1:48 Afrikakorps Soldier Riding Camel / 3D Printed

Afrikakorps soldier riding a camel, 1:48 scale, 3D printing

A figure of an Afrikakorps soldier riding a camel in 1:48 scale from the Czech manufacturer CMK. According to the name it is a product made by 3D printing, which on small figures allows finer detail than conventional casting in a mold. It is not a model of an aircraft or a vehicle but a standalone figure meant to bring a model or a scene from the North African theater to life.

The real subject

The German units deployed in North Africa in the years 1941 to 1943 relied, alongside motor vehicles, on local resources too, and transport by camel was an ordinary part of the desert setting. For a modeler it is above all a rewarding and unexpected motif: a camel beside an aircraft or a vehicle immediately establishes where the scene takes place, and it does so without an extensive backdrop. The 1:48 scale has been gaining ground in dioramas lately, because a scene takes up less space than in 1:35.

Building and painting tips

Cut the 3D-printed parts off their supports with a sharp knife or a fine saw, never snap them, so that the thin sections are not damaged. Wash the surface and let it dry thoroughly, then apply a thin base coat that unifies the texture of the print. It is glued with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). The camel's coat comes out well with a dry brush and a fine wash; deal with the uniform and the equipment in acrylic. At the end, add light desert pigments to the legs and the lower part of the figure and unify the surface with a matte varnish.

Who the figure is for

• For builders of dioramas from the North African theater in 1:48 scale.
• For modelers of 1:48 aircraft who want to complete a model with a scene.
• For collectors of unconventional figure subjects.
• For modelers who want to try working with 3D-printed parts.

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