I know it’s a wargames kit, but can it fit in 1/48?
Here are my impressions:
Overall sculpting: Pleasantly crisp and consistent.
Proportions: The heads are somewhat robust, but well done, and include bolt details on the helmets, and some variety of facial expressions. The arms and torsos fall well within the range of the other 1/48 scale figures featured in this comparison.
The Legs: The sculpting of the legs is on the short side. That said, there are short-legged people in the world. Even so, for variety, if one were to surgically “shim” the legs a bit with putty or plastic rod,, or just transfer the torsos to longer legs from the parts box, etc., problem solved. It’s far less noticeable with the crouching and kneeling poses. It’s notable that many police departments do ‘Line-ups” with the suspect and the fillers seated. This renders the height differences as less noticeable, since in most people, there is far less length difference in the torso than in the upper bones of the legs.
The arm poses are varied and well articulated, and are interchangeable with most Tamiya and Bandai figures. Some of the arms have the weapons molded to the arm/hand, but for those who wish to customize, conversions should be simple. The arms are mostly better molded and articulated than the Bandai and Tamiya counterparts. This is a big plus in figure conversions.
Weapons and web gear are mostly well rendered, and fit well with 1/48 scale. The web gear for the figures is molded in realistically draped and slung one-piece elements. These parts feature “key” style insertions which fit into hollow areas in the back of each figure, so there is no fumbling with tiny canteens, knives, bread bags, gas masks, etc. The gas mask container is a little cartoonish, but easily replaced with a snip of the pliers. Aside from figures, this all-in one feature could be useful, saving a step or three, when modeling an interior of a halftrack, Schwimmwagen, or bunker, with stowed web gear present. In those applications, the insertion block would just have to be sanded off, or just backed into a dark corner of a bench, etc.
There are some issues with proportions,(it's a wargames thing) but I think the good points far outweigh the bad. When compared with the resin market, just the heads, arms, and weapons are worth the price of the kit. This is a somewhat eclectic, but very useful kit for 1/48 ground forces modelers, and I'm glad I bought one.
Hosted by Darren Baker
Wargames Factory 28 mm Late War Germans revie
Scouteyes
New York, United States
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 28, 2012 - 03:45 PM UTC
Scouteyes
New York, United States
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 28, 2012 - 03:53 PM UTC
For comparision,the figures are, from left to right, Bandai, Bandai, Tamiya, Wargames, Bandai,Tamiya, Wargames. I just had to include the far left Bandai "monkey-guy" for comic relief The Wargames figres are "in the zone," but are a bit thick and squat, even for their scale, mostly in the legs.The heads and torsos are very compatible with 1/48.
Scouteyes
New York, United States
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 28, 2012 - 03:56 PM UTC
The head sculpts have great detail.
Scouteyes
New York, United States
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 28, 2012 - 03:59 PM UTC
On the left side are some of the Wargames Factory arms. On the right are Tamiya weapons and arms, with a Bandai arm thrown in. The Wargames Factory weapons are actually more substantial than the Tamiya versions. The MP40 is a bit long. As noted,the arms are virtually interchangeable, a big plus in conversions.
Scouteyes
New York, United States
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 28, 2012 - 04:02 PM UTC
More heads and some web gear bundles.
Scouteyes
New York, United States
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 28, 2012 - 04:04 PM UTC
A fast mock-up of a Tamiya figure, with Wargames Factory head,arms,weapon, and web gear.
Scouteyes
New York, United States
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Joined: November 07, 2010
KitMaker: 247 posts
Armorama: 208 posts
Posted: Saturday, July 28, 2012 - 04:06 PM UTC
Same figure, rear view. I didn't completely grind dowm the back of the web gear, so it sticks out a little more than it should, but hopefully, you get the idea.