Tamiya
35080
This
set dates back to the mid 1970s and was included with the M3A2 Halftrack
before being released as a separate item. For many, many years it
was the only decent set of various seated infantry; Monogram had
a couple of crudely molded vehicle drivers and a half dozen identical
stiff soldiers used to populate a cargo truck, and Italeri had an
equally stiff jeep driver. Looking at these figures now, its
hard to believe they were once state of the art. The same crudely
painted figures that have adorned the backside of the box for decades
does little to recommend them. However, they are redeemable with
some skillful painting and new heads from Hornet or Ultracast (other
accessories heads appear disproportionately large on most of the
figures). I reconfigured several of these guys in a backdated M3A1
for my Hürtgen Forest diorama and I was pleased with the results.
If
the set is unfamiliar to you, there are eight figures. Five are
sitting, two are standing with a leg up on the seats of the halftrack,
and the last soldier is walking stiffly, rifle held up and out across
his chest. Frankly he looks like he got kicked out of the halftrack
for eating too many beans! One soldier is on the SCR-510 field radio;
another is displaying the time on his watch. The others, including
the two standing soldiers, are looking at one another or off into
the distance. This is not a very dynamic bunch, but new heads can
animate them joking, weary, or wary. Six figures wear the
M1941 jacket. Another seated figure sports the winter
combat jacket, or windcheater, typically seen on tankers, and the
marching figure has his M1943 OD coat buttoned up tightly around
his neck. Unlike the others, he has the gaiter boots while the rest
have the M1938 canvas leggings, so hes a bit of an odd duck
all the way around.
Tamiya
errs in the painting instructions, suggesting that the M1941 jackets
be painted in olive drab. Really they should be dark yellow, buff
or khaki, as should the winter combat jacket. Trousers can be olive
drab or woolen brown.
Theres
a full complement of Garands, shovels, canteens and bayonets
all of which should be replaced with Tamiyas latest weapons
and equipment set. There are also mines that originally went into
the halftrack racks. The SCR-510 radio is molded with the shock
mounts attached, which were used when the radio was mounted in a
vehicle like the halftrack or jeep, and would not otherwise be present
on a radio. The SCR-195 "walkie-talkie" was replaced in
early 1944 by the more familiar SCR-300, and thus would likely not
been seen in an ETO setting.
While
now one can collect various resin vehicle drivers and seated infantry
to fill a deuce and a half or Beep, this set is still the best option
in plastic, surpassed only by the drivers found in Tamiyas
jeep and truck kits.
-tss-
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