1:35 WWII German Tanker #2

A man from the armored arm

The subject is a member of the German tank units of the Second World War. The crews wore a distinctive black dress that came about because of the work in a cramped fighting compartment: a short wrap-over jacket with no tails, which did not catch on levers and handles, and loose trousers gathered at the ankle with it. The black cloth had a practical reason, because grease and oil did not show on it. It is precisely this cut that makes a tank crewman a figure the viewer recognizes at first glance even without detailed painting.

Where to place the figure in a diorama

A single figure is not there to tell the whole story; it is there to focus the attention. It works best in the turret hatch or leaning against a fender, that is, where it touches the machine and joins it to its surroundings. It is worth choosing the position so that the gaze of the figure leads the viewer's eye to what is interesting on the model, be that damaged armor or lettering on the turret.

Practical notes on the build

If you are seating the figure in a hatch, try it dry before you glue the cover on, because the inner structure of a turret tends to be shallow on kits and the shoulders may not fit into the opening. Clean the mold residue off the casting, clean up the edges and degrease it before painting. Do not paint the black dress in pure black but in a lightened gray, otherwise the modeling is lost in the deeper folds. Pick out the light edging on the collar and the buttons right at the very end with a fine brush, because it is they that carry most of the information about who the figure represents on a small area. The rest of the uniform can then be left in a quieter tone.