US Combat Medic 1944-45

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US Combat Medic 1944-45
Ref. # HM-35010
Scale: 1/35
Manufacturer: HELO Miniatures
Price: £7.65
Material: Resin

Introduction

Although there's not yet a massive range of figures from this manufacturer, they did get off to an auspicious beginning with some fantastic modern figures. The company was formed by John Long and Anders Heintz, both of whom are already well-known figure sculptors, in an attempt to supply modellers with a range of high quality resin figures at an affordable price.

This Figure

The figure comes in what has become the standard HELO blister pack, with a cardboard photographic insert of the painted figure, which is contained within a small poly bag, well-protected with foam chips.

Parts-wise, there are only four in this figure set, as the arms are integrally cast with the body, the other three parts being two water bottles and a head.

Although the main body of the figure has already been removed from it's pouring block by the manufacturer prior to despatch, there's a small amount of residue on the soles of its feet, which is however, easily removed with a scalpel blade, and also two small triangular fillets beneath each of the medic bags on his webbing. The head is similar, in that although it's pouring block has been removed too, there's still a small rectangle of residue that needs to be removed. Both of the water flasks are still on a small pouring block, but these can be just 'snapped' off, and any residue quickly scraped off. Please note that the red crosses shown on the painted figure are not included as decals, but should be sourced elsewhere.

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The figure had almost no flash to speak of, and no air bubbles either. The detail is superbly sculpted and very sharp indeed. Those are the positives, but unfortunately there are a couple of negatives. Firstly, there was a difficult to remove seam down the back of the figures right leg. The texture of the helmet is not quite 'right' either. I assume it's supposed to represent a cloth cover carrying the medic sign, but it just ends up looking like it's been roughly cast. I also can't help but feel that the figures right leg is too long as well. I say right, because the figure will not stand up on it's own. Now I realise that is common with figures, and that normally after completion it would be fixed anyway on it's base, but his right leg is definitely longer than his left leg. If anything, it should be the other way around, since it's his right leg that's slightly bent.

Conclusion

I still like this figure, apart from that one seam and one leg perhaps being a little too long, once painted and fixed on uneven ground, I'm convinced it will look the part! Recommended.

Many thanks to Duncan Buchanan for the review sample.

HELO figures are available from Duncan at DB models, take a look at their website: DB Models