1:72 Polish horse artillery service

Figures 1:72 Polish horse artillery crew, First to Fight

This is a plastic figure set in 1:72 scale from the Polish maker First to Fight. It is not a finished painted model; the figures have to be taken off the sprue, cleaned up and painted. The set is intended above all for building dioramas and scenes, where it will complete models of guns, vehicles or horse teams in the same scale.

The real subject

Horse artillery was the part of the ground forces equipped with light guns that were moved by horse teams so as to keep up with the pace of cavalry units. The crew saw to the move, bringing the gun into its firing position, passing the ammunition and working the aiming mechanisms. In the Polish army of the first half of the twentieth century, horse artillery was one of the traditional branches. Check the uniforms and equipment against the available pictorial documentation.

Building and painting tips

Figures in 1:72 scale are small, so work on a light surface, or the parts will get lost. Remove the sprue gates with a sharp scalpel and lightly sand the parting lines with fine sandpaper. Glue with a thin cement for plastic and apply it in a minimal amount. Before painting it pays to spray a thin primer, on which acrylic paints hold considerably better. Work from the base surfaces toward the details; a dark wash run into the folds and a following dry brush in a lighter shade will bring the modeling out. In this scale it is enough to suggest the faces, as exaggerated detail looks distracting.

Who the set is for

• builders of dioramas and scenes in 1:72 scale
• modelers completing models of artillery with a crew
• anyone interested in Polish military equipment and gear
• collectors of figures in small scales

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.