Kit Review: Miniart 1/35 scale Kit No. 35137; Pushing Soviet Soldiers; 66 p= arts in grey styrene; retail price US$23.00
Advantages: nicely posed group of five figures perfect for a diorama or vig= nette
Disadvantages: figure hands molded to pushing limbs tend to reduce some fle= xibility with the kit
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all Soviet Red Army fans and diorama builders
The Soviets loved to cite the superior tactics of =93General Mud=94 =96 th= e rasputitsa thaw which turned the landscape and most dirt roads into a mor= ass that bogged down the Germans. But since the Soviet Red Arm was wedded t= o either horse drawn transport or worse, two wheel drive vehicles, they wer= e not much better off early in the war. As a result, either tractors were u= sed to pull out stuck vehicles or the soldiers had to push them out.=20
This nice new set from Miniarm provides a coordinated set of five figures = engaged in pushing out what appears to be a GAZ-AA truck that has become st= uck on a road. Four enlisted men and one officer are engaged in pushing the= truck, two of the soldiers using thick tree limbs for leverage under the r= ear wheels. All are clad in summer uniforms.=20
The figures come in the usual six parts (head, torso, arms and legs) with = added kit. Each figure has a separate cap, weapon, canteen, and ammo pouche= s for the riflemen. It also provides four Moisin rifles and one PPSh submac= hine gun, as well as two helmets.=20
The hands of the figures with limbs are molded onto the limbs which, while= it makes for a natural fit with the pushbars, means that extra hands will = have to be found if they are used for other functions.=20
The artwork is again by Karashchuk and the directions are of the =93stick = here=94 with painting colors provided for seven different brands of paint a= nd in Russian and English.
Note that this set can be used to move anything - guns tending to get stuc= k more than trucks, even on Russian roads, would add more interest. Using t= hem with the horse-drawn ZIS-3 gun from Miniart would make for a really nic= e diorama of Soviet artillery, as an example.=20
Overall this is a good idea and well executed set of figures for Soviet fa= ns.=20
Thanks to MRC for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell