Harls

I'm returning to modelling after a VERY long hiatus, so don't expect miracles but I'm happy to share my knowledge - hit me up if there's anything you think I may know the answer to.

A valiant effort on a particularly nasty kit! As you say though, he does set the BMW off - very good detailing on that, by the way! I'll add some pics of mine when I eventually get it done...

Sorry to see that after all your hard work! To be honest, I was contemplating using thick cartridge paper (layered, if necessary) to replace the polythene(?) straps because I knew they were going to be a problem - I'm sorry I didn't mention it earlier. I remember buying an enamel primer in a rattlecan especially for this which held the paint well. Due to the large size of the figure, it was the first time I used a primer. I never cared for the facial expression either, so I put a cigarette in his mouth to give it more character,which worked, after a fashion. Take some deep breaths and go back to it after a while...

😆😆 Yes, I must admit that I'm having second thoughts about building it myself now. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing at times, but I'm wishing I had remembered all the bad things about this kit before I bought it again! Still, I'm sitting here awaiting delivery of glue and filler so I can crack on with it. I suppose I could make a start on removing flash, etc., but I'd rather wait until I have everything together. Looking forward to seeing your pics - what paints are you using? I'm thinking about acrylics this time around; I did the original in enamels and the face/hands in oils as I preferred a longer drying time, but it's been so long and I've been out of the game for many years, so I'd appreciate any recommendations...

Here's another (rather bland) paint job for reference: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/esci-9th-scale-german-gd-soldaten-137808431 The eyes! The eyes!

Yes, I remember I had quite a few fitment issues and for someone who's supposed to be a fit, lean soldier, he seems rather 'blocky'. I was also disappointed that the 'Y' harness of the webbing wasn't included. With regard to your second point, a guy on Planet Figure sculpted a 3D version of the box art and it makes for a much better looking figure. Unfortunately, Italeri won't entertain any idea of selling his figure, and the guy can't either because he'd be in breach of copyright. See below - I'm sure, like me, you'll be blown away by the detail: https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/1-16-german-solider-1-9-itareli-boxart-sketch.294223/ Regards.

Sometimes it's worth using a different search engine - I've just found this set (click on image) of pics on DuckDuckGo (I normally use Google). I must stress that this isn't mine: Having seen this, I'm even more determined to change the face - on all the ones I've seen previously, including my first one, they all have the same expression...

I was browsing Facebook last night and the following group advert popped up: https://www.facebook.com/VerlindenProductionsStock They claim to have a large stock of discontinued Verlinden kits, so it might be worth checking out. Regards.

The first time I saw this kit (made then by Esci) completed, was in my local hobby store back in the late 70's and knew I had to have it! However, as a young and inexperienced figure modeller, I wasn't prepared for the amount of work involved in building the kit, especially with the very dark green plastic, but got it done eventually and was quite pleased with the results! Fast-forward 40-odd years and a loooong break in figure modelling and guess what? I once again have the original Esci kit sitting on my table, ready for building. I intend to change the shape of the face as I was never satisfied with the original, and add deeper creases to the folds of the cloth. If I find the time, I'll post photos of the work in progress. I wish you good luck in your endeavours with this kit - I do remember that it took a lot of patience!