ICM Polish Regiment Representative Officer (16010) 1:16

[Mike]

Polish Regiment Representative Officer (16010)

1:16 ICM via Hannants

 

 

The Polish military have Honour Guard regiments for each branch of their armed forces who perform ceremonial duties, with each having their own bespoke and distinct uniforms.  The army Representative Regiment wears the Rogatywka, which is a peaked cap with a four-pointed top that errs toward the rear of the wearer’s head, and despite appearances it is hardened to afford some limited protection to the wearer.  The badge on the front of the cap is the Polish Eagle, and the members of the regiment also carry a ceremonial sword on parade, although this is swapped out for a rifle when carrying out duties such as guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier as well as other memorials throughout Poland.

 

The Kit

This is a brand-new tooling from ICM, and represents the uniform as it is today.  It arrives in ICM’s usual top-opening box with captive inner lid, and inside are two sprues of grey styrene, a sprue of black styrene and plinth, plus a single instruction sheet printed in colour on both sides.  At the bottom of the box you will also find a print of the box artwork, which could be framed and hung if you're so minded.

 

 

Construction and painting guides are shown on the same set of diagrams, using the parts on the grey sprues, which comprise separate head, torso, legs and arms, plus the two-part Rogatywka.  The white lanyard is moulded into the torso, but the Aiguillette is a separate section that is glued between the separate shoulder boards and the top button of the jacket, which has separate tails that hang down over the trousers.  Due to the position of the hands, they are supplied in parts with some fingers moulded-in, and others separately on the left hand, and with a complete separate hand, cuff and fingers on the right hand, which is tasked with holding the unsheathed sword, while the scabbard is steadied by the left.  The sword also has a tassel fitted to the pommel, hanging down below the hand guard.  A choice of traditional leather or modern composite paddle holsters are also supplied for your choice, attaching to the belt in the small of the soldier’s back.

 

 

The base is moulded in black, and has a choice of four different surfaces for the top and a base for the bottom.  The choices comprise a flat asphalt surface plus three styles of cobble or paving stones.

 

 

 

Markings

There are no decals included in the box, but the various badges, ribbon bars and emblems are all shown with colour call-outs, and they are all large enough to be painted carefully by hand, although the piping around the cap will need a steady hand or careful masking.

 

 

Conclusion

This is a handsome kit of a ceremonial uniform that was brought back into use in 1993, drawing its cues from older uniforms used in Poland over the years.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd.

 

Review sample courtesy of