By Dave Coward
I`ve been a big fan of using figures for a couple of years now and when painted up well I really believe that they can add that bit extra to a model that will make it stand out from the crowd.
First task
First job is to choose your pilot/crewman. A lot of kits come with a pilot/crew figure included but these generally aren’t up to the same standard as those from the aftermarket manufactures. These aftermarket figures come in a variety of mediums including metal and plastic but the ones that have the best and most refined detail are cast in resin. Manufactures include:
- Wings Aviation
- Ultracast
- Tommy` War
- MDC
- Aires and
- Ultraboost
…to name but a few. These manufactures cover most eras and most scales so you should be able to find a figure that complements your model.
I’ve got a figure – what next?
Once you have found that perfect figure the next step is how to paint it up to look realistic. I said at the start I`m not a specialist figure painter and replicating skin tones in the larger scales, especially on busts, is well beyond my skill levels but in these small scales you can get away with a more basic approach especially as the figure is not the main subject but just an addition to enhance the appearance of you model which is the main focus point.
Subject here: Late War Luftwaffe Pilot…
I am using a 1:32nd Aires resin late war Luftwaffe pilot figure as the subject of this article. It’s nicely moulded and comes in two sections; the main body and a separate head which makes painting a bit easier and also allows you to position the head as required. This particular figure comes with a painting guide but most don’t so good references are essential to get an accurate finish.
