1:35 Delta Force FAV crew

The crew of a light attack vehicle, 1:35

A combined figure set from Black Dog meant to man an open fast attack vehicle of the modern era. The abbreviation FAV in the name refers to exactly that category of hardware: a light stripped-down chassis with no bodywork, where the whole crew is visible and a scene therefore looks empty without figures. The item is carried among the combined ones rather than as a single figure.

Why the crew decides the result

With open vehicles the figures make up half the final impression. An empty tubular frame looks like a technical drawing, whereas a crew in place gives the build both a direction of movement and a story. Seated figures also have to be tuned to the vehicle: the mating surfaces of the thighs, the footrests and the position of the hands at the wheel or the grab handles are all checked dry during the build, before the glue comes in turn.

Assembly and painting

Wash the mold release agent off the castings, cut off the casting blocks and level the surfaces. Try the figures in the seats dry and fill any slack with putty. Painting modern figures rests on muted shades of equipment and on making the textile, the straps and the hard plastics of the protective items differ in surface; matte textile beside slightly satin straps is read by the eye at once. Dust on the boots and the calves will link the scene to the groundwork.

Who the set suits

• builders of modern vehicle scenes in 1:35
• modelers who man open hardware with a crew
• anyone interested in figures outside period subjects
• makers of dioramas with desert or dusty terrain