1:35 German tank crew. Evacuation, 1940-43 (2 figures) set 1

The real subject

The crews of German tanks of the years 1940 to 1943 are among the most frequently built figures in 1:35 scale. In this period the German armored units went through campaigns in France, in North Africa and on the Eastern Front. Tank crewmen wore a short dark uniform with pronounced lapels, with a beret or a field cap, and in the field often working overalls over it. In Africa a lighter uniform of tropical cut replaced it, so one set of figures covers several battlefields at once.

What the set contains

The package is designated as the first part of a range on the theme of abandoning a vehicle and contains two figures in 1:35 scale. The figures are supplied unpainted. Before painting, the usual preparation is called for: clean up the seating surfaces, try the assembly dry and fill any gaps in the joints with filler.

Building and painting tips

Figures in this scale suit a layered procedure. A base coat in a thin continuous layer, the basic tones in acrylic and the fine-tuning of the face and the folds in oil paints all work well. A dark uniform is better built from a gray-blue or brown-gray base, with the darkest tone worked up to only in the deep folds, or the figure will lose its volume. Small things such as holsters, straps and headphones come out after a light dry brush.

Who it is for

The set suits building dioramas with German armored equipment and serves to enliven an otherwise static model of a tank. It follows loosely on from the other parts of the range, so the figures can be put together into a larger scene. The package contains only the figures. The model of the vehicle, paints, glue and a base are not part of it, unless stated otherwise.