1:48 Headers with French Kepi

The real subject

The kepi is a French military piece of headgear with a flat round crown, a low section around the head and a short peak. The French army has worn it since the nineteenth century and to this day it belongs among its best-recognized marks. On a figure a kepi does a lot of work: by it a viewer recognizes which force a figure belongs to before he has had time to look at the uniform.

What you are buying

An accessory for figures in 1:48 scale, that is replacement heads with a kepi fitted. It serves for replacing the head on a figure that is meant to represent a French soldier, or for bringing a scene to life where otherwise all the figures would have the same expression. The same item is also made in 1:35 and 1:72 scale, and a set with the kepis alone without heads is sold separately as well.

Building and painting tips

• Cut the excess material off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the remainder down gently.
• Wash and degrease the parts before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold on such a small area.
• The suitable glue depends on the material of the parts, which the manufacturer states on the packaging.
• Sand the neck level and try fitting the head dry, and only then glue.
• Paint the face in thin layers and build the shadows up gradually, as one thick layer will blind it.

Who it is for

For modelers of figures and scenes who want to have French soldiers in a diorama and do not want to make do with the heads from the original kit. It will also serve well anyone who is building a larger group of figures and needs them to differ from one another. Figures, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.