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Preiser Miniature Figures 1/48 Pilots and Ground Crew Luftwaffe 1935-1945 | |
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Kit Number 67001 | |
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Reviewed By CPT James Kelley, #42106 | |
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MSRP: € 7.45 (USD $12.81) Available: Preiser Miniatures, Eurorailhobbies.com, Reynaulds.com I’m by no means a figure modeler, but I am always on the lookout for cool accessories to go with what I have on the “to do” list. Today in the local Modellbau, I found the perfect accessory; quarter-scale Luftwaffe personnel to go with my ever-expanding jagdgeschwader of Messerschmitts und Focke Wulfs. If you’ve not heard of Preiser, they are huge in Europe with a long line of multiple scale model railroad figures and accessories. Their figures in particular are known for their detail, and I was pretty happy to stumble on this set. Although 11 years old (1994), I think it’s worth bringing to your attention. If you can find one on EBay, at a show or swap meet, or can still get one through Preiser, it would be well worth the effort. But enough postulating… let’s look at what you get. For your money, the set offers 83 pieces on 4 sprues (3 medium-grey and one tan) that will comprise 13 different figures, Officer and Enlisted. The plastic is soft in a Tamiya figure kind of way, but not as such that paint won’t adhere. These should be a breeze to work with. Most of them are sitting or lounging around, but a few of the Non-Coms are working. Also included are a table and chair, radio, 2 equipment cases, a folding canvas lounge chair, a rucksack, and what appears to be a 250 kg bomb, presumably to sit upon. As I mentioned, some of these guys are actually earning their Reichsmarks; one is carrying a tool chest, one with a wrench in hand appears to be inspecting his work (wheels, perhaps), one is leaning into the cockpit for a final check. Then, of course, there is everyone else; the guy relaxing in the canvas chair, the three gents playing cards around the table (with a hand of cards in hand, and others molded to the table top), the ever present no-load with too much advice, and a guy sitting on the bomb eating a meal (Nein Zigaretten!). A couple of plusses about this figure set; the detailing is very well done, considering it’s over a decade old. Facial expressions, features, insignias, goggles, belts and straps, etc. are all here and accurately rendered. Painting them should not be too difficult at all. Even the tools are nicely molded. A very nice color photo of the finished product for reference use is on the box. Unfortunately, the colors they are painted in are inaccurate for Luftwaffe personnel… consult your references! On the other hand (there’s always an other hand, eh…?) a lot of the sprue attachment points are on the delicate tools and other features. Careful removal of these arms will pay off greatly. Most of the pieces have a thin mold seam along one side, and this will entail a fair amount of clean-up before priming. There was quite a bit of flash present on the sprues of my sample, but the pieces themselves seemed to have escaped most of this. Despite the pictures on the box, there are no oil drums included. And, the instructions for assembly are printed on the inside of the box. They seem straightforward and easy to follow (in Deutsch), but it really annoys me when you have to shred a box to look at them. All in all, I can’t wait to create a quarter-scale diorama around these guys. They are definitely worth the money, and if you can find it, this set is very highly recommended! Review kit courtesy of my monthly per diem check. | |
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