Introduction:

Live Resin released their first 1/35 scale resin figures back in 2013. Designed and produced using CAD software and 3D rapid prototyping, these miniatures initiated a revolution in the hobby receiving very positive feedback throughout the modeling community.

It is now 2017 and with their latest batch of figures, the company pushes forward to produce even more realistic miniatures. This review covers US MARSOC Marine Special Operations Battalion/Navy Seals GMV-M turret gunner (LRM-35012), one of the most impressive figures in Live Resin’s portfolio so far.

Review:

The set is packed in a hard cardboard box. The box features two CAD box art images; the one on the front shows a very cool depiction of the figure in a GMV turret manning a M2 .50 Cal Machine Gun, while the one on the back displays the figure in more detail, with a recommendation to use it with GMV Hexagon turret (LRE-35291 - LRE-35293). Inside the box is a zip-lock back containing the pieces, additionally protected within a layer of bubble wrap.

The set consists of 19 resin parts organized on several carrier blocks. The resin looks great and the cast is absolutely perfect. Did you notice a tiny microphone boom among all the pieces? I have never seen such a microscopic piece cast in resin. Amazing! The level of detail is very impressive all around and although the company always offered super-high-quality resin cast I think this figure kit shows a step up to the next level for Live Resin quality.

The figure depicts Special Ops operator checking the perimeter from the GMV turret, with his weapon ready for any sign of hostile activity. The anatomy of the figure looks good with the facial features nicely defined. The figure wears Crye Precision Gen2 AC Combat Shirt and Pants, the uniform of choice for US Special Forces. An assortment of ammo magazine, utility, radio and hydration pouches are attached to his LBT-6094 plate carrier. The Lowa Zephyr GTX boots, tactical gloves, shades and a long beard add to the Special Ops feel of the figure.

Assembly:

There are no assembly instructions in the set, so it is up to the modeler to deduce which piece goes where. Main figure parts are a no brainer, but some assistance might be needed with the equipment pieces. Most of the equipment is cast separately and there are various possibilities of attaching the pouches and obtaining slightly different rig setup, but I decided to follow the box art images for assembling the review sample figure.

I annotated the pieces on their carrier blocks and I’m also displaying photos of major subassemblies, noting the position of each part. I started by fixing the main figure pieces. These are all designed featuring protrusions and indentations, which help to position the corresponding pieces optimally. I attached the torso to the legs first, followed by both boots and left arm. I had to use a bit of putty to fill a minute gap between the torso and legs. I then fixed the equipment pieces to the tactical vest. The MBITR pouch was attached first, in order to align the radio to the wire already sculpted on the vest. Perfect fit! I fixed the ammo magazine and utility pouches to the lower front of the vest, a tiny strobe light to the right shoulder, and a hydration carrier to the back. Finally, a super-delicate Thales antenna was fixed to the MBITR. The helmet was fitted to the head, but I omitted the tiny microphone reducing the possibility to damage the piece while handling the miniature. In fact, I would suggest leaving the microphone off until all the figure painting is done. The assembly was finished by attaching the head and the right arm to the torso.

As the name of the set suggests, the figure is designed to fit GMV Hexagon turret. I did a test fit and it works really well. To fix the M2 weapon system to the figure, it is necessary to cut off the right side of M2 spade grips and fit the right hand to the machine gun. After all is done, the complete setup looks absolutely amazing.

Conclusion:

US MARSOC Marine Special Operations Battalion/Navy Seals GMV-M turret gunner (LRM-35012) from Live Resin is an amazing figure. The resin is absolutely perfect, I would even say a step up from the usual high-quality standard of the company. The figure goes together without any problems and builds into a really impressive rendition of the US Special Forces operator.

The figure fits well to the GMV Hexagon turret and M2 Machine Gun produced by Live Resin, with the entire setup easily turning into a focal point on any GMV model in 1/35 scale.