WWII Soviet Assault Engineer-Sapper (16013) 1:16

[Mike]

WWII Soviet Assault Engineer-Sapper (16013)

1:16 ICM via Hannants Ltd.

 

 

During WWII the Soviet Army used brigades of Assault Engineer-Sappers as a kind of special-operations stormtrooper, to break through heavily defended lines.  The often wore heavyweight SN-42 steel armoured vests reminiscent of mediaeval armour, and carried heavy weapons such as the Degtyaryov DP-27 machine gun with a flat pan magazine on the top of the weapon, with a theoretical maximum firing rate of 550 rounds per minute.  Due to their armoured frontal carapaces they were sometimes referred to as Cuirass or armoured infantry.  The brigades were successful in battle, which led to their expansion as the war progressed, adding flamethrowers and eventually tanks to their armoury, ending the war with 20 Brigades in total.

 

The Kit

This figure model depicts a member of the Engineer-Sapper Brigade in a ‘splat’ camouflaged smock and pants, with a DP-27 machine gun across his chest, held by the stock in one hand and the other grasping one leg of the bipod, which if it isn’t a later version may well have come off in his hand if he tried to fire from that position.  On his head is a standard helmet for the era and a selection of items of equipment to detail the figure.  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. 

 

 

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 individual tails to his smock, and steel front plate with the rear having the retention straps moulded-in.  Due to the position of the hands around the gun and bipod, the fingers are supplied separately moulded, and you have a choice of a pistol in holster with separate flap, bayonet in its sheath, bag and water bottle.  The machine gun is built on an internal section with stock, breech and inner barrel moulded together, with the heat shield made of two separate parts that wrap around the barrel.  The 47-round pan magazine drops onto the top, and the bipod fixes to the underside at the front end of the shield.  You will need to make up your own sling from an appropriate material, but the furniture is supplied with the machine gun parts on the smaller sprue.

 

 

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

 

 

Conclusion

This is a well-sculpted kit of lesser-known Soviet combatant from the Great Patriotic War in the East, with excellent facial detail and straps that should look great under a few coats of paint.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd.

 

Review sample courtesy of