Every now and then you come across a photo that becomes the inspiration for a diorama, and obviously that works equally for manufacturers because in this kit Masterbox even include on the back the photo that inspired this kit which depicts four German tank crew sitting around playing a card game ( apparently Skat is the name of a card game ).
Coming in the usual Masterbox end opening box on the usual single dark yellow sprue you get three seated and one standing figure as well as six jerry cans which are used as three seats as well as the table upon which the cards are placed. The top jerry can of the pile even comes with several palying cards moulded onto it - so make sure that one goes on top and doesn’t get used as a seat.
The mouldings are sharp and clean with good detail including different expressions on the very nicely moulded faces. There is a small ammount of filling and sanding required when assembled to eliminate all the join lines but this is nothing out of the usual and in line with what you get with similar kits.
Three of the figures wear the sidecap while the fourth is bareheaded and in a nice little touch which transforms a kit from the day-to-day the bareheaded figure also has a small puppy tucked into his shirt with just it’s head and one paw sticking out.
Ironically this kit came along for me just as I was planning a diorama of a Wespe crew playing cards under a tarp in bad weather so for me it was the perfect kit. It certainly gives an outside the norm look to a small vehicle diorama and makes up into a very nice little set that look good without too much effort..
Click thumbnails to enlarge images.
The game they are playing is Skat (a classic German card-game), hence the kit’s title ‘ The Skat-Players’.
Thanks for that, much appreciated.