Review Airborne Miniatures Wehrmacht Soldiers- 1:16

[Ferris]

I recently spotted figures from Airborne Miniatures at Berliner Zinnfiguren that were new for me and looked promising. I ordered this set and it is so good that I like to give it some deserved attention here.

This is the set:

My box was slightly squeezed, but content was undamaged.

Unpacking:

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[Ferris]

The model is based on digital scans of reenactors, meaning highly realistic poses and drapery. It seems to be in true 1:16, making it compatible with Alpine Miniatures, but not with Jeff Shiu’s line, which is 1:15.

Casting in light grey resin is very crisp with minimal casting lines and flash. Decomposition of parts was done digitally, meaning perfect fit. Casting blocks were also digitally designed and attached. Removing them is easy. Only small challenge is knowing how much to remove from the ones from legs and torso. This is a large contact area that needs some basic skills to make a good fit. Nothing some putty cannot solve though.

Parts overview:

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[Ferris]

Faces and helmets are perfect as well:

 

[Ferris]

Equipment: Very sharp. All parts have a location block to make a solid fit on the figure’s back.

Conclusion: A really nice release that I highly recommend. Will not need much construction effort and sure to represent an enjoyable painting experience due to crisp finishing and detail. Only thing to add is a gun sling, but even if ignored this will make an impressive model!

Cheers
Adrian

 

[Nap]

Hi Adrian

Thank you for the review , certainly shows well what can be done with 3D , details look sharp

Good picture run as well

Look forward to seeing what you do with this duo

Nap

 

[Joe55]

Oh boy this will make for a sharp looking display! Thanks for the informative review, Adrian.

Joe

 

[sd0324]

Nice review, thank you for taking the time to post such detailed photos. I have long been a fan of Airborne Miniatures. Always well done and great service.


Steve

 

[Martin64]

I agree with these comments - mostly. This is a very smart designed pair of figures with an acceptable compromise to the new production method. Some details necessarily had to be exaggerated (the same with classic sculpting) and the folds and creases are softer - at the collars the biggest compromise to the new technology IMHO - but nice. I can tell that the needed cleanup is more laborious than with Alpine products and Adrians pictures show the compromise that was necessary to cast the upper bodies as one piece. That is my only hope and suggestion for future improvements that the bodies of a two figure vignette can be produced separate. Nothing that can`t be fixed. I attach the pics of my built pieces for your own judgement and added an Alpine product as comparison to scale and details - and classic folds and wrinkles which I still like a bit more.

As I ordered from the producer directly I can recommend their very good customer service.

Cheers, Martin

 

[khollar]

Those really look excellent. Airborne produces same great figures. Some areas might require a little extra cleanup, but the end result is well worth the effort.

Kurt

 

[JasonB]

I have this set in both 1/16 and 1/9. The 1/9 version, I converted the uninjured guy to a medic.
Besides the comments already made, I find that some of the folds in the pants are too...much, for a better word, almost as if the material were very thin or wet, and clinging to the body in some parts, not the thicker wool or ersatz material of the real pants. A couple of the deeper, sharper folds on the 1/9 scale guys, I filled and and smoothed out a bit and think they look the better for it. I found this same thing true for the other 1/9 scale,3d figs that I have from Airborne. The fit of the upper torso to the legs on mine needed a bit of work as well. Overall though I was very happy with both sets.

 

[Diegoff]

Those are ver good looking figures. They show the limitations of classic casting to reproduce some 3D designs.

 

[Steve Ski]

Great looking set.