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Gepanzert Graben Gehhilfe, 1916

Jeeves

Well-known member
It’s the summer of 1916 and the battle at the Somme front continues. Each day, both sides of the trenches send men into No-Man’s Land in attempts to gain an advantage in the stalemate that has gripped everyone in chaos. Artillery, machine guns, and gas attacks have managed to whittle away troops hunkered down in their muddy habitats and despair grows by the minute. Flechettes and grenades rain down from fragile aircraft above the trenches. The Huns have heard rumors of a new rolling terror being designed and looming ahead from the British lines. Words like "armour" and "tank" have been in the wind, but how these things would evolve and what troubles they might bring were still just speculation.

Joseph Vollmer, one of Germany’s foremost automobile designers, would eventually be tasked with designing a response to these tanks- which were first introduced in September of that year. However before all of that would occur, a young aide to Kaiser Wilhelm with a mind for science would awaken from a strange dream. Recently, the aide had accompanied the Kaiser on some visits to field hospitals at the front in the hopes of boosting morale. Erich Eisenfaust had witnessed the horrors these men had endured- with bullet wounds, shrapnel, and damaged lungs from gas attacks, these men had literally been through hell. These images stayed with Erich for a long while after and his mind began to try to devise some sort of means of these men to be better protected. In his dream, he saw armoured men advancing on enemy trenches, untouched by machine gun or rifle fire. Encased in their iron suits, they were also impervious to gas attacks. He was reminded of knights of old in their suits of armor and went to the local farrier who was a friend of his. After some afternoon discussions and multiple sketches and designs, they created something that might turn the tables in their favor- the Gepanzert Graben Gehhilfe or “Armoured Trench Walker”.

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I originally planned on sending a Dragon Panzer tank back in time, but after some intensive builds as of late, the thought of starting this kit were not pleasant ones. Looking through the stash, I came across some MaK kits I had stored away for creative ideas....can't think of a better use for one than this build...so here we go. I also have some parts left over from a WWI tank and Wingnut Wings kit I'd like to kit bash into this.

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Thanks guys! I'd say writing the story was as much fun as the build so far ;) I've got the basic sub-structures built. wanted to add some rough weld lines but then found out I am out of that Testors jar liquid cement that works so well at melting this stuff....will have to wait until Monday to get some. I also didn't want to go too sci-fi with the actual laser gun in the arm...so I drilled it out to accept a Spandau machine gun. The other port might either be a tank gun or a flame thrower...still have to decide what I am scratching for that...

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The kit comes with a second torso...so I thought maybe Erich might think of making an interchangeable torso with an aircraft engine attached for aerial assault testing...

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Hope so ;)

Some work on the interiors...added some small bits and some oil paint for the wood grain. I ordered some WWI gauges for the instruments and an engine sprue from Wingnut Wings so I can detail the spare torso...

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Seriously Bob ;)

Gonna be honest...I'm going to have a rough time going back to real life builds after this build...I've decided to call it Mjollnir.

This is it's left arm...with a Spandau machine gun and a flame thrower...

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Thanks Mark!

Been playing around with some weld lines and Archer raised rivet details...

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