Tristar 1/35
Russian Tank Crew

It is rare to see a female figure included in a box of military figures. However, the Russians, during WWII, were rather EQUAL OPPORTUNITY when it came to using women in combat. I think a lot of us saw the movie Enemy at the Gate, where one of the Soviet snipers was a woman. Women were also used in tank crews and as fighter pilots. I read one account where a woman was the rear gunner in a Soviet biplane and she racked up an impressive amount of kills.

But, getting back to this kit. The box is of the end-opening type. It contains 2 trees of medium gray colored parts. Each tree is in it’s own cello-bag and those two bags are in a further cello. Very well wrapped. The rear of the box is the assembly instructions. Colors are called out in the Humbrol, Gunze Sangyo and Tamiya brand lines.

The box art says that there are 7 figures and 2 extra heads in the kit. Actually, there are 5 full figures and two that are not full figures. One is cut off at the crotch and the other one is cut off at the knees. Obviously, these two are meant to be stuck into an open hatch on a tank model.

The two male extra heads are with side-caps and are meant to be alternates to ones with canvas tank helmets on them. One standing figure and the seated one wear low shoes. The rest of the full figures wear knee high jack boots. Pistols in holsters are provided for all 7 figures. The canvas helmets are molded as separate crowns and ear flaps. One figure is posed as holding his helmet in his hand.

Three of the figures are shown wearing gray overalls. Two have black uniforms with what appears as leather jackets as part of them. Their tank helmets appear as black also.

The other helmets on the remaining figures that have them are khaki colored. The female figure wears a khaki long blouse over jodfer pants. She also wears a side cap and jack boots. She is oddly posed with one hand behind her back. I cannot figure out why.

The total of parts in the kit is 60.

Conclusions

These figures are very well done and will greatly dress up a Soviet tank diorama.

I highly recommend these kits. My only reservation is that I think that the price is about 5 bucks too dear for what you get, compared to DML’s prices for figure kits.