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US Tank Crew – Special Edition (35391) 1:35


Mike

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US Tank Crew – Special Edition (35391)

1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd

 

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During WWII US tank crews were dressed differently to their Army colleagues, due to the cramped confines within their armoured vehicles, the likelihood that they may be called upon to twirl the spanners if the machinery broke down, and the effects of banging your head against any of the many prominences inside and around the tank.    They’re also specifically equipped with more compact weapons to fit the confines of their vehicles, and in WWII US tank crews typically carried the M3 Grease Gun or an M1911 pistol for self-defence, the latter sometimes on a close-fitting three-point body holster keeping the holstered weapon close to their torso and avoiding snagging themselves on the tank when inside.  They typically wore overalls with a t-shirt underneath, and a leather jacket to keep the top half warm that may be outside the moving tank at times, with an almost universally worn perforated helmet with communications equipment in the ear flaps, sometimes coupled with a pair of polarised goggles to reduce glare, to protect their eyes from cold, and other dangers.

 

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This figure set contains five tankers dressed in typical US tanker overalls, M38 Rawlings tank helmets with headset and throat mic., and some with leather jackets.  Inside the shrink-wrapped box are five sprues, two containing the figures, three their helmets, weapons and accessories, a sheet containing a sprue diagram, and a small decal sheet with rank insignia and unit badges.  They’re all wearing tanker overalls, and two of them are wearing the short bomber jackets typical of tankers of the day.  The two jacket wearers are most likely senior in the crew and are stood in their hatches leaning on the surrounds, while the three others appear to be lounging on the exterior of the vehicle, with one possibly inside the driver’s hatch, but at rest.  Each form-fitting helmet is made from four parts, with the largest being the top section that fits to the flat top of the figure’s head.  There are two separate ear flap sections and another flap at the rear to protect the nape of the crewmember’s neck from falling debris and hot brass from their machine gunner outside the turret.  The accessory sprues contain more helmets, goggles, Grease Guns with separate stocks, mag pouches, numerous pistols, a camera, a pair of field glasses with slide-moulded lenses, and a case that is next to a two-part map case.

 

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Conclusion

As usual with MiniArt figures their sculpting is exceptional with crisp detail and sensible parts breakdown plus loads of extras to add some detail to their vicinity if you use them in a diorama.  There’s a small amount of flash around a few parts, but as I always say, that’s infinitely better and easier to remedy than short-shot parts.

 

Highly recommended.

 

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Review sample courtesy of

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Thanks for the review and the images Mike. :winkgrin: I've just ordered some Miniart 1:35 figures, for just the same reason; the facial features look lifelike and the mouldings appear sharp. :thumbsup:

 

cheers,
Mike

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24 minutes ago, bootneck said:

the facial features look lifelike and the mouldings appear sharp.

That's fair.  They are amongst the best injection moulded figures IMHO :)

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