1:32 Luftwaffe mechanic personnel 1940-45 N°1

A German aircraft mechanic for 1:32 scale

A figure of a member of the German ground technical personnel of the 1940 to 1945 period in 1:32 scale from Black Dog. The No. 1 in the name places the figure at the start of this sub-range. Maintenance took up the overwhelming majority of the time an aircraft spent on the ground, and that is exactly why a technician is more useful in a modeling scene than one more airman.

Which maintenance scene it belongs in

The figure suits surroundings where work in progress is visible: an engine cowling lifted off and laid on a blanket, a ladder propped against the side of the fuselage, a tarpaulin thrown over the propeller. German units often worked in the open on grass, so the scene needs neither a hangar nor concrete. A patch of meadow, wheel ruts and a few objects set aside are enough to give the technician a reason to be standing there.

Brushwork on the overalls

Overalls were darker than field uniforms, and that makes painting simpler: a dark surface takes strong highlighting of the edges. Lay the base down, then go over the shoulders, elbows and knees with a shade two steps lighter, and finally tie the transitions together with a very thin dark glaze. Paint the metal parts of the accessories last, so that the shiny surfaces do not get clogged with matte layers. Keep the skin on the warmer side; cold skin makes a figure look unhealthy.

Suitable for

• builders of German Second World War aircraft in 1:32
• scenes with maintenance under way, where the machine is stripped or opened up
• modelers assembling the sub-range of figures number by number
• scenes on grass without permanent buildings