14 Panzer Division

As mentioned a few weeks ago, following the death of my dear friend John G Robertson ('JR' hereafter) I remembered about some splendid converted 20mm vehicles he gave me some years ago.  After a programme of refurbishment I used many of these to form 14 Panzer Division (mine is also known by the honorific 'JR').  A quick word of explanation is required here for those of you unacquainted with my Megablitz game.  Being the dangerous megalomaniac I am, I use a single toy on a stand to represent the area taken up by a battalion sized unit.  At this level a (1941+) Panzer Division fits in a foolscap box file.  The box file was possibly the greatest leap forward for me as a wargamer (thanks Chris Kemp) and from small beginnings (3 boxes in 1993) I now have, well let's just say lots. 

Anyway, back to 14PD.  All but one of the vehicles in the division came from JR and many were converted by him from Airfix kits in the 1960s.  The dodgy paintwork is all mine.  The photo above shows both battalions (Abteillung) of the Panzer Regiment - represented by a Panzer III and Panzer IV.  The III is built on the hull of the StuG II kit, but can you identify the origins of the IV?  Comments welcome...

The next two pics show the Recce (Aufklarungs) Abt.  This has 4 company sized stands.  Firstly we have the Airfix Sdkfz 231/234 built as standard from the kit with (in the background) a Sdkfz233 with a short 75mm - a straightforward conversion from the same kit.  This and all other photos were shamelessly posed on my wargames table.

The slightly less serious half of the Aufkl Abt - the bAirfix M3 Halftrack with a small turret added - as seen in many a '60s Hollywood war film!  In the foreground is yet another combination of the Sdkfz 234 parts.  Both of these vehicles are liveried in accordance with what Ian Drury calls 'Gow's Third Law' - the less plausible the model then the bigger the black crosses!

The Artillery Regiment is armed with a SiG33 - a Panzer III hull with a 15cm infantry gun in a boxy superstructure.  I know it should have a roof but it wasn't until the 1990s that I saw a photo of the original vehicle from this angle.  Oddly enough, I built one (also open-topped) in the 1970s using a Matchbox Panzer III hull.

The two Panzer Grenadier Regiments ( 2 Btls each) are equipped with an assortment of Airfix and ROCO lorries and halftracks - here we see a lorry converted from the Austin K6 fire tender and an Sdkfz 250 with a short 75mm gun.  The latter uses much of the running gear from the Sdkfz 7 kit.  The infantry I used in 14PD just had to be the Airfix originals - they have a certain period charm!

Finally we have the division's CO with his Dodge (or dodgy) command car (a battered ROCO model).  He is of course the officer from the same Airfix set as his infantry.

JR was slightly appalled when I told him that I was using his creations in wargames - he regarded them as rubbish and was about to bin the lot!  Long may they serve.