Canadian Sherman Troop (Last of the Canucks!)

I finally finished up my Sherman Troop. And that pretty much finishes up the Canadians (well... except for the universal carrier…)

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The Shermans are all from West Wind Productions. The Firefly I had finished up previously. These chaps are painted as a troop from B Squadron of the 1st Canadian Hussars (6th Armoured Regiment, 2nd Independent Canadian Armoured Brigade) who were in direct support of the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade on D-Day.

I had originally planned on doing these as a step-by-step… but I just don’t have the time right now…


I also happen to finally finish up the 6-Pounder AT gun. The crew I had finished some time ago. Crew and gun are all from Artizan Designs.

The whole Canadian force so far…


There’s a mix of Artizan Designs, Bolt Action Miniatures, Black Tree Design, West Wind Productions, Crusader Miniatures, and First Corps. They have been painted with the shoulder titles of the Regina Rifle Regiment (7th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division).

I’m six riflemen shy of two full-strength rifle platoons. It’ll probably be a while before I pick them up because when would they have ever gone into action with nine – let alone a full ten!?

Supporting the Rifle platoons are two tubes of 3” mortars and their crews from the battalion’s Mortar Platoon, a six-pounder from the Anti-Tank Platoon, a couple sappers from the Pioneer Platoon, moving and firing Vickers teams from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (the divisional MG Battalion), a scout car from the 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of Yorks Royal Canadian Hussars – the Divisional Reconnaissance Regiment), and the aforementioned troop of Shermans from the 1st Hussars (6th Armoured Regiment, 2nd Independent Canadian Armoured Brigade – who were in direct support of the 7th Brigade on D-Day).

Oh and a bunch of casualties… and the Battalion Chaplain (complete with silver cross and brace of sharpened wooden stakes – in case things get a little… weird…)

The only outstanding Canadian item is a Universal Carrier. I guess I could use it to tow the AT gun around… but I’m not feeling really motivated to get it done any time soon. It’s a Tamiya plastic 1/48 model I picked up to see how close it might be in scale. It’s not too far off… but if I were to want any more carriers at some point I’d just buy a whole new lot and replace it as I’m sure it wouldn’t be anything close to a resin cast 28mm model…

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Maybe some T-34s… maybe something Sci-fi-ish or pulpy… WE shall see…. I would like to finish up the T-34s because it’s the last of the Soviet stuff I have. I’ve actually got the East Front Campaigngoing again too so they’d potentially be handy in the short term – although the only opponents I have for them are the Pzkw38t and the StugD… (oh, and the doorknocker Pak36 AT gun).

Canadian Sherman Firefly

Here is the first of the Shermans I’ve picked up to support my WW2 Canadians. Started with the big guns - the Sherman Firefly:

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The model is from West Wind Productions. It was a lovely little model – easy to assemble with a minimum of gunk and flash to clean up. There wasn’t as much nasty mold release compound on this one either – one wash and all the primer totally stuck to it – no beading areas.

(had to take the pics indoors today... it's been POURING rain the last two days... it's unnatural... it's like I'm in a dream.... a dream where I had way too much free champagne before I fell asleep!?)


I also have to say West Wind has been a treat to deal with. The three Shermans 75mm tanks were shipped with two left-hand tracks. I contacted them and they sent replacements right away – so I ended up with a bunch of extra track which I cut up and stuck a bunch of to the front of this model.

I love that all the West Wind models (at least the ones I’ve picked up so far) come with turret crew!


Whoops! a bit of not-quite-dry glue in this pic...

I feel like I should have loaded it up with tons more stowage and camouflage and stuff… but I was feeling lazy and anxious to get one done to see what it looked like.


The tank markings are that of B Squadron, 1st Canadian Hussars (6th Armoured Regiment). The Hussars were part of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade (Independent), which supported the Third Canadian Infantry Division in Normandy. B Squadron of the Hussars were in direct support of the Regina Rifles on D-Day.

I have three more West Wind Shermans to do now (the 75mm variety), plus two Panzer IV (later war ones with Shurzen), two Panthers and a Tiger. I also have four motorcycle combos from them to assemble and paint up and I did order five (yeah, FIVE!) T-34/76 from them which should be here shortly... (they were ordered during the second sale at the end of August and are back ordered a bit as they needed to get more resin bodies - same thing happened when I ordered the big cats during the first sale and they were delivered in a timely manner... it's not like I have a shortage of other stuff to do!?)

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

More Canadian stuff….? Maybe some Germans….?