WSS Panzer Crew Set 1944-45

Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3, Pic 4, Pic 5, Pic 6, Pic 7, Pic 8,

WSS Panzer Crew set 1944-45
Ref. No.: 35068
Scale: 1/35th
Manufacturer: Alpine Miniatures
Price: Around £15
Material: Resin

Introduction

There's not a lot you can say about Alpine Miniatures, apart from wishing there were even more figures in their range, their quality is that good. Most figures in the past have been sculpted by the owner of Alpine Miniatures, Taesung Harmms, and so this set departs from the norm in that both figures have been sculpted by well-known Japanese sculptor Yoshitaka Hirano. You might be familiar with Yoshitaka from his sculpting of the Yosci range as well as the limited edition Michael Wittman & crew presentation set.

The figures

As usual, both figures arrive well packed and protected, each in a separate ziploc bag, both contained within a polycarb box with a cardboard insert showing photographs of the figures painted by Artur Miniszewski. Each of the figures comes with a choice of heads wearing different headgear, as is the norm with Alpine figures, and of course, each is available separately, as #35066 & #35067.

Quality wise, it's extremely difficult to fault these figures...but I'll give it a go! On the inside of one leg of each figure there is a slight mould line that needs to be removed with a sharp scalpel blade. Why it should only be on one leg of each figure, I've absolutely no idea, but it seems to hold true on other Alpine figures too. No matter, it's an extremely easy job to clean it up, and there was absolutely no other defect, slight or otherwise on either of the figures. There wasn't even a slight seam visible on the back of each of the necks, which I've noticed with some Alpine figures.

There has been slight criticism of Alpine in the past, over the poses of various figure sets being similar, but this can be countered by the fact that Alpine don't produce figures in action poses. If that was the case, there would be nearly an infinite number of different poses available. Instead, Taesung seems to have cornered the market in high quality figures that can be used as the ultimate vehicle accessory, and I mean that in a good way!

Pic 9, Pic 10, Pic 11, Pic 11,

These figures then are both in relaxed poses, representing members of a panzer crew sometime during 1944 or 1945. Although both figures are illustrated wearing camouflaged tunics and trousers, there's no reason they have to be painted in the same manner? In the same vein, the Totenkopf can easily be removed with a sharp scalpel blade from the headgear.

The first figure is posed right arm bent, left straight, binoculars around his neck and you are given a choice of peaked officer's cap or side cap, and wears a side holster, supplied separately. He also has the three bars of the equivalent of a Sergeant-Major on his upper right sleeve.

The second figure has rolled-up sleeves and is gesticulating with his right arm, and his choice of heads is one wearing a side cap, the other bare-headed but with goggles pushed up.

I must admit that when news of the release of these figures was announced, and pictures of them released, I noticed that a few modeller's seemed to be concerned that the figures were very 'slim'. Indeed, looking at both, they are indeed sculpted to be quite slim, but if you think of the average age of a German Panzer crew as being in their mid-twenties, I think Yoshitaka has got it spot on!

Conclusion

I think these two figures are amongst the best that Alpine have produced. I can't wait to get them painted up and standing next to a vehicle. A small piece of groundwork and these two standing in front really sets the model off! Recommended!

For full details on these figures, and all others available from Alpine, please see their website: Alpine Miniatures