1:72 Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach 1:72, a Heller scenic set

An injection-molded plastic set in 1:72 scale that is not a kit of one vehicle but a whole scene. In the package military equipment is joined with infantry figures so that a scene from the landing on Omaha beach can be built. According to the manufacturer the finished scene measures around 30 cm in length and 20 cm in width. The manufacturer also keeps this scene as a starter set with paints and glue, but that is a different item. Check the exact contents of the package on the packaging.

The real subject

Omaha was one of the five landing beaches in Normandy and the bloodiest of them. On the sixth of June 1944 American units landed here into fierce fire resistance from fortified positions on the steep bluffs above the beach. The advance here was delayed by hours against the plan and the losses were the highest of the whole day. It is precisely that combination of equipment, infantry and confusing terrain that makes Omaha a scene built differently in modeling terms than a standalone machine.

Building and painting tips

Paint the equipment and the figures separately and glue them onto the base only at the end, otherwise you will not reach the small places. The figures need a mandatory primer, and in 1:72 faces are not painted in detail; exaggerated detail on such a small surface looks coarse. Treat the sand and the water on the beach as a whole surface: one base tone, then dry brushing and finally pigments. Weather the equipment more than you would expect.

Who the set is for

• modelers who want to build a scene, not a single machine
• those interested in the landing in Normandy
• collectors of both equipment and figures in 1:72
• those who want the scene together in one package

The models and the figures are supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not part of the package, unless stated otherwise.