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1/32 US Infantry

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  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: Michigan
1/32 US Infantry
Posted by silentbob33 on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 9:15 PM

A while ago my dad bought me the 1/32 Lindberg LCVP for my birthday because I mentioned I wanted to make a D-Day diorama.  Unfortunately, the kit only comes with 6 figures (3 Navy and 3 Army) and I'd like to have a few more soldiers involved.  The only company I can find with 1/32 figures is Airfix, but I can't find any good reviews on the figures.  Does anyone have any experience working with them?  How are they?  How noticeable would it be if I used 1/35 figures with the kit?  Thanks in advance.

On my bench: Academy 1/35 UH-60L Black Hawk

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 9:25 PM

The Airfix 1/32 multipose hard plastic figures are FAR superior to the ones on the Lindberg kit. That being said, the LCVP seems a bit on the small side for 1/32, especially the figures being closer to 1/35. I would suggest some of the Dragon Rangers or Omaha beach figure sets. (although the Ranger Force in Normandy was in LCAs and DUKWs, not LCVPs) Italeri has a figure set due out later this year for their LCVP kit.

 

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  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: Michigan
Posted by silentbob33 on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 9:37 PM

Thanks for the speedy reply!  I was looking at the Dragon Omaha Beach set among a couple of others for variety, so it's good to know the Lindberg kit is a bit on the small side.  I was really hoping I'd be able to get away with it and not be glaringly obvious.  I'll also keep an eye out for the Italeri set when it comes out.

On my bench: Academy 1/35 UH-60L Black Hawk

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Formerly Bryan, now Arlington, Texas
Posted by CapnMac82 on Sunday, February 16, 2014 6:33 PM

Hopefully,  the kit figures have been reworked.  The originals--from thirty years' ago--were under-scale, about 1/37-1/38 (the kit dimensions are closer to Army-contract Higgins at 1/34--mostly).

If gunners were in place, they'd be bundled in kapok life jackets, and would near fill the tubs (even if you enlarge the tubs to correct dimension.  The cox'sn (coxwain, boat driver) on D-Day might or might not have a helmet.  Most had sou'wester rain hats, along with oilskin jackets.  Book regs required them to have kapok life jackets, but these were often given over the side to GIs in the water.  

The forward lookout (not in the kit, but needful every trip) would be in full foul-weather gear, ans an overcoat.  Underway, the lookout manned a step on the starboard side just behind the ramp.  He was the eyes for the cox'sn in the blind spot.  Almost all film & photos show them with a helmet, usually as deep on their heads as would go; dripping wet.  The lookout had to stick his head out from behind the ramp as the boat comes ashore.  He has to look down, too, for obstacles, and to know when they had the boat over the last sand bar .  His was the signal to trip the ramp hook, and carry it on the ramp winch brake.

Which  was manned by the "Motor Mac"--Motor Machinist Mate--who kept that one engine running.  Which was a task, since the sand filters had to be cleaned, the fuel & temps monitored, and to man the ramp winch drum.

For army figures, the AirFix Multi-Pose are quite excellent, a kit worthy unto itself.

Only flaw with that, to my opinion, is that they are clearly near 6 foot tall 1/32 figures.  They'd look to be near 7 foot tall using the Lindberg figures.

Hope that helps

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Sunday, February 16, 2014 7:30 PM

Hey Cap'n, how well do the Trumpeter LCM crew figures fit the role? And I take it that the lookout and motor mac are in addition to the gunners and coxswain, for a 5 man crew?

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: Michigan
Posted by silentbob33 on Sunday, February 16, 2014 7:42 PM

Thanks for the awesome info Cap'n!  I'll start looking around for something I can use for the lookout.

On my bench: Academy 1/35 UH-60L Black Hawk

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: UK
Posted by Jon_a_its on Monday, February 17, 2014 5:15 AM

I'd agree with Cap/n Mack, " (the kit dimensions are closer to Army-contract Higgins at 1/34--mostly)."

I compared the Lindberg (more like a Higgin's boat) with the Italeri LVCP & they are very close dimensionally, except the Lindy has a 'rope' bumper all round & is motorised for the bathtub navy!

Use 1/35th figures for size, just make sure the weapons pouches, canteens & tin hats are the same size.

East Mids Model Club 32nd Annual Show 2nd April 2023

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Don't feed the CM!

 

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: Michigan
Posted by silentbob33 on Monday, February 17, 2014 11:19 AM

Thanks, I'm looking for various 1/35 figure kits...some are pretty cheap on ebay if I can snag them

On my bench: Academy 1/35 UH-60L Black Hawk

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Formerly Bryan, now Arlington, Texas
Posted by CapnMac82 on Thursday, February 27, 2014 9:24 PM

Stik,

I've only seen the trumpy crew in magazines and online--detail looks good, and size--per uncalibrated eyeball--is not bad.

Keeping five hands in each LCVP in multiple waves of landing cycles.  This is part of the reason MGs were hardly ever fitted to landing craft.  The other main reason being that finding Gunner's Mates who can shoot over the heads of crew and cargo while bouncing around can be a real challenge. (That, and the MGs went to the assault & covering fire boats first.)

So, you can man an LVCP with three--cox'n, Motor-Mac, & Bowline/Lookout)

If you want to see some by-the-book video, try here:  

  (caution, there's a lot of that official video spread across many clips--you might spend a few hours looping through them

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