German Trench Raiders WWI
Model No. 2814
Scale – 1/35
MSRP – TBD
Verlinden Productions has been a mainstay within the modelling community for many years now, supplying the avid modeler with cast resin figures, Accessories and dioramas. Most recently, Verlinden has released many new offerings. One of the latest is their German Trench Raiders WWI model # 2814.
This kit is a full resin, duel figure set cast completely in resin. The two figures are to represent two WWI battle hardened German soldiers basking in the plundered items they scooped up from their enemy’s trench.
Each soldier is sculpted in what appears to be historically correct garb including a plethora of smaller supporting pieces. There is thirty-seven pieces included in this set. Both figures are made up from eight main pieces; lower and upper torso, two boots, two arms and a head. One figure is not wearing his helmet.
One figure is standing in a somewhat leaning backwards pose and depicted drinking from a bottle. The second figure is shown sitting atop a small fuel drum which is supplied in this kit. There is a host of additional items included with this set including two rifles, a full complement of standard WWI soldiers field gear; shovels, bread bags, ammo pouches and bed rolls.
Construction
I have recently I have had the chance to assemble a number of new offering from Verlinden and this one is the first one I have experienced a little bit of a problem in regards to the parts going together. The heads and boots were the only pieces that have a clean fit; the legs with little to no sanding and the heads slipped right into place. In regards to the arms, there was some sanding required to get them to sit correctly in the sockets. As for the upper and lower sections of the body, the casting blocks which were still attached to the part made for a rather unclean surface once removed. Adding to the uneven surface, it almost appeared that the upper section was slightly smaller making for a very tight fit to the bottom section as the soldier jacket hangs down in the back which hits the molded features on the upper leg sections. In the end, the almighty sanding sticks won the battle and the parts came together.
Conclusion
The German Trench Raiders WWI from Verlinden Productions, while an interesting subject line could be used nicely in a WWI trench diorama, has many shortcomings in my honest opinion. The body parts required a little too much work to get them to seat correctly, even though once together they have a decent appearance. In addition, these two figures were originally included in a previously released set from Verlinden. The previous set was their WWI Trench Vignette #2376. There was a small section of trench included which this original set which helped explain the scene the figures were depicting. The German Trench Raiders WWI does not come with any base which would certainly help set the scene. In the end, I am left a little undecided in my opinions about this set and while I could recommend this two figure set to anyone looking to add a couple figures to a relaxed WWI diorama or vignette I feel the previously released set with the small trench section included compliments these two figures a bit more.
Modelers Social Club would like to thank Big John’s Scale Modeling and Verlinden Productions for providing us with this review.
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