Introduction:

Assault Models is a new company producing high-quality 1/35 scale miniatures representing soldiers from modern day conflicts. The combination of traditional sculpting techniques and 3D rapid prototyping is working well for the company with the first figures released under Assault Models label proving very popular among modelers.

This review describes the second British Para from Afghanistan sculpted in 1/35 scale by Dmitri Shevtsov for Assault Models, a great pair to the first Para figure reviewed here (link).

Review:

Paratrooper, British Army, Afghanistan 2011 (AM35004) is packed in a nicely designed plastic box, with the parts safely secured in a zip-lock bag. The front of the box features an image showing the model painted by Pavel Ilyin, the owner of the company himself.

The kit consists of 6 pieces:

- full body
- left arm,
- right arm,
- head,
- helmet and
- weapon.

The pieces are cast in grey resin. As with all Assault Models kits I reviewed so far, the molding is perfect and the resin features an impressive amount of details very nicely executed in scale. The fit is really good with small protrusions and indentations in corresponding parts enabling optimal alignment of the pieces. I had no problems assembling the figure; I would suggest fixing the right hand with the weapon to the right arm first, then attaching both right and left arm to the torso. If all the pieces have been positioned well, the left hand should fit nicely into the figure’s left arm. With such a great arrangement of the pieces, there is no need for any additional putty work.

The figure depicts a British Paratrooper serving in Afghanistan, circa 2011. The figure wears a new Personal Clothing System - a tougher, more comfortable and efficient combat uniform issued to the deploying troops. Over the uniform the figure sports the latest Osprey Mk4 modular body armor with a number of different pouches attached (radio pouch, 1 hand grenade and 3 40mm grenade pouches, 4 ammo pouches and a first aid pouch) and large rucksack on the back. Note a small teddy bear strapped to the side of the rucksack... a great detail! Also, the figure wears Mk7 helmet with Personal Role Radio single-sided headset underneath. The delicate PRR microphone boom is cast together with the figure's head. Tactical gloves, combat boots and knee pad complete the impression of the soldier in the field. I have to compliment the sculptor as he did an amazing job on the figure... as far as I can tell, all the intricate details of the uniform and the equipment are replicated to the highest standard and this miniature is a real work of art.

The figure is armed with L85A2, an upgraded version of L85 bullpup assault rifle. The L85A2 supplied in this kit was produced using 3D rapid prototyping technology and features Trijicon ACOG telescope sight and HK-made 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher. The 3D printing technology works well for manufacturing extremely realistic miniature replicas of the real weapons in scale, and this particular piece can easily be compared to the best 3D printed weapons on the market today.

The pose of the figure is static, but I feel it conveys the alert posture usually seen among coalition troops on check points throughout Afghanistan really well. Together with its companion figure released under Assault Models label, the British Para duo could be a perfect addition to any Land Rover WMIK vignettes.

Conclusion:

I've been following companies producing resin figures for quite some time now, but I have never seen such professional business opening... Assault Models only released four figures so far and with those miniatures the company has already firmly positioned itself as a big name on resin figure market.

The figure described in this review is a real gem: sculpted to perfection with amazing details all around, flawlessly cast in resin and easy to build. If you are thinking of adding figures of British troops to your vignettes, look no further… the British Para duo from Assault Models presents the best British figures available in 1/35 scale.