1:35 Belgian Armoured Car Crew Checking Map

Belgian armored car crew studying a map, 1:35 — Copper State Models

A resin figure set in 1:35 scale from Copper State Models. The subject is the crew of an armored car bending over a map — a static scene in which the figures communicate with one another rather than with their surroundings. That has a practical consequence for the modeler: the figures have to be placed in relation to one another, so that their gazes and hands point at the same spot. The exact number of figures is stated on the packaging of the set.

The casting and the casting blocks

The parts are cast in resin, and before building you should wash them in lukewarm water with dish soap so that the mold release agent disappears; without that the paint will not hold. Cut the casting blocks off with a thin saw or a cutting disc and level the cut with a file. Sand wet and protect your breathing. They are bonded with cyanoacrylate glue. With a multi-figure scene it pays to assemble the torsos first, stand them dry on the intended base and only then glue the arms and heads on — it is those that tune the relative angles of the figures and the map between them.

Painting and placing them in a scene

Spray a primer coat; with resin that evens the surface out and reveals small flaws in the casting. Build the uniforms up in coats and paint the faces separately in good light. Leave the map until last: a light area in the middle of a scene draws the eye, so even a small inaccuracy shows. A thin wash in the folds of the cloth and a light lifting of the edges, which separates the individual items of kit, will help. Before gluing them for good, stand the whole group dry, look at it from the viewer's eye level and adjust the spacing so that the scene does not read as a row of figures side by side.

Who the set is for

• Builders of dioramas in 1:35 scale with armored cars
• Modelers who want to tell a story in a scene rather than just build a vehicle
• More experienced modelers with experience of resin castings
• Collectors of figures for a display case with period vehicles

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and a base are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.