear row left an armoured artillery batalion; centre a selection of tank destroyer companies; right an ordinary artillery battalion, with a chemical mortar company attached. Far rear some spares, Chaffees for a late war reconnaissance unit and a few old Airfix trucks, plus an M3 Lee for North Africa.


Some close ups
An infantry battalion

Armoured infantry and my new tank battalion

Armoured artillery battalion M7s, the M40s and M12 (the one I bought from Dennis last week) are add ons. Yes I do know the M40s are post war.

The Reconnaissance Squadron, quite a mix of M8 Greyhounds

Tank destroyer companies

Engineer battalion

Airfix Half tracks and Frontline Armour in the second Armoured Infantry and Tank Battalions

Artillery battalion and Chemical Mortar company


Still missing are
A pair of M3 Mortar Carrier Half Tracks - the Hasegawa ones are horrible. If I can find some cheap diecast M21s then I'll probably use them.
The Recce Elements for the Tank Destroyer units should have three dismounted figures.
Bailed/Dismounted Tank Crews
105mm short howitzer, I've have the crew all ready for it
M32B1 Tank Recovery Vehicle (UM do a nice one but it's hard to find in the UK)

What I'd still like to work on
Tidy up the M12 155mm GMC (but I'll wait till a game when I have to use it)
Some extra armour, an extra 76mm Sherman and a couple of Jumbo's would be handy (Subsequently bought)
Rework one M36 into and M10, or possibly find another Cromwell models of the M10
Gradually try and get a consistent colour across the army, especially with units.
Add a couple of 37mm AT guns so I can replace the 57mm and cover early war as well

Now Surplus to requirements, these will be sold at some future show (Proceeds to the Army Benevolent Fund)
Three old infantry battalions

Three Frontline 76mm Shermans
One Frontline M3 Scout Car
Various assorted spare figures

[Peter]

Fantastic view Will! Thanks for sharing!