HobbyFan have been releasing some interesting British tank crews. A recent addition to their range is a 4 man crew for the Valentine Tank.
Unfortunately I didn't get around to photographing the parts before assembly, hence no review but the set is well made in a cream coloured resin and all the figuers have excellent detail and good body proportions, height from foot to shoulder being a very acceptable 44mm.
What is interesting about this set is that they are wearing what appear to me to be the Denim Battle Dress which if I am correct was the precursor to the actual BD serge. Denim being very much work issue clothing.
What leads me to think this as both uniforms were very similar is the exposed buttons on the front of the denim BD and the button on the end of the trouser leg fastening around the ankle.
The set depicts a 3 man crew with a visitor designed to stand on the side of the tank at a 'O' group briefing.
If the denim BD was the precursor to the Battlke Dress Serge 39/40 then I'm assuming issue would have been around 1938 time, although I''ll need to do some more research on this to assertain the facts.
There appears to have been 2 distinct colours of denim BD, one a light readish brown and the other a denim green of possibly two or more shades.
I've been experimenting here for some alternative colours and I'm not sure how long the denim DB remained an active order fo dress, so any info you can throw on that would be useful.
Anyway progress so far.
This is the first set I can recall with Denim Battle Dress, which should not be confused with the Denim Overalls worn later by tankers.
So both a very useful and also interesting set fo tankers, offering an alternative finish to the normal Battledress. I have a feeling that this uniform or parts thereof would have been around throughout most of the war but I'm not 100% sure.
Cheers
Al
