DaveCS Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Hi Everyone, I usually don't stray into the vehicles section as I'm more an aircraft guy but every now and again I get the urge to build a vehicle. I usually stick to 1/72 scale and I've noted a lack of drivers for soft skinned vehicles. Most of the 1/72 scale figures seem to be posed for "action" (firing a gun, crawling on the ground, etc.) and I'm having a tough time trying to find any figures that I can "seat" in a vehicle (currently the Airfix Willlys Jeep but this could be just about any vehicle). I've checked various figure sets and, other than the HaT set of British Riding Tankers.. I'm coming up empty. I've checked out Millicast's range of 1/76 figures but then the question of scale comes into play. Will it really be that "off" or can I swing it by grabbing some 1/76 scale figures and dropping them in to 1/72 scale vehicles? Has anyone got experience with this or, perhaps, may have further resources that I am currently unaware of regarding 1/72 figure sets? Any input is appreciated. Thank you kindly, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveCS Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 I think I found an answer to my question.. Will delete this post accordingly. Cheers,Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 A mix of 1/76 and 1/72 figures is fine. The 1/76 figures will appear to be slightly smaller in stature than their 1/72 cousins, just like prototype humans. You may have to prop some of them up with a cushion, however. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I've found that neither 1/72 nor 1/76 people are exactly to scale ie; some 1/76 are bigger than 1/72 and some 1/72 are smaller than 1/76. I believe Preiser do truck drivers in 1/72 scale, but they are expensive. I use their 1/87 drivers in my ho/oo vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveCS Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 I may spend a few $$$ and buy some of the Milicast items - they seem to be pretty decent and, having used some of their stuff in the past, they are also pretty unique. Cheers,Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Keep one thing in mind if you mix figure sizes and type: while humans vary in size, rifles, webbing and the like generally don't. If some of your troops have weapons of the same type that vary in length, it draws the eye, and not in a good way, unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niall Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 For British WW2 I'd recommend Dan Taylor Modelworks' figures, they are 1/76th but fit with 1/72nd scale - link to their driver sets - http://www.dantaylormodelworks.com/british-mt-drivers-set-1-147-p.asp http://www.dantaylormodelworks.com/british-mt-drivers-set-2-148-p.asp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveCS Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 Thanks for that Niall!! And Mitch, thanks for the heads up on the equipment. Cheers,Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Preiser, Pegasus Hobbies and Caesar Miniatures may also provide some useful parts, depending on what you are modelling and how happy you are to do a bit of figure-bashing. This site may be of use: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Index.aspx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidJ Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Dave Because of the limitations of small scale modelling, the doors, cabins, armour, etc of AFVs and softskins are thicker than they should be and interior dimensions are accordingly smaller than they should be. Consequently, nominally 1/72 figures may not fit in 1/72 AFVs or softskins but 1/76 figures may fit quite well without appearing to be too small. However, even 1/76 figures may require a little surgery for a good fit. Have a look at Tom Neate's website to see some examples of what can be done with 1/72 and 1/76 figures: http://www.neatescale.co.uk/crewfigures.html Cheers David 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Gunthwaite Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Hi Dave I've only just seen this thread. I have a note on using 1/72 scale and 1/76 scale figures together on my website. I'm of the view that it's general fine to mix them so long as each are true scale and that none carry weapons (or that the weapons are 1/72 scale if you're modelling in 1/72 scale). My 1/72 scale figures are typically 24 mm in height which corresponds to a person about 5' 8" tall (1.73 m) in 1/72nd scale. In 1/76 scale that would be about 6' (1.82m tall). David above has highlighted one of the issues with driver figures - there are aspects of models which are necessarily overscale for production purposes. In this regard steering wheels are probably the worse. Steering wheels are far too thick with a consequence that there's less room between the wheel and seat back to accommodate a driver figure. I have been playing around with the new Airfix RAF vehicles and have come to the view that driver figures ought to be accompanied with replacement steering wheels. Incidentally, I agree with Naill about Dan Taylor's figures. They're generally excellent and well worth a look. Al 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James G Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Hi Dave, have a go with some cheap figures and chop them up! Reposing them is fairly easy, I then re-fill the gaps with Milliput superfine white putty and re-sculpt lost detail with some dental picks. It's quite good fun, and if it goes wrong you won't have ruined an expensive figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace From Outer Space Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Hi Dave, What everyone else said and also: Consider swapping 1/72 heads onto 1/76 bodies. That way the bit you tend to see is better scaled to the rest of the vehicle! Cheers Viv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 When fitting driver figures to a model I attach the steering wheel to the driver and then fettle the figure/wheel combo to fit the cab.....I do the same with pilots and their joysticks too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidJ Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 (edited) Dan Taylor has a set of etched steering wheels that go a long way towards addressing the issue that Al outlined above. By the way, Al's figures are superb. The only problem is that there aren't enough of them Cheers David Edited September 7, 2015 by DavidJ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert A Posted September 9, 2015 Share Posted September 9, 2015 You could also try Tony Barton's AB Figures, he some excellent sets of British/Commonwealth drivers, mainly Army but they are usable for RAF as well. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 While I'm 6'4 my mate Jon at work is only 5'6, which makes me 1.72 scale and Jon 1.76. Incidentally as neither of us carry weapons people often mistakenly believe that we are both in the same scale. Viz. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Onkey Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 When fitting driver figures to a model I attach the steering wheel to the driver and then fettle the figure/wheel combo to fit the cab.....I do the same with pilots and their joysticks too. Consider this idea stolen- fitting pilots past joysticks is a bete noir of mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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