ICM WWII Pilots of British Naval Aviation (32118) 1:32

[Mike]

WWII Pilots of British Naval Aviation (32118)

1:32 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd

 

 

As if flying in and out of an aircraft carrier wasn’t dangerous enough, during WWII the enemy tended to shoot at you if you got in visual range, and the brave British Naval fliers kept going out when bidden, often in biplane aircraft that were arguably long overdue for replacement, such as the Fairey Swordfish.  Their crews were truly legendary, and frequently suffered heavy casualties, despite the German gunners having trouble predicting their advances with their automated gun directors because they were so slow.  When a torpedo bomber is lining up on its target however, flying straight and steady is required for accuracy, giving the enemy gunners a comparatively easy target to aim at.

 

 

The Kit

This figure set is a new tooling from ICM to place on or near your 1:32 British Naval project from WWII, whether it’s a Stringbag or not.  The kit arrives in a slim top-opening box with the usual captive flap on the lower tray, and inside is a single sprue in grey styrene that contains parts to make the three gentlemen that are depicted on the box art.  The three figures include a rating, a pilot and an officer, all looking in (presumably) the same direction as if they are watching a colleague coming in to land.  The rating is shielding his eyes against bright sunlight, and the officer is pointing in the direction of the object of their attention, while the pilot is stabilising his parachute on one shoulder, with the other hand in his pocket, wearing full flight gear that includes boots, jacket and flying helmet plus goggles.

 

 

The parts for each figure are found in separate areas of the sprue for ease of identification, and parts breakdown is sensibly placed along clothing seams or natural breaks to minimise clean-up of the figures once they are built up.  The sculpting is typically excellent, as we’ve come to expect from ICM’s artists and tool-makers, with natural poses, drape of clothing and textures appropriate to the parts of the model.  The pilot’s Mae West life vest is separated from the front of the figure to ease moulding, and his ‘chute is made from an additional three parts, plus his goggles are separate too, as are the straps under his chin, depicted undone in this boxing.  The other figures are each detailed with their own accessories, the officer having a folder moulded into his right arm, while the rating is carrying a can of paint moulded into his hand, with a separate paintbrush resting across the top of the lid.

 

 

The instructions are a combined painting and assembly guide, using black numbers to identify parts for the figures, and red boxed letters for paints, cross-referencing the letters against a paint chart on the opposite side that gives names of paint colours in Ukrainian and English, plus ICM’s own paint codes.  From these you should be well able to determine which paints to use if you don’t happen to have the necessary ICM paints to hand.

 

 

Conclusion

Detail is excellent, as are the poses and cloth drape and folds over their limbs, making this a compelling figure set to add that human scale to your 1:32 project.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd.

 

Review sample courtesy of