20mm WW2 US Engineer squads

A mixture of Esci/Italeri, Caeser and Airfix plastics, these form two sections of engineers, each of 6 riflemen or smgs, a 2 man bazooka team, 1 BAR gunner, and options for a manpack flamethrower or mine detector (or both by dropping a rifleman).

I used the Crowood guide for US figures and vehicles by Ray Haskins, using his suggested colours for Normandy engineers - US drab for jackets, English uniform for trousers and a canvas tone (in this case German camo beige) for webbing, pouches gaiters and water bottles.  Boots are saddle brown, helmets and metal equipment brown violet.  I used an earth wash on the trousers and metallic items, but highlights on the jacket.

The manpack flamethrower and mine detector figures, both old Esci sculpts.

Caesar Thompson SMG gunner.

Airfix bazooka gunner and Esci mortarman as his loader.

Airfix carbine armed trooper.

Esci Thompson SMG gunner (yes, his SMG is grossly oversized).

Esci BAR gunner.

Caesar SMG gunner.

Caesar rifleman.

Running Caesar rifleman.

Airfix grease gunner.

Caesar grenadier.

1st section.

2nd section.

Not a bad colour scheme, looks pretty good to me.  I liked the Crowood WW2 US guide, although I felt it wasn't as well organised and structured as the German version.  I particularly thought the photographs of the various stages of painting were not always composed to match the plate caption and/or the photos weren't always relevant to the captions.  For example, in the section on US infantry for Normandy, much is made in the text of adding the 29th Inf Division shoulder markings, yet the picture illustrating this is taken from the front of the figure with the shoulder flash not in view (very odd and unhelpful).  Some useful information for the less experienced painter, but not a lot that couldn't be gleaned from some internet research, although how long that might take depends on how computer savvy you might be.

As ever, thanks for looking.