SDKFZ7/1 & ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN & 3 FIGURES GERMAN ARMY 1944 - CORGI CC60011 1/50

By November 1944 the German 15th Army withdrew deeper into Holland. The German 7th Army began a series of attacks against the US 9th Army. The Germans had been preparing a massive counterattack in the West since the Allied breakout from Normandy. The plan called Wacht am Rhein ("Watch on the Rhine") was to attack through the Ardennes and swing north. The attack started on December 16 in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. After initial successes in bad weather, which gave them cover from the Allied air forces, the Germans were eventually pushed back to their starting points by January 15, 1945.

Krauss-Maffei Sd.Kfz.7 Half-Track

Designed to meet a 1934 requirement for an eight ton armored half-track vehicle, The Sd.Kfz.7 first entered service in 1938. Its primary use was as a tractor for the 8.8 cm FlaK gun and 150 mm howitzer, but anti-aircraft variants were also produced. It could carry gun crews of up to 12 men and their gear, with room for ammunition storage as well. Used throughout the war, the Sd.Kfz. 7 appeared in the 1940 Paris victory parade, was featured in German propaganda films and became one of the most iconic half-track vehicles of its time.