Unternehmen Wesersprung a Nato Excercise in Miniature

VHS Video by Achim Lutter, 1995

The 60-minutes film by Achim Lutter simulates a Nato maneuver with vehicles, figures, and terrain in 1:87 and 1:72 scale. Blueland troops attempt to halt the advance of Redland and Goldland enemy forces in the area Rotenburg - Soltau - Verden - Nienburg at the Weser river in Germany. Redland paratroops drop behind the Blueland deployment line and occupy strategically important bridges and positions. Simultaneously, Redland and Goldland ground forces advance toward the Weser, establish two bridgeheads, and cross the river in force. After the river crossing, Redland and Goldland continue with a two-pronged ground attack. Blueland deploys an airlanding brigade and halts the Redland attack. Armour reserves of Blueland now attack the isolated Goldland force in flank, destroying all enemy forces east of the Weser.

The maneuver film shows scale models of different manufacturers in realistic motion. Paratroops can be seen dropping, vehicles cross assault bridges, helicopters take off and land, and troops engage in firefights by day and night. Vehicles and infantry of different Nato countries are supported by UN troops and Bundesgrenzschutz German border guards who are filmed moving in realistically modelled terrain pieces. A narrator explains the action. Realistic sounds of tank engines, trucks, helicopters, and firing weapons complete this exceptional film experience.

The many different scenes of the model maneuver have been realistically recreated as miniature dioramas. Single vehicles, tank columns, engineer units, helicopters, and landing paratroops move into the scenes in a perfectly choreographed fashion. Truck wheels and helicopter rotors turn, lights blink, tank guns flash and smoke, even the roadwheels of tracked vehicles seem to turn, although this hardly seems possible in 1:87 scale. This model maneuver will inspire collectors and wargamer alike who will want to see their own model vehicle collection animated in a similar way.

Film clippings of the model maneuver may be viewed on Achim Lutter’s website at www.modellmanoever.de, and the VHS video cassette may be purchased there as well.

Sample from Achim Lutter

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– Published: 21.04.2005 – Updated:
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