Das Reich T-34s

So as I and James mentioned in our previous posts I am now the proud owner of some of the Forged in Battle "Das Reich" T-34s. Now these guys are not just any normal T-34 but they're specifically sculpted to show some of the minor changes the Germans made to an already excellent AFV in order for them to use them even more effectively than their Russian counterparts! These changes include the addition of sideskirts/schurzen, more stowage boxes, cupolas and finally optics from other German guns as they found the main gun optic in the T-34 lacking (obviously this isn't modelled on these tanks!).

This fantastic site HERE from good old Beutepanzer gives you plenty of information on the Das Reich T-34s and perhaps explains a little as to why Forged in Battle decided to produce casts specifically for them. The chaps at Flames of War did an official section on their website showing off one of the teams self made attempts at these iconic captured AFVs but their left a little to be desired in respect to their placing of the cupolas and the use of Panther side skirts. I don't deny that the end results were fantastic, even more so the oak leaf wearing Aufklarungs Platoon that Casey did to join them!

I've been gathering pictures and inspiration from various sources including period photography, other modellers works and colour slides from various publications. Below you'll find a small selection of what I've been trawling through and finally a picture of where the tanks stand in their painting process.