1:72 German 120 -mm mortar with crew

German 120 mm mortar with crew 1:72 — a Zvezda figure set

A plastic set in 1:72 scale containing a 120 mm heavy mortar and the figures of its crew. It is not an aircraft or a vehicle model but a small weapon and figure group with which a diorama or a gaming force in this scale is completed. The manufacturer is Zvezda. The number of figures and parts is given in the contents printed on the packaging.

The real subject

In the Second World War, 120 mm heavy mortars represented artillery support at infantry battalion level. The weapon has the classic arrangement with a smoothbore barrel, a baseplate and a bipod, and it fires at a high elevation, so the projectile comes down steeply from above. Because of their weight, mortars of this caliber were carried on a wheeled carriage behind a means of traction and were set up at the firing position. The German 120 mm weapon was based in its design on the corresponding Soviet pattern.

Building and painting tips

Figures in 1:72 scale are small, so cut them from the sprue with a sharp scalpel and scrape the parting seams off rather than sanding them, as abrasive paper takes off too much here. Paint them before the final mounting on a base. The proven procedure is a base coat, a covering color, a dark wash into the folds and a dry brush on the edges. Pick the weapon out with a metal sheen on the barrel and with dust pigment on the baseplate. Finally even the whole group out with a matte varnish.

Who the set is for

• Builders of dioramas and combat scenes in 1:72 scale
• Players of tabletop wargames in this scale
• Modelers who want to add an infantry crew to their vehicles
• Anyone interested in artillery and mortar armament

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