1:72 German SS soldier eating - WWII

A soldier at a meal as a way of bringing a small diorama to life

A soldier who is eating is among the most legible poses there is: even on a figure twenty-four millimeters tall the viewer recognizes at once what is going on. In 1:72 scale genre scenes like this are offered only rarely, because most sets concentrate on figures attacking or firing.

The mess tin and food in the field

The container the soldier is eating from was an inseparable part of German field kit. The kidney-shaped aluminum mess tin consisted of a deeper lower part and a shallow lid that served as a pan and a plate alike; the handle of the lid folded down and secured the contents against spilling. It was carried on a strap on the bread bag or on the pack frame, and for an infantryman it was as important as his weapon. Hot food was issued from the field kitchen, which the soldiers nicknamed after its characteristic chimney, and bread, canned meat and ersatz coffee went with it.

How to paint in the very small

At twenty-four millimeters there is no point in drawing eyes or buttons. The opposite approach works: lay the whole figure down in basic areas, draw a heavily thinned dark toning over it and bring out only the tops of the folds. A mottled field blouse is suggested with three or four dotted shades, not with an exact pattern.

Where to place the figure

• with resting infantry by a vehicle or a bunker
• in small vignettes in 1:72 scale
• with models of hardware that are missing a human sense of scale

The casting is supplied without paints; a drop of cyanoacrylate glue is enough to attach it.