3D Printed Tobruk Bunkers

I bought a pair of Tobruk MG nests way back when when I was building up my Aussie Desert Force. These MG nests models are great because you can use them for many different armies. They give you gunners for Australians, British, French, Italian, German EW and German LW.

However, they only give you 2 actual nests. Since I had access to a 3D printer, I used my calipers to measure the nests and printed more! The models are pretty simple, so easy to print, but this allows me to use many more of the gunners in the box.

Check it out. They paint up nicely:

Original model on the left, raw print middle, painted print on the right. I have 7 nest bases now, and really when I get the chance will do another one.  The plan is to use 4 of them for Desert Aussies/British, and then 2 for German, and 2 more for Winter War Finnish. Will probably use the EW Germans as finns, but it should still work.

I've actually been spending the past 2 weekends painting my US Airborne force, but they aren't finished based yet so will post them when they're done. There's a LOT of troopers, and I haven't even gotten to the support sections yet (Mortar, LMGs, Pack Arty). But another solid weekend and I should have finished 27 infantry bases, 3 light mortars, 6 Bazookas, 3 snipers, 3 supply carts, the CO and 2IC. Like I said, a lotta figs.

Extra Tobruk Pits

I recently bought Hellfire and Back!  the FOW early war in the desert book.  Pretty fun stuff, especially all those silly light tanks flying around.  Anyway I've been looking for a way to modify my Australian MW Div Cav force to an Early War force.  A "morph" if you will, since all the equipment except the Grants is usable EW.

Since I'm not going to buy a another infantry platoon and command for them just yet, I figured I could make a decent Tobruk Defense force.   Since my other favorite tank, the Matilda II features in that.  Haven't bought the Matilda yet, but I did buy a pack of "Tobruk Pits", which are MG nests in a small concrete bunker like thing.

The blister comes with 2 nests, and 2 of each nationality that uses the pits, 2 brits, 2 aussies, 2 french, 2 italian, and 4 German (2 early, 2 late).  It seemed a pity to waste the extra guys, so I measured and created on a 3D printer 2 more pits.  These will be usable for my Germans if I do any Beach/dug in type scenarios.  So LW of course.

Here's a pic of the finished pits.  The printer isn't SUPER high res, so I had to do a bunch of priming and sanding to get the surfaces smooth.  The "ground" doesn't matter as I will cover that with pummace anyway.  Anyway they came out really nicely.  Hopefully the paint will last the test of time.  The originals are on the right, the new ones are on the left.

And while I was doing 3D printing, I figured I would finish the turret ring for my 28mm Matilda II tank for my jungle Aussies.  I might want to change the gun from a 2lbr to a "Frog" flamethrower but it'll be fine for now.  The turrent just never fit on correctly, but its nice and snug now.  Can't wait to get this guy done.  And it will probably inspire me to pick up a few 15mm versions for the FOW Aussies.

The original tank:

Bottom of the sanded turret:

New turret Ring.