Wittmann's StuG Ausf A
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 1:53 pm
Hey fellas,
For some time now I've been wanting to complete my builds of Michael Wittmann's vehicles.
So far I have his last mount, Tiger 007,
His ride in possible Villers Bocage Tiger 212, (This one I'm planning to rebuild or build 205 and has already been boxed away)
His tiger from Italy and Ukraine S21,
and His tiger from Kursk 1331,
Those are mostly his tigers. I could probably build Tiger's 222, 205 and 212 as they're all the possible and debated tigers he may have ridden in during his attack on the 7th RTR at Viller's Bocage. I may yet still. I build 212 only because at the time it was the popular choice by the experts at the time. I don't know what it is at the moment. I grew tired of the argument.
What I want to build now and then later on is his first two rides. His StuG Ausf. A and his Panzer III Ausf M or L (I'm not sure yet, still doing the research on that) This build is of the StuG Ausf A which he rode into Poland, maybe France and then into Russia as part of Operation Barbarossa in 1941. A newly minted AFV commander.
Here's a brief blurb about his time during that event... ¬Wikipedia¬
His first experience in action came in the Polish Campaign, followed by the Battle of France as a commander of one of the new self-propelled assault guns, the Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. A. The Greek campaign - Operation Marita - was launched on 6 April 1941. Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) captured the Greek capital and formed the spearhead, alongside the 9th Panzer Division, which punched through the Greek countryside. After three weeks of campaigning Greece had fallen to the III Reich's panzer divisions, and Wittmann and his unit were withdrawn to refit in Czechoslovakia.
Wittmann receiving the Swords to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross from Adolf Hitler.
The rest would not last long, however, as Wittmann's unit was soon dispatched to the Eastern Front to participate in the invasion of the Soviet Union. He initially served as a commander of a StuG III assault gun. He was assigned for both officer and tank training in the winter of 1942–43.
I'm not going to attest to the accuracy of the Wikipedia account. I haven't confirmed every event that's mentioned in that blurb as yet. Some of sounds a bit wonky.
What I have in my own library that relates directly to Wittmann during Barbarossa and his earlier career is written by by Patrick Agte, (Michael Wittmann and the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the Leibstandarte in WWII: v. 1) and Panzer Aces I by Franz Kurowski, These books are written in an unusual way and I don't hold a lot of faith in their accuracy either. A lot of what is in them is anecdotal and thus of no use other than to fog the issue with the author's opinions and tale telling.
My plan for this build is to combine two kits together on a diorama. Both are actually the same kit, one a reboxing of the other.
The ancient imperialish series Wittmann kit...
and the rebox with added figures...
both kits are exactly the same and the only difference is the figure set. Both are not very good kits. They're old, spongy detail, flashy, and have accuracy issues.
The older kit I build a long time ago and will be adding to the diorama but with a new figure for the commander.
Where the newer kit will be built as Wittmann's StuG.
This is my first mock up of the plan for the dio, The two StuG's moving to support some infantry and the CO's having a confab about directions. Somewhere in Eastern Europe during Barbarossa. I may end up changing it a few more times as I have a few story ideas for this one.
A possible configuration change... but maybe not... Stowage for Wittmann's StuG sorted.
A bit of paint on her
And some decals...
Next will be some chipping then sealling it all up under the gloss in prep for the washes.
For some time now I've been wanting to complete my builds of Michael Wittmann's vehicles.
So far I have his last mount, Tiger 007,
His ride in possible Villers Bocage Tiger 212, (This one I'm planning to rebuild or build 205 and has already been boxed away)
His tiger from Italy and Ukraine S21,
and His tiger from Kursk 1331,
Those are mostly his tigers. I could probably build Tiger's 222, 205 and 212 as they're all the possible and debated tigers he may have ridden in during his attack on the 7th RTR at Viller's Bocage. I may yet still. I build 212 only because at the time it was the popular choice by the experts at the time. I don't know what it is at the moment. I grew tired of the argument.
What I want to build now and then later on is his first two rides. His StuG Ausf. A and his Panzer III Ausf M or L (I'm not sure yet, still doing the research on that) This build is of the StuG Ausf A which he rode into Poland, maybe France and then into Russia as part of Operation Barbarossa in 1941. A newly minted AFV commander.
Here's a brief blurb about his time during that event... ¬Wikipedia¬
His first experience in action came in the Polish Campaign, followed by the Battle of France as a commander of one of the new self-propelled assault guns, the Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. A. The Greek campaign - Operation Marita - was launched on 6 April 1941. Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) captured the Greek capital and formed the spearhead, alongside the 9th Panzer Division, which punched through the Greek countryside. After three weeks of campaigning Greece had fallen to the III Reich's panzer divisions, and Wittmann and his unit were withdrawn to refit in Czechoslovakia.
Wittmann receiving the Swords to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross from Adolf Hitler.
The rest would not last long, however, as Wittmann's unit was soon dispatched to the Eastern Front to participate in the invasion of the Soviet Union. He initially served as a commander of a StuG III assault gun. He was assigned for both officer and tank training in the winter of 1942–43.
I'm not going to attest to the accuracy of the Wikipedia account. I haven't confirmed every event that's mentioned in that blurb as yet. Some of sounds a bit wonky.
What I have in my own library that relates directly to Wittmann during Barbarossa and his earlier career is written by by Patrick Agte, (Michael Wittmann and the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the Leibstandarte in WWII: v. 1) and Panzer Aces I by Franz Kurowski, These books are written in an unusual way and I don't hold a lot of faith in their accuracy either. A lot of what is in them is anecdotal and thus of no use other than to fog the issue with the author's opinions and tale telling.
My plan for this build is to combine two kits together on a diorama. Both are actually the same kit, one a reboxing of the other.
The ancient imperialish series Wittmann kit...
and the rebox with added figures...
both kits are exactly the same and the only difference is the figure set. Both are not very good kits. They're old, spongy detail, flashy, and have accuracy issues.
The older kit I build a long time ago and will be adding to the diorama but with a new figure for the commander.
Where the newer kit will be built as Wittmann's StuG.
This is my first mock up of the plan for the dio, The two StuG's moving to support some infantry and the CO's having a confab about directions. Somewhere in Eastern Europe during Barbarossa. I may end up changing it a few more times as I have a few story ideas for this one.
A possible configuration change... but maybe not... Stowage for Wittmann's StuG sorted.
A bit of paint on her
And some decals...
Next will be some chipping then sealling it all up under the gloss in prep for the washes.
just don't know what to get.
).I have the newer Dragon kit and have already bought the Aber PE set for an Ausf.A,a Voyager resin/PE barrel cleaning rod set and a set of Friul tracks.The only thing left I want to get is a PE fender set.So needless to say I will be watching this build very closely. 
great idea, i like it to see you building early war topics! Most modellers stick to late war stuff which gets a bit boring after a while.
