ICM Brewster Body Shield US WWI Infantry (35720)

[Mike]

Brewster Body Shield US Infantry (35720)

1:35 ICM via Hannants Ltd.

 

 

WWI was a meat-grinder that chewed up millions of soldiers on all sides over the course of the conflict, so when the US finally joined the war, methods had already been sought to reduce casualties, but the Americans brought the Brewster Body Shield with them to try to reduce casualties from the over-the-top frontal attacks that were common.  The armour consisted of a frontal helmet and cuirasse-style chest-piece, both of which were snugged to their wearers by leather straps, and cushioned to reduce discomfort and chaffing as the soldiers walked around the battlefield.  The armour was made from chrome nickel steel, and could withstand a rifle bullet at a reasonable range, but it was cumbersome, heavy and restricted the wearer’s movement and left his legs and most of his arms exposed to enemy fire, so wasn’t a total solution.  There were other more modular designs that found more favour in terms of comfort, but none were particularly successful, mostly due to the weight and heft of the materials available then at the time.

 

 

The Kit

This is a brand-new figure set containing four figures and their armour, plus a huge quantity of weapons, packs, pouches and other equipment.  It arrives in a small top-opening box with the usual captive inner lid, and inside are two main sprues, plus another two smaller sprues on which the armour is found.  The four figures are built as normal with separate arms, head, legs and torso, although some surface details such as ammo pouches have been flattened off to accommodate the armour, with moulded-in straps that link up to the armour panels, both on the torso and heads of the figure.  Three of the figures are stood upright and are holding rifles in various poses, while the fourth figure is kneeling with a pistol, so is likely to be an officer, but it’s hard to tell under all that steel.  The armour just slips over the front of the figures, and the helmets have eye-holes, with moulded-in covers that could swing down on the real thing to protect the wearer’s eyes, although how they would find their way around is a valid question.

 

 

 

The accessory sprue is filled with rifles with and without bayonets, pistols, even a Lewis gun, axes, a pick, shovels, bayonets, daggers, mills bombs, water bottles, ammo pouches by the dozen, satchels, binoculars, more pistols in holsters, a trench periscope and a few other parts that defy description.  Clearly, the four men would be unlikely to be able to even stand if they were festooned with everything from the sprues in addition to the weight of their armour, but there is plenty that would be left over for your WWI spares box for future use.

 

 

 

Conclusion

This has to be the weirdest WWI figure set we’ve seen yet, and looks more like a renegade prop from an old low-budget 60s sci-fi movie, despite being absolutely real.  An interesting addition to anyone’s figure collection.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd.

 

Review sample courtesy of

[Julien]

Looks like something from Jules Verne

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

10 hours ago, Julien said:

Looks like something from Jules Verne

Or something Steampunk  ?