Showing posts with label Opel Blitz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opel Blitz. Show all posts

30 December 2021

"Ersatz" Opel Blitz

There was a time 20+ years ago, when it was impossible to get your hands on a 20mm Opel Blitz and inspired by a post on Will's Wargames Blog I thought I'd share a couple of photos of two British vehicles that made their way into the miniature WW2 German arsenal.


This rehashed old Airfix Austin K6 was a solution, and the vehicle is still in my collection today from back then


Nowadays of course you don't need to go to such a ridiculous end as there are so many kits and ready-made options available.




Another "Ersatz" vehicle was this Opel Blitz ambulance bus below. This was a more recent concoction, using a die-cast Bedford OB Utility bus.  There are kits of the Opel Blitz bus available but at the time I thought that from a distance this could make the grade. 


Happy New Year to all you fellow modellers, gamers and toy collectors out there !


31 October 2015

German officer with greatcoat and scissor binoculars

German officer with greatcoat and scissor binoculars mounted on a tripod. An iconic figure from the Revel Panzergrenadier set.



 He’s accompanied here by a Zvezda infantryman and Imex radiomain with a portable backpack mounted radio.




Vehicles are 1/72 MAC Distribution Opel Blitz 3t Radio Car Kfz. 305, Airfix / Heller 1/76 scale Opel Blitz & and old Academy 1/72 Kubelwagen.

30 July 2002

MiniatureZone Gallery Archives (2000 - 2006) - Christopher Holland - "German field hospital "

This article is one of many articles and gallery contributions from fellow amateur smallscale enthusiasts all over the world that appeared on the old MiniatureZone website during the first six years its existence when there were only a handful of websites dedicated to smallscale models and wargaming. 

If you've been around on the internet since back then, we hope you like the nostalgia, and if you´re a newcomer, hope you enjoy looking too.



MiniatureZone Gallery Archives (2000 - 2006) - Christopher Holland - "German field hospital "


Esci Opel Blitz Ambulance
Esci Sd.Kfz 251 Ambulance
Academy Kettenkrad
Academy Kübelwagen


Figures
Airfix Luftwaffe
Airix German paratroopers
Milicast German medics
Revell German engineers

















Copyright 2002 Christopher Holland

16 July 2001

MiniatureZone Gallery Archives (2000 - 2006) - Javier Gómez - "WW2 German Station"

This article is one of many articles and gallery contributions from fellow amateur smallscale enthusiasts all over the world that appeared on the old MiniatureZone website during the first six years its existence when there were only a handful of websites dedicated to smallscale models and wargaming. 

If you've been around on the internet since back then, we hope you like the nostalgia, and if you´re a newcomer, hope you enjoy looking too.



MiniatureZone Gallery Archives (2000 - 2006) - Javier Gómez - "WW2 German Station"


The scene is about a small station anywhere in central Europe, where the troops are resting and trying to stock up to head forward.

It is a diorama in which I invested a great deal of time, it is the largest work I have ever built (removing a kind of medieval fortress, it is a pharaonic work).















The vehicles are:
TIGER I of Hasegawa
Esci IV IV
FLAKPANZER IV from Esci
OPEL BLITZ by Airfix
B.M.W. from Hasegawa
Hasegawa's KUBELWAGEN
The accessories are of several brands as well as the trees

The three freight cars are at HO scale, as well as roads and buildings, although I think they are quite in line with the scene.

Copyright 2001 Javier Gómez

30 August 2000

German Flak Outpost - By Nuno Santos

By Nuno Santos (original article formerly on the miniaturezone.co.uk website)

This diorama was built in 1995 consists of a fortification , with an antiaircraft gun and a truck .

The truck is an OPEL BLITZ in scale 1 /72 ESCI- ERTL . This kit was produced in 1988 with the reference 8355 , and contains 64 pieces.







It's a simple kit without great detail. In assembly, the hardest part is the placement of the cabin. I rode the cab overconfident and the result was discouraging . The last piece was bad seasoned unite with the rest of the cabin. As the pieces have almost no fixation point is we need to study what part should be attached first - is that the assembly diagram indicating the placement sites but do not indicate the assembly steps . I had to take off some of the pieces , which was not easy and I went to hit the assembly , with some cuts and modeling clay to cover imperfections .







In this miniature , I conducted some modifications : I opened one of the doors of the cabin, put ' glasses ' windshield and doors ( I used clear plastic , malleable , I got a package ), the canvas roof has been foil manufactured cooking - the two arcs are small clips .

For miniature painting three colors : olive green , sand and black . I used the colors of HUMBROL : for painting miniature general used 63 -sand color , applied the 86 -light olive colored in camouflage stripes , the 33 -black for the wheels on canvas colors used 26 - khaki for the exterior and for the interior 63 . For the whole model , I applied the ink -mid 84 stone , quite diluted , to enhance the details. Finally in headlights 11 applied silver color and the radiator and side openings 33 used color , well diluted .

The OPEL BLITZ 3 tons , which represents the model arises in 1937 and was one of the first to follow the practice , adopted in 1938 , construction of civilian vehicles that could also be adopted for military purposes . This model has total length 6.10m by 2.27 wide and 2.25 m high. OPEL engine had a 3.5- liter capacity and 64cv then be increased to 3.6 liters and 75hp . The top speed was 85km / h with a range of 320kms .

The anti-aircraft weapon (AAA ) is a Flakvierling 38 quadruple ( four guns) of 20mm and is considered one of the best aircraft at the time, with remarkable firepower - 800 rounds / min .. He was seated on a triangular base that each point had a device for leveling the gun. The three seats were removable , folding cranks and had room for the ammo boxes . The firing of the weapon is made via two pedals , in that each of the cannon fires two on each side.

The shot can be automatic or semiautomatic . The initial velocity was 900m/seg shot . with an effective range of 2,000 m . Because firepower , needed a lot of ammunition. The angle of jurisdiction of the guns was 90 º upward and 10 º downward able to rotate all around 360 º. We used a lot against low altitude aircraft and was installed in permanent premises. They were also installed in some vehicles - OPEL BLITZ ; Sd.Kfz 7/1 ; PANZER IV wirbelwind ...

Fortification is my creation and plaster . The molds were made with kitchen match sticks . It took five molds (Figure 10 ) : the top ( A) , bottom ( B ), the portal ( C ), the lateral wall ( D ) blocks to the steps that were carved after the plaster has dried ( E). The various sections were attached with white glue for wood. I painted the first structure , with color 175 - hellgrau 76 . Once dry , the color wash with 119 -light earth well diluted .


In relation to accessories: the two rifles ( MAUSER ) are of the HASEGAWA - MB35 reference , in the truck , the two barrels and the box are the reference ESCI 8060 , 1986 , the bars are kitchen match sticks , the barrel was pulled HELLER kit with the reference 80815 - " NINA " scale 1/75 .

As for the soldiers , the three that are next to the truck that I adapted for sappers , are the reference AIRFIX 01755 - LUFTWAFFE PERSONEL . Modified only one withdrawing the hand tool . The other two soldiers in the fort are from the Matchbox ( 1982 ) and both were modified . Because they are made of plastic is malleable , with the points of the fingers ( thumb and index) you can change the positions of the arms , legs , head and trunk - for smaller parts ( such as hands and feet ) used a flat nose pliers , and with a knife I removed the objects.


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© Antònio Santos , 30th August 2000

10 January 2000

Esci Opel Blitz Ambulance

Esci Opel Blitz Ambulance - Diorama by Stephen Brezinski




By Stephen Brezinski, Maine USA (10/01/2000) (original article formerly on the miniaturezone.co.uk website)


The vehicle is a 1/72 ESCI Opel Blitz truck, painted in dunkelgelb with a green camoflage pattern. This vehicle was one of the most common German 3-ton trucks, produced in either a 4x4 or 4x2 version. Besides fuel and cargo versions, the van variant was common and used for ambulances, command,and communications vehicles. The van could even be seen on the tracked Maultier (Mule) version of the truck.





I opened up the rear doors and added four bunks using the stretchers from two ESCI SdKfz 251 ambulance kits, a desk/operating table, seat, and various boxes and bedrools. Windows were also opened up and clear sheet styrene glued in with Kristal Clear. Inside I also scribed in the door panels to match those on the outside walls of the van. Wood steps were created from a model RR kit.


The markings and license plates are decals from the kit, set down with Solveset. Clear windows and windshield was also cut and added to the cab. There were fit problems with the cab which required careful fit and putty. Also added to the cab was a rearview mirror, wipers, and width indicators on the fenders.


The grass was created with model RR flocking. The figures sitting, table, and chairs are from Preiser's 1/72 tank repair personnel (in hard, polystyrene plastic)








Most all the paint used were acrylics, though the flesh tones are enamel which can be blended a bit with a brush dampened with thinner. Overall the kit can be challenging but looks great when the fit is corrected. The figures are superb and I hope more are released.

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© Stephen Brezinski, Maine USA


10/01/2000