1:72 Kharkov 1943 part I

Figures for the fighting around Kharkov in 1:72 scale

This is a collection of figures, not a kit of a vehicle. The small scale gains through the set the human element that gives a finished model size as well as a story: without figures even a carefully built tank reads as an exhibit in a cabinet. The subject refers to the events around Kharkov in 1943, and the name states that this is the first part.

Kharkov 1943 in brief

The area around Kharkov was among the most exposed sectors of the Eastern Front in 1943. The city changed hands repeatedly within a few months and operations took place there in winter as well as spring weather, that is on snow as well as in churned-up terrain. For a modeler that means a wide palette of ways to treat a scene, from a snow-covered street to a waterlogged field track.

Painting figures in a small scale

In 1:72 contrast decides more than detail. A thin coat of primer works well, then the base tone of the clothing, a darker glaze into the folds and a fine lightening of the edges with a dry brush. The faces need only be suggested, because at such a size the eyes are sensed rather than painted. Finally unify the surface with a matte varnish, so that the small areas do not shine.

Who the set suits

• builders of Eastern Front hardware who are after a crew or an escort to go with it
• makers of small dioramas where size needs comparing against a human figure
• collectors of the small scale with an interest in the year 1943
• anyone who wants to show a whole scene instead of a model on its own

The figures are ready to be painted; the assumption is that the modeler will clean them up, seat them and paint them personally.