1:35 British RNAS Armoured Car Division Crewman with a bucket

A crewman of a British armored car with a bucket, 1:35, Copper State Models

This is a resin figure in 1:35 depicting a crewman of an armored car of the Royal Naval Air Service of the First World War period. The figure is cast from modeling resin and is supplied unassembled and unpainted. It is not a finished collector's statuette but an accessory for a modeler, which will bring a diorama or a finished model of an armored vehicle to life.

The real subject

During the First World War the Royal Naval Air Service operated armored car units of its own. Their crews were made up of naval specialists who, besides driving the vehicle and working the armament, also saw to the ordinary maintenance of the equipment directly in the field. The figure with a bucket refers to precisely such everyday work by a vehicle, that is topping up fluids, coolant and washing. The dress matches the naval working dress of the day.

Building and painting tips

First wash the parts in lukewarm water with detergent, so that the remains of mold release agent disappear. Cut the casting blocks off with a fine saw or a cutter and sand the surfaces down; when sanding resin, work with protection for your airways, ideally wet. It is glued with cyanoacrylate glue, as ordinary plastic cement does not work here. Apply a primer before painting, otherwise the paint will hold badly on smooth resin. Both skin and textile come out well when painted with a brush with gradual shading, and small accessories of the bucket kind will appreciate an emphasis on the edges and light weathering.

Who the figure is for

• modelers who build dioramas of the First World War in 1:35
• those interested in British equipment and armored cars
• modelers with experience of resin castings
• figure painters looking for a well-cast small subject

The figure is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.