MB 3570 “Fraeulein, what are you doing today? Was formerly named “Hat das Fräulein heute schon etwas vor? – I kind of
like the original name first - It includes 6 figures of the German servicemen
that could be combined in different arrangements. One of these figures being a
lady service-”woman” hence the title and the poses of the figures in the kit.
These figures can be included in the lovely MasterBox Tourenwagen kit complete with
all figures or just a few – Let’s have a look at them in our review…
MasterBox kit: MB 3570
“Fraeulein, what are you doing today? German military men, WW II era”.
Kit No: 3570
Kit type: Injection Moulded (1 sprue in tan)
Scale: 1/35
No. of Figures: 6
Available from: MasterBox Stockists Worldwide
MasterBox from
the Ukraine have become a regular on the 1/35th scene in figures –
they are improving it seems all the time. Just recently they have been a leader
in the resurgence of new “softskin” military vehicles such as the Mercedes 170V
Tourenwagen and several other derivatives of this vehicle, with more to come.
Next step it would seem is to populate them with figures – well one step ahead MasterBox
are already on it – they supply us this month with an interesting set to review
“Hat das Fräulein heute schon etwas vor? Or “Fraeulein, what are you doing
today?”
These six figures come on
one sprue in tan. The boxart is as always well illustrated with a sinister
looking SS Officer asking the lady passenger in the car what she is doing.
Truth be told though as we will see here that you can split these soldiers up
to make a few different combinations, but more on this later – first we will examine
the kit.
The one sprue comes in a
box with cover art on the front and “instructions” on the back – basically the
numbers of kit parts are not on the sprues so you will need to refer to the kit
box to assist you at certain points in assembly. The good thing is here the
sprues are divided into six neat sections that each of your figures resides in.
Easy to locate and good if you are not using all of the figures, some thought
has gone into sprue layout here.
The colours (in Vallejo
acrylics) are laid out with a photo of each of the completed figures on the rear
of the box. These photos give you a few a head’s up to the final layout of the
kit and make you think of different ways to layout your vehicle.
The tan plastic which is
usually supplied with MasterBox kits is again in evidence here. No sink marks
of deficiencies are present, and the figures- while they do have seams from the
injection moulding process are easily cleaned up and are pretty standard with
injection moulded figures. A little clean-up will solve this easily.
We will go through the
figures one by one here now. Starting with the SS officer leaning against the
car.
This SS officer is leaning
against the vehicle (more like leering in the artwork) with crossed legs and
this right hand leaning on top of his left whilst looking in to the vehicle. He
is moulded in eight pieces, notably he has a knight’s cross on his chest and a
leather strap around his shoulder coming from his belt.
Attached to his belt is the
separate pistol holster. The details on his torso are well defined with details
able to be picked out by most modellers quite well. His face looks realistic
and details on his cap are well represented. He is wearing a nice looking
uniform topped off with high jack boots.
The “miss” in the title is
depicted sitting in the car with her “purse” and in typical “Helferinnen”
uniform. This is the second time MasterBox has mas a female Axillary as they
did in their set 3557 “Luftwaffe Helferinnen” in their women at war series – it’s
good to have a different figure in this set.
Her head is moulded with
her side cap on but her long hair at the back as separate. I suppose you could depict her hair short, or
tied up in a bun if you wanted which is nice. Her facial figures are fine and
well suited to the body which is slimmer and to scale of the men.
Blonde, Brunette or
red-head??
On her torso a double
breasted jacket is well decorated with buttons and pockets clearly moulded
while a little leg may be showing (under stockings of course) with her legs
which are partially covered by the regulation length knee high skirt.
The two passengers in the
back are next. Firstly the officer leaning to the left of the vehicle. This
soldier you can use as fill in if the female auxiliary isn’t there – he is
sitting there with his right hand leaning on his brief case which is supplied on
the sprue.
This staff officer has a
chest full of medals on his torso, you can clearly see his knight’s cross and
infantry assault badge on his pockets and eagle emblem on the right upper above
his pockets. His sideboards are also well detailed and you can pick out his “pips”
if you want to.
He is wearing a full
uniform with Jackboots and a detachable pistol holder as well.
This officer sitting in the
right rear side of the rear seat – well he looks no more sinister than the SS
officer! His facial features are well detailed here with slightly angular
features and pointy nose – I am glad all of MasterBox’s faces don't look the
same anymore!
Creepy looking dude isn’t
he?
Again there is good detail
to be picked out in his torso – with his (almost obligatory) Iron Cross and
infantry assault badge on his left breast with pockets and eagle clearly
moulded on his chest as well.
He sits with his legs
crossed and is looking towards his fellow passenger in the rear and/ or the
person leaning on the car if you choose – this figure (leaning in) is not
needed though as this officer’s body language captures both of them.
The front passenger on the
right of the vehicle is dressed as a regular soldier and wears a typical M43
style cap on his head. This was the common headgear of soldiers after 1943 who
were not currently serving in the front line. He is looking out of the vehicle
to the right hand side (it looks to me like he is purposely looking away)
This soldier is dressed in
the normal field grey uniform with a double –holed belt and jus the simple
eagle adorning his torso (no medals for this soldier) his blouse sits neatly
over his belt in this sculpt/ moulding. This soldier wears long sleeves and
pants with dress jack boots over the leggings. He has as well the option of a
pistol in a holster on his belt as separate.
The Driver – the last
soldier in this group - Again dressed plainly in a regular field uniform this
time the soldier is fitted out with a side cap which was the other standard
headgear of non-combat troops during the war. His facial features are pretty
neutral as he is looking forward and to the left – I don't know what his left
hand is doing though. Maybe this would be better on the wheel?
He carries no pistol
holster and no equipment and a plain torso devoid of the usual uniform with no
medals or trinkets which is totally realistic for a driver you would think –
they can’t all be heroes can they!?
The smart thing about this
figure set is the options you are given – you can have five in this diorama or
just three – with the driver and his two rear passengers – having the leering
type of body language on the rear right passenger and the SS officer leaning
over the side gives you both options. It is handy as well to have the second officer
as an option in the rear left - Very well thought out.
I think this is a well-executed
set with the welcome introduction of a female it brings a lot of interest to
this diorama set – most dioramas portraying a scene behind the action – so this set will be
well received.
Nice points of interest as
well are the “flat bottoms” of the figures who will sit much more realistically
when in the vehicle. The options of mixing and matching these make this a
really good little kit to me.
Great work from the guys at MasterBox – More like
this kit is a good idea...
Adam Norenberg
Below are some pictures from their site giving you better an idea on the different ways you can display your figures in your car.
And the unpainted kit assembled and unpainted showing more seating options...
These figures is available this month in all places MasterBox distribute their kits.
