Lately some of the figure oriented kit manufacturers have started to provide figure sets that fill specific needs, particularly when it comes to crews for vehicles. This set from MiniArt does just that in providing a set of six figures intended to fulfill driving roles, though it is unusual in that here those six figures represent four different nationalities within one kit - Britain, The U.S., Germany and Russia ( or of course any other nationality that wore the uniform of those nations ).
This kit comes in a medium sized lightwieght open-ended box on two smallish grey sprues. You get just the six figures together with a few small personal items. The sprues have no numbering, rather a small printout is provided with location numbers corresponding to the sprues, though assembly is pretty self-explanatory. A simple “what goes where” assembly guide is provided on the rear of the box as well as a painting which provides colour references for use with Vallejo, Testors, Tamiya, Humbrol, Revell, and Mr.Colour paints.
The moulding is what we have come to expect from MiniArt, clean, crisp, well detailed with well defined facial features, nicely done uniform detailing and hands that actually look like hands. There’s the usual small ammount of cleanup required and those who are so inclined will still find the odd area to sharpen up, but overall the level of detail is very good. At an average of around 50mm they scale out at around 175cm/5’9″ so are of a good hieght.
The six figures are made up of one russian driver positioned for use in a truck, one russian driver positioned for use in something like a T-34, one british driver positioned for use in a truck, one german driver positioned for use in a truck, one german officer positioned to stand on a running board, and one U.S. driver positioned to stand as if getting into or out of a truck.
The russian figures are both wearing standard uniforms and boots with sidecaps. One has a rather prominent moustache and a chestful of medals and badges, the other a single medal and is posed so as to be operating the control levers of a tank.
The british/commonwealth figure wears standard battle dress uniform with webbed belt and suspenders, gaiters, and a beret with a somewhat undefined badge of some sort ( this could do with replacing with a suitable PE one ). He also gets a holstered pistol and a single pistol ammo pouch.
The german figures consist of a seated driver wearing an early war uniform, marching boots and overseas cap. He has his left arm outstretched to hold a door which does rather limit his uses. The officer also wears the early war uniform, gloves, marching boots and officer’s belt and soft cap. He gets a mapcase, a pair of binoculars and a holstered P08 Luger. He also gets an MP40 sub-machine gun though it is lacking the folding stock which is neither moulded on nor provided as a separate part.
The U.S. figure is positioned to be standing with one leg inside the vehicle. He wears bib overalls, a woolen watch cap and a .45 M1911A1 pistol in a WWII shoulder holster. The detail of the holster belts is well done though the holster and pistol butt are a little lacking and could use sharpening up. Although intended to be used as a truck driver this one would work equally well as a tank crewman.
Overall these are a useful set if you make a lot of softskins, though finding a vehicle that is a perfect fit for any one of them may be a little bit of an ask so you would need to be prepared to do a little alteration to get them to fit properly into your chosen vehicle. This would apply particularly to the British/Commonwealth figure as he is the only one designed to be sitting back against a seatback but his back would need flattening down to allow him to look right seated in this manner. The U.S. figure and German officer provide a greater level of versatility than the other four and unless you build vehicles from all four natuions you may be a bit hard pressed to find a use for all six. But looking past those issues of application the set itself is very well made and produces six very nice figures.
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