After completing my Panzergrenadier I would like to share my work on the old Tamiya driver figure for the Horch 1a.
First the old paint was removed with oven cleaner and a toothbrush. Remaining paint scraped off with a scalpel. Then all limbs and parts were detached.
The head was cut off and 2 mm holes were drilled in the torso, limbs and head so 2 mm solder wire could be inserted. The solder wire was glued with CVA to the torso. The solft solder wire is easy to cut and allows to try out different poses for the body parts before glueing the parst together or start a little ‘filling the gap’ sculpting with green stuff.
I replaced the ammo puches with better ones from the spare box. The boots on this figure are much too high, this will be corrected by lengthening the trousers with green stuff later on.
This way the driver seems to be a bit more ‘in interaction’ with what the rest of the crew is doing. I’am not sure wether the neck wil work out ok as the head is looking up and the shoulders are rather hanging down on thes figure. There is quite a gap between head and collar. Gladly would hear your thoughts on this.
King regards,
W
Interestingly, I’ve always quite liked this figure. It was Tamiya’s first attempt at an SS man in smock and helmet cover and generally, within the moulding constraints of the period, it’s not bad. The boots aren’t too tall, they are correct for the period, remember that the Horch 1a is really an early war vehicle. The shaft of the German marching boot gradually diminished in height during the war, until replaced by ankle boots and “retreat gaiters” towards the end. Like all Tamiya figures of around this time however, he appears to take about a size 14 boot! The reason he doesn’t interact with the rest of crew is because they came later.
You are absolutely right, Hohenstaufen. The Horch 1a being a '38-'41 vehicle, it makes sense that the driver is in a uniform that matches that period of the war. I always loved the ‘German soldiers seated 35109’ as a crew for vehicles. Never realised the came later, but that also makes sense. Their boxart shows boots that go rather towards a jack boot aprox. 35 cm height instead of the higher officer riding boot. So making the boot on this figure a bit more like those on the boxart is what I would like to alter the boots on this figure towards (and have the fun of sculpting with green stuff).
IMHO, you might want to trim down his neck a bit, as you have already considered. You might also have to reshape the collar to get the head to fit properly. I have had this same problem myself, but I chose to ignore it, only to realize after I had finished painting that I had built a giraffe.
It’s your call.
Do you think this is better?
Repositioned the torso a bit and shortend the wire between the head and the collar. Actually the figure doesn’t need to tilt his head that high to fit in with the rest. I hope this is less ‘giraffelike’ then it was before. There will not be much neck to sculpt like this, which is also a +.
HTH.
