Old, cold warriors: Roskopf 1/100 model vehicles

Rather less well-known than Roco Minitanks, producer of 1/87 vehicles, the RMM Roskopf range of 1/100 models produced in Germany from the late 50s to the early 90s has quite a bit to offer a wargamer interested in putting together a 15mm Cold War force or one of the numerous ones that use NATO hand-me-downs.

Obviously, since the range had models released over nearly forty years, the quality was very variable with the older models being crude and of interest only to collectors (the M-47, M-48 and Centurion and most of the WW2 models spring to mind here).

Even though all the models are rather simple quite a few of them are worth seeking out because they have the advantages of injection-moulded plastic: clearly defined detail and straight sharp edges with are sometimes missing from their white metal counterparts. In addition, a lot of these models were never produced by anyone else in this scale.

As you would expect, the range strongly focused on vehicles used by the Bunderswehr vehicles but other NATO forces and Warsaw Pact vehicles also featured which gives you a nice selection of Cold War armour. Below are some of the models I've been able to pick up dirt cheap in a local model shop of the dusty cavern variety and eBay. You can find a full list of Roskopf models over on the 87th Scale website. One word of warning: unlike the military range, Roskopf's later civilian range of trucks was produced in 1/87 scale.

M-113 APC: seen just about everywhere from Vietnam to Afghanistan, this classic APC was relatively well rendered by Roskopf and includes a moveable rear ramp if you like that sort of thing. Obviously, a .50 cal would need to replace the MG3 in most cases...

M-59 APC: this is the only 1/100 model of this steel behemoth. Or it would be if the model wasn't out of scale: the length scales out to 1/91 and the width to 1/93. Surprisingly, the height which appears to be way overscale is in fact pretty much spot on... The detail is very, very basic but it's the only one out there if you want to field Greek or Turkish armoured infantry or use it for the Lebanese civil war...

M-107 175mm SPG: a big beast, this is obviously of limited use for skirmish games though possibly useful for a Vietnam firebase scenario.

M-110 203mm SPG: depicting an early M-110 rather than the later, long-barrelled A1s and A2s, this is, again, probably more useful as an objective in a skirmish game.

Leopard 1A3: a rather nice model of a widely used MBT, useable as an A3 or A4 model. This can be used as a West German, Canadian, Danish, Australian or Greek tank.

TPz Fuchs: a pretty nice model, particularly useful for a West German APC or a US or British chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear reconnaissance vehicle.

JPz 4-5 or Jagdpanzer Kanone 90mm: AFAIK, this is the only model of the modern day StuG offspring. Ideal for West German Heimatschutztruppe or Belgian forces.

Unimog 404: the classic Unimog truck for 1960s African scenarios, this is the same version as the Peter Pig model with better details and a removeable canvas cab cover.

Unimog 435: a more up to date (well, mid 70s) version of the classic, useful just about all other the world. Shame Roskopf never made a 406 model...

Volkswagen Iltis jeep: again, a very nice model which can be used as a West German, Belgian or Canadian vehicle from the Cold War to Afghanistan by way of Somalia.

5 tonne MAN truck: also produced in 7 and 10 tonne versions, this is a very nice model of the modern day equivalent of a GMC truck which has now found its way all other the world.

BTR-52: one of Roskopf's older models this one is quite good with finely detailed wheels.

ZSU 57-2: rather simplified in places but still a nice model.