1:35 Yugoslav helmet M59/85 (detail)

1:35 Yugoslav M59/85 helmet, the detail variant

A modeling accessory of its own in 1:35 scale: a casting of the Yugoslav M59/85 steel helmet. It is an accessory for figures, not a kit or a finished figure. The accessory is marked as the detail variant; the manufacturer also makes the same helmet in a version without this designation, so go by the full wording of the name.

The real subject

The M59/85 is a Yugoslav steel helmet from the equipment of the Yugoslav People's Army, whose designation refers to the pattern of the end of the 1950s and to its later revision. The shell is deep, with a smoothly drawn-in edge, and in this form the helmet was used for an exceptionally long time, which is why it can be used on figures from several decades. This type hardly ever turns up in ordinary sets of figures, so a separate casting is often the only way to make a scene convincing.

Building and painting tips

Separate the casting from the casting block with a saw or a sharp knife, and do not snap it off. Wash a resin part in lukewarm water with detergent before painting and glue it with cyanoacrylate glue; a plastic one is joined with ordinary modeling cement. Wet-sand and do so with respiratory protection. Apply a primer, and only then the covering paint in weak coats. Choose the shade according to the period and the unit. You pull the depth of the shell out with a dark wash along the edge and fine drybrushing of the crown; a steel helmet should not be glossy, so finish the surface with a matte varnish. Paint it before setting it on the figure.

Who the set is for

• Builders of postwar and Balkan infantry and vehicles in 1:35 scale
• Modelers who are swapping the helmet molded on a figure
• Diorama builders filling a scene out with equipment set down
• More experienced modelers used to small castings

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