AHPC8 Bonus Round "Childhood" 1/32 DAK

Back in the 70's when I were a whipper snapper, I was fascinated with history and anything related to soldiers, strange eh?
I had a massive collection of books that I used to copy and draw soldiers from. I'm not that good at drawing but used to love it. I also, probably like most of you reading this, had a rather large collection of Airfix 1/32 scale WWII figures.

Me and my brother Lee, used to spend hours setting all the soldiers up, behind Lego barricades
and a home made wooden fort our Dad made for us, then we'd take turns to throw marbles at each others troops.

Any you knocked over became casualties of war. We'd always end up with the heavy machine gun

figures left. Or the "Laying downers" as we used called them. Trying to turn them over

using a marble from 4 feet away is very hard!

My favourite troops were the DAK, or as I used to call them the German Africa Corps 

(Corps as in corpes)

I was fascinated with them, (still am I suppose) especially the German army uniform, but mainly the German helmet and field cap.

They were always my first choice when picking out an army, while my brother loved the British Commandos.

I used to own a FOW DAK army, which I very stupidly sold at a show 1 year, bloody idiot!!

I do still have my collection of old bendy Airfix figures, but decided not to paint them, instead I bought 20 odd figures from ebay for the colossal sum of 99p and chose my two favourite figures to paint up for this round. 

Not sure what I'll do with these?

Maybe paint the rest up??

My favourite ever pic of the DAK.

Drooool!

Historically Inspiring No 3 DAK motorcycle and sidecar

Motorbike with sidecar (BMW) and mounted MG34 of the
21st Panzer-Division, German Afrika Korps

Many moons ago, as a child my first foray into any type of wargame was the famous box of Airfix soldiers, me and my brother used to set the soldiers up then throw marbles at them, I shudder to think doing the same to my new rather expensive collection today. My favourite troops were the German Africa Corps, I don't know why but they were always the first troops I picked. Then one year as part of my 8th birthday I got a WWII kids colouring book, the black line drawings were all taken from photos of the war, its sad but I can still remember turning to page 16 and finding the picture above, I was in awe and coloured the picture with great care and delight. The picture then found pride of place next to my Leeds United team posters from Shoot magazine. Recently my pal The Angry Lurker bought loads of Flames of War figures, they looked great so I made that fateful decision to halt painting the 15mm FIW figures I had been furiously painting away and get some DAK and 8th army figures, I ploughed into both armies spending far too much money and time on them, near completion I came to my senses and sold the lot on ebay and at Tonbridge wargame show. I had mixed feelings after, Damn I shouldn't have sold them!!! but I needed the dosh to finish the FIW project I started the previous year. Then what did I do,... I talked myself into buying into another period along with my other pal Richard, 15mm NYW. What's it all about???