Tamiya

1/35 French Infantry Set

Kit Number: 35288

Reviewed by  Randy Colvin, IPMS# 31754

MSRP: $13.00 Web Site: www.tamiyausa.com This is the latest in Tamiya's fine line of 1/35 figures, and a welcome addition as well. This set contains three sprues of which two are identical and contain all the weapons, equipment and helmets needed to assemble these figures. The third sprue contains all the figures themselves. There are a total of 76 pieces and this includes three oval display bases for what I'm assuming are some off balance figures. The weapons are very crisp and included are four MAS M1936 Rifles and two Chatellerault Mle 1924/29 light machine guns (although you only need one). Two Kepi's are also supplied but how they are used is up to the builder. On the sides of the box are profiles and labels for all the gear supplied and on the back of the box is the painting guide. These figures are in some pretty decent action poses to include a prone LMG gunner and a kneeling rifleman aiming his weapon. The Officer or NCO (it's up to you what rank you make him) has a molded pistol on his left hand. Conceivably this kit could be modified into WWI French infantry with some rifle changes and a few pieces of equipment as I believe the uniforms never changed much from 1914 to 1940 except the color; I will have to look into this further.

Construction Building these figures was extremely easy and they all went together with no problems to speak of. The gear for each figure attached with minimal problems. The only problems I did run into were the weapons fitting into the hands of each figure with the exception of the commander as his revolver is molded into his left hand. The rifles and machine guns are the highlight of the kit, they are superbly molded but Tamiya has usually done a wonderful job on Infantry weapons. Fitting them into the hands of each figure is not done very well, hands are not molded properly to hold things and with the arms in place they just don't look right. It could be my fault as the builder but I believe the molds are the problem. Just a little more time spent on fit would have been in Tamiya's best interest. The fix as far as I can tell would be too sever the hands of each figure and reposition them as needed. The other problem I ran into was that there are great big holes behind each canteen that should be hidden when they are attached to each figure and if you don't get them into just the right position then the holes can show from the sides. A few of mine were done that way and I knew the holes were there. Painting Colors where chosen by finding toy French soldiers online and using them as a painting guide. Tamiya's color recommendations don't exactly do justice to these early war French soldiers. I am happy with the colors I chose and there were a lot of them. I probably used 5 different shades of green and brown on each figure and I used Humbrols exclusively as they are still the best paint to use when brush painting.

Conclusion These figures are really neat and nicely done. They are a subject that has been largely ignored unless it's German or a piece of armor. Along with Tamiya's release of the UE and trailer these two kits combined would go well together in a diorama scene. I am by all means not making fun of the French but some surrendering French soldiers would be a nice addition to Tamiya's line up of early war subjects. I would sincerely like to thank IPMS for the opportunity to build this kit and to be a member of the Reviewers Corp. I would especially like to thank Tamiya for kindly supplying this kit.

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