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In-Box Review
135
British Para lying firing Sten
Resicast - Resicast Para lying firing Sten Gun
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by: Alan McNeilly [ ALANL ]

Introduction

Resicast has possibly the most-detailed 1/35 British figures I have seen, especially their line of paratroopers. I have reviewed a number of the Resicast Paratroopers before, but this is a look at a slightly different figure, one in a more action-type pose, and placed in a small setting for convenience. This chap is unusual in the reduced order of dress he comes in, so let’s have a look at what you get.

The Figure

The figure comes in the standard Resicast zip bag with a paper insert depicting the completed and painted results, along with the maker’s detail on the front. Recommended reading is also suggested to the side of the insert in the form of The World War II Tommy by Brayley & Ingram (The Crowood Press). Moulded in a light grey resin, the casting looks sharp and was free from any damage or air bubbles as far as I could see. The figure comes in 5 parts:

▪ Body (cast as a whole)
▪ Head
▪ Two arms
▪ Sten magazine.

To mount the figure, you also get a small resin base depicting some ground-work and a fallen tree part.

The Body: The pose shows a soldier lying down firing a Mk V Sten gun from behind cover, and is designed to fit onto the supplied base (if you so wish). The Mk V was the special paratrooper version with a pistol grip, front grip and bayonet lug. More than 350,000 Mk Vs were manufactured before June 6, 1944. The figure is dressed in a Denison smock, paratroopers trousers, anklets and ammo boots. The sculpting of the uniform looks good, the smock and trousers have nice, natural-looking folds, and the trousers and jacket have well-detailed pockets. Unusually for an action figure, this trooper wears no webbing, so I would think he is very much a “defender” rather than an attacker. The smock is open at the neck, and there is evidence of a shirt beneath. The detail here is a bit weak, and a camouflage scarf around his neck would most probably have been more appropriate, but that’s an easy fix if you so wish.

The Head: The head, as with all the Resicast paratrooper heads, is excellent and shows the face of a youngish soldier. He’s wearing a paratrooper’s helmet covered with netting, and the correct chin straps are in-place for this helmet.

The Arms: The arms come separately; the right one has a Mk. V Sten gun moulded in-place, with the left hand also attached to the gun. The lower part of the arms show the knit-type cuff making this an earlier version of the Denison smock. You also get a separate magazine to attach to the Sten gun.

The Base:
Provided with the figure is a small resin base on which to mount it. The base has some ground work, with a small rise in the height on top where a log sits from behind which the paratrooper is firing. This is a plus for figure painters who like stand-alone kits, and provides a woodland setting for the soldier. The detail on the base is good and should paint-up very well.

Conclusion

This is a very good action-type figure. The lack of webbing leans him more towards being a defender, though separated from the base, he could be positioned just about anywhere. However, having been studying up on Operation Market Garden, I think he very much fits the into a defensive setting the 1st Airborne Division found itself in after their failed attempt to break thought to Arnhem Bridge.

The overall casting is excellent and the pose of the figure looks very natural to me. As he comes without kit, you might want to add a bit of equipment around his location, but that is really a personal choice and would depend on your setting. The fallen log could be in an urban or woodland location, so that is also quite adaptable.
This is one of a number of action-type paratroopers that Resicast do, and I shall be looking at their Para 2 inch Mortar Crew sometime during the coming month.

Click here for additional images for this review.

SUMMARY
Highs: A very useable action type Paratrooper. Excellent overall detail and casting.
Lows: The neck of the shirt detail is a bit weak, although I don't think this is will be a major issue when his head is on.
Verdict: Highly Recommended.
Percentage Rating
88%
  Scale: 1:35
  Mfg. ID: 35.5576
  Suggested Retail: 11.00 Euro
  PUBLISHED: Nov 22, 2009
  NATIONALITY: United Kingdom
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 88.73%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 90.29%

About Alan McNeilly (AlanL)
FROM: ENGLAND - EAST ANGLIA, UNITED KINGDOM

Greying slightly, but young at heart. I've been teaching adults off and on for most of my life. Left the services in 85 and first started modelling in about 87 for a few years. Then I had a long spell when I didn't build anything (too busy) and really just got started again during the summer of ...

Copyright ©2021 text by Alan McNeilly [ ALANL ]. All rights reserved.



Comments

Thanks for the review, Al I hope your shares in Resicast are paying dividends Rudi
NOV 26, 2009 - 05:22 PM
[quote]Thanks for the review, Al I hope your shares in Resicast are paying dividends Rudi[/quote Al
NOV 27, 2009 - 05:13 AM
A good review as always Alan, but the picture on the box is very poor for an advertisment of the product.
NOV 27, 2009 - 06:03 AM
Hey Al, Another detailed review as usual !! Got to agree with Darren, Resicast's presentation and artwork is very poor and might deter purchases. Cheers jjumbo
NOV 27, 2009 - 07:32 AM
Hi guys, Yes, the insert was a bit crinkled, but I didn't really feel like ironing it as this is an In Box review!!! . WYSIWYG Still it generated a couple of comments which is more than sometimes happens so perhaps that will put a positive spin on it? Thanks for the comments, this is quite a neat figure and log, I got him as a defender for my 3 inch mortar dio I'm hoping to complete for the Op Market Garden Campaign. He'll be joining these folks but on a different base: Cheers Al
NOV 27, 2009 - 08:01 PM
That was good review Al. Thanks The artwork on the packaging is not doing any favours for the very nicely sculptured figure. Nice action dio with the morter crew as well Cheers Michael
NOV 27, 2009 - 11:18 PM
Hi Michael, Thanks for you're kind comments. As above the paper insert seems to have drawn attention to the figure, where-as normally folks don't comment much on reviews. We do like a bit of the negative to focus on, I can't recall anyone every saying 'Oh, that's a great box they come in." Although box art for some is quite important and I've read the odd comment on that before." Still never judge a book by its cover Glad you enjoyed the read. Cheers Al
NOV 28, 2009 - 02:20 AM
   
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