AFRIKAKORPS NCO SQUAD LEADER - 1/6 Feldwebel Egon Metzler. From Dragon

My 1/9 scale figure representing a Deutsches Afrikakorps NCO Squad Leader, Feldwebel Egon Metzler. From Dragon 2001.

Made by Dragon Models Limited (DML) item number 70112 in 2001, this a 1/6 action figure. A NCO (non-commissioned officer or noncommissioned officer) Squad Leader from Deutshes Afrikakorps (DAK) in North Africa 1942. In German is unteroffizier.

This is a fully equiped figure like was sell in that time. I dont have the original box. Standard tropical uniform and equipment used by the DAK. Other figures here: http://rammhobby.blogspot.pt/

AFRIKA KORPS DOCUMENTS

Two german Postacards: 1) Rommel & axis emblems 2) Iron cross 2nd class - Thanks to Alessandro Vecchio

GENERAL DER PANZERTRUPPE HANS CRAMER

Picture by courtesy of Nicolas Leste, WebPage: La Fuite

Tobruk kaput! Another DAK Diorama by me

Another DAK Diorama:

DAK TODAY - My own DAK Diorama - FINISHED

Finished!
Enjoy!

DAK TODAY - My own DAK Diorama - 03

In this stage, I finished the covering with molding paste, then I use small stones before it dry.
Next all is painted with a base of sand color.

Small stones and tyre tracks before dry

DAK TODAY - My own DAK Diorama - 02

Part 02
Then I start to cover the cardboard with modeling paste:

The stairs...

All cardboar is covered with the moulding paste

To be continued...

DAK TODAY - My own DAK Diorama - 01

I start a new diorama.
The ideia was to use some old DAK figures, equipment and vehicles and join them in a new diorama using new technics. Here goes the first steps:

Start to building the ruined desert house in cardboard

A ex NVIDIA Video Card box...

The prototype display

 

Have the ideia of use a old and bad constructed kit of a Leichter Panzerspähwagen Sdkfz 222 to stay half inside the ruined house

(I dont do this kind of things for almoust 20 years)

Soon I will show the next stage of this diorama.

DAK TODAY - 1/6 Soldier Story - Afrikakorps

This is a 1/6 Scale Afrikakorps from Soldier Story. Impresive!

 

LINK: http://www.soldierstory-toys.com/products_show.asp?id=72

DAK GUNS - 105mm leFH 18

A SdKfz11 halftrack towing a leFH18 105mm gun

The 105MM (4.13in) leFH18 (leichte FeldHaubitze "light field howitzer") was the standard German divisional field-piece used throughout the World War II; it was designed by Rheinmetall in 1929/30 and went into service in 1935. A good, sound, orthodox design, it used a split trail with folding spades and a hydro-pneumatic recoil system split above and below the barrel, but retained a wooden or pressed-steel wheels and was mostly horse-drawn for all its life. However it was so solidly put together that it was rather heavy, and unable to be as mobile as the army would have liked. Although augmented by improved models in 1939/45, it remained in use and was kept in service by several European armies for some years after the war ended.

  

Calibre:	105mm (4.13in)
Weight in action:	1985Kg (4376lb)
Gun lenght:	24.8 calibre: 2.61m (102.7in)
Elevation:	-6.5º to +40.5º
Traverse:	56º
Shell type & weight:	HE (High Explosive); 14.81Kg (32.65lb)
Muzzle velocity:	470m/sec (1542ft/sec
Maximum range:	10675m (11.675yds)

"It had a heavy, simple breech mechanism with a hydro-pneumatic recoil system. The 10.5 cm leFH 18 had wood-spoked or pressed steel wheels. The former were only suitable for horse traction. Initially, it was not fitted with a muzzle brake. In 1941 a muzzle brake was fitted to allow longer range charges to be fired. This increased the range by about 1,800 yards and was known as the leFH 18M. In March 1942 a requirement was issued for a lighter howitzer. This led to a second modification, known as the leFH 18/40. This modification consisted of mounting the barrel of an leFH 18M on the carriage for a 7.5 cm PaK 40 antitank gun. The new carriage increased the rate of fire as well as making the howitzer lighter. Additionally, a more efficient muzzle brake was added, decreasing the recoil. Ballistically, the 10.5 cm leFH 18M and the leFH 18/40 are identical."

SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA

BIR HACHEIM

January 29 1942 after the Bengazi's fall Rommel reaches the at Bomba's golf and to Ain el Gazala's line. At May 26. The Axis forces consists in the 15st e 31st Panzer Divisions (320 combat vehicles), the Italian Division Ariete (240 combat vehicles), the Italian Division Trieste and a German Motorized Division. The Axis forces wait for the arrive of second Italian Division; the Littorio.

AFRIKAKORPS PICTURE GALLERY 02

This is an unsorted DAK related Pictures Gallery. The new pictures appear at later related posts. Some pictures may be replaced by better ones.

Luftwaffe

AFRIKAKORPS PICTURE GALLERY 01

This is an unsorted DAK related Pictures Gallery. The new pictures appear at later related posts. Some pictures may be replaced by better ones.

Rommel and the Afrika Korps (colorized Picture by me)

DAK GUNS - Panzer III

Panzer III - Medium Tank

 

A brandnew Panzer III of Panzerregiment 8, 15. Panzerdivision

German re-armament plans in the 1930's called for the new panzer battalions to be constitued of three light-medium tank companies and one heavy-medium company. The lighter tank, wich was to form the bulk of the panzer force for much of the war and remain in production to its end, was the Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfw or Panzer III). One reason for this sucess was that a turret ring diameter was specified that allow upgunning to higher-calibre weapons that 37mm (1.41in) gun originaly fitted.

CURIOSITIES AND FACTS - REAL DAK SOLDIER...

This little incident that took place during the filming of the old TV Show "Rat Patrol". When they (The Producers were casting for extras to play the role(s) of Afrika Korps Soldat one of the "prospective" extras handed in his application. The casting department looked this man over, spoke with him, and then said: "You won't do. You just don't look or seem believable for the part." Very graciously (if not somewhat miffed by this comment) the extra "wannabe" responded by saying: " OK thats' alright". And as he turned to leave, he slowly turned around and facing the casting director said: "I just wanted you to know I WAS in the REAL Afrika Korps"!!!! And with that he proceded with geat dignity to leave.

Amazing isn't it how history (such as how it is presented... and heavens forbid; how it is PRESERVED as reality, can be so rewritten. with all the irrelevance of political correctness and one author merely copying the mistakes and preconcieved notions accompanying that political correctness of preceding authors seems to doom us to that old admonition : "We must remember and learn from our past or we are doomed to repeat it."

Brian Barta

DAK RELATED MOVIES - THE ENGLISH PATIENT (1996)

Haunting and enthralling, The English Patient is a scrapbook of another world, of romance and adventure and tragedy, jumbled out of sequence.Years after the plane crash, its pilot, Count Almasy (Ralph Fiennes) he survived the crash but was horribly burned and is now dying reminisces bitterly about his stolen, illicit affair with Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas), the woman in the plane. Almasy at first seems repelled by Katherine, the wife of a fellow cartographer Geoffrey Clifton (Colin Firth) all are part of an international group mapping North Africa just before World War II but in fact he's so strongly attracted to her that it frightens him. He is the kind of man who bottles up emotions until they explode, and when he and Katherine do finally come together, it is with a kind of rage.

DAK STEEL HELMETS

Genuine DAK Helmet. Picture thanks to Andy

The army steel helmet was issued to all three branches of the German Armed Forces as well as some auxiliary organizations. The Model 1916 helmet was introduced to replace the old "Pickelhaube" - the decorative pointed helmet used by First World War German Infantry and was designed to give more protection to the neck and head and became symbolic of the German Army along with the Jackboot during both World Wars.

DAK GUNS - Panzer II - Light Tank