New this month from Polish figure maker Mantis miniatures are these modern Iraqi conflict figure and animal sets – Coalition troops from Iraq (and a man in a backpack) and some reptiles are on the loose in this preview where we show you the figures and some of the inspiration and background behind them…
Mantis
miniatures – 35044: U.S. Marine (Fallujah, Iraq 2004)
Sculpted
by Dima Shevzov and in this case painted by the excellent by Man-Jin Kim - this
figure was inspired by the picture of a marine in the 2004 Fallujah battle
field in Iraq.
This shot
is of a U.S. Marine of the 1st Division carries a mascot for good luck in his
backpack as his unit pushed further into the western part of Fallujah, Iraq,
Sunday, Nov. 14, 2004.
Incidentally
this photograph – the inspiration partially for this figure - is one in a
portfolio of twenty taken by eleven different Associated Press photographers
throughout 2004 in Iraq. The Associated Press won a Pulitzer Prize in breaking
news photography for the series of pictures of bloody combat in Iraq.
This second
inspiration – the stance of the soldier holding his SAW was this picture - released
by the U.S. Marine Corps, and made available Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005, an
antitank assault man, stands ready to advance with the Marines of Company I,
3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team - 2 during Steel
Curtain operation, in Qaim, Iraq, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005.
The
soldier is in full battledress and carries a steel butted M249 SAW light
machine gun, desert boots and standard helmet with visor protector.
-
35045: New Iraqi Army
Sculpted
by Dima Shevzov / Painted by Man-Jin Kim
The new Iraqi
army face many difficulties – retribution and retaliatory attacks – and especially
at this time reprisals from the opposition forces meant many troops had their
facial features covered – this soldier does in this shot which was part of the
inspiration for this figure.
The
inspiration for this shot is the New
Iraqi Army soldier armed with the obligatory AK-47 holding up his hand talking to
a civilian at a checkpoint in Iraq
-
35046: Checkpoint
Sculpted
by Dima Shevzov / Painted by Man-Jin Kim
Both of
these figures have been mated very well into this set called “Checkpoint” by
Mantis - you could imagine them placed
inside a roadblock diorama with the American Marine and his Iraqi counterpart doing
vehicle checks and stop and searches.
-
35047: Animals Set - 12
Sculpted
by P.Szymczyk / Painted by A.Miniszewski
Well with an arid climate Mantis haven’t left you without accessories have they? These animals from the reptile world in 1/35 - some large monitor lizards, geckos, a cobra killing a mongoose and even a chameleon will add a fine finishing touch to your modern war scene. Even I suppose a good addition to any south East Asia diorama as well.
