1:16 Luftschutz Gladiator (detail)

The real subject

The Luftschutz was the German civil air defense. During the Second World War its members kept watch in the towns, oversaw the blackout, put out fires after air raids and cleared rubble. Their gear included a helmet different from the military one, listed under the designation Gladiator. It is by that helmet that civil defense is recognized on a figure sooner than by the uniform, so a home front scene gets an unambiguous identity.

What you get

A separate helmet in 1:16 scale as an accessory for figures. The line the helmet comes from offers helmets of various armies and services in several scales and, for some of them, a version marked as detail alongside the basic form; this is that one. For an accessory of this kind, 1:16 scale is large, so even small features that would be lost in smaller scales come into their own on the part.

Building and painting tips

Cut the excess material off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and carefully sand the remainder so that you do not damage the rim of the helmet. Wash and degrease the part before painting, as paint does not hold on a greasy surface. The method of gluing and the further preparation are given in the manufacturer's instructions. It pays to paint the helmet separately and to fit it to the figure only at the end, because a separate part is far easier to hold than the head of a finished figure. A dark wash into the pressings and a light lightening of the edges bring out the shape, and a matte varnish at the end unifies the surface and takes the shine off.

Who it is for

For builders of figures and scenes from the German home front during the Second World War. You can put the helmet on a figure's head, hang it on a belt or simply lay it beside as part of the scene. The accessory is supplied on its own; the figure, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.