1:72 Luftschutz Gladiator (detail)

The real subject

Luftschutz was the German civil air defense, that is the service which during the war looked after shelters, alerts and rescue work after air raids. Its members wore a helmet of their own, for which the designation Gladiator has come into use; it refers to the unusual shape by which it was set apart from an ordinary military helmet. For diorama work it is a rewarding feature: at first glance it tells a civilian rescue squad from soldiers and gives a viewer an immediate hint of what is going on in the scene.

What you get

A small accessory in 1:72 scale meant for figures and for dioramas. How many pieces the package contains and whether they are helmets on their own or whole heads is given in the manufacturer's instructions. The manufacturer makes the same subject in other scales as well, so the same scene can be built at a larger size.

Building and painting tips

• in 1:72 scale a figure's head measures a few millimeters, so work with tweezers over a tray with a raised edge
• cut the excess material and the marks left from production off with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remnant
• choose the glue according to the material of the parts: parts that are not polystyrene call for cyanoacrylate glue
• wash and degrease the part before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold
• over a dark base pull out only the upper surface with a lighter tone, and the shape of the helmet will stand out

Terms of supply

Figures, kits, paints and glue are not included in the delivery, unless stated otherwise.