1:10 SUSMC IWOJIMA 1945

A bust in 1:10 scale

The chest-up figure of a soldier in 1:10 scale, that is, in the size at which a bust stands in a display case as an exhibit in its own right. It has no scene or vehicle around it, so the whole impression is carried by the face, the headgear and a few centimeters of gear. That is why it is approached differently from a small figure for a diorama, where the detail is lost among the other elements. The number of parts, the material and whether a base is included are given in the manufacturer's description.

The real subject

The subject is a member of the United States Marine Corps from the fighting for the island of Iwo Jima in 1945. That fighting was among the hardest of the Pacific campaign and was waged in volcanic terrain without vegetation, in dust and dark ash. This has a direct bearing on the painting: gear in the field does not look as if it has just been issued from a store after a few days.

Assembly and painting tips

• wash and degrease the surface before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold on smooth areas
• try the parts dry and fill any seams before the base coat goes on
• build the face from a mid dark layer toward the highlights and avoid full white
• do the eyes before the surrounding skin, as corrections around them are easier than in the eye itself
• apply the dust last, sparingly and from the top down

Who it is for

For modelers who want to spend time on a single piece and try painting a face in a larger scale, and for collectors of figure work. Paints, brushes, glue and a display case are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.