1:35 WWII German Food Containers

German food containers 1:35, a Vallejo accessory

Supply work and rear-area duties appear on dioramas far less often than combat equipment, and yet scenes of that kind look the most alive. This set belongs among them: it holds German food containers of the sort used to carry hot rations from a field kitchen to a unit during the Second World War. The result is not a vehicle model or a figure but small equipment that you place in a scene beside a field kitchen, beside a truck, beside a dugout or in the hands of the crew.

What to do with them in a scene

The containers have a distinctive tall cylindrical shape with a lid and carrying fittings, so the viewer identifies them in a scene even without a caption. They work best in a small group and in motion: two set down on the ground, one being carried. Placing them by a fire or by a kitchen wagon helps the story of the scene more than lining them up neatly in a row.

Painting a metal surface

• A primer base is essential on small parts: without it the paint rubs off a smooth surface during handling with tweezers alone.
• Containers in the field were carried daily, so hold the sheen down: keep the base flat and add a satin hint only locally, where the metal would have been polished smooth.
• A different tone for the lid and the body of the container gives the part depth without having to draw in details.
• Let a darker wash run around the rim and up to the fittings, and pull the excess off at once so that no tidemarks are left.
• Keep the wear sparing; a few light points on the highest edges are enough, as an over-weathered small item draws attention away from the main model.

Who the set suits

It will be reached for by modelers building support and rear-area scenes in 1:35 scale and by anyone who wants to add believable equipment to their figures. The containers work equally well beside a vehicle and as a stand-alone detail on a small base.

The accessory is meant to be painted and set into a diorama; it is not a finished model. Paints, glue and a base are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.