Special Hobby WWII RAF Mechanic in India & Elephant with Mahout(F48345) 1:48

[Mike]

WWII RAF Mechanic in India & Elephant with Mahout(F48345)

1:48 CMK by Special Hobby

 

 

The mighty elephant is used as heavy plant even today in India, and it has been a beast of burden there for probably thousands of years.  During WWII, they were used extensively in the war effort, which is why we have this set here.  As usual with Special Hobby's larger resin sets, they arrive in the familiar long clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned inside along with a few pachy-peanuts to keep it still, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card.

 

 

The set contains three figures, one of which is large and grey – in fact, they're all grey at this stage, and all a bit wrinkly too, but I digress.  The elephant is moulded as a single large casting, with the remnants of the casting block left along its spine, which will need a little tidying up with a sander.  There are a couple of bubbles on the high points of the head, but as these are usually pretty humpy, a little rod super glued into the hole and sanded back will solve that and it's a simple tusk, so they're Irrelephant.  The rider, known as a Mahout or handler is sat astride the back of the beast, with separate arms and a narrow stick for guiding the elephant's movements.  The British Mechanic looks a little like king George VI, and is standing with his hands in his pocket (a common pose for a mechanic), and a thin sheet of flash between his spindly, shorts clad legs.  The two human figures also have a line of flash running from their chins, which can be quickly scraped off so isn't a mammoth job, and is there to prevent bubbles lodging in the lower halves of the faces, thereby ruining them.

 

 

As usual with resin, take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding resin, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in.  Washing ivory one of the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them.  Don't be a dumbo – take precautions!

 

Conclusion

A 1:48 elephant isn't something you see every day, and will make an interesting addition to any diorama, so get thinking and join the herd.  You could even use it humorously to trumpet your feelings about any military procurement, simply by painting it white and posing it next to the object of your ire.  Makes a change from those boring grey….J... Err…. Pachyderms.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[Kallisti]

A mammoth amount of punning there!

 

Just what I need to tow some SEAC Hurricanes around the airfield!

[corsaircorp]

Or this one...

Great kit, I'll buy one !! And start it

Thanks Mike.

CC

[Mike]

2 minutes ago, corsaircorp said:

Thanks Mike.

You're chap - your pic is a good bit of "insightment to model"  too

 

If you're 1:72 afflicted, here's a heffalump in 1:72 just for you.

[Paul A H]

I want my puns back 

[JohnT]

1 hour ago, corsaircorp said:

Or this one...

Great kit, I'll buy one !! And start it

Thanks Mike.

CC

I always thought that painting by Robert Taylor would make a great basis for a diorama.

 

Now that we have elephants in 1/72 and 1/48 where is the 1/32  for my Tamiya Corsair - and there too many rivets as well -  the elephants is unbuildable and the shape of the spine is wrong too.  Dont forget - the elephants won't  - phew thats all the usual complaints done 

[06/24]

Britains toys used to (maybe still do) make an Indian Elephant in their Zoo range in 1/32 scale, for any Corsair builders with an itch to scratch...

[JohnT]

Model Hobbies have a 1/32 Carthaginian War Elephants model but obviously some "conversion work" would be required around the ears!

[Mike]

2 hours ago, Paul A H said:

I want my puns back 

I think the internet might take umbridge with you claiming them as your own Paul

[Paul A H]

Internet schminternet. They were all the work of my shining wit 😉

[bootneck]

Shining wit......  now where have I heard that before?   Can't think, perhaps it rhymes with something or other

[dcrfan]

A word of warning, Elephants are wild animals, so they don't always behave.  This scene appeared on my 1/35th Rhodesian Railway layout late on the second day of an exhibition (although my young helpers may have been involved).

 

 IMG_0747 by tankienz, on Flickr

 

As the elephants are really quite solid yet slightly flexible plastic I use them as mobile buffers at the end of the line to prevent trains running off the end of the baseboard when I'm not paying attention or talking to visitors.

 

IMG_0743 by tankienz, on Flickr

  

The elephants are from the Schleich toy range which features both African and Indian versions.  Don't ask me what scale they are as it is not defined but I will say they look the part. 

Edited January 11, 2019 by dcrfan

[Mike]

See? I told you they were dangerous (this lot, to be left alone )