Introduction:

With the recent increase in available 1/35 scale plastic model kits depicting IDF armored vehicles, modelers wanting to add a “human touch” to these vehicles are on a constant search for appropriate figure crew sets. Enter Royal Model…

Royal Model is an aftermarket company from Italy producing high-quality figures, vehicle upgrades and diorama accessories in 1/35 scale. This review covers their IDF Tank Crew (767), a set which delivers resin figures designed to populate various IDF vehicle model kits.

Review:

The set comes in a sealed cardboard box. The box art image shows the contents of the set as three assembled and painted half-figures. Opening the box reveals a plastic bag with resin pieces. The bag is additionally secured using bubble wrap, a nice touch which should prevent any damage to the pieces during transport.

The set includes 15 resin pieces for assembling three figures. The pieces look really good and I noticed no imperfections in the resin whatsoever. All the details are wonderfully delivered and should pop right out once painted. The casting blocks should prove easy to remove, however, I would suggest extra care when cleaning the thin microphones as these pieces are very delicate and could easily snap if manhandled.

The fit of the pieces is superb. The assembly is very easy due to the protrusions and indentations in corresponding pieces. The smart engineering enables optimal placement of the pieces and no putty work is required during the process. Two optional right hands are included for one of the figures, one hand holds a binocular and the other a clipboard, offering a nice alternative for modelers. The thin microphones were not added to the figures for the review as these are going to be fixed after the face painting process.

The figures depict Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) crew. The figures are all wearing IDF tank crew coveralls, IDF body armor and webbing harness holding ammo and equipment pouches. On the head the figures sport new style IDF tank crew helmet, similar to the CVC helmet used by the US military. I’m not completely sure of the nomenclature of these items, but they definitely look spot on when compared to the references. The details of the uniform and the equipment are well defined.

The anatomy of the figures is perfect with the poses nicely balanced and rather neutral, making the figures useful in various different scenarios. The head sculpts and facial details are also nicely delivered.

Conclusion:

It is not easy finding new superlatives for the quality of Royal Model kits. All the sets from the company I reviewed so far are very impressive… from the choice of subject to resin cast and ease of assembly. This set is no exception to the rule.

IDF Tank Crew (767) delivers three half-figures depicting IDF armored crewmen in 1/35 scale. The sculpts are really nice and the poses well balanced. The pieces are perfectly cast and fit well, making the assembly a breeze. Altogether, this set is a very welcomed addition to a growing list of IDF armor kits and probably my first pick as IDF tank crew in 1/35 scale.