WWI German Infantry in Armour (35722) 1:35

[Mike]

WWI German Infantry in Armour (35722)

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, and during the early years Germany, like many of the other combatants tried to minimise its casualties by using armour that bore a close resemblance to the gear worn by medieval knights from the Middle Ages.  The German Trench armour consisted of the standard or armoured helmet, and a frontal cuirass-style chest-piece with curved tops that took the weight on the wearer’s shoulders, and articulated lower sections over the stomach and groin, all of which were linked together by canvas straps, and with cushioned felt pads between the sections to prevent metallic scraping noises as the soldiers walked around the battlefield, stopping them from drawing too much attention to themselves.  The armour was made to withstand a rifle bullet at a reasonable range, but it was cumbersome, heavy and restricted the wearer’s movement, leaving his arms, legs and face exposed to enemy fire, so it wasn’t a total solution.  They were intended for use by all types of soldiers, and over half a million were issued, but because of their cumbersome nature they tended to be worn by soldiers in fixed or stable positions, such as machine gun teams or snipers.

 

 

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 for use with or around your figures.  It arrives in a small top-opening box with the usual captive inner lid, and inside is a figure sprue in grey styrene, two sprues of accessories, plus another four smaller sprues on which the cuirass armour, armoured helmets and a different style of lower armour are found.  The four figures are built as normal with separate arms, head, legs and torso, although some surface details have been flattened off to accommodate the armour, with moulded-in curved shoulder-supports that link up to the armour panels on the torso of the figure.  All the figures are stood upright and are holding rifles in various poses, one also holding a grenade ready to launch it.  The armour just slips over the front of the figures, and a choice of standard or armoured helmets go over their heads, leaving most of their faces exposed, with flat tops to their heads and chinstraps for the helmets moulded-in.

 

 

 

The accessory sprue has been available separately before (35678), and is filled with the following list of parts, all twice over:

 

1. MG08/15 machine gun
2. Tankgewehr M1918 anti-tank gun
3. Mauser 98a carbine
4. Mauser 98 rifle
5. Mauser 98 rifle with M98/05 bayonet
6. M98 bayonet
7. M98/05 bayonet
8. M98/05 bayonet with scabbard
9. M1914 bayonet
10. M1914 bayonet with scabbard
11. Mauser rifle pouches
12. Bergmann MP18/I submachine gun
13. Luger P08 pistol (artillery model) with butt-stock holster
14. Luger P08 pistol (artillery model) with butt-stock holster
15. Luger P08 pistol (artillery model)
16. Luger P08 pistol
17. Luger P08 pistol holster
18. Mauser C96 pistol
19. Mauser C96 pistol with butt-stock holster
20. Mauser C96 pistol butt-stock holster
21. Stielhandgranate grenade
22. Kugelhandgranate grenade
23. Assault knife
24. Shovel
25. Pickaxe
26. Pickaxe in case
27. Small shovel
28. Small shovel in case with M98 bayonet
29. Small shovel in case with M98/05 bayonet
30. Wire cutters
31. Axe in case
32. Mess tin
33. Canteen
34. Binocular case
35. Binocular
36. Flashlight
37. M1916 steel helmet
38. Respirator canister and filter

 

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 German infantry spares box for future use.

 

 

 

Conclusion

Whilst far from the most unusual WWI figure set we’ve seen yet, these guys must have been brave just to poke their heads over the parapet weighed down by armour that only covered their core, staggering forward into withering fire, and it’s hard to believe that they were absolutely real, just like their Allied counterparts.  An interesting addition to anyone’s figure collection.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd.

 

Review sample courtesy of