I know this is in the AFV bit, but as the dearth of appropriate figures is probably more lamented by AFV modellers than others this is where I’ve put it.
Kitmaker members may be interested in the few figures I’ve shown here; they’re really all test runs to see if they’re viable for a few future projects I’ve been thinking about; all Soviet and East German.
The first two are really just revamps of the basic ancient Revell WW2 Soviet figures; a sort of overhaul with Hornet Heads and a few simple accessories. Nothing to difficult here about converting WW2 Soviet figures into those suitable prior to 1969 when a uniform change took began.
The others: well L to R, two figures adapted from the Dragon WW2 Soviet Scouts & Snipers set. They come with the baggy camouflage coverall that the emergent East German Army utilised and will replicate an early NVA exercise c.1958, and I have plans for them to be portrayed alongside a T34/85. Heads came from Hornet; this time personal equipment was a little more involved. The respirator haversack was filched from a Tamiya WW2 Russian Infantry set, and modified with plastic strip to show the decontamination kit pouch. The entrenching tool from a Heller accessory set, and the water bottles from a Tamiya Panzergrenadier set, and that was about it. I stress I am not suggesting that anyone will have such an extensive stash to facilitate such plunder, but it was relatively simple. Some parts may have to be scratched – shock! Horror
The second figure will be using an SKS, and that came from Bravo 6 – with a fiddly etched bayonet, and that is shown at the figure’s feet Please note that the camouflage pattern on the first figure is flawed and I will have to start again.
That leads me to the last, energetically posed figure; he will be a member of the Bepo, dismounting as per a quite well known picture showing a section dismounting from a BTR 40. The original figure came from the Tamiya German Assault Troops set, which has all sorts of imaginative poses in it. Modifications: Hornet Head, a water bottle from the kit, sanded to the narrower format favoured by the NVA, or at least an attempt, and entrenching tool made from scratch including plastic rod, a respirator made from Milliput, ditto an ammunition pouch. The last two modifications were not hard Folks; we’re not talking Michelangelo levels of sculpting here. A bit of practice and you’ll be good to go! Oh, the AK was adapted from an Italeri set, the “Modern Light Weapons” one. The stock from wire but is not quite an accurate effort as the real thing was slightly different. I suspect that the 3D printing industry will remedy that before too long. Weapon sling from lead foil.
And that is that; now, they’re not going into further production or completion just yet (the singleton Sov soldier figure is complete). They’re also not brilliant, especially some of my older efforts (the 2 x Sovs) but the point is, that while we all realise that Cold War figures from the mainstream manufacturers are in short supply, we tend to do nothing about it other than lament the fact! What I’m suggesting folks, is that converting figures isn’t that difficult, as I hope my efforts show. OK, if you’re keen on modelling the NVA, you’re going to need Hornet Heads, but it is really down to adapting what accessories there are available, and as I’ve further suggested, a modicum of sculpting using Milliput or Magic Sculp
This is not mean to be a polemic. And I don’t want to initiate a rather pointless whinge about the lack of figures; we all acknowledge that. I’m merely suggesting that there is a way forward and it isn’t as difficult as you might think. Unless modellers are prepared to grasp the nettle, model AFVs will continue to be uncrewed, and dioramas unpopulated.
Discuss (perhaps!) and I don’t mind criticism about the figures.
