I have been consulted by a newly launching resin figure company to advise them on needed subjects and product quality and usefulness. I have many recommendations for them, but more brains mean better info.
Where are the big holes in armor figures?
I know that we desperately need Polish, Dutch, Belgian, and Italian tank crews.
This is YOUR chance to tell a new company what to produce - if there's a market for it, they WILL.
If I give them good potential sales numbers and the reference photos, they will sculpt and cast the figure!
So, what countries are conspicuous in their absence?
What figures do we need but not have?
Thanks, and we appreciate your input!
Best,
Matt
P.S. - I am not part of this company and I'm not getting paid for this. I'm doing it for the love of the hobby. Nothing I post is intended as a solicitation or advertisement.

Very Cool, I also feel that these other nationalities as you mentioned are needed. Also would like to see more sitting type figures, drivers, gunners etc, especially in various uniforms, (summer/winter), USA and German. Thanks for this post.

Finnish tank crews and Infantry in summer uniforms for the Continuation war. Polish tankers with Berets 1944- they wore them very differently to the Commonwealth troops.
British Infantry tankriders in leather jerkins.

Tank riders of all nationalities (except maybe WW2 Germans and Soviets, we have plenty of those). It seems every time I see a photo of a tank it's crowded with soldiers on top. I would especially like to see Vietnam conflict tank riders (US, Australian, PAVN, ARVN, ROK, VC, you name it), IDF, SLA, Arab armies, Africans, and Afghans. Above all else, please, give us more Third Worlders. Irregular militiamen sitting on top of tanks, in a mishmash of military and civilian clothing, carrying various weapons, rifles, RPGs, etc., are seen in a lot of photos taken in conflict zones all over the world.

More recent figures, "coalition" troops for example, perhaps italian, german, polish or scandinavian to begin with? Modern up to date British soldiers with osprey body armour are badly needed!
Alot of smaller actions are being taken around the globe (UN Missions for example). There are plenty of vehicles and upgrades to model them, just not alot of figures to accompany them.
I dont want to sound ignorant but I feel there is enough WWII figures on the market as there is, give the modern guys some goodies!

Cheers and best of luck

I'd like to see more 1/35 WWI armored vehicles, to include some from the pre WWII era.
As for figures, Foreign Legion, Gurkhas, Aussies, Polish would be nice. The market is flooded with US and German figures.
Thanks for the chance to voice our thoughts.
Mike

Ola Matthew

Great initiative from this new company. As for suggestions

As you already mention Dutch soldiers, Specially infantry would be nice, There are only 2 Dutch soldiers from the mobilisation/occupation period available and that is not much. So yeah my vote for Dutch Infantry you already have. (but that is the Dutch man speaking)

As for German ww2 figures You could suggest tankers and such but I think tankers in every pose from sitting smoking and pointing to loading shells in their tanks have pretty much been made. Same goes for SS. Everybody is producing SS figures.
Mayube it is an idea to shift a bit to the earlier stages of the war. Normal Heer figures, RAD troops, Signal and communication troops. Pioneers, truckdrivers, loaders... basically the people who keep the war moving. I don't know how big the market is for the suggestions I make for the German figures but i think it is nice to finally see something different then the standard tankers and SS figures every company in the world brings out.
Another suggestion that just jumped in my mind is motorcyclists/messengers in sitting/driving position with or without the kradmantel suitable for all the Motorcycle kits out there.
BDM girls, Blitzmädchen, Hitlerjugend, Volkssturm. There are quite some area's that have not yet or not much been covered by other companies.

This is what I can think off so from the top of my mind. I can't do any suggestions considering Allied figures since I know not too much about it. Same goes for Modern figures and such.

Hi Matthew,

I mainly build armour and I have mentioned this before in other forums but...

with the release of the italerie Pt and Scnellboote 1/35th scale boats it would be ideally suited for the modeller to have a resin manufacturer to release figure sets to suit these boats .
These figure sets would be in 2 sets per boat .The other thing is to have the figures posed for action .not standing on the deck cleaning the guns having coffee?
creating movement and sense of action on a boat goes a long way .
the boats do not look right unless they have a crew with them

I have also noticed there is a large number half tracks and soft skin vehicles both allied and axis in the 1/35th scale do not have any figures made to suit
Ie: troops in action or driving/seated in these vehicles.


Cheers
Michael

Matthew,

I'd like more realistically posed maintenance, repair and recovery figures in both summer and winter garb. German, of course!

Regards,

L Witter

Hi Matt

I agree with your list of Polish etc. as requiring some attention and although I'm not modelling this era at the moment I'd like to see some more World War One subjects in 1/35 scale.

Pass on good wishes and good luck in their business venture.

regards

Alan

Hello,

In my opinion - it lacking figures of Polish tankers and rivers of vehicles (for example for S Model 1/35 resin kits) from Polish Campaign 1939. It missing neat figures of Polish infantry too(from Polish Campaign 1939).

But BIGGEST HIT, would be edition Polish artillery crews from Polish Campaign 1939!!As they exist kits of Polish Schneider 75mm gun(RPM), Bofors 37mm guns(S Model and Mirage Hobby), but NO FIRM has not produced they crews else!!
There would be genuine gift of heaven!

I think, that also it missing wounded and dead German and Soviet tankers and soldiers.

But they let's consider my proposal of tankers and crews of Polish artillery from 1939 - there would be shot to 10 and it has satisfied many modellers

Adam

Good thread

There are none....say again, NONE of these to be had anywhere ever in any scale....

Modern Canadian AFV figures, tank crew and infantry. WWII stuff can be easily modified or used as is from British figures but modern Canadian stuff is truly lacking.

For example - Modern Leopard and LAV III crews - nothing. Soldiers serving in Afghanistan right now - nothing. 1970's - 2000's AFV crews - nothing.

Please....... (insert begging emoticon here)

Bob

Here we go:

U.S., British, Japanese, French-1940, Dutch-1940, Italian, Australian (in cool bush hats), Chinese, Romanian, Hungarian, and any other NON German:

Soldiers in a chow line &/or eating chow; medic & wounded; radio operators; a "take ten" set - washing feet, cleaning weapon, reading, napping; driver and passengers for soft skins; engineers setting &/or clearing obstacles/mines; artillery crews/observers; MP's. You get the idea.

Also, there was a little more to WW2 than the Normandy campaign and Ardennes offensive. Think all the above in summer weight uniforms - Sicily, Italy, Guam, Okinawa, Southern France, New Guinea, Burma. Philippine campaign both 1941/42 (pie plate helmet, Springfield rifles, campaign hats, etc.,) and 1944.

Also, Cold War stuff would be an untapped gold mine! U.S, Russian, German, Korean (South & North), British, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Bulgarian - hell, I gotta stop this! We need 1950's-1980's troops for Berlin, the M-41's, M-47's, M-35's, Centurions, M-38's, M-48's, M-60's, Constabulary, M-113's, M-37's...fatigues, Ridgeway hats, Elvis man!!!!! Check Stantons book on U.S. Army Uniforms of the Cold War.

But thats just Green talking.

Cordially,

Dennis

PTO subjects - USMC, USA, Japanese, Brits, ANZACS...PACIFIC THEATRE FIGURE SETS!!!!!!

S/F

Pat

Modern Iraq & Afghanistan figures, UK & British, Canadian Special Forces

I'm with Bob on this one, please some Modern Canadian crews, would be great.
Thanks
Peter

WWII
US: firing MG, firing anti tank weapons, medics with wounded.
RUssian: firing MG, infanty at rest, tankers and infanty not wearing the complete uniform I have seen lots of pics of fitting in summer russia where short sleeves were used.
German: aothers of said drivers, ammo loaders mechanics, peopel in working overhuals, crews for the new 38t aa tanks.
Rominian and Chech figures.

Hi Matthew,

I'd like to see some more RN Sailors, both active types and more relaxed types, sea boots and jumpers and/or duffels

British/Commonwealth infantry in mixed dress, Greatcoats, shorts, jumpers, shirt sleeve order, the type of uniforms worn in N africa and Italy. Should be user friendly ie could be prisoners or troops at ease. If they have webbing, packs should be separate

I'd also like to see some Commonwealth Medics and some Engineers for both MTO and NWE and equipment for the same.

Commonwealth Tahkers mounting and dismounting vehicles, again these could be generic if posed in DB or shirt sleeve order and double as truck drivers and crews for other vehicles.

New head set for Polish troops, and early style gas mask haversacks.

Head sets for other Commonwealth troops, from India etc

hello Matthew,
i have sent e-mail pleads to some for the figure makers for 1/35 WW1 figures.what i am hoping for is troops from all the combatants,not just western front.ANZAC's and Turkish troops,Colonial troops in Africa fighting on both sides,eastern front German,Russian, and Austro-Hungarians.i could go on,but i think you know what i am saying.
thanks for listening.
cheers,
Bruce

IOF figures are in short supply. Maybe you can tlak them into making figures in fireing possitions to occompany our tanks? those sure are rare.

Troops at attention (all nationalities) from all time periods. Also, modern helicopter riders, Delta Force, Rangers (Black Hawk Down scene in mind) in 1/35 and/or 1/48 scale. Maybe even troops fast-roping from Helicopters. Oh, and modern snipers with guillea suits. Good Luck with the new company.

David

WOW! Lots of replies and lots of great suggestions, gents! I think I might have thier first years' release list already! Thanks and keep them coming!
Best,
Matt

I like all of the above selections. My personal pet peave is a huge lack of drivers and riders for soft skins and half tracks. A deuce and a half full of GI's or a White Scout car with people that actually fit in the seats....same for half tracks. You'd probably have to sculpt them with the seats built into them to make them realistic. How about an M113 full of sodiers? Or an M109 SPH crew and M548 crew? Cold war GI's like from the 60's through the 70's in the old OD fatigues or wool field shirt, etc....
I guess you can tell what era I am from....

Figures for allied softskins. Four man crew for the M8 or M20 armored cars. US Army, Marines, Australians and Japaneese infantry for the Pacific. Brazilian and Commonwealth for Italy. Korean war figures. And include black soldiers in combat gear.

I cast my vote for modern coalition troops (Iraq and Afghanistan)--Brits, Canadians, Aussies, Poles, Danes, Dutch, Germans, etc.

In addition, modern Iraqi Army/Police, Afghan National Army, peshmerga, and civilian militias. I think these would be a very cool addition, especially since the Iraqis and Afghans use both Russian and US equipment and vehicles, making for a broader market (modern US and Russian devotees).