introduction

What makes a diorama or vignette? Original idea? Definitely! Imagination, yes, but often this is not enough. You need different means to make your idea happen. While there is no lack of good model kits and diorama accessories, the figures are always a question. Unless there is something available in resin or plastic that 100% matches your scenario you have to be a little bit of sculptor. When it comes to 1/48 scale you have even less options and you either have to convert Tamiya figures which are overall poor in detail or stick to few brands that do military figures of WW2 Germans and sometimes Allies. But what if you need a civilian figure?

Cast48 is here to the rescue! Having a good reputation among quarterscale modellers, this small company from Spain was founded by Tomas Castano, and has added a “father and a son” figure in their catalogue. Being excited about that release I got one of the first copies and share my thoughts on it with Armorama readers.

father and son

Inside the clear plastic box there is a piece of cardboard with catalogue number, recommendations on working with resin and contact information; a piece of sponge to prevent damage and the figure parts packed inside the plastic zip bag. The father and boy’s torso come as one piece and father’s right hand and the boys head come as separate parts. Three choices of the boy’s head is provided here – in a German helmet, in US helmet and in German Field cap - giving a modeler several options already.

The resin is light grey color and the quality of casting is pretty good. There are some small seams that require sanding, but otherwise there are no visible problems.

The boy is dressed in short trousers, boots and wool (?) socks, a shirt and a vest. The father is dressed in an overall with beautifully cast pockets on the chest, and a shirt. His left hand is inside the pocket and has a watch on it. The detail on both father and son is amazing considering the scale.

Conclusion

For me this figure set is a lifesaver, matching perfectly the scene I had in mind for a long time now. Definitely, it can be used in different settings and having excellent casting and sculpture it should be in the stash of every quarterscale diorama or vignette fan.