Sunday, February 3, 2013

Tamiya 1/25 German Squad Leader

Here's another figure dug out from a box from the past. It's a 1/25th scale metal figure from Tamiya released in 1974; and apparently discontinued. My mom bought me the kit when I was kid back in Hawaii, so its about 40 years old! I had painted it, but stripped it with Simple Green and just re-painted it.
The magazine for the MP40 was broken off and lost decades ago; a new one was fashioned from plasticard. The front sight is also fabricated from plastic. Binoculars also come with the kit, which still exists, but I decided to leave it off. It would've hung around his neck. Too much clutter in that small area already, I think.
The helmet emblems are hand-painted, and the eagle on the left side is more representational if anything.
I believe the kit came with a canteen, but it must've been lost too. It would've gone on top of the bread bag. It might still be somewhere in another hidden box of junk.
He's painted in early-war uniform - with closed dark green collar and grey trousers. A little bit of green was added to the Vallejo Field Grey for the tunic. The figure was painted pretty much like how I now paint 28mm figures. In fact, after a basic block paint job, he was given a Minwax Tudor Satin stain, followed by highlighting. The photo below shows the figure prior to the staining.
Maranatha!

21 comments:

  1. Wonderful job on your old mini Dean! It must of been fun to paint him up again after all these years.

    I tease the kids at the shop that I have minis older than they are, but now you come up with one almost as old as I am (almost). :o)

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  2. Thanks for you kind words as always, Jason. Yes, these old "toys" surely bring back great memories - ah, to be a kid again! Warm regards, Dean

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  3. Great figures here, the faces are wonderful!

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  4. Well, good, very good and well again. Congratulations Dean. On the last picture someone took his scalp.

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  5. Fantastic painting Dean. A classic pose!

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  6. Wow Dean! That is a beautiful job on that old figure. I've got a bunch of the old Tamiya ones in a box somewhere too - you've inspired me to dig 'em out and paint 'em up! He's so good you should put him into a little vignette or something.

    Cheers,
    Doc

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  7. Well done Dean in particular the boot leather looks great!

    Christopher

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  8. Wow Dean, that is such a good job; great colour palette.

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  9. Thanks so much for the kind comments everyone. Much appreciated - looks like it was worth the effort to bring this old guy back.

    Doc: I wonder if the old Tamiya 1/35th guys could be used in skirmish games? Maybe squad level or something. They aren't that much larger than 40mm figures which folks game with too.

    Best to all, Dean

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  10. Excellent!!!! I remember having this figure when I wer a lad!!! Many moons ago!! Top work Dean!!

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  11. Thanks a lot, Ray. Nice to hear you had the figure too - them were the days. Regards, Dean

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  12. That's a really nicely painted figure.
    Nice to think it probably now counts as vintage, if not antique.

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  13. Transformational. That word flashed in my head as I looked at the the block painted fellow and his distant cousin, the finished figure. Wonderful work!

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  14. Dean, that is really awesome. Very nice detail on the helmet in particular. You really should be proud.

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  15. Thanks again for the great comments everyone.

    Best, Dean

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  16. Absolutely wonderful! Tamiya did some really good models and you have made a first class job of painting. Great work Dean. :-)

    Jason

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  17. Superb! The work on the bag is particularly good!

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  18. Very nice painting. I found it incredibly hard to even paint 40mm miniatures.

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