MiniArt Allied Drivers (53052) 1:35

[Mike]

Allied Drivers (53052)

1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd

 

 

This new figure set from MiniArt arrives in a figure-sized box with a painting of the four figures on the front, and the same artwork cut-down and separated to act as the paint and assembly instruction plus a sprue diagram sheet inside, with a panel of colour profiles of the accessories underneath, and a paint chart beneath that, giving codes for Vallejo, Mr Color, AK RealColor, Mission Models, AMMO, Tamiya, plus colour swatches and generic names for completeness.  There are five sprues of grey styrene in total, two containing parts for the figures, the other three full of accessories for you to detail them or the surroundings in which you place them.  The parts for each figure are found in separate areas of the sprues 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 MiniArt’s artists and tool-makers, with natural poses, drape of clothing and textures appropriate to the parts of the model.

 

 

There are two Soviet drivers, one operating the levers of a tank or other tracked vehicle, the other driving a truck with a wheel, resting one elbow on the door sill whilst conversing or looking to his left.  A US Army driver is included in the process of dismounting his vehicle, one leg and arm still in the cab, his other hand on the sill of the door.  The final figure is a British RASC (Royal Army Service Corps) driver, sat in his cab, driving with both hands on the wheel and an intent stare forward.  All figures are wearing typical battle-dress clothing and equipment of their respective army, as can be seen from the box art, and the accessory sprues are also themed, so take care in choosing which parts to use with each figure.

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

A useful set of drivers to give your next project that trusty human scale, and give some rationale for a vehicle being there in your diorama.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

 

 

[Chief Cohiba]

It would have been perfect for a Vignette or Diorama showing four allied soldiers in a Jeep, as on 15th of May would mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the allied occupation in Austria. there are some exhibitions around.

 

The famous "4 im Jeep" (which means four in a Jeep, as one could easily guess) consisted of one member of each occupation force, patrolling the central district of Vienna together and became kind of a symbol of that era. For some it's a symbol of allied forces cooperating in a peaceful manner, and help wartime Austria to get up again, to others one of black marketeering and corruption, which was quite common at the time. 

 

However, a French soldier is missing. (And I wouldn't have made it to the 15th anyway) 😉 

[Circloy]

Would have been nice if there were seperate sets for UK/Commonweath, US, Russian drivers, etc afterall they do full sets of German drivers.

 

IMHO somewhat decreases the usefullness/VFM of the set.