Hungarian Army, WW2
An example of a 'Paint Job Conversion' force.
The Set-up.
Hungary, A Monarchy with no King, Led by an Admiral with no high sea Navy, who's only territorial aspirations were with her supposed comrades in arms, Measly in its support for its allies, nether the less made an important contribution to the German invasion of the USSR in 1941 and up to and including the collapse of the German and Allied forces of Stalingrad. After a years break, returned to Fight in Galicia against the Russians, Transylvania against her former ally Romanina, and finaly going down with Germany.
How did this come about?
Hungary had lost its liberty in the Turkish invasion of South East Europe which was checked at the famous siege of Vienna in 1683. From then on, the Austrian Empire reconquered the territories formally part of Hungary in a slow but ever onward push that eventually led to the events that started the first world war.
In the late 19th century it had achieved some measure of autonomy. This would lead to its downfall in the treaties of 1919 as it was seen as a co-conspirator in the start of that conflict. Also its behaviour to its neighbours was seen in a poor light. No sooner had Hungary had risen from the grave, it had began to flog the Ruthenes, Romanians, Slovaks and other 'cultural enemies' of long gone. Ethnically Hungarians areas became part of other nations, Banant to the new Yugoslavia, The Transalvanian Mountains to Romania, Southern Slovakia and Ruthenia to the new Czechoslovakia.
To Add to Hungary's misery, First there was a communist take over, then and invasion by a Czech/Romanian alliance, and a right wing backlash called the 'White Terror'.
Hungary saw its opportunity to achieve redress in the 1930's by attaching itself to the rising star of Germany.
In 1939, as Germany annexed Bohemia and Moravia, the Hungarians invaded and took southern Slovakia on account of 3/4 of a million Hungarians still living there, and some clashes occurred with the Czech/Slovak forces there. Also they annexed the un-ethnically Hungarian Ruthenia in a move of blatant opportunism. In 1940 with Germanys help they forced Romania to hand back half the Transylvania. Finally they participated in the invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941. There was no going back now; their only friend was Germany.
In the War.
Just after operation Barbarossa started, at night some bombs fell on Budapest, The Russians were blamed, though accounts are wonderfully ambiguous. One suggestion its was some defecting Slovak bombers extracting revenge for the invasion a year earlier. Still there now was an excuse for war and Hungry with suspicious speed sent a force to assist. Whilst Romania committed whole armies, and Slovakia sent one of its 4 divisions, Hungary sent only a comparatively small force. Mainly the Mobile Corps served in Russia, which consisted of one Cavalry Brigade, and two Motorised Infantry brigades, Main mode of transport seeming to be Bicycles and impressed civilian trucks as well as the original Mk 1 Horse power. Actually logistics would prove to be a major problem for the whole war for Hungary. Despite these handicaps the Hungarians served well and were the first axis troops to arrive at the Donnets river just before the winter of 1941
After initial successes the Hungarians sent an army which saw action in the Stalingrad region including a new Armoured division equipped with about 100 Pz 38ts, 20 short 75mm armed Pz4s and 10 long 75 armed all from Germany. They also started to Purchase German 105 howitzers and PaK 38s (50mm) to supplement their ageing gun park. However this army was smashed in the Russian offensive that finally lifted the siege of Stalingrad and Hungarian forces moved away from the front line. Hungary's army didn't see major action again until 1944. Firstly in Galicia against the Russians and later in the year against Rumania. During this period Hungary Acquired some Panzer 4s, Stugs and Hetzers in significant numbers to supplement their Toldis and Turans which by now really were not man enough for the Job in hand. The Natural enemy, Romania, then joined the Russians opening a Transalvanian front. And so Hungary, A Monarchy with no King, Led by an Admiral with no Navy, who's only territorial aspirations were with her comrades in arms, poorly equipped, poorly motivated, went down with the Third Reich fighting to the bitter end.
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This is a conversion of a German 105 by
Revell.
The figures are from IT miniatures and are WW1 Germans. It is supposed to be a Skoda 100mm gun of the first world war. Its close, but not perfect, but then it sure ain't no longer a German 105. A True Skoda 100mm Howitzer is available from Skytrex. |
| More IT figures (again late ww1 Germans). This time painted as members of the cavalry brigade that went into Russia in 1941. Hungary maintained a Large cavalry force throughout the war. The horse proved a practical solution to mobility on the Eastern European plains. Especially in the days of mechanical unreliability of trucks and tanks. |  |
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These are Revell's German mounted gun crews; the hat has been cut to resemble the Caprithian Cap without the peak. |
| These are Emhar's WW1 Germans. Again a simple paint job conversion is all that's needed to become Hungarians for the 2nd World War. |  |
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These however are Revell's WW1 Germans. They prove very suitable for WW2 Hungarians. The Revell box also contains 2 machineguns and a pair of dogs! (Russian dog mines? medical hounds? or just something to pull a dog cart) |
| The mortar man is a conversion of the French mortar man that has had a head swap. |  |
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More Revell WW1 Germans, here the MG team, officer and spotter. The Prone figure is manning a WW1 Mauser T-gew anti-tank rifle, He is from IT. |
| This command group is mainly from the Emhar set, the fella with the spotter rig however is from Revell's panzergrenadiers. |  |
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Here is some more Emhar figures, the Flamethrower and the Bergman SMG figure. There is a conversion of a British para radio man, and another Revell Panzer Grenadier. |
| In the foreground is a PZ38t, Used by
Hungary in 1942. They were lost at Stalingrad at the end of the
year. To the rear is a Matchbox Krupp-Protze truck, which was
built in Hungry during the war under license.
Just off camera is a Days-gone ford model T fuel truck. I find such die cast models at toy fairs and car-boot sales quiet often. They are welcome additions to my collection as generic transport. Days Gone also do some suitable horse drawn transport for this period. |
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A simple modification of a Krupp Protze
truck.
The Krupp truck is a Matchbox Kit which comes with a good Pak 36 (German 37mm anti-tank gun) which served with Hungary as well. |
| Two more Krupp trucks. One is towing what appears to be a German Pak 36, it could also be a Hungarian gun based on the Pak 36, but using the barrel and ammunition of a Bofors 40mm AA gun. To the rear is a scratch built 20mm AA gun, mounted on another Krupp truck. |  |
Useful Equipment from other sources.
Hungary acquired the following licences.
Krupp Protze Truck. A Standard German WW2 light 3 axel truck.
PaK 36 37mm, It was mated with the barrel and ammunition for the Bofors AA Gun to produce its own anti-tank gun of (for 1941 anyway) some power.
Bofors 40mm AA Gun.
You could use the Skoda 14/19 100mm howitzer of the First World War, Also seen often as an Italian weapon, and Skytrex carry it as an Italian weapon.
The Skoda M15 75mm mountain Gun was used in some numbers. It can sometimes be found listed as a German piece as in the GBek 15 Gun from SHQ.
The Hungarians started the war with CV3-33 Tankettes. However their Toldi tanks and Csaba Armoured cars are unique.
The Airforce has Italian Fighters and bombers and also a few Blenheim Bombers.
The Germans supplied:-
In 1942 Panzer 38(t), in quantity, and 22 Panzer 4's with short barrelled 75s and a small number equipped with long barrels. Along with 50mm PaK 38s.
Supplies of German Standard 105mm field guns started around this time.
In 1944 the Germans had also supplied contempory StuG III and Hetzer's in quantity.
The Italian Aircraft were replaced with German planes, of note is the Me 110 of which the Hungarians had a local version mounting a Bofors 40mm gun for tank busting.
For the Infantry consider any steel helmeted WW1 Germans
or Early WW2 Germans, The Hungarian trousers were tight at the knee to the
ankle, then had a short gaiter to the top of the boots. HaT Has released
WW2 Austrians, the trouser cut is wrong but everything else is perfectly
right, especially the cap.
Magyar/Honeved Links:-
Seems I'm not the only Magyrphille round here! Battle report and pictures of a game set in Hungary in 1944.
Real Photos, in real Colour, of Hungarian troops during WW2.
Hungarian forces used in Barbarossa examined for another game system.
