Author Topic: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1  (Read 4770 times)

Offline Des

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New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« on: June 10, 2013, 09:39:41 AM »
Wings Cockpit Figures 1/32


Here are the new releases, all WW1 figures, for June 2013. I hope you like them. The WW1 catalogue is now looking reasonably coherent.

This release of WW1 figures concentrates mainly on seated German pilots – for the Wingnut Wings’ Fokker Eindecker EII & III (LSK 04), the Albatross DV and DVa with a pilot strapping in with the help of a groundcrewman sitting on the fuselage (LSK 05A and B, available together or singly), an Albatross pilot dismounting sitting on the rim of the cockpit after a photograph of Karl Menckhoff (LSK 05E), a Fokker DVII seated pilot (LSK 07A) and a Hannover pilot and observer which will also fit the LVG (LSK 08). Standing pilots now include a German pilot in a greatcoat 1914 – 18 (LSK 10), and a German pilot in a Heinicke parachute harness after April 1918 (LSK 11). All are sculpted by Steve Warrilow. The beautiful casting, as always, is by Bob Brown of MDC. All my figures are available online from MDC.

 The only RFC entry this month is “The Fighting Fees” – an action crew for the Wingnut Wings’ FE2b with a scarfed-up pilot hunched low in his seat, and the gunner shooting the rear Lewis backwards over the top wing. We’ll see if this inspires any ‘aerial’ models.

 This WW1 catalogue fills in the gaps so you can see what is planned. I haven’t forgotten the French or Americans. The next releases, again sculpted by Steve Warrilow, will be the German WW1 prop swinger and a WW1 US pilot modelled on a photograph of Eddie Rickenbacker leaning nonchalently on his ‘Hat-in-the-Ring’ Nieuport scout (I think).

Yours sincerely,

 David.

















« Last Edit: May 19, 2014, 06:41:07 PM by Des »
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Offline lawman56

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2013, 03:55:20 PM »
Thanks for sharing, Des. These guys look fantastic!
Joe Clark

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Offline Pete Nottingham

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2013, 05:50:53 PM »
Thanks for this info Des, at long last some of the gaps in the 1/32 figure market are starting to fill in.

Cheers

Pete.

Offline Dave W

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2013, 07:50:38 PM »
The quality of the sculpting is world class and the figure poses are imaginative and very useful in a WW1 diorama but I have some real concerns about the facial details of some of the figures. Based solely on the photos some of them look like middle aged Vikings and Norse warriors rather than young airmen of WW1.

And what's with the flamboyant handlebar mustaches? Have a look at WW1 airmen clips on YouTube or photos in most of the reference books. The airmen of WW1 were very young and mustaches, when worn, were thin pencil-thin affairs. The enormous Biggles handlebar mustaches on these figures seem more at home with a Hollywood movie than the reality of life in 1914-18.

Kudos to the people producing these figures because there's a real demand for 1/32 figures to dress dioramas. These show us what can be done.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

 
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Offline rowan broadbent

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2013, 08:47:16 PM »
The quality of the sculpting is world class and the figure poses are imaginative and very useful in a WW1 diorama but I have some real concerns about the facial details of some of the figures. Based solely on the photos some of them look like middle aged Vikings and Norse warriors rather than young airmen of WW1.

And what's with the flamboyant handlebar mustaches? Have a look at WW1 airmen clips on YouTube or photos in most of the reference books. The airmen of WW1 were very young and mustaches, when worn, were thin pencil-thin affairs. The enormous Biggles handlebar mustaches on these figures seem more at home with a Hollywood movie than the reality of life in 1914-18.

Kudos to the people producing these figures because there's a real demand for 1/32 figures to dress dioramas. These show us what can be done.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia


Dave, I always appreciate your laudable attempts to dig out areas to critique but there are only 4 of the 11 figures shown wearing moustaches. As to whether they are accurate or not, could I suggest that your references are a little light in the hirsute visage department? The young WWI warriors of all nationalities had a penchant for facial hair growth - and as I remember my own adolescence/early manhood, if you could grow a beard or a moustache, then you did. That was in the nineteen sixties, of course and since then there has been a marked drift towards androgyny in young male fashion (blame David Bowie, if you must blame anyone), but if one travels back in history from then, moustaches of all types proliferate in increasing numbers and variety. One of the attributes much sought after by youthful moustache growers and wearers is/was the ageing effect - no wonder you think they look older than they are - that was the whole point! Pipe-smoking had a similar effect and was cultivated for much the same reasons.

I am always struck by the variability of apparent age of aircrew in period photos; some were so baby-faced as to appear scarcely into their teens, yet others - say seasoned squadron or flight  commanders of 20 to 23 years of age - could pass for forty-year olds. I think the figures show this variation very well; the Hannover pilot looks no more than sixteen! Don't forget either, that there were many older gents among the aircrew of all nations (and by that I mean late twenties/early thirties).

I had the good fortune to meet Steve Warrilow and David Allen at the RAF Museum model show last month and to inspect the entire figure range on MDC's stand (I also have two of the superb figures, gained in exchange for two decal sets). The figures are quite the most wonderful creations and although mine are so far unpainted, it's only a matter of time...... and rest assured - a scratch-built meerschaum pipe will appear between the lips of at least one of them!

Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything – that’s how the light gets in

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Offline Chris Johnson

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2013, 10:29:05 PM »
I'm sold! I'll be ordering 'The Fighting Fees' as they're just what I need to get my feet wet in figure painting, what with the facial features being mostly obscured. The animated poses will really set off the model itself.

Cheers,

Chris
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Offline ronv

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2013, 12:46:09 AM »
How to contact MDC? Is that where these figures can be purchased?

Offline Pete Nottingham

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2013, 02:33:28 AM »
Here you go Ron,

http://www.modeldesignconstruction.co.uk

Cheers

Pete.

Offline Dave in Dubai

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2013, 05:45:25 AM »
The quality of the sculpting is world class and the figure poses are imaginative and very useful in a WW1 diorama but I have some real concerns about the facial details of some of the figures. Based solely on the photos some of them look like middle aged Vikings and Norse warriors rather than young airmen of WW1.

And what's with the flamboyant handlebar mustaches? Have a look at WW1 airmen clips on YouTube or photos in most of the reference books. The airmen of WW1 were very young and mustaches, when worn, were thin pencil-thin affairs. The enormous Biggles handlebar mustaches on these figures seem more at home with a Hollywood movie than the reality of life in 1914-18.

Kudos to the people producing these figures because there's a real demand for 1/32 figures to dress dioramas. These show us what can be done.



Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

Not wishing to "Rain on anyone's parade", but can I refer you to the photographs of the crew of Rumpler C.IV 6758/16 as shown on pages 23 and 24 of the WNW Rumpler -Early Instruction Book. This can be downloaded for free from the WNW site.

This is my current build, and the gentleman standing in the observer's cockpit, may be of some interest-particularly his moustache!

As for the MDC figures; I have several and I think they are very well sculpted ,add some character(s) , and enhance the WNW kits.

Warmest,

Dave in Dubai

Offline pepperman42

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2013, 07:59:55 AM »
Do all the sample figures have a wash on them? I think that may be causing some of the "aging" I see some Hornet heads involved to depict the clean shaven guys.

Steve

Offline WillScarlet

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #10 on: June 11, 2013, 10:06:01 AM »
   Maybe it's because they are unpainted, or the highlights and shadows in all the folds and creases, but these guys just look really cold like stationed in Alaska or something. I know,  it WAS cold up there in open cockpits. Not a criticism, just an observation about these sculptures that I don't see in other figures of this timeline.  A testament to their authenticity.  If we don't like the mustaches ............. shave 'em.  :P

Offline Dave W

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #11 on: June 11, 2013, 12:15:43 PM »
With regard to Rowan's post above, my remarks about the faces and the large mustaches were more classed as 'feedback' rather than a critiquing. I am commenting on looks purely based around the photos shown. Rowan is fortunate in being able to assess the figures based on actually having some of them and having examined the range for real.

As for my references being deficient with respect to WW1 airmen and moustaches I will agree to disagree with Rowan. My references are quite adequate. That said, it was the effect I was commenting on. Based on the figures in the photos the moustaches look exaggerated. Just an observation, that's all.

As for shaving off the moustaches- easier said than done. It would be a task for non-figure modellers to easily create a new mouth where the moe once sat. :)

As I said, the quality of the sculpting is world class and the poses are animated and imaginative and those behind this venture deserve kudos. However if they are going to reap free publicity by having their products shown on Forums such as this one, they should be resilient enough to weather some observations from potential customers.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia
Owner and Administrator of ww1aircraftmodels.com and forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com

Offline Jamo

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #12 on: June 11, 2013, 03:19:02 PM »
I'm with you Dave. I like the figures but I think the moustaches are overdone. Poses are great! What about some naval guys for the HB W29?
Happy Modelling
James Fahey

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Offline Repainted

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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #13 on: June 12, 2013, 06:21:00 AM »
I'm with you Dave. I like the figures but I think the moustaches are overdone. Poses are great! What about some naval guys for the HB W29?
Fixing the moustashes is an easy task with an hobby knife and emery paper. These figures is very interesting do they incorporate with the models/machines and I going to order some of them later this summer. I do not like the way they are painted up for display do, plain flat white had be better in my world or just resin grey..But that's just me.
LarsaQ


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Re: New Wings Cockpit figures WW1
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2013, 06:24:32 AM »
Pretty cool stuff.  I ready to add some to the collection.  Do the letters "LSK" have some significance, or are they just part of the item description?

Hats off to those who listen and cater to our every desire!!!

Rick