Jon Smith Modellbau - German Tank Crewman, 1918

Jon Smith Modellbau

120mm. Resin Cast.

German Tank Crewman Kampfwagenabteilung 1, 1918 The figure depicts a member of the 1.Garde-Regiment zu Fuß, or Guards Foot Regiment Nr. 1, standing in front of a A7V tank, vehicle No. 560 of the StPzKrW Abt. 1- Sturmpanzerkraftwagen Abteilung 1, or Assault Tank Detachment 1. He is posing with a comrade, making sure that the large, white skull and cross- boned emblem on the front of Wagon 560 is clearly seen to his left. Wagen 560, or Alter Fritz, under command of Lt Ernst Volckheim, belonged to Abteilung 1 and along the other 2 detachments, took part in the attack at Villers-Bretonneux, 24th April 1918. It was on this day that the first ever tank versus tank action took place between A7Vs of Abt.2 and British Whippet Medium tanks. On 11th October 1918, the last A7V action took place at Iwuy, using the 5 A7Vs tanks of Abt. 1. Wagen 560 broke a track and had to be destroyed. The name A7V derives from the department in the German War Ministry - Allgemeines Kriegsdepartement 7 Abteilung. Verkehrswesen (A7V), War Department, 7th Section, Vehicles, in which the tank project was assigned to. The abbreviation was kept on for security reasons. The first detachment, StPzKrW Abt. 1, was formed in the autumn 1917. Receiving the first A7Vs at Berlin-Marinefelde, on 05.01.18 and just one week later it was transferred by rail to Sedan for 6 weeks tactical training. It was during this time that they trained along side SturmBtl Rohr - the famous Assault Battalion Cadre, who first devised the German infantry assault tactics back in 1915. Over half of the crew members for the German tank arm were drawn from the Kraftfahrtruppen, or Motor Transport units. The rest were made up from Machine Gun (Infantry), Field Artillery and Signal units. Officers were aloud to keep their original regimental uniforms. Contents: Figure (6 parts) 2nd Head Gas Mask - Gasmaske M.17 Metallbehälter Cloth Bag Armoured Face Mask - Splitterschutzmaske Pistol 08 Leather Helmet - Special-Ledersturzkappe NCO / Officers Field Cap M1917 - Einheitsfeldmütze M1917 Steel Helmet - Stahlhelm M1916 Skull and Cross Bones Emblem - Totenkopf Emblem Figure Base The figure depicts a member of the 1.Garde-Regiment zu Fuß, or Guards Foot Regiment Nr. 1, standing in front of a A7V tank, vehicle No. 560 of the StPzKrW Abt. 1- Sturmpanzerkraftwagen Abteilung 1, or Assault Tank Detachment 1. He is posing with a comrade, making sure that the large, white skull and cross- boned emblem on the front of Wagon 560 is clearly seen to his left. Wagen 560, or Alter Fritz, under command of Lt Ernst Volckheim, belonged to Abteilung 1 and along the other 2 detachments, took part in the attack at Villers-Bretonneux, 24th April 1918. It was on this day that the first ever tank versus tank action took place between A7Vs of Abt.2 and British Whippet Medium tanks. On 11th October 1918, the last A7V action took place at Iwuy, using the 5 A7Vs tanks of Abt. 1. Wagen 560 broke a track and had to be destroyed. The name A7V derives from the department in the German War Ministry - Allgemeines Kriegsdepartement 7 Abteilung. Verkehrswesen (A7V), War Department, 7th Section, Vehicles, in which the tank project was assigned to. The abbreviation was kept on for security reasons. The first detachment, StPzKrW Abt. 1, was formed in the autumn 1917. Receiving the first A7Vs at Berlin-Marinefelde, on 05.01.18 and just one week later it was transferred by rail to Sedan for 6 weeks tactical training. It was during this time that they trained along side SturmBtl Rohr - the famous Assault Battalion Cadre, who first devised the German infantry assault tactics back in 1915. Over half of the crew members for the German tank arm were drawn from the Kraftfahrtruppen, or Motor Transport units. The rest were made up from Machine Gun (Infantry), Field Artillery and Signal units. Officers were aloud to keep their original regimental uniforms. The other ranks however, wore the following: Motor Transport units: either their original Kraftfahr units, or Garde-Kraftfahr Bataillon - Guards Motor Transport Battalion. Infantry and Machine Gun units: 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß - Guards Foot Regiment No. 1. Artillery: 1. Garde- Feldartillerie Regiment - Guards Field Artillery Regiment No.1. Uniform NCO / Officers Field Cap M1917: Einheitsfeldmütze M1917. This is the later version of the grey NCO / Officers Field Cap. There were in fact many different types and forms of the field cap both privately purchased and official issue items. In order to simplify production on account of shortage of natural materials, especially leather it was decided to leave out many of the pre war characteristics in later caps. From spring 1917 onwards the peak and chinstrap were no longer made from leather, but an Ersatz material, either vulcanised fibre or treated card, both finished in a matt grey tone. I have chosen to model an old type black leather chinstrap to give this otherwise grey in grey field cap some coloured contrast. The chinstrap at each side had either black metal (old type) or grey buttons. The coloured band and piping were from mid 1917 also officially issued in grey, although some caps were produced with band and piping in resedagrün, or mignoette (Reseda odorata), a type of greyish-green. Of cause these resedagrün caps were sought after and officers and NCOs valued the slight difference in appearance. The two metal Kokarden badges at the front were - top: Die Reichsfarben: black, white and red (from outwards to the centre) and - bottom: represents the state were the unit was raise - e.g. Prussia - Preussen: black, white and black. Bavaria - Bayern: white, light blue and white. Brunswick - Braunschweig: blue, yellow and blue. Hessen - Hessen: white, red and white etc. Field Service Dress: Feldrock M1907. On the figure can just be seen the collar of the standard German army field service dress M1907, showing the top half of the Gardelitzen, or the Guards shoulder patches. Colour: the collar is field grey and the slightly raised Litzen can be painted in 3 different variations: 1. Guards Motor Transport Battalion - the patch white, with a thin black line running through the middle, but stopping before, were the ends spread out a little. A black stripe (piping) ran along the outside edge of the collar (on the figure this will only be seen at the front of the collar). 2. Guards Foot Regiment No.1 - same as No. 1, but using red, instead of black. 3. Guards Field Artillery Regiment No.1 - the patch yellow, with a thin black line running through the middle and black piping on the collar (same as No. 1). Tank Suit: Panzerkraftwagen-Sonderbekleidung. The cloth tank suit had woven in asbestos fibre and was normally worn over the top of the uniform. A detachable hood was also issued, but seldom worn. On each shoulder were a cloth loop and a button for the attachment of shoulder straps. It generally had a baggy appearance. It is not sure if these tank suits were issued to whole crews, or just tank commanders and motor transport and technical personal. Colour: there are very few original photographs of this garment and to my knowledge no suits exists today. Some books have described the suit as being made out of leather of a dark grey, or black shade. The bulk of existing photos show the suit as being made out of a thin material, with a definite matt surface. On group photos of tank crews, the tank suits seem to show nearly the same brightness and shade - maybe slightly darker - as the service dress tunics (Feldrock M1907/10 and Bluse M1915) worn by other crew members. Colour: grey. Infantry Boots: Infanteristiefel M1866. The nailed infantry boot were made out of a blacked leather and had a tendency to `wrinkle´ down around the ankle after being worn in. On the figure the top of the boots can just be made out underneath the tank suit, particularly behind the right leg. Equipment Leather Helmet: Special-Ledersturzkappe. The leather helmet, like the tank suit is a rare object to find, either original, or in photographs. I managed to find a near identical flying helmet from 1911, in a local museum. The top dome part is made out of reinforced leather, with a padded rim on and around the bottom. Most photographs show tank crews, or flying and motor transport personnel wearing the more common Sturzhelm M1913, with an added pad running over the top of the helmet, from front to rear. There are 2 slits underneath, in between the helmet rim and pad for the attachment of the chin- strap (using card supplied) Colour: brown leather. Steel Helmet: Stahlhelm M1916. Weighing 1.2 Kg. - more heavier than the Allied helmets, but giving a better protection to the face, ears and neck. Colour: the helmet was issued in field- grey, but was sometimes repainted in the field with a four- colour camouflage pattern - red- brown, ochre (brownish- yellow), green and blue- grey. Some troops outlined these colours in black. Sometimes helmets were covered using the light brown sandbag material, or the issued helmet-covers. Note: The rim and underneath edge of the helmet can be thinned out, giving a more realistic appearance of the original item. The brown card supplied can be used to represent leather or material chin straps etc. Cut the card approx. 1.2mm wide and 22 mm long and flatten or rub down on a hard surface with a blunt tool (handle of a modelling knife is ideal). Bend the strip around a pencil to give a natural curve and glue into position on the figure. The colour, thickness and texture achieved from rubbing down the card gives a good reproduction of leather in this scale. Belt: This is the type of belt mostly seen in conjunction with the tank suit. Also described as a Fliegerkoppel, or flyers belt. Attached to the belt is a small grey coloured cloth bag. Colour: brown leather. The buckle and eyelets: metal. Gas Mask: Gasmaske M1917. The gas mask was kept in a metal container, which had a brown cloth strap. Troops serving in the front area often wore it in the alert position at the front of the chest. There was no room for the reserve filter in the container. Through constant use the containers became dented. There is a small indent, at the top of the figures right leg for the correct attachment of the gas mask (bottom rim - attachment loops facing inwards). Colour: grey. Armoured Face Mask: The British armoured face mask were issued to tank crews on account of the apparent danger of `splash´ (small fragments and hot lead) entering the vision slots of vehicles. Just how often they were used is not known today, but certainly there is enough photographic evidence to suggest that they were more popular than thought. These masks can still be found in many museums and at collectors markets. Inside the leather mask was a metal plate, with the eye slits cut out. The inside was padded and a piece of closely linked mail was attached to the outside. Light cotton ties were used to fasten the mask to the wearer's head - these can be made out of the card supplied, or something similar and glued into the small slits each side (inside) of the mask. The mask has been so constructed so as to fit either on the face, or in front of the chest. Colour: leather mask - dark reddish-brown. The metal eye slits - a dark brownish-metal. Mail - dark grey-metal. Weapon Pistol 08: As a tank crewman he had a secondary weapon for self defence. The 08 - or Luger (the Germans never called this weapon the Luger - this is an anglicised name) was first produced in 1900, with the German military taken it on in 1908 - hence P 08. As a service pistol it had its drawbacks, mainly it was expensive, difficult to produce and susceptible to dirt. Colour of holster: blackened leather. The Base: The base supplied with the figure depicts a piece of ground, which Wagon 560 has just backed over. The A7V track imprints were scaled down from the in 1990 reconstructed A7V on display at the Tank Museum Munster, Germany. The only original A7V, still existing is Wagen 506 Maphisto at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane, Australia. Skull and Cross Bones Emblem: Totenkopf Emblem. The skull and cross bones emblem was used by Abt.1 and painted in white onto the front armoured plate of the A7Vs, directly under the cannon. The emblem could be placed onto the base, or fixed to the front of a wooden plinth. The original emblems were about 60 cm in width, so the one supplied is not in scale with the figure.