1:35 Ukranian Mortar Crew With A 82mm KBA-48M Mortar

The real subject

A mortar crew is one of the few scenes where the work of soldiers can be shown in motion and on a small area at the same time. A muzzle-loaded weapon calls for a well-drilled pair or trio of people: one holds the elevation, another drops the round into the barrel, a third passes the ammunition and calls out corrections. The set joins a Ukrainian crew with an 82 mm mortar carrying the designation KBA-48M.

What you will build from the set

The figures of the crew and the weapon together make a finished scene that needs no further vehicle or building. A piece of ground and a few crates are enough and the scene holds together on its own. The set also suits as an accessory to a larger scene, where fire support is to be suggested somewhere aside from the main action.

Building and painting tips

• If the parts are not polystyrene, make the joints with super glue.
• Cut the surplus material away with a sharp blade a little way from the part and carefully sand the rest off.
• Before painting, wash the parts in lukewarm soapy water, let them dry and lay down a primer.
• Set the figures out dry before gluing, so that their eyelines and hands answer one another.
• Paint the faces and the hands apart from the gear; a unified tone flattens a whole figure.
• Seat the baseplate of the mortar so that it settles over its whole area on the ground.

Terms of supply

According to the name, figures of the crew are supplied together with the mortar. The paints, the glue, the groundwork and other equipment are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise. For the particular procedure of preparing and gluing the parts, go by the manufacturer's instructions.