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Review Panzer Officer bust from Alpine Miniatures

Discussion in 'Reviews , Video Reviews and Open Book' started by Nap, Apr 24, 2017.

  1. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Good day to all

    The company Alpine Miniatures is one we have seen release high quality figures and one which is respected by our community run by a member of PF ( Taesung Harmms aka T50 ) they have recently now released 2 busts based on the 1/16th figures range


    000000000000000.jpg

    The one we are looking at was announced here : http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/alpine-officer-116-pz-div-windhund-1-16-bust.80684/ and and naturally in social media.

    The subject comes with 2 different heads giving 2 versions

    0.jpg 000.jpg 0a.jpg


    Before I go any further a THANK YOU to Steve Kirtley from SK Miniatures who kindly forwarded on the review items from Taesung ( Steve is also a supplier of the Alpine products )

    As you can see it depicts a Officer in either the side cap or crusher cap so often seen , so you win both ways by having a spare head when you have chosen yours !!

    Depicting a member of the 116 Panzer who also wore the distinctive greyhound badge on their headwear hence the name the Windhund Division , our subject is also well decorated with Iron cross 1st and 2nd class , Panzer badge , German cross in gold ( this could come both as embroidered or metal , around his shoulders hang binoculars .

    The bust is based on the full figure reference 16001 0000000000000000.jpg


    Lets have a bit of information on the divisional badge

    History of the Windhund badge:

    Adopted by the 16 Panzer Grenadier Division as their heraldic animal in 1943. This badge (Windhund-Abzeichen) depicts a greyhound (or 'Windhund' in German) running on the steppes of Russia.

    As the story goes some Feldgendarmen (Field Police) brought back to divisional H.Q. a starving dog which they had found in the countryside, General Major Gerhard Graf Von Schwerin who had been commanding the division since 13 November 1942 decided to adopt the animal, a greyhound, which from then on followed him everywhere. Christened "Sascha" by the ranks this hunting dog from the steppes came to symbolize for the men the memorable combats fought in Russia.

    0000aaaa.jpg 0000.jpg

    Schnell wie ein Windhund, Zäh wie Leder, Hart wie Kruppstahl, Windhund Vor!

    Translated to :

    Quick like a greyhound, tough like leather, hard like Krupp steel, Greyhounds in front!

    The memorial at Vossenack to the soldiers of the 116th Panzer Division lost in the Hürtgen Forest battles reads:….”Tote Soldaten sind niemals allein, denn immer werden treue kameraden bei ihnen sein” (“Dead soldiers are never alone, for loyal comrades will always remain with them”).

    Over 45000 soldiers served in this Division with over 8000 of them losing their lives.

    Here are some reference details for the bust:

    01aa.jpg 00000000000000.JPG 0000000000000.jpg 000000000000.jpg 00000000000.jpg 1aa.jpg 0000a.jpg 0000aa.jpg 0000aaa.jpg a1aa.jpg a1aaa.jpg a1aaaa.jpg 1aaa.jpg

    00000.jpg 00000000000000000.jpg

    Continued in next post

    Nap
    yeo_64 likes this.
  2. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Onwards we go :
    There are interesting books about here are some :

    000000.jpg 0000000000.jpg a1a.jpg aa.jpg a1.jpg

    As we will be painting black for the uniform there are painting sets available here is just one from AK Interactive ( others are available ie from Andrea, Life Colour , Vallejo etc)

    00000000.JPG 000000000.jpg 0000000.jpg

    Lets have the details on the release:

    Title: Officer 116 Pz Div Windhund
    Reference: B0001
    Scale: 1/16th
    Material: Lt Gray Resin
    No of Pieces: 5
    Sculptor: Original Full figure by Mike Good (conversion by Taesung Harmms)
    Box Art: Taesung Harmms


    Parts were in a distinctive clear flexible plastic box with the instantly known colouring with the Alpine Miniature logo on it

    [IMG]
    Alpine Panzer 001.jpg

    Part consist of 2 heads one with side cap the other the crusher type , the torso , binoculars and a plinth .

    Inside there is also a paper insert with a colour version of the piece itself.
    Alpine Panzer 002.jpg

    Prep....Absolutely minimal ... remove excess resin from necks and plinth and bino's and fit into position ...can't be much easier than that!!!

    The Resin......

    Torso



    Wearing the Panzer fold over jacket or Panzerjacke I see our officer standing proud in the cupola of his tank heading across the vast steppes of Russia ready for the next engagement , he wears a scarf that has been depicted as blowing out ...nice touch .

    The sculpting is really very good indeed , as this was my first look at an Aline piece I am very impressed and can understand why the products are so respected and wanted in the full figures .

    Undercuts are sharp with some nice work on the badges and awards , particularly the German Cross and the eagle on his right side ....all the badges etc are very well worked this will make the painting very much easier , all adding more to the piece

    The scarf is blowing towards the side and has good folds in respect the movement expected as a result ..these could be private purchase , civilian and virtually most colours ...contrasting nicely to the dark uniform itself .

    On the shoulders we see his rank , very nicely done , the panzer troops piping or Waffenfarbe was a salmon pink in colour ...this piping is in its self very interesting to research as there are many different versions

    The neck area is well done ready to take the actual head of your choice ...no filling is needed .
    There are 2 location holes for the bino's to fit to .

    Alpine Panzer 003.jpg Alpine Panzer 005.jpg Alpine Panzer 007.jpg
    Alpine Panzer 004.jpg
    Heads

    2 versions are available to choose on both the facial features are the same , well sculpted ( as it would be with Mike Goods original ) , great feature definition

    Both caps are well shaped , I particularly like the worn crusher , as often seen in pictures ( see references ) both have the divisional badge on the side nicely formed , the details of the eagles and the laurel leaves etc are clear and accurate

    Fit is excellent and either looks great in place .....and your spares box benefits as well!!

    Alpine Panzer 016.jpg Alpine Panzer 015.jpg Alpine Panzer 014.jpg Alpine Panzer 012.jpg Alpine Panzer 011.jpg Alpine Panzer 010.jpg Alpine Panzer 009.jpg Alpine Panzer 013.jpg

    Binoculars
    Suffice to say these are accurate , adding more interest to the piece with the chance to get some good weathering on them as well

    Alpine Panzer 017.jpg Alpine Panzer 018.jpg

    Base
    This is a nicely shaped piece there is a piece of excess to remove or you could use it with the base itself ...fit is very good to the torso lase itself .

    Alpine Panzer 019.jpg

    Final Thoughts

    As I said this is my first view of the Alpine products and I really like the quality that is clearly evident , nice to see bust modellers being thought of as well ...hopefully we will see more in the future . The casting is excellent and it will paint up really well .
    Highly recommended to all


    Cheers to Taesung and Steve Kirtley for sending thie review item ( I have another to do soon !!!)

    For more information on this and all the products from Alpine

    [IMG]

    Website : www.alpineminiatures.com or follow on FB or you can contact Taesung via this forum

    UK supplier : SK Miniatures at www.skminiatures.co.uk

    Thanks for looking in

    Nap
    Viking Bob, yeo_64, Nige and 4 others like this.
  3. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Finally lets enjoy some more box art pictures .....

    [IMG]

    0aaaaaa.jpg 0aa.jpg 0aaaa.jpg 0aaaaa.jpg [IMG]

    Happy modelling

    Nap
    Viking Bob, yeo_64 and T50 like this.
  4. swralph A Fixture

    keep em coming Nap:).
    Viking Bob, Nap and T50 like this.
  5. YongA01 Active Member

    Country:
    Malaysia
    Echo your excellent review
    Simple brilliant piece both sculpting and casting.... Already WIP
    Viking Bob, Nap and T50 like this.

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