Introduction:

Assault Models is a Russian company specialized in producing modern-era figures by combining traditional sculpting of the human form and 3D rapid prototyping of the weapons. The formula proved very successful and the first figures released under Assault Models label received very favorable reviews, positioning the company as one of the top players in the 1/35 scale resin miniature industry.

Assault Models recently expanded their catalogue with several new figures. This review covers Paratrooper, XVIII Airborne Corps of the US Army, Afghanistan 2012 (AM35005).

Review:

The kit is packed in a hard plastic box which features an image of the fully assembled and painted figure, a joint effort by Dmitri Shevtsov (sculptor) and Pavel Ilyin (painter). Inside the box is a zip-lock bag with figure pieces cast in grey resin. The kit consists of 6 pieces:

- full body with left arm,
- right arm,
- head,
- helmet,
- weapon,
- weapon accessory.

The cast is excellent and I found no imperfections in the resin whatsoever with the pieces displaying impressive level of details wonderfully delivered in scale. The fit of the pieces is really good and I had no problems assembling the figure. The helmet is a bit big so I used some Magic Sculpt to firmly secure it to the head.

The figure depicts a US Para in a relaxed posture, but with his weapon at hand. As with all miniatures sculpted by the talented Dmitri Shevtsov, the anatomy looks really good and the pose is realistically balanced. The figure wears Army Combat Uniform (ACU), the current battle uniform of the US Army, and Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV). The IOTV not only provides protection to the soldier with its ballistic plate inserts, but is also a load bearing system which features PALS loops for direct attachment of compatible pouches and accessories. This particular figure is equipped with M4 magazine pouches, grenade pouches, triple pistol magazine pouch, radio pouch, utility pouches plus a large hydration pack on the back, all cast on the IOTV. Additional details on the vest include a thin hydration tube secured to the webbing, 1-point weapon sling and a Push-To-Talk (PTT) speaker microphone clipped to figure’s right shoulder. As for the headgear, this figure sports the current combat helmet of the US Army, the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH). The figure also wears Arc’teryx Knee Caps and sports the secondary weapon attached to the drop leg platform on the figure’s right thigh.

The sculptor did a great job on this figure. The uniform looks really nice with folds that have a very natural feel to them. The IOTV is perfectly delivered in scale with relatively light combat loadout and amazing details all around. Tactical gloves and peculiar knee pads add to the realism of the figure. The only detail I noticed is a bit off was the NVG mounting plate on the helmet which feels too small. On the other hand, I have to compliment the head sculpt: the facial features are nicely delivered, along with the ballistic eyeshields.

The figure is armed with M4A1 carbine featuring the Special Operations Peculiar Modification (SOPMOD) kit. SOPMOD kit increases operational effectiveness of the M4A1 and is intended to allow soldiers to configure their weapons based on mission-specific requirements. The M4A1 included in this figure set features typical SOPMOD rail attachment system on top receiver and handguards, while the SOPMOD accessories include Trijicon ACOG sight cast on the weapon, and the AN/PEQ illuminator/laser device which is supplied as a separate piece in this kit. The weapon is depicted attached to a 1-point sling with the left hand resting on the ACOG optical sight. On the first glance the M4A1 seemed a bit small, however my measurements revealed an accurately sized weapon (83,82 cm in 1/1 = 2,4 cm in 1/35).

This figure has a pair in US Army Paratrooper, Afghanistan 2012 (AM35008), also reviewed on Armorama (link), with the two figures available together in a set (AM35A03). I added a photo of both figures to this review... these would do well in a Middle East check-point vignette.

Conclusion:

After a long break, Assault Models is back on the figure market. Their Paratrooper, XVIII Airborne Corps of the US Army, Afghanistan 2012 (AM35005) is an impressive 1/35 scale miniature, sculpted really well in a realistic posture, perfectly cast and easy to build. Together with its pair, this figure could very well become a focal point of many Middle East vignettes and dioramas.

A big thank you to Pavel from Assault Models for this review sample.