Custom Piece Miniature – German Afrikakorps (DAK) road and airfield sign from the North African Campaign of World War II – 3D Print for LEGO Minifigure

This image displays a custom-made accessory set for a toy diorama, representing a large, field-expedient German Afrikakorps (DAK) road and airfield sign from the North African Campaign of World War II. The structure is composed of two main types of accessories.

German Afrikakorps Directional Signpost

This is a complex sign structure built upon two fuel drums. The signs are written in German and point to several key military and geographical locations, representing a major crossroads or airfield used by the German forces in the Libyan desert. The large blue sign at the top points to “ELADEM” and “TOBRUK.”

Historical Background: This signpost is rich with history. Tobruk was a strategically vital deep-water port that was the scene of intense fighting and a famous siege in 1941. El Adem was a critical Luftwaffe airfield just south of Tobruk. The other signs are military-specific: “ROLL-BAHN” points to a runway or taxiway, “Armee-Machtr Park.I” directs to an Army Motor Vehicle Park, and other tactical symbols guide military traffic. This sign assembly represents a major logistical hub for the German Afrikakorps during the fight for control of Tobruk.

German Fuel Drums

The two black barrels that form the base of the signposts are 200-liter fuel drums. They are marked with a flammable symbol and the German warning “Kein Feuerwerk,” which translates literally as “No Fireworks” but served as a stark warning for “No Open Flames.”

Historical Background: Fuel was arguably the most critical resource in the fast-paced, mechanized warfare of the desert. These drums represent the lifeblood of the Afrikakorps’ Panzer divisions. Using empty fuel drums as sturdy bases for signposts was a common and practical form of improvisation by soldiers in the field.