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Zvezda Luftwaffe Ground Personnel


Mitch K

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This sounds similar to one of mine as I am currently finishing up the Airfix Stuka in SCW markings and thinking the ground crew set would make a quick fix.

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Sprues! Two sprues, five figures, a fuel drum and a bomb trolley. You get individual bases and a group/vignette base. These figures are intended for the wargames table, for which they are very nice indeed, although exactly how you'd use these is a bit beyond me.

The casting is very fine, anatomy is excellent and the figures look very accurate. The Luftwaffe aircraft service personnel had a distinctive working uniform: two-piece overalls in black cotton drill with a black cotton version of the Fliegermutze. This was very practical and quite distinctive, leading to the wearers becoming known "Schwartze" or "Schwatzer Mann".This name continued even after the black overalls were replaced with a raw, unbleached cotton version (less practical but cheaper) or a variety of captured versions (chaotic but practical).

luftcrew_2_zpsjrcjiddn.jpg

I've got the first three figures assembled. I always assiduously scrape and file all the mould lines off any figures, then re-incise any detail lost. The detail is roughly of the depth you'd see on scale models, i.e. less deep than most wargame figures. They go together well even without glue,which is handy as it allows you to get arm/leg positions right. I'll add a slick of filler where necessary but there's very few places it's needed.The bomb trolley is a three-piece model (plus the bomb). I've removed the handle as it's easier to position this in the crewman's hand and then attach it to the trolley rather than fit the figure to the truck.

luftcrew_1_zpsiocukbff.jpg

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HI Mitch. That looks like a nice kit and should build up into a good vignette. The figures look to be nicely detailed. Are you going to use the base provided?

Kind regards,

Stix

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HI Mitch. That looks like a nice kit and should build up into a good vignette. The figures look to be nicely detailed. Are you going to use the base provided?

Kind regards,

Stix

The large, single base, yes.

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Looking good Mitch.....What scale are these fellas? They are some smashing looking figures. :coolio:

These are 1/72 - gentleman's scale. The physique is true to scale, unlike a lot of wargame figures where there is a tendency towards "heroic" proportions. I've half a mind to photograph them next to some "standard" 28mm wargame minis for comparison.

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These are 1/72 - gentleman's scale. The physique is true to scale, unlike a lot of wargame figures where there is a tendency towards "heroic" proportions. I've half a mind to photograph them next to some "standard" 28mm wargame minis for comparison.

28mm figures are more 1/56th scaled but I agree some wargame figures definitely look bulkier (20mm is 72nd scale).

I pulled this set out last night as well as some Preiser figures. Will have to start my thread soon.

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28mm figures are more 1/56th scaled but I agree some wargame figures definitely look bulkier (20mm is 72nd scale).

I pulled this set out last night as well as some Preiser figures. Will have to start my thread soon.

Even within 1/56 / 28mm there's vast differences. Certain manufacturers go with much heavier, bulkier sculpts. My ECW army had this in spades - I had some Renegade Dragoons and they seemed to have all been modelled on the physique of the late, great Giant Haystacks!

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I hear you Mitch.

You see the same differences in 72nd scale figures, even if it is just pilots, sometimes even from the same manufacturer (see Airfix).

I really like the detail on the Zvezda figures, have done several of their gun crew sets. They seem to paint up well with Vallejo.

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It's a problem. I can look back at my old team at work, and the heights of the adult males went from 5'4" to 6'3". The variation in figures from different manufacturers roughly captures this, so you think "no problem". Then you realise a set of soldiers would all have rifles the same length, regardless of their height, and it all goes wrong! You can get away with it in non-uniform armies (think ancients, middle ages) but it looks very odd with modern armies and even Romans!

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Here's the last two figures, plus the bomb trolley. By placing the trolley I can see exactly how the arms etc fit and sit.

luftcrew_3_zpstj4wvukx.jpg

All five figures, filled where necessary and primed white ready to go.

luftcrew_4_zpszk7o7dqh.jpg

First bits of colour put on. I prefer a bit of base flesh on first, because flesh doesn't seem to cover well over all colours. Various black and raw cotton shades for the overalls, and (later) I'll add white for the undervests on the two herberts pulling the bomb. Boots will be black and belts brown.

luftcrew_5_zpsqusjg38e.jpg

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Hi Mitch. That does make up into an impressive scene. The poses for the figures look really dynamic and good work on the painting so far. I think with painting it's what ever suits you best. I tend to paint everything with Anthracite first and do the faces and hands last. I've recently changed from using Humbrol's flesh colour to using Vallejo's basic flesh colour - the Humbrol version seems to be really poor at covering recently. The reason I paint the skin areas last is so that I can dry-brush the clothing without worrying about getting any on the flesh parts.

Kind regards,

Stix

Edited by PlaStix
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Stix, I tend not to drybrush, but use the layering principle, with some deep shadows added. The flesh is Vallejo Beige Red, which will form all but the deepest shade on the face and hands. I'll build up the tones with lighter colours as I go along.

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I had largely stopped using the technique until I saw two peoples work; 'The Great Queeg' (ML Braille & elsewhere) and our own 'Plastix'.....Having seen what these fellas can achieve with dry-brushing I figured it had to be worth another look. :coolio:

I've recently begun investigating using oil paints for this technique and it seems to have HUGE promise as you can almost always feather the highlights into the base colour perfectly (if you have the skill & eyesight).....But it really does take a very, very long time to dry. :pipe:

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I used oils as a matter of course on larger figures (1/35 and 54mm) in the past. My trick for quick(er) drying was to replace any white oil with Humbrol enamel. Another option would have been the alkyd type paints but I was too mean to buy them and try it out! I use/have used the layering approach with acrylics on wargame figures. The other techniques didn't offer enough speed - I wanted to get an army on the table in my own lifetime!

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Hi Mitch. I've just been checking through all the builds in this GB and I was wondering if there'd been any progress with yours?

Kind regards,

Stix

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Hi Mitch. I've just been checking through all the builds in this GB and I was wondering if there'd been any progress with yours?

Kind regards,

Stix

Not a lot, sadly. The main thing is Photobucket is such a chore!

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