1:35 40’ BEF Infantry On The March No.3

A British infantryman in stride, number three, 1:35 scale

The third marching figure of British infantry of 1940 in 1:35 scale from Dynamo-Models. The body leans forward and the weapon rests slung over the shoulder, so the figure carries the marks of fatigue from a long move. It is exactly this detail that sets it apart from the other numbers of the same line.

Why this particular stance

In May and June 1940 the infantry moved mainly on foot and often at night. A lowered head, a curved back and a loosely hanging arm are exactly the details by which a soldier after several days of walking differs from a soldier on parade. This figure suits a scene anywhere you want to show exhaustion rather than action. Fatigue was, after all, one of the main themes of a campaign that ended in the withdrawal to the coast.

How to support the fatigue with paint

Dirt will do more for fatigue than the pose. Cover the lower part of the trousers and the boots with a dust shade matching the color of the surrounding road, not a gray from the bottle. On the back and under the webbing hint at darker patches of sweat with a thinned brown tone. Leave the helmet matte and only suggest the edges; a sheen would spoil the impression. Build the face with reduced contrast so it does not look too fresh. Separate the weapon slung over the shoulder from the cloth with a dark line where they touch, otherwise the silhouette will lose its legibility.

For what scenes

• For a diorama of a long move along a dusty road
• For modelers who want a figure with different dynamics in a column
• For figure painters practicing dust effects on a uniform
• For collectors of British subjects of 1940
• For modelers who want a scene with a mood rather than a combat tableau