1:72 Československé jezdectvo 1938

Czechoslovak cavalry 1938 in 1:72 scale

This collection of figures from the ROP o.s. brand captures troopers of the Czechoslovak army as they were in 1938. The 1:72 scale is among the most widespread for small dioramas and scenes, because the surroundings and the terrain fit into it as well. How many figures the box holds and what material they are cast from is not stated in the name, so follow the details on the packaging.

Historical classification

The cavalry went through a marked change in the nineteen thirties. The traditional cavalry regiments gradually became part of the fast divisions, where mounted squadrons worked alongside motorized infantry and light tanks. The year in the name points to the period of the May and September mobilizations, when these formations were moved into the border zone.

Tips for painting small figures

At this scale the legibility of the shape decides everything. It pays to lay down a uniform darker base, to lift the areas of the uniforms with a lighter tone and to leave the shadow in the folds. The straps and the horse harness stand out with a fine brush, and the coats of the horses are handled by a transition between two close shades. A final matte clear coat brings the sheen of the whole group to one level, so that the figures in a scene do not look as though each came from somewhere else.

Who the collection is for

• Builders of dioramas from the period of the Czechoslovak mobilization
• Modelers who populate scenes in 1:72 scale
• Anyone interested in the history of the Czechoslovak armed forces of the nineteen thirties
• Collectors of small figure sculpture to go with vehicles and fortifications