1/72 PEGASUS HOBBIES - Germans in Berlin 1945 (Images and Set Review)

Started almost two years ago (of course worked with other sets), I have finally succeeded to finish this set that I appreciated a lot, and if you suppose that both the painting and the review took me a lot of time, you are absolutely right.

The text of this review is the longest I have ever written and I hope at least some of you will have the patience to read it and at the end of it not to bore you. A good justification for its length is that that the set offers a lot of things that I assessed as interesting to be revealed. Furthermore, based on the fact that I do not write in my mother tongue, please excuse and not be very exigent with the most than possible language and grammar mistakes that I did. There is a lot of information that I want to point out and for this reason paragraphs become longer and longer and sometimes I may lose the thread.  

Regarding the images, I have to say that that there are 57 figures from two boxes of the same set, 25 figures being the standard poses in a set to which I added other 32 conversions. For the conversions, I mainly tried to use the arms and extra weapons included in the box, but I also appealed to several arms from Waffen SS Set 2 and IG18 Gun Crew of the same manufacturer.

I removed only the heads having civil caps and I use on these figures Preiser heads as well two Airfix and one HaT.

Extra gear and weapons are also from Preiser, I also put several shovels "stolen" from the just above mentioned two sets of Pegasus Hobbies.

In some cases, I had to add straps for the weapons worn on the body. The straps are wires made of melted Preiser sprue.

For fixing all the parts I used super glue gel and the figures were painted with Humbrol enamels, skin washed with Burnt Sienna, Panzerfausts and some helmets (those ochre with camo trying to depict field painted helmets) washed with Burnt Umber and shadows on cloths added with Ivory oils. Weathering on helmets, cloths and boots is with Humbrol 29 (Matt Earth).  For some figures I used primer, for some others not. Better is with primer, I used also Humbrol.

Some remarks should be made to several things that I add to few figures. Firstly, even if I did not see in any reference picture or video Panzerfausts with straps, I did it as a field conversion, painting the strap as a rope. It is more than possible that some soldiers to do it for better carrying this weapon.

Secondly, to a couple of figures I especially put the shovel on the right part of the body even if this item was worn on the left part. I saw few images with soldiers wearing it on this side, but it is not very recommended because the large majority shows the shovel worn on the standard part.

In addition, I regret that I removed several parts from the sprue before taking a photo of it, but even so and aiming a more detailed review, I decided to post the image, underlining again that the sprues were completed.

I really hope you will spend some nice minutes enjoying not only the images, but also the review and I look forward to your suggestions or comments.  

Cristian Florescu

PEGASUS HOBBIES 1/72

"Germans in Berlin 1945"

Review

Clearly stated in the title, Pegasus Hobbies' intention was to catch the genuine atmosphere of the last important battle of the bloodiest war in the history of humanity. A fierce fight with an implacable end, definitely known by each combatant side, but which still led to hundred thousand causalities, especially due to Hitler's mental illness and fanaticism, who considered that Germany did not deserve to survive after loosing WWII and should die with him. Of course, the Fuhrer could not lose the opportunity to give for the last time his infamous order, to fight till the last round, an order that killed millions of his useful and brave soldiers along the war.

During the last stages, the German army was dispersed in various areas of Europe, fighting for survival or trying to make their way through Soviet troops, with the purpose of surrendering to Western Allies.

In the encircled Berlin the situation was tragic, the few German divisions, most not complete, having to stand fire to a huge and well equipped Soviet army of over one million soldiers for their last assault of Berlin City. Aimed to counterbalance the Red Army manpower, Volkssturm and other Nazi organisations like Hitler Jugend, Bund Deutscher Madel (BDM), Jungmadel, as well as simple civilians, no matter age or sex, were ordered to take part in the battle. In his madness, Hitler refused to evacuate the children and civilians from the city, decreeing that all must fight to defend the Reich.

The ferocity of the clash is best described by the statistical figures, 304,000 Red Army soldiers being killed just in Berlin City, while 125,000 civilians and 100,000 German Army soldiers lost their lives in the doomed city. Furthermore, the Soviets claimed that they captured 480,000 German troopers since the 2.5 million Red Army soldiers started their final drive to the Reich's capital on April 16, 1945.

The figures speak for themselves on the ferocity and disproportions of the battle, and only the bravery and fanaticism of the inhabitants, the loyalty and exceptional long trained military skills of the regular army, as well as the pride of all fighters can explain how the poor equipped and outnumbered Germans succeeded to provoke so many causalities to their opponents.              

 "Germans in Berlin 1945" took into consideration all the above mentioned facts, and through its excellent pieces and historical accuracy, offers a proper image of the last German combatants in WWII. Not only this, but also the fact that Pegasus Hobbies brought for the first time a pioneering approach to a 1/72 soft plastic set, represent great opportunities for a deep study and a real challenge for the reviewer.

Concerning the innovative approach, it should be pointed out that it is for the first time in the scale for a soft plastic set to allow so many figure conversions. The path was opened through another amazing set of the same company, "Waffen SS Set 1", where only the shovels and some heads must be glued. For their 1945 Germans, the manufacturer pushed much further the assembly issue, weapons, arms and heads having to be attached to various soldiers. 

The material used for fabricating the set merges the qualities of the soft plastic with the hard one, taking super glue particularly well and making a strong bond that resists at heavy handling.

Moreover, the next interesting thing is the quite simple manner of increasing the poses from a set, and in this regard, on the one hand there are given figures with slight modifications and adds, like different heads, scopes or other small items, while on the other hand, on the same body can be fixed arms holding dissimilar weapons. Apart from the conversion possibilities, all the above revealed factors bring a valuable contribution at raising the number of poses, which in fact is the ideal of any collector or wargamer.

Inside the box, on the same sprue with the figures, there are also available separate weapons, several bases and some ruins where fighters may be emplaced. It has to be underlined the fact that all come without bases and even completed with the ruins, bases are insufficient for covering all the warriors.

Nevertheless, the plastic plates are not particularly necessary, taking into account that either the crouching or the standing figures, except the officer, have a great balance and stand without any additional help after removing the pin from the boot. The physics of this impressive stability is enhanced by the fact that even the woman on high heels stands alone where she is positioned.

Besides four different size bases with ruins (one duplicated) and one designed for a small vignette later described, there are offered other five common ones having a hole in order to accommodate the pin from the boot of the figures. Providing separate bases is a lovely advance, exempting from efforts those that want them disconnected, while the fans of bases have just to put a super glue drop for attaching the combatant to the plastic plate.

As it was previously stressed, there are given not only several extra weapons, specifically five Kar98K, one MP41 and three Panzerfausts, but also a campaign telephone which will be met again with other operators in a next remarkable set of the same producer, "German Mortar Teams".

Both the telephone and the Panzerfausts represent actual points of attraction due to their rare presence in the scale, and because these are separated from any figure, may be used as diorama accessories or for growing the firepower of various soldiers.

As art work of the box, a premiere in the field, the company appealed to an unusual method which comes across and in further kits on Germans in WWII, namely a diorama featuring several warriors contained by the set.

Bearing in mind the topic, and for increasing its accuracy and coverage, Pegasus Hobbies gathered again for the first time in Braille Scale, inside the same box, not only regular soldiers, but also representatives of various Nazi organizations and civilians, in other words, all the German fighters that played an active role in the battle of Berlin.

Obviously, the garment of the figures diverges according to their own designation. The referred battle was characterized by the lack of supplies, as well as a mixture of units and the issue is correctly replicated here. In this view, the regular soldiers are mostly dressed in late war style, M43 tunics (some of them may be assessed as parkas due to their thickness and small differences of details hidden by the positions of the figures), great coats, camouflage smocks, trousers, ankle boots with gaiters or marching boots, and the last just named item may highlight a reminiscence of the early style and the shortage of equipment.  On their heads they wear M43 caps or steel helmets, sometimes covered by camouflage canvas.

Taking into account the armbands from the left arm of some warriors, Volkssturm is well represented through several figures dressed in various models of great coats, trousers, shoes and on the heads having civil caps or hats.

Hitler Jugend is also clearly embodied through several boys wearing M43 or HJ tunics and trousers, ankle boots with or without gaiters and heads covered by M43 caps.

Furthermore, other important Nazi organizations that took part in the battle are Bund Deutscher Madel (BDM) and Jungmadel, both personified through some women or girls dressed in a mixture of civilian, military or school uniform pieces of clothing.

With reference to the military garment, those wearing M43tunics/parkas are fitting in the late war period of WWII, and may be painted in feldgrau or camouflage patterns, embodying Waffen SS or Wehrmacht troopers according to the specific camo patterns or collar boards. Concerning the camouflage topic, all were met on such tunics, but the most featured one in reference pictures is pea dot, worn by Waffen SS units.

Another strong point of the present set is the large amount of fighters dressed in great coats, particularly bearing in mind that such figures are not so often seen in soft plastic Braille. It seems that not only M42 great coats, but also M40 models are here.

Based on the subject and the large presence of great coats, it may be assessed that the soldiers are addressed mainly for cold seasons.  Nevertheless, there were often the cases when German troopers worn such items even in hot periods, and there are more reference pictures confirming the issue. In fact, it is an understandable thing, just considering several spring/summer nights spent in trenches, it makes everybody craving for a warm cloth.

The gear of the combatants varies according to their affiliation, but even at regular soldiers differs from pose to pose, perhaps as an intention of underlining the shortage and the mixture of troops.

Regarding the gear of the soldiers, only two poses have the "Y" straps while bread bags, mess tins and canteens were given to more. Additionally, several received bayonets while just one has the shovel.

However, the most interesting items are the gas mask containers, because their quite bizarre shape. It was the first time, at least for 1/72 soft plastic figures, when the gas mask container appeared in this way, fact demonstrating once again both by the close attention paid by the company to reference pictures, and the continuous search for bringing something new for the fans. Above the gas mask container is fixed the cloth case for reading map kit (Kartenwinkelmesser 27) or medical kit (Verbandpäckchen) and various photos of the period features German soldiers wearing in this way such pieces.

Furthermore, due to the odd shape, the combination may be converted into Zeltbahns, especially thanks to the two straps attached. The operation is a fast one, requiring just fillig the gaps with more paint.

It may be said that all the soldiers have the correct ammo pouches, for Kar98K, MP41 or StG44, but this is a special issue that deserves more attention when customizing the figures. The owner of the set has several options, mainly consisting in attaching to figures the separate weapons or arms holding a weapon. When adding them, it should be taken into consideration the ammo pouches sculptured on the figure for fitting the right weapon. In other case, there are at least two solutions, namely planting to a single figure two different firing weapons, noticing the carved pouches, or gluing the suitable ammo pouches from Preiser sets which bond great thanks to the plastic used.

The equipement of the Volkssturm representatives is shabby, sometimes having just the bread bag. This fact is in full accordance with the reality, reference photos featuring in general these combatants only with the firing weapon, and this is simalar as well as for the BDM and Jungmadel combatants herein depicted.

Even if there can be a discussion on how many Hitler Jugend troopers are included in the set according to their height, with no doubt there are at least four such figures. Two of them have the bread bags and bayonets while because their poses, the ammo pouches can not be seen.

Based on the target period of the set, its arsenal is not impressive, but both fully accurate and incorporating real points of attraction such as the large number of Panzerfausts and other rare weapons. Besides the five Kar98K, one MP41 and three Panzerfausts that are coming separately, there are other Panzerfausts, Kar98K (one with scope), StG44, MP41 and one pistol, all held by split arms. Just three figures were sculptured with weapons in their hands, two with Kar98K and one with Panzerfaust. Moreover, a very interesting weapon is found here, namely one of the 25,000 Potsdam Gerät MPs, a German copy of Sten MKII. Caused by their almost identical aspect, it also could be a MP28, a sub-machinegun that appears pretty often in pictures and videos of Waffen SS.

The weaponry is also completed by stick grenades under the belts of two poses or in the boot of another one, as well as by two pistol holsters.

Throughout a lot of qualities, Pegasus Hobbies 1/72 Germans became famous and for their firing weapons with straps attached, a rare thing encountered at other companies. Even in the first set were included plenty of figures having straps at their weapons, in their next one, which is present reviewed, there is given just two StG44 featuring the pleasant detail. It is true, there are three such similar arms holding the same weapon that may join other bodies inside the conversion process, so we will be able to have more than two poses with straps at weapons. For their next sets related to Germans in WWII, the straps, which at present may be assessed as a distinctive sign of the company, were increased to almost all personal firing weapons.      

Some of the most important and define elements of a set are the number of poses, as well as their quality, and both of them are fully fulfilled here. As it was stated at the beginning of the review, except the common approach, the manufacturer applied several means for raising the number of poses and making nice surprises for clients, providing them the great opportunity to use their imagination for getting even more bright new poses.

Mainly, the methodology consists in figures with slight modifications or adds, such as different heads, arms, weapons or small items like Kar98K with or without scope.

Through a system that became "classical" for Pegasus Hobbies, but which was primary implemented here, namely pin in the arm and hole in the body, arms having in their hands different weapons must be linked to the bodies. Even if some of them stay alone, for better fitting and fixing, it is highly recommended the use of super glue gel.

The company does not supply any assembly instructions, but in almost all of the cases, the designated arm and body are contiguously. The parts match well and the method is very successful for the great increment of the number of poses in a set. Nevertheless, not only the addressed arms must be attached, but also arms from other figures, as well as from various sets of the same producer, a proper example in this regard being "Waffen SS set 2". All these can be used for converting into new exciting and valuable poses the integrated figures.

For two poses was adopted the technique of dissimilar heads on the same body, respectively the firing pose in great coat (one head with helmet and one with M43 cap) and the firing StG44 from prone (also one head with helmet and one with M43 cap).

Arms in the same position, but holding dissimilar weapons, have to be attached to three poses, the change made by the company resting in the replacement of the MP41 or Kar98K with Panzerfausts.

Another topic sustaining the enlargement of the poses is arm holding different arsenal, and here there are encountered arms with Kar98K, MP41 and Panzerfausts. Their primer designation are the advancing fighters in great coats, but these arms may be used and at other soldiers. Likewise, it is reiterated again the idea of taking into consideration the ammo pouches of the warriors.

Owing to their great number, the straight result is a rich diversity brought to the advancing figures, and in order to amplify the differences between the poses, the arms might be glued in a multitude of positions. 

Last method, Kar98K with or without scope, was applied also here, the maneuver being firstly met in "Waffen SS Set 1". In this view, one of the three figures in the same crouching pose, firing the Kar98K, was endowed and with scope while the rest of two missed the item.   

Before starting the description of the poses, it has to point out once again that not only the designed arm, but also any of them may be glued with more or less effort to each figure, sometimes requiring small adjustments to the sleeve at the shoulder. Anyway, special care should be paid to the arms having great coat sleeves, if these are intended to be emplaced to figures wearing M43 tunics, then the arms must thin a little.

Each and every pose is incredibly realistic and marvelously done, but this fact is understandable taking into account that almost all try to copy fighters appearing in reference photos or videos.

The set consists in 39 figures grouped in 25 poses, and here must be mentioned that there were included only once the two running combatants dressed in great coats that can standard receive three types of arms holding various weapons. Furthermore, there are four prone figures, nine crouched, sixteen standing or running and a large amount of these are different than those found in other sets. Each deserves close interest not only for this reason, but also due to the slight alterations made by the manufacturer to some of them for increasing the number of poses.

This list is opened by the running figures in great coat which as it was just pointed above, may receive three different arms armed holding Panzerfaust, Kar98K or MP41. Except the arm alteration, other easy noticeable distinctions are the heads, one pose wearing the M43 cap and the other a civil cap. In addition, the one with M43 cap has Kar98K ammo pouches while the Volkssturm fighter misses them. The last divergence comes from the great coasts creases and their aspect at the back, in the proximity of the buttons. Both are very useful figures and except the standard arms that may be glued in plenty of positions, they may receive and others inside the conversion procedure.

Next analysed is another couple of poses having even less variation, here the only one being the heads. It is about the Kar98K firing poses dressed in great coats, and one wears the steel helmet covered by camouflage cloth, while the other one has the M43 cap. Nevertheless, another discrepancy is the spectacles worn by the one with MP43 cap. This fact is a real point of attraction due to the extremely rare presence of such an item in Braille scale. If it desired, during the painting procedure the specs may be without any difficulty turned into motorcycle goggles. Both figures allow an assortment of arms from the box, the easiest being the one holding a Panzerfaust in the firing position, paying also consideration to the removal of the sleeve buttons that were sculptured for this arm taken from a Volkssturm warrior in civil coat.

Most of the soldiers dressed in M43 tunics/parkas are crouched, and from these, the first couple of poses presented here is those to which there must be attached arms having StG44 with strap or Panzerfaust. Crouched in a quite classical stance, they are the only ones wearing almost all the gear, including also the "Y" straps. Of course, other arms are proper for these figures and can be obtained very interesting soldiers from them through the use of such arms. Another plus point is granted for the arm with Panzerfaust, after adding to the figure it appears a figure firing the weapon from the real position. 

The slightest difference between two analogous poses integrated in this set is encountered at the figures firing Kar98K from crouching. The one and only divergence is the presence of a scope on a 98K, but in spite of this, the poses are extremely fascinating, the way of their crouching immediately capturing the interest of the viewer. In order to emphasize the variation between these two fighters, it may be glued some Preiser gear to one of them. Likewise, the pose offers a lot of customization alternatives, plenty of other arms fitting for attaining some incredible good-looking new ones. These figures are also the only ones having StiHg-r 24 under their belts.

Nice realisations of the Pegasus Hobbies' sculptors are the prone StG44 firing poses which also differentiate through heads, with M43 cap or steel helmet. These soldiers lay in an out of the ordinary position, looking like they are addressed to stay through ruins, a peak or the upper part of a shell hole and fire downwards. Likewise, from moulding reasons, the same piece includes both the head and the weapon and it matches pretty well with the rest of the body.

A further attention-grabbing pose is the soldier firing the StG44 from crouching, in fact he is designed to prop his arms on some debris provided by the set, but it fits very good as well as to a fence, tree trunk or sandbag wall. He is lightly geared, only with ammo pouches, but is absolutely one of the best armed, apart from his StG44, having a grenade in his boot and a pistol holster on his back. Its dynamic makes him unique in the scale and definitely this figure deserves more conversions to be done on him, which in fact is a very easy thing thanks to his pose. Moreover, this combatant is the second from the set having strap attached to his weapon.

The set includes a first line officer, dressed in camouflage smock, regular trousers, marching boots and officer cap. He is special, benefiting by more awareness than any other figure, it is the single one to whom there should be glued both arms and even more, he was provided with two left arms, holding none or a unique representation in the scale of a Potsdam Gerät MP, the German copy of Sten MKII or a MP28. His gear is completed by pistol holster and map case while his stance is gorgeous, depicting an officer attacking the enemy in the same line with his troopers and that is why he tries hard to make him as low as he can. If it is not put to him, the arm or even the palm with Potsdam Gerät MP, should be added to other figures, matching very good especially many of the soldiers contained by "Waffen SS Set 2" of the same company. The description of this figure can not end till it is brought up another unusual detail at 1/72 Germans, namely he has the end of his smock rolled up. Due to his stance, this detail is quite vague and may be increased through painting the rolled part in other camouflage colours or white, keeping in mind that such a smock was reversible. As it has just been emphasised, the feature is not easily seen and the smock may be painted as normal and not rolled.

It is not anything new in "nothing is perfect" and so the present set where two soldiers reports a couple of mistakes. First is encountered at the figure with M43 cap firing his Panzerfaust from crouching. The way he fires it, exactly like with a rifle or a RPzB represents the mistake, because such a weapon it had to be shoot from armpit. In spite of the inadvertence, the figure still remains valuable both due to the low presence of such weapons in the scale and his characteristics which portrays him as a regular soldier or even a HJ trooper.    

The next fault comes from the last reviewed regular soldier, namely the casualty. It is a sculpture error and because the figure was done with his bread bag, mess tin and canteen in the correct positions, on the middle of his back, the result of how he lies is a little bit strange. The slip-up may be corrected through a simple maneuver, removing the undesired items from his back while the cut can not be seen. On the other hand, the gear may remain where it is and assessed that the soldier is right in the act of the last convulsion before Death catches him. The facial details of this figure are amazing, pain grimaces being excellent featured here while his right leg and left arm are twisted. Likewise, his palm is perfect to accommodate a weapon and paying attention to his ammo pouches, one of the spare Kar98K is more than suitable in this regard.

Casualties are pretty rare at 1/72 Germans, but Pegasus Hobbies merits all the credits as they try to include in many of their sets such poses where furthermore, such a mistake does not reappear.

With that it was ended the regular soldiers review and now is the turn of the Volkssturm representatives. If the presentation of soldiers concluded with a casualty, the Volkssturm one is going to commence with a similar pose, which lies in a very credible attitude. He is dressed in great coat, pants, shoes and on his head he has a hat. On the left arm he wears the Volkssturm identification item, the armband, and in his left hand he grabs for the last time the Kar98K with which he wanted to defend the Third Reich or his family.

Next clearly Volkssturm fighter considering his specific armband is a figure also dressed in great coat, trousers, shoes and hat to which the manufacturer designed an arm with Panzerfaust. The more than possible intention is to depict a reference picture revealing the training of such troops. Small differentiations are between the image and the figure which wears in reality an officer cap without emblems, but here has a civil hat. Another one is the way he holds this weapon, again not in the proper way, but this may be the result of poor training. Furthermore, if it is desired to avoid the inadvertence or this arm to be used to a regular soldier, it is good to know that this figure admits particularly fine an arm with Kar98K.

An extra issue for him is the great coat, and based on its length, it may be clearly appreciated as a civil model.

The Volkssturm is completed by the running warrior(s) dressed in great coat with civil cap on his head, but such figure(s) was much earlier described, being very similar with the first close studied regular soldier.

As it is fully recognized, Germans were masters of the propaganda and succeeded to persuade many women on their faith if they were caught by Russians. According to propaganda, in some cases sustained by real facts, rape and murder were common expectations for the German women or girls and many of them had no hesitation to pick up a weapon and bring their contribution to defend the Reich or even themselves.

Photos of the period show plenty of civil women or representatives of BDM and Jungmadel organisations fighting next to the regular soldiers. Such details could not remain inside out a well researched set and we have the great pleasure to meet here four women and girls.

The tactic of arms with different weapons was again used for two representatives of Jungmadel, one having a MP41 while the other holds a Panzerfaust. In order to enhance the differences, they may be painted as having different cloths, uniform or civil, the small details allowing such operation. With the same purpose, the back-hair of one may be shortening.

If there were not enough new things until now, "Germans in Berlin 1945" brought and something else for the first time, at least in Braille scale mass production sets, specifically a campaign telephone. Though they deserve a special set addressed just for them, taking into account the important role played in WWII, German signal units and their equipment rarely comes upon, Esci, Pegasus Hobbies and Imex granted some attention to the matter. Until these companies to depict infantry radio/telephone operators, several such troopers were the attribute of only the Fallschirmjager sets. However, the model illustrated here was unique and it can be encountered in a later set of the company, "German Mortar Teams".

It is operated by a BDM rep dressed in coat, jacket/shirt, trousers and boots. She keeps a civil element, the purse, but on her head she wears a M43 cap that could not retain under it her long hair. In the left hand is the receiver while the phone, which comes as a separate piece, may be emplaced between her legs. Thanks to the attained pose, with the arm beared against the device, there is no need of wire.

Most likely, from moulding reasons, this figures come in two halves with pin and hole system, but the parts fit very good after gluing.

The last depicted representative of the beautiful gender is probably the sexiest found in 1/72 scale. Her cloths can be painted as civil or military, but her shoes, with high heels are beyond doubt, civilian. She has got long hair and the sculptor had the pleasure to put to her two huge breasts. Women are dangerous, but this one is twice, having a pistol gun in her right hand and pointing it to a potential rapper or murderer.

Hitler Jugend is the last Nazi organization sending representatives for "Germans in Berlin 1945" and there are at least four of them here.

First two are quite similar, the only difference being the held weapon, a Panzerfaust or a Kar98K. They were shaped in one piece, so there is no need to open the super glue. Dressed in M43 or HJ tunics, trousers, boots and M43 caps, having bread bags and bayonets, they are in extremely realistic poses that greatly match a ruin or a shell hole. Unfortunately, because their size which is visible smaller, they can not be used as regular soldiers.

Finally it is reached the end of poses description and arrive the last three figures, which certainly are the crème de la crème of the set. These are two HJ troopers standing at attention and Hitler himself.

The company's intention was to reproduce the last video appearance of Hitler, a 100 percent attained goal, underlining again the close interest of those from Pegasus Hobbies either for historical accuracy and inedited topics in the scale.        

The video, recorded by propaganda for the weekly "Wochenschau'", was shot on April 20, 1945 with the occasion of Hitler's 56th birthday, celebrated in the garden just outside the Bunker. With the Red Army almost knocking at the doors, the fast and pomp of previous years was gone. During a poor festivity showing a paranoid and badly affected by Parkinson's disease person, the Fuhrer, seconded by Artur Axmann, Leader of Hitler Jugend, decorated 20 HJ soldiers aged 10-16 with the Iron Cross for bravery against the Russians.

Hitler made some gestures to embolden his young warriors, shaking hands, putting his arm on their shoulders or even caressing their faces. This last motion is surprised by the set, and either the 1/72 Fuhrer and HJ soldiers are perfectly accomplishing their tasks for an impressive small vignette.

The tragedy of the scene is increased by the fact that right after the ceremony, those boys were dispatched back to defend Berlin and almost all would find in few days their end on the battlefield.

Both youth does not require assembly and wear M43/HJ tunics, trousers, gaiters, boots and their heads are covered by the specific HJ cap while another nice and authentic add is the HJ armband on the left arm.

If it is not desired to depict this or other parade, the young soldiers can be used in other purposes, for example as artillery gun servants, their poses allowing such a purpose.

Hitler is dressed like in the video, with a long coat with raised collar, officer cap, trousers and boots. His right hand has to be glued in its place, so it is quite easy to adjust it in order to match the best the face of the HJ fighter.

On the other hand, for those who do not want a Hitler in their collection, this figure may represent any superior officer, not necessary the Fuhrer.

Either the military uniforms or the civil cloths are very well and accurate reproduced, with a lot of details including and the smallest ones like buttons, shoulder or collar boards, cap insignia, armbands etc. Furthermore, the creases of all the cloths are nicely realised and realistic. The hobnails from the soles of some figures sustain the idea concerning how many small details are found on these 1/72 figures as well as the attention payed by the company for authenticity.  

The anatomy is really gorgeous, especially because here the sculptor had to face a complicated task, to reproduce adults, women and youth. Facial details are exceptional at almost all the fighters, but particularly are the dead soldier and Hitler who has even his famous moustache are some of the most striking.

The size of weapons, except the one of the MP41 held by the girl, does not differ to pose to pose and the same is valid for the gear. Interesting and attractive is how the manufacturer succeeded to maintain the same sizes of these elements both for adults and for youth.

Present in few amounts flash is easy to remove while excess of plastic does not exist at all owing to the multipart approach. The parts requiring assembly fit quite fine and super glue, above all the gel one providing marvelous results on this soft plastic which greatly accepts the paint but it still has the tendency to give a gloss aspect to the matt one. For avoiding this annoying thing, there are more solutions such as using firstly a primer, paint added in more layers than usual or matt varnish at the end.

The soft plastic to which Pegasus Hobbies appealed to produce several of their sets has sometimes the propensity to bend, the most exposed to this being the thin parts of the weapons. Inside my two boxes of this set the issue was almost inexistent, but it may occur in others. The problem has a quick and facile answer, namely soaking in hot water the barrel and immediately after readjusts it in the correct position. The same solution of soaking in hot water has to be taken into account and during the conversion process when arms or palms taken from other fighters does not perfectly fit and need to be moved several millimeters. Likewise, conversions are facilitated by this plastic which accepts as well the hard one, Pegasus Hobbies or Preiser gear, weapons and heads being highly recommended to bring further diversity. The warriors with long great coats and civil cap require the most such operations if there is the intention to transform them into regular soldiers. It is an understandable desire, bearing in mind the quite low presence at 1/72 of troopers dressed in such way compared with the great need of them.

The bases supporters may be a little disappointed because the provided plastic plates are not covering all the figures, but the offered ones where in the first part described as well as the way of attaching the figures to them. The paragraph can not be ended until is underlined again the great balance of all these fighters, capable to stand through their own resources and without a base.  

Leaving aside the Hitler Jugend, BDM and Jungmadel representatives which also match with the soldiers, it should be said that the figures presented here are perfectly compatible by any point of view such as size and cloths with those included in most of 1/72 German Army sets, proper examples being Caesar "German Infantry with Winter Gear", Caesar "German Infantry (Late War)", Revell "German Infantry", Italeri/Revell "German Elite Troops", Imex "German Troops", Pegasus Hobbies "Waffen SS - Set 1", but the list is far to be completed.

In addition, after few years from the appearance of this set, other companies launched their sets on the same topic like Odemars "Defenders of Berlin" and "Last Defenders of Berlin" as well as Orion "Volkssturm 1945". To all these sets and for getting a real impressive diorama or war game with plenty of German fighters, it may be added also Caesar's "WWII Underground Resisters (Partisans)" which wholly go along with the topic.  

Through an innovative approach and exceptional details, "Germans in Berlin 1945" opened a new era for 1/72 soft plastic German Army in WWII related sets. Furthermore, through historical accuracy almost pushed to perfection, with a plus point for the poses of figures, Pegasus Hobbies achieved to disclose not only the real atmosphere of the last important battle of WWII, but also most of the German groups of warriors that took part at it.  

A significant gain of the set is the large proportion of customization, and just through simple combination of parts, integrated here or other arms absorbed from different sets of the same manufacturer, there are acquired tens of dissimilar poses, a more than understandable desire of diorama builders, collectors or wargamers.  To this it adds the possibility of painting the military cloths in various colours as well as the large amount of figures dressed in great coats. The soldiers are not addressed only for the battle or period quoted in the title, due to their equipment and weapons they are ideal for any Late War theatre. Further bonus points should be granted for the uncommon or rarely met in the scale weapons such as Panzerfausts, Potsdam Gerät MP / MP28, and even the telephone.

The really special item of the set is the last image of Hitler recorded on film and the manufacturer offers to us in 1/72 the most sinister character ever allowed by humanity, walking his moustache for the last time and guilty for killing not only millions of people, but also those young boys that he had just decorated and "pet".

A mute hommage in Braille for all the WWII innocent victims.

For the large amount of causalities of Berlin battle, civilians or soldiers, children or women, not only the Russian are guilty, but also the German leaders which could not find solutions to put faster an end to it. It is well known that war takes out the ugliest and monstrous features of human being, but also the noblest ones and with the present set we get equal shares of them.

STANDARD POSES OF THE SET

CONVERSIONS (When it is the case, each image groups the conversions on the same body)