German Infantry

Revell 1:72 Scale Figure Review

German Infantry, 1:72 Revell 02502.

Revell German Infantry is a hodgepodge of army and air force soldiers in field uniforms, greatcoats, or reversible Anorakanzug M43 suit, consisting of a winter parka and trousers, which became increasingly common at the front as the war progressed. The StG 44 assault rifle, introduced in 1943, and the Raketenpanzerbüchse 54 anti-tank rocket launcher, issued in the spring of 1944, clearly date this as a late war figure set.

Contents

48 Figures in 12 Poses – 23 mm equal 166 cm Height

  • Officer with MP 40, kneeling, signaling (2)
  • NCO with MP 40, throwing Stick Grenade 24 (5)
  • Sniper with Carbine 98k and Scope (5)
  • LMG Team
    • Machine Gunner No. 1 with MG 42, kneeling, firing (2)
    • Machine Gunner No. 2, sitting (2)
  • Tank Close Assault Team
  • Assault Engineer with Flamethrower 35 (3)
  • Rifleman with Kar. 98k, running (6)
  • Rifleman with Kar. 98k, kneeling, firing (6)
  • Rifleman with StG 44 Assault Rifle, standing, firing (6)

Evaluation

Good choice of subject, Revell German Infantry offers a number of interesting poses which may be integrated into units from other manufacturers. The aim here is to gradually reduce the uniformity of early field uniforms over the course of a campaign. However, this must not be overdone. Careful study is required before adding a particular soldier to an existing infantry section or diorama. One has to inspect these figures very carefully to be able to recognize the kneeling Officer‘s peaked cap as a Meier-Mütze, for example, and properly identify him as a German paratrooper.

The officer and the other submachine gunner are missing one cartridge pouch for box magazines; the soldier armed with the Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle has been given the same MP 40 cartridge pouch, instead of two properly shaped pouches for the curved magazines of his StG 44.

German Infantry, 1:72 Revell 02502.

Machine Gunner No. 1 wears the reversible M43 anorak suit, while his ammunition number is using the reversible Zeltbahn M31 shelter half as camouflage. Both are properly equipped with a P 38 sidearm on the left hip. The ammunition number is missing his gas mask canister, but he is carrying the MG 42 tool kit which actually belongs to machine gunner no. 1.

The assault pack is fairly complete and carried correctly for the most part. The field flask is properly attached to the bread bag. Only three soldiers are equipped with the entrenching tool; they wear it correctly on their left hip or tucked into the waistbelt, ready for use. Four soldiers carry the gas mask canister correctly on the carrying strap, the others appear to have attached it to the waistbelt.

German Infantry, 1:72 Revell 02502.

The assault engineer has dropped his assault pack, he only carries the Flammenwerfer 35, and his P 38 sidearm on he left side of the waistbelt. The M.1911 cartridge pouches are correctly sculpted for six Kar.98k stripper clips of 5 cartridges each.

Painting Instructions

The paintings instructions call for 10 pots of Revell Aqua Color Acrylics.

  1. Revell 302 »Black«: Waistbelt, Y-Straps, Cartridge Pouches, Entrenching Tool Carrier, Jackboots, Gas Mask Canister
  2. Revell 91 »Iron«, »Gun Metal«: Gun Barrels, Bayonet
  3. Revell 85 »Brown«: Rifle Stock, Field Flask
  4. Revell 66 »Olive Grey«: Field Blouse M36, Trousers M40, MP 40 Pouches, Steel Helmet
  5. Revell 35 »Flesh«: Faces, Hands
  6. Revell 89 »Beige«: Bread Bag
  7. Revell 45 »Light Olive«: Splinter Pattern Base Colour (dark)
  8. Revell 48 »Sea Green«: Green Splinters
  9. Revell 86 »Olive Brown«: Brown Splinters
  10. Revell 381 »Brown«: Laced Boots

The instructions provide no colour numbers for the sand-coloured or olive grey gaiters, or the warhead of the Stick Grenade 24 (Field Grey Nr. 3, RAL 6006).

Steel helmets, gas mask containers, mess kits, ammunition boxes und other Kleingerät of the German Army was initially painted »Field Grey No. 2, RAL 7009«. From 1935 to 1945, this equipment was painted »Field Grey No. 3, RAL 6006«, or »Fliegerblaugrau RAL 7016« in the Luftwaffe.

Historical Employment

  • Germany Infantry (Heer and Luftwaffe), 1943–1945

First released in 1990, Revell‘s German Infantry offers many valuable figure poses for dioramas and wargames.

German Miniatures of World-War Two