Elan13 Miniatures 1:32 (54mm) WWI RFC/RAF Air Mechanic Figure



Company: Elan13 Miniatures.

Material: Resin.

Sculptor: Robert Lane.

Box Art: Robert Lane.

Price: £13.00

Availability: Direct from Elan13 Miniatures-http://elan13.co.uk/



Forward. I have been fortunate to have reviewed a good number of releases from this company, following on in quick succession from the RNAS Pilot Figure I reviewed here and adding to the highly regarded range of WWI subjects from Elan13 Miniatures comes this latest release of RFC/RAF Air Mechanic figure.
Let’s see what the release has to offer……..

First Impressions. The figure comes presented in a clear plastic releasable bag with a full colour photo insert of the completed figure as depicted by the talented figure painter Edward Sage.
Present in all Elan13 Miniatures are several instantly recognisable quality attributes. That is certainly the case once again here. High quality sculpting, superb casting, excellent subject choice and competitive pricing ensures the company has firmly established itself as a successful candidate in this increasingly popular sector of the industry.

(photos below) easy to see where the inspiration for this release came from. Keeping history alive are these good fellows from a re-enactment society providing fantastically authentic reference for our figure.




The Figure. Two cast resin pieces complete the figure, main body and head.

Main Body. (photo below) A simple ‘hands on hips’ pose that is more than capable of telling a story in any number of scenarios. The figure wears a typical grey back shirt with rolled up sleeves, the ruffled appearance of the material looks excellent and certainly offers an accurate representation of the genuine article.


(photo below) a replica grey back shirt as worn by military personnel during this time period.



(photo below) the excellent detailing of the shirt continues around the back of the figure. The rolled up sleeves and the creases of the shirt material have been very well sculpted. Worth noting also is the hands, plenty of detail in those.



(photo below) a close up of the figure reveals nice crisp detailing in the shirt particularly with the buttons and collar.



(photo below) that well defined detailing continues in the boiler suit, tied off in a knot at waist level it adds an extra dimension to the pose.



Head. (photo below) When you look at the amount of intricate detail sculpted into these tiny heads Its sometimes difficult to remember we are talking about 1:32 scale. The finesse is quite startling and gives the whole figure a definitive focal point.

Excellent sharp crisp detailing in the facial features matched in every with the service cap. Just a small seam line to deal with down the side of the neck, very easy to deal with by way of scalpel.



Photos. (below) I have included for reference purposes photos of the completed figure, painted and unpainted.







Synopsis. A quote from Robert on this figure he so beautifully sculpted…..

“I imagine him making a sucking noise through his teeth while informing a rookie pilot that his Camel’s engine was running sweetly this morning before he took off and any lack of performance was due to poor flying and not poor mechanics”

That just about sums it up nicely for me, once again a wonderful figure release from Elan13 Miniatures, ticking all of the right boxes along the way and delivering in every one of the quality aspects we have come to expect.

Consistency is everything in this highly competitive market and make no mistake, Robert has come up with the goods in pretty awesome style with this cracking little mechanic figure.
Most important is the quality, from the depth of detail in the sculpting and casting, to the accuracy of those details and the versatility of how the figure can be used, quality is at the core of this fabulous new addition and indeed at the heart of everything this company produces.
Combine all of those attributes with the price point and this figure offers seriously good value, congratulations Robert, another winner for sure in my book.

Thanks. As ever, my sincere thanks to Robert Lane , proprietor of Elan13 Miniatures and official sponsor of Martin’s Scale Models for this opportunity and the review sample.

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Website: http://elan13.co.uk/

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Good review Martin, a fitting addition to a very nice range of figures..
Best wishes, Gary.

Cheers Gary, much appreciated ;-)

Martin.