BATTLE OF THE BULGE - Redux

No work to report on the steel mill or layout - concentrating my efforts on our three new and one existing Free-Mo modules for next weekends set-up at Timonium, MD.   Of course we are behind, but hopefully we have a good week - pressure always helps.  The modules are built but track needs to be laid and scenery, well, that just might not happen.  The priority is to get the mains up and running so we can move trains on them this coming weekend.  We will probably have a few structures finished.  We might actually work on some of the buildings and scenery at Timonium, but most things will be a work in progress.  The good news is that this is the extent of the modules that I plan on building for a long while at least, so from now on any modular work will focus on finishing structures and scenery and detailing,...etc.     I have finished a few additional structures for the Pipe Foundry module that Jimmy will be painting and weathering this week.   If you are at the show please stop by and say hello.  We will be there both days, all day.  If you don't see either of us, we are probably walking around shopping but will be back soon.    Look for an blog update on the show after next weekend, followed by new blogs that will contain steel mill modeling subject matter -  I will be getting back on both blast furnaces after the show.  

Yesterday we took our annual father-son trip to Fort Indiantown Gap, PA for a reenactment of the Battle of the Bulge.  The bulk of this large WWII reenactment is not open to the public, with the exception of a few hours on Saturday.  They have a small well done battle (much larger ones take place over the four days they are there).  There is also a large flea market with every sort of militaria, uniforms, models, books, movies, ....etc.    The individual units are given old army barracks and in most cases are set up the interiors to look like you are in the 1940's - German music, food, magazines,....etc.  In addition to the German and American troops there are British units, Partisans, civilian women in period dress, and even Soviet troops???  Oh, and I forgot - a solitary Japanese soldier.   A few years ago I was standing next to a Soviet "Admiral" at the battle.  Most of the folks there are very friendly and very interested in showing off their equipment, uniforms, and weapons.   The battle this year featured a German anti-tank position with a 37mm and 38mm anti-tank guns supported by two machine guns and troops.  We we stood, a  Waffen SS security detachment was guarding the right flank of the overall German position.   The German position was assaulted by elements of the US 82nd Airborne Division using period fire and movement tactics.  The Americans were, of course, successful.   It is quite interesting too see and all the weapons are real and fire blanks (except for the artillery, mortars, and rocket launchers, which use a modified black powder charge for effect).   This years there was a foot of snow on the ground and it was snowing during the event, so the conditions were spot-on historically accurate.