Today I show you the minifigures I have done in the last weeks. This time I go back to my favourite war era. World War II is the most famous conflict humanity has ever seen but the African campaign is often forgotten and I think it's unfair because it's really interesting. First we will see the Axis forces and we will start with the German soldiers.
German standard infantry will be the first minifigs. I made different variants to represent the different tropical clothes Wehrmacht had in Africa.
M1940 pith helmet and M1940 tropical uniform and M1940 tropical boots
More references for uniforms. Source: Italeri 6076 kit
Darker uniforms were used too so Dark Tan color would be useful and realistic too. Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/325455510562661087/
Next soldier is the machine gunner. Uses a coat used by the DAK in North Africa. Very useful for the cold desert nights specially. Coat is from The Cape Cantina and helmets from BricksSoldier.
Using a M1940 tropical coat
Reference MG gunner with coat. Source: Pinterest
Now it's time for a famous unit. The Ramcke Brigade. Fallschirmjagers were used in Africa too but only as regular infantry. With a tan/sand color helmet would look so much better.
Next soldier is the German motorized infantry. Trucks and motorbikes were essential in the desert. Long supply lines that could only be covered by land using trucks and lack of motor vehicles to advance could stop whole operations. The Lego Minifig Series 5 zookeeper torso is very useful for North African minifigs.
Tank crews next. Because of the heat in North Africa it's common to see them even shirtless in the pictures so here is a little of variety in the clothes represented with minifigures. All are original LEGO parts unless upper minifg head and some parts are painted.
Erwin Rommel. The Desert Fox. Commander of the Axis forces in North Africa. Made using Brickmania decals.
Now it's time for the Italian army. Although they are often forgotten because the many problems they had that ruined their war efforts the Italians played an important part in the desert. Lack of motor vehicles and a proper organization of the army were the main problems in the Italian army. Anyway units like the Folgore paratroopers or the frogmen who sank British ships got a place in history books.
First soldiers we will see here are standard soldiers. They use the BrickArms Carcano gun and SSh-41 Soviet helmets alongside BrickWarriors gear.
Dark gray shirt was often used in the desert too
Full tropical uniform.
Italian uniforms for reference. From left to right there is an officer a Bersaglieri and a Folgore paratrooper
Now a tank crewman. The black leather coat was used even in North Africa. Italian tanks were weak and unreliable but still a few armored divisions were used in the desert.
Now a minifig not so accurate but I love it and I think it's really cool. The Italian Frogman from the unit called Decima Flottiglia MAS. Famous for using the S.L.C. Maiale human torpedo. They sank some ships in Mediterranean ports and that's why they are a distinguished unit of the Italian army during the conflict.
Some reference pictures of this very special commando.
Finally my favourite Italian soldier. The Folgore paratrooper. Their biggest achievement happened at El Alamein when they stopped the Allied advance of 3 different divisions launching counterattacks until they had to surrender out of ammunition even some could escape and fought until the Tunisian battles.
Equipped with a Molotov cocktail
Now it's turn for a couple of American soldiers. They entered the African campaign officially in the late 1942 but their tanks had been given to the Brits months earlier.
American tank crewman.
American soldier with a shotgun.
Finally we have the Commonweatlh units. I represented mainly Brits but there are soldiers from other countries too as you will see. First we will see the standard infantry. The arm with the unusual posing is from CrazyBricks and they are called Crazy Arms.
Australians in North Africa 1942. Source: https://www.smh.com.au/national/anzac-tributes-military-wear-not-always-a-uniform-choice-20170420-gvov4j.html
Finally a RAF pilot. Air forces played an important role in the African war theater. The soldier below wears a BrickWarriors pilot cap and rest are LEGO parts.
