1:48 British Tommy

The real subject

This figure in 1:48 scale captures a British soldier, for whom the nickname Tommy became established. The term is used in English as a general name for a private soldier of the British army, not as the name of a particular unit. The figure suits anywhere a scene should be given a human scale: beside an aircraft on the apron, beside a vehicle or on an open area of a base.

What we know about the set

The 1:48 scale is the most common for aircraft models and some manufacturers offer ground vehicles in it too, so the figure matches both groups. Check the number of parts on the packaging and the period the uniform belongs to against period photographs.

Building and painting tips

Wash and degrease the parts before painting, otherwise a primer will not hold on the surface. Cut the excess material and manufacturing marks off with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the rest gently. Choose the glue according to the material of the parts: modeling cement is enough for polystyrene parts, while for other materials reach for super glue. In 1:48 scale contrast matters more than the number of details. Build the figure from a muted base, deepen the folds with a dark glaze and use a light tone only to lift the high points of the cloth, the helmet and the hands.

Who it is for

It will be appreciated by builders of aircraft in 1:48 scale who want to give a model a comparison of size, and by builders of smaller dioramas. It also serves well as a practice figure for learning to paint figures.

The model of the aircraft, a base, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.