Hi all!

In a recent thread ( see here ) I was wondering why the manufacturers didn't include more diorama figures in their kits... so I did a little statistic based on the 104 1/48 WWII kits I have in my stash... here are the results:

In total I found 32 seated pilots (about 1/3 of the kits) some of them being unusable! I found also 9 crew members (mainly gunners).

For dioramas, 34 figures were provided (these figures are meant to be placed outside the plane). But these 34 figures are coming from only 9 kits!? This means there's less than 10% of probability to find a diorama figure in a WWII aircraft kit!

For additional items, don't expect very much. I found one vertical launching platform (Revell Bachem Ba349 kit), one floatplane launching trolley (FM Loire 130 kit), one Tractor (Revell B-24 kit), two parasols (Academy Bf109 G-6 and G-14 kits) and russian field accessories (Alanger Yak7 kit)... that's all!

Here's what to expect if you are searching for figures in 1/48 WWII aircraft kits:
- there are always pilots in Tamiya kits (of good quality).
- there are never pilots in Hasegawa kits.
- there are never pilots in Short Run or Resin kits.
- there are few chances to find diorama figures in recent kits.
- there are likely chances to find diorama figures in older kits.
- there is NO chance to find British, French, Italian or Polish figures.
- there are FEW chances to find Luftwaffe or Soviet figures.
- there are MORE chances to find U.S. or Japanese figures.

Here's a list of kits I have that includes diorama figures or items:
- Academy Bf109 G-6 and G-14 (one parasol in each kit)
- Revell Bachem Ba349 (one launching platform but sadly no pilot!?)
- Pro Modeler Me410 B-1 (one rear gunner figure standing with satchel)
- Tamiya A6M3 (six ground personal waving good-bye)
- Tamiya A6M5c (six ground personal waving good-bye)
- Fine molds D4Y2 (one pilot figure with satchel)
- Alanger Yak 7Di (2 pilots, 4 ground personal, 3 fuel drums, ladder, table etc...)
- Monogram P-61 (three figures)
- Revell B-26 (one figure)
- Monogram B-29 (five figures and two atomic bombs)
- Revell B-24D (five figures and one tractor)
- FM Loire 130 (one floatplane launching trolley)

Sadly, there is not much to find in 1/48 WWII aircraft kits if you want to include your model in a diorama... so the resin and white metal manufacturers don't have to worry for potential customers and for our money!

If you have a kit in your stash with some "goodies" included (WWII or any other era) I would be happy to know about them!

Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc

some links for you

Injected modelded figure sets
Hasegawa
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?search=Y&q_brand=HAS&q_category=PL&q_scale=48&q_word=figure
ICM
ICM also did an RAF set and also a Soviet set.

After market figures

PJ Productions
Mastery Miniatures
Mastery Minatures website has gone.

David

A kit you missed that includes some ground crew, the old Monogram Douglas TBD-I Devastator. It comes with one standing pilot and two flightdeck crew, one of which is starting the engine by hand crank. If I recall correctly, their old Dauntless had a flightdeck batman and a canvas wind dodger.

I'm pretty sure ICM released some of their 1/48 aircraft kits that included a set of their dio figures. I think can remember seeing one of their spitfire and one of their mustang kits that had the pilots and groundcrew set included. If anyone wants a decent set of RAF figures for a dio then I can reccommend the ICM figures. They are very nicely detailed, the fit of parts is good and there are one or two bits of equipment included. Plus the price is very reasonable.

Eduard makes two sets of 1:48 figures, WW2 USAAF personnel and WW1 German AF personnel.

Hi guys!

Thanks for all your answers!

Geoff your right about the devastator! I build the kit and still keep the figures for a potential diorama... by the way, the pilot figure is the portrait of the famous Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron who found the Japanese fleet during the battle of Midway!

David and Martin I know about the ICM soviet groundcrew... in fact Alanger is a reboxing of ICM kits under an other name. ICM also included these figures in their 3 in 1 packs! I already ordered all ICM 1/48 figure sets for Christmas (USAF, RAF and Luftwaffe)

Eetu I already have the Eduard sets (Merlin made the reviews not long ago) and I also have the Dragon Luftwaffe set. Preiser also did an injected Luftwaffe set in 1/48 wich I don't have... yet.

But there are certainly more kits with additional figures out there... included for free!

Jean-Luc

Yes, imagine.
"Special offer! Buy a 1:48 B-29 and get a free pilot figure" :-)

:-) Eetu you are not kind to me!

I was thinking more about something like this: "buy three figures and get the model kit for free!"

Jokes aside, some resin or white metal figures are very expensive. I just saw two 1/48 Luftwaffe figures in an advertisement lately that were priced for 17£ (26 € - 30$) !? And you know what? They were on sale! :-) ... ... I know about the price of resin, white metal and silicone molds. I know about the fact that these are not mainstream mass produced injected plastic parts but figures made by talented craftsmen... but isn't that going to far? Two figures that are more expensive than the model they are supposed to go with!?

Frankly, I'm happy for every figure that comes for free in an injected kit!

Jean-Luc

I know Tamiya's 1/48 scale armor line began with airfield accessories included with their German aircraft kits like the Do-335 and Me-262. The Kettenkraftrad with ground crewmen and the Kubelwagen with pilots were aimed at the aircraft market and they have since adapted them to the armor line.

I also have an old Esci set that includes modern (1970-80) US Air Force personnel and ground support set. I have one set issued alone and another set that came with an F-5 Freedom Fighter and a vacuformed base.

Jean-Luc - Do you have all three of these ?
http://www.reynaulds.com/preiser/p_1-48_figures.asp?item=lngNumericSort

I don't think the price is too bad either ?

Hi Robin and Chuck!

Robin, I have the Tamiya 1/48 items you are talking about in my Do335 kit but it can be found with the Me262 as you said. For the US Navy fanatics there is also an aircraft carrier based towing vehicle with one Corsair kit. Recently Tamiya added additional items (fuel drums and jerrycans) in their "new" Hs123 kit... probably to smooth the shock effect when buyers realise it is in fact a reboxing of the old ESCI model! :-)

Chuck I knew about the Luftwaffe set but not the US set wich looks very interesting... Preiser figures don't look as precise as other figures (maybe it's the white plastic!?) but with a little work they should turn into nice ones... thanks for the link!

There is also the 1/48 Revell ground support equipment set wich is very cheap considering what's included:
- bomb lift trolly and oil coolant trolly (Luftwaffe)
- accumulator trolly and oil bowser (RAF)
- bomb lift truck and Tractor (USAF)

If you have others, just post here!

Jean-Luc

Jean-Luc I have the Preiser US pilot set in 1/72 (looks identical to the 1/48 set) and the detail is very good, I would assume the 1/48 set is as good if not better.

The Hasegawa J7W1 Shinden comes with a standing pilot.
The Monogram Do 335 inculded two ground crew figures. Also the Tamiya rebox of the AMtech TA 183 inculdes a seated pilot aswell as the Kettenkraftrad.

David

I have to agree with Martin, though I only use Preiser's 1/72 figures, I find the detail quite good if not outstanding. I'm sure their 1/48 figures would be even better.... I think they have used a photo of the 1/72 set in the link I sent. The white plastic does tend to "mask" some of the detail as well.

Still working on my figure painting but these are some of the Luftwaffe 1/72 figures from Preiser

No, I didn't miss some spots *@$% Flash on camera

... it's good to hear the Preiser figures are good. I just ordered both the Luftwaffe and US 1/48 sets... :-)

Jean-Luc

Not yet listed are the US paratrooper figures that were included with the old Monogram C-47. I can't remember the exact number of figs without digging the kit out of the stash, but there were at least 10 or 12. The downside is they are molded in only two poses with their arms tight in against the body, but some conversions are possible. I know, I tried some back when I had that kit as a teenager. Luckily, I still have all the figs and equipment in an old scrapbox

In the same vein, the R/M Pro-Modeler Ju52 came with four Fallschirmjager figures (I wish there were more).

I believe the Pro-Modeler He111 H22 came with a seated pilot and a navagator/bomb aimer lying on the "hammock" along with at least one other figure.

I remember other figures, such as US ground crew and mechanics were included with quite a few Monogram kits in the 1970's, but I cannot remember which kits they came in.

And yes, I sure wish more figures were included with 1/48th scale model aircraft today.

Hi Guys,

Didn't read everything...

quickly, most Monogram kits came with pilots/gunners. Most of their USN had a couple deck crew that are really pretty good, though..."twiggy". Subsequent pilots/crews in B-17/B-24/B-25, etc., all seem same mold. But very good.

Ju-52 has Fallschirm.

P-61 has a few ground figures, as does their Do-335 and Me-262.

ESCI USAF figures very nice.

Never seen the Hasegawa WWII set, but they look rough.

I have the Eduard WWI set, pretty nice overall.

Preiser has 1/48 WWII USAAF set. Nice, not great. Want to see pix?

That's not good Fred! You will be punished and put at the corner of the classroom! :-)




Yes!

David I forgot about the Monogram Ju52... damned! Thanks for pointing that out... and thanks for the others you mentionned!

Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc,

I'll get the Preiser USAAC/USAAF on as soon as the gallery is accessible again.

Until then, here are 1/48 ( O scale) model railroad figures that would work in a diorama:

Farm Beasts

US Combat Troops

1925 people

Germans 1925-30

US Railway

Harvesters

Jean-Luc, et al,

Here they are. You get pilots, some in pretty cool poses, ground crew and even a WAC and even a WASP!

Hi Fred!

Thanks for the infos... Unfortunately I have only BLUE ? instead of the pics (PC= RED X, MAC= BLUE ? :-) ) I hope to see your pics as soon as the site returns to it's normal condition...
I already ordered some Preiser Figure sets to take a closer look at them...

Thanks again Fred!

Jean-Luc

Hi Fred!

Yes it works this time! But were are the bikini girls I saw in an early post of yours... I don't think they were wearing official U.S. WW2 swimsuits... :-)

Thanks Fred!

Jean-Luc