1:72 Riegelmine 43

Riegelmine 43 in 1:72 scale

The set brings the German Riegelmine 43 bar mine in 1:72 scale. It is not a kit of a vehicle or a weapon — it is a small scenic accessory to be placed around the terrain of a diorama, stacked on a vehicle bed, propped against a wall or stowed in a box. Mines are among the accessories that give a scene a purpose: a viewer can tell from them that something was being prepared on the spot, without needing more figures added.

The real subject

The Riegelmine 43, R.Mi. 43 for short, was a German antitank bar mine introduced in 1943. It differed from the plate mines in its elongated sheet-metal body of rectangular section, which was laid across the direction of movement. It is exactly that shape which makes the mine immediately recognizable on a model and at the same time easy to use: in terrain it looks good half buried as well as stacked in a bundle on a vehicle. In time the set matches scenes from 1943 onwards; earlier scenes deserve the older types of mine.

Building and painting tips

Cut the castings off with a scalpel and level the faces with fine abrasive paper. Wash them before painting and lay down a base coat; with regular surfaces an airbrush or a spray can works well. Add a dark wash in the edges to the base shade and suggest the wear on the top surface with a fine dry brush. Set mines laid in the terrain partly into the groundwork and tie them in with a pigment, so that they do not look stuck on. A bundle of mines stacked on a fender or on the bed is a rewarding detail, because it fills an empty area of the model.

Who the set is for

• Builders of dioramas with German vehicles in 1:72 scale
• Modelers who fill vehicle loads and engineer scenes
• Collectors of small scenic accessories
• Those who build scenes from 1943 and later

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