Siberian Riflemen

Revell 1:72 Scale Figure Review

Siberian Riflemen, 1:72 Revell 02516.

Revell 1:72 scale Siberian Riflemen of the Workers‘ and Peasants‘ Red Army wearing the grey “Shinel” wool greatcoat in winter or bad weather. The kneeling machine gunner is wearing the khaki-coloured “Telogreika” or “Vatnik” quilted cotton wool jacket and trousers. The officer and rifleman are wearing the “Ushanka” sheepskin winter hat, which could be worn under the steel helmet in cold weather.

Contents

41 Figures in 12 Poses – 24 mm equal 173 cm Height

  • Officer with Flare Gun M.1926 (1)
  • Junior Sergeant with PPSh-41 Submachine Gun, running (6)
  • Junior Sergeant with PPSh-41 SMG, throwing RGD-33 Stick Grenade (5)
  • Junior Sergeant with PPSh-41 SMG, prone, firing (4)
  • Junior Sergeant with PPSh-41 SMG, skiing (4)
  • Junior Sergeant with PPSh-41 SMG, on skis, firing (4)
  • Machine Gunner with DP-27 LMG, kneeling, firing (4)
  • Sniper with Mosin-Nagant M.1891/30 sniper rifle with PU 3.5×21 sight (4)
  • Anti-Tank Rifleman with PTRD-41 Anti-Tank Rifle (3)
  • Siberian Rifleman with Mosin–Nagant 91/30 Rifle and Bayonet, charging (4)
  • Mortar Team, 82 mm Mortar M-37
    • Team Leader – not available
    • No. 1 Gunner – n. a.
    • No. 2 Loader (1)
    • No. 3 Ammunition Number (1)
    • 82 mm Battalion Mortar M1937 – 82-BM-37 (1)
  • Skis and Ski Poles (2)

Evaluation

Good choice of subjects. Soviet ski troops in snow camouflage suits, and Soviet infantry wearing the “Telogreika” quilted jacket and “Shinel” greatcoat are welcome additions to existing Soviet Red Army figure sets. Unfortunately, Revell decided to cover two themes in one figure set, dressing more than half of the figures in snow camouflage suits which are entirely incompatible with soldiers in khaki uniforms and grey greatcoats. As a result, there are not enough poses to fully cover either subject.

The ski troopers are all junior sergeants armed with the PPSh-41 SMG and snipers, not a single “Rifleman”, machine gunner, or officer among them. To raise a realistic Siberian Rifle Platoon, these figures will have to be mixed with many rifle-armed ski troopers from other manufacturers.

The soldiers not wearing snow camouflage suits are similarly short of regular riflemen, which will have to be drafted from compatible figure sets.

Siberian Riflemen, 1:72 Revell 02516.

Siberian ski troops in snow camouflage suits and ushanka sheepskin winter hats. The sniper may be converted into a regular rifleman by slicing the scope off his Mosin-Nagant 91/30 sniper rifle.

Siberian Riflemen, 1:72 Revell 02516.

Siberian riflemen advancing towards the Leningrad front on skis, even engaging the enemy while wearing skis. There are 21 ski troopers in this set, but only four of them are actually riflemen, armed with a Mosin-Nagant M.1891 dragoon rifle. The high number of PPSh-41 submachine guns in this set would indicate that these figures are soldiers of the submachine gun platoon of a Soviet motor rifle company. Every one of the submachine gunners may be used as an infantry section leader, a junior sergeant in the Soviet Red Army.

Siberian Riflemen, 1:72 Revell 02516.

The PTRD-41 anti-tank rifleman is a very useful miniature which had not been available in any other Soviet Red Army figure set at the time. The advancing pose is well suited for wargames, because it covers less ground space and is less conspicuous than a prone heavy weapons team would be.

Siberian Riflemen, 1:72 Revell 02516.

The 82 mm Battalion Mortar M1937 belonged to the mortar company of the Soviet rifle or motor rifle battalion. The mortar platoon of the rifle company, on the other hand, was equipped with two 50 mm light infantry mortars RM-38 which are not included in this figure set. Mortarmen were armed with the Mosin-Nagant 91/30 dragoon rifle, not the PPSh-41 submachine gun shown here.

Historical Employment

  • Soviet submachine gun platoon, 1941–1945

Possible Conversions

  • German Ski Troops with captured PPSh-41 SMGs

Revell Siberian Riflemen offer a number of interesting poses which may be added to existing Soviet infantry platoons and companies.

Soviet Miniatures of World War Two, 1940–1945