1/72 Caesar - WWII German Panzergrenadiers set 3 (Img and Review)

The third set from the series....

Hope you will enjoy it.

Cristian Florescu

CAESAR 1/72

Parade Series

"WWII German Panzergrenadiers set 3"

                                                                      "(attack poses)"                                       

Review  

Within the third set of the Parade Series related to Panzer Grenadiers, Caesar continues the work on attack poses through five poses, adequate to the purpose, and a little bit different than the rest, covering in this way more stances that could have been adopted by soldiers in combat. Like all Caesar's Panzer Grenadiers, figures wear M38 camouflage smocks, regular trousers, marching boots and helmets covered by camouflage cloth. Their gear consists in "Y" straps, gas mask containers, bread bags and canteens for all of them. A single mess-tin is coming with the guy firing off the MP40 and the same situation registers in the case of bayonets, only the grenade thrower featuring this basic item for German soldiers. Moreover, folding combat shovels are granted to all except the figure looking like the NCO of the set. The arsenal is assured again by two Kar98K and three MP40 as well as a StiHg-r 24 grenade, figures possessing the adequate ammunition pouches for each weapon. A small problem interferes in this regard at the figure shooting with MP40, in spite of having the correct ones on both sides, it seems that the the right misses a pocket for the third charger. This could be either a sculpture mistake or a mould one, but it is not of foremost importance and does not affect the general appearance of the figure.  

As it has already mentioned, the poses are good for their destination, and what it can be easily observed, the present set neglected a pose featured in all the other set, respectively the standing figure shooting from shoulder. With four figures standing and one crouched, the set continues the line implemented in the large majority of the other sets of the series. The duck figure is probably in the most exhausted pose of a 1/72 crouched soldier, aiming with the kar98K from shoulder. In the box there is also seen the single pose that repeats, of course with variations, in all the first six sets of the Parade Series, namely the soldier firing off his MP40 from the chest. Not the same things can be said concerning either the other trooper with MP40 or the grenade thrower. The first is in a quite bizarre posture, bent in front and probably saying several words to a colleague too frightened to advance in the battle field. The grenade thrower is really special, he was not sculptured in a throwing position like his comrades with grenades from the other sets of the Series. This soldier is preparing to arm the grenade, the positions of his hands clearly indicate this fact, he is just pulling the sting, but this was hard to be sculptured or released by the soft plastic mould. Another discrepancy between him and his mates using the same weapon is the fact that he does not have his personal weapon in the other hand, he wears his kar98K on the back, being the single figure of the series with weapon in this position. Of course, being the only one in this situation, the sculptor forgot to depict the strap, but this can be added or even just suggested through painting. Similar grenade throwers, arming their grenades are identified in Pegasus Hobbies' "Waffen SS Set 2" and Revell's "Africa Corps". The NCO of the unit is in a pretty common stance for such a figure, with the left hand pointing to something, probably a target or a direction to advance in the battle field, while in the right hand he holds his MP40.   

Uniforms are not eye-catching, but correct represented and incorporating some tiny details. The collars of the tunics under the smocks are very clear and the only needed thing is to put on them the Wehrmacht or Waffen SS emblems, in accordance with the patterns that the owner of the set decided to paint the smocks. Both variants for collars are featured, namely tight or loose. The figures are on the small part of 1/72, but their anatomy is fine, as well the facial expressions.  Because their size and uniform, best colleagues for them could be encountered in the other three sets of the series related to Panzer Grenadiers as well as in Pegasus Hobbies' "Waffen SS - Set 2", CMK's "Wehrmacht Mounted Infantry" and "WWII German Mortar Team" and "WWII German Machine Gun Team".

Both flash and excess of plastic are present; while of the first mentioned undesired thing on plastic figures is easy to escape, not the same situation registers in case of excess of plastic. For eliminating it from the figure firing off his MP40 from the chest there is necessary to be applied a similar procedure with that described in the review of the first Panzer Grenadiers set encompassed by Parade Series. In spite of being pre-painted, the details of the figures are not damaged too much, so it is not necessary to remove the factory paint if it is desired to repaint these soldiers. It is good that enamel is fine received, resisting at heavy handling. Not only the same standard Plexiglas box protected by another one side opened cardboard box was granted for the present set, but also an identical system to fix the figures in the box from their bases. Soft plastic bases are immediately removed, so only several moments will be spent by those not wanting them.

Like its predecessors, the third set on Panzer Grenadiers subject inthe Parade Series brings to wargamers, collectors or diorama builders several good attacking poses, which combined with those met in other sets pointed out a little above, succeed to portray a couple of German platoons dressed in camouflage smocks and in the middle of a fierce fight.   

FACTORY PAINT