1:48 German helmet M16

The German helmet M16, 1:48 scale

This is an accessory for figures, not a kit. It offers a separate German steel helmet of the 1916 pattern in 1:48 scale. It is fitted onto a figure's head, or used as a set-aside item of equipment – hung on a belt, laid in a trench, set down on an ammunition crate.

The real subject

The steel helmet of the 1916 pattern replaced the older headgear and became one of the most easily recognized shapes of its time. Characteristic of it are the deeply drawn edges covering the nape and the ears and the two lugs at the sides, which served for attaching an additional frontal plate and at the same time for ventilation. The helmet was used from 1916 on, and in derived patterns the shape held throughout the 1920s and 1930s. For a modeler it is a part that strongly determines the period, so combine it with the equipment and figures of a matching period.

Fitting onto a figure and painting

Cut the casting off the casting block with a fine-toothed saw, level the cut and sand it over gently. Before painting, wash the part in lukewarm water with a detergent, so that no release agent from the mold stays on the surface. It is glued with super glue; when replacing headgear, first level the crown of the figure's head. The matte surface of the helmet looks good over a thin filler: a base shade, a wash flowed in under the edge and at the lugs and finally the edges accentuated with a dry brush. Suggest worn metal on the edges only very sparingly.

Who the accessory is for

• builders of dioramas from the period of the First World War in 1:48 scale
• modelers who change or complete the headgear on figures
• anyone interested in conversions and in unifying figures from different sets
• more experienced builders used to miniature castings

This is an accessory for figures, not a kit on its own. Paints, glue and the figure are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.