Airfix Model World – July 2018

ON THE SHELF

FIGURES

88 View more reviews online: http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com 89

German Tank Crew

By: MiniArt

Item no: 35283 Price: £10.99

Web: http://www.creativemodels.co.uk

With the huge number of German

armour kits available, appropriate

crew figure sets are useful. MiniArt’s

package offers six tankers in

varying uniform. There's a selection

of early pattern black Feldjacke

tunics and Feldmütze caps, Panzer

trousers with ankle drawstrings,

ankle- and knee-high boots, peaked

Einheitsfeldmütze headgear and

‘mouse’ grey shirts. The anomaly

is the buttoned jacket (shown in

Pea camouflage), which is different

from the usual SS smock, so it could

possibly emulate a bespoke garment.

Uniform details are good, but there’s

a mould line down each visage, and

the facial features don’t compete

with MiniArt’s earlier offerings.

MODERN

AMERICANS

PANZER

PERSONNEL

Tommy & lazy donkey

By: Royal Model

Item no: 790

Price: €39.90

Web: http://www.royalmodel.com

If employed on its own, or with

other items, this unusual set

oozes character. The donkey

is posed in obstinate mood,

settled for what could be a long

period of “no, I’m not doing

it!” Said beast is mastered

and cast beautifully, with

integral harness, bridle, saddle

and pole-holder detail. The

buggy is splendid, too, and has

delicate wood grain on the cart

attachments and panels, and

filigree decoration for the rear

of the buggy comes via photo-

etched brass. Faint flash marred

the wheels on our sample, but

it’s removed easily. Meanwhile,

the soldier figure stands hands

on hips, almost resigned to

the animal’s disobedience; the

former’s uniform and facial

features are splendid, and will

repay careful painting and

shading. Superb!

STUBBORN

ASS SIT-IN

DAPPER GENT

AFTER THE BLAZE...

US Tank Crew

By: MiniArt

Item no: 37005 Price: £10.99

Web: http://www.creativemodels.co.uk

For all the recent flurry of 1/35 M1

Abrams kits, there's an absence of

crew figures...but MiniArt has filled

the gap in style. The parts are well

moulded and while flash is present

on most, it should be easy to remove.

Clothing and equipment detail is

superb, notably the body armour,

which is the latest Improved Outer

Tactical Vest (IOTV). There are five

multi-part figures, each on its own

runner, offering a full complement

of commander, gunner, loader and

driver, three of which are wearing

tactical googles and IOTV (the driver

wears an Olive Drab short jacket),

with an extra standing individual

sporting body armour, helmet and

ballistic protection sunglasses.

MYTHICAL HORNED FURY 1/24

Man in a bowler hat

By: Toro Model

Item no: 35F97 Price: €10

Web: http://www.toro-model.com.pl

Cast in resin as part of Toro’s The

Thirties Varsovians (residents of

Warsaw) range, this well-heeled

chap would look good in any

diorama/vignette. Bedecked

in a two-piece suit, collar and

tie, and with a bowler hat, this

fellow has a confident stride,

cane and briefcase in hand.

Neat touches include the pocket

square, buttonhole detail and

wide trousers with turn-ups.

The facial features are strong,

with a moustache present, and

the case and walking cane are

cast integrally with the hands.

Realistically, the figure could be

used in various urban European

wartime scenarios.

American Firemen (1910s)

By: ICM

Item no: 24005

Price: £9.20

Web: http://www.icm.com.ua

This three-figure package from

ICM replicates the immediate

aftermath of a fire, with one of

two soot-stained

firefighters letting

a small boy try on

his helmet. All are

depicted standing,

with the second

firefighter carrying an

axe over his shoulder.

There’s just a single

runner, and while the

boy has separate

limbs, torso and head,

the torso is in halves for the larger

figures as these incorporate a

jacket/overcoat. The latter are

the undisputed highlight, with

fine renditions of the fastening

toggles. These subjects are

designed to be posed with ICM’s

exquisite Model T 1914 Firetruck

(see Reviews, May 2017).

Satyr
By: Master Box
Item no: MB24024 Price: £10.99
Web: http://www.creativemodels.co.uk

Master Box has launched several
new figure lines, and its Ancient
Greek Myths series is a boon for
fantasy modellers, notably via this
Satyr. Arguably, it’s based more
on the Roman version than the
Greek (with a goat’s hind legs and
horns), but the quality of the parts
is stunning nonetheless. There
are 14 parts in total, and the facial
expression is superb, as is the
muscle tone on the upper body and
fur texture on the legs. It’s posed as
if charging a bow-armed opponent
and is pulling an arrow from its
abdomen with one hand, while
wielding a double-bladed spear in

the other (although not in keeping

with the satyr’s hedonistic origins,

it is rather dramatic). There’s a

moulded pin on the right hoof to

attach it to a base, although none is

supplied in this boxing.

1/35 1/35

1/24

1/35 1/35