In almost a haunting reminder of what is going on in many places around the world, Stalingrad Miniatures bring us a large set of 1/35th scale figures showing refugees and civilians of WWII on the road to who knows where? We have the pictures of the figures painted and unpainted and the reference pictures which inspired and served as guides to the sculptor in today’s preview
New 1/35th scale figures from Stalingrad now available.
# 3140 European Civilians, 1939-45 Big Set 10 figures
This large set of ten figures continues to break new ground for a 35th scale military focused company. Not only do we have the refugees but maybe some counterpoints of these desperate souls in the form of one or two well-dressed civilians who seem to be either watching the people or maybe paying almost no attention to them.
Let’s have a look at these figures as they are sold separately also
# 3141 A Woman and a Boy
This woman and her little boy are seen in a touching visage, with her carrying a very large bag with umbrella packed inside. She is kneeling down with her arm reassuringly on his shoulder as she either talks or listens to the young man.
This is the sculpt put together unpainted showing some of the detail with nothing but resin and it betrays the work that has gone into the sculpting of the clothing of each of the figures and the delicate features of both of the faces, hair and noses of the two.
Here is the picture that the sculptor used as one of his references for this work. I think that this could well be either a refugee boy and a bystander or it could be his own relation.
..And the painted figure from the box art.
# 3142 Civilian Man
This man looks like he is trying to find his tram ticket. A fairly well to do gentleman that has some interesting details that betray the fact that he is a little bit better off than the refugee in this set. He has a pocket watch with a gilded chain in his jacket and his general attire with a smart three-piece suit and lovely looking briefcase mean that he could be a well to do man out and about or a displaced civilian with money hoping for better days.
Here he is unpainted with more details of his clothing so you can see the resin.
And finally with paint by the sculptor Alexander Zelenkov…
# 3143 Elderly Woman
This elderly woman is looking like she is not too pleased. She is protected from the elements with a large thick coat and scarf wrapped around her head. She has a bag full of stuff and again she could well be on the march or just on her way to the shops.
Her purse is inside her larger bag almost popping out of the top of it which is unusual, and it makes you think that she is either loaded already or on her way somewhere. The resin unpainted here shows a lot more of the detail of the figure.
One of the pictures that no doubt has influenced this sculpt is the picture of this haggard lady who is looking like she is having a pretty tough time. Notice the purse in the top of her bag just like the sculpt.
And here she is painted up...
# 3144 Civilian Man
Again we think that this fellow is a bystander – he is not even taking in the nearby refugees as he reads his paper. He may well be on the road and looking at what is happening up the front of the battle, so, either way, is fine with us after seeing this picture below where his likeness is captured on the top left-hand side.
In unpainted resin, you can see the man, looking stocky and short which is nice to see that model makers are sculpting different shaped people – just like in real life.
The painted figure again…
# 3145 Refugee Boy with Possessions
Next, we have a little boy with no less than eleven bundles, bags, and suitcases that he has been plonked down in amongst. All a family’s worldly possessions and maybe some of their friend’s stuff is in this lot – and a child in amongst them seems to convey that he as well has been left behind.
The sculptor Alexander Zelenkov has a really good eye for drama and emotion of a scene and this is what makes his figures usually so interesting. He is very good at capturing the moment, and the resin parts in this set of boy and bags could almost be a scene by itself.
The reference pictures showing what helped the sculptor along the way. Not just a little boy but whole families were left by the roadside in the aftermath of WWII
And the painted-up set of ten figures and baggage from another angle…
# 3146 Refugee Woman
Clutching her head in despair, this woman is another casualty of the war. She is seen sitting on the basket of all of her possessions in a warm coat. She would be an ideal partner to the little boy set I think – or of course, she looks quite at home in this set.
Some very touching pictures of refugees in absolute dismay at their lives in these pictures show you just how much of a risk it is for a 35th scale military sculpture company to show the real faces of the war. You have to admire alexander for his approach.
The resin assembled kit without painting so you can better see the details…
…The painted woman and her possessions.
# 3147 Refugee Woman
This woman is gathering her bags ready to set off again – or she has just gotten to her place of rest and is putting them down. She is seen in probably what is her best – and warmest – coat with a backpack and two suitcases
The suitcase looks pretty battered and from this and the coat you can see that this woman has had a hard time of it on the road so far. You can see from these excellent pictures of the woman in bare unpainted resin all assembled that the texture of the jacket and the damage on the bags and their zips, fittings and catches make this a great sculpt to paint and detail.
An uncannily similar picture that the sculptor used as a reference to make this sculpt. Notice the dead soldier in the foreground as she is departing.
And the sculpt all painted up.
# 3148 Refugee Girl
A very young girl with all of her family’s cooking utensils as well as her own in a bucket and a backpack on her back. Her pigtails and infantine face give away her slender years and her short stature with large clothes are nicely all put together in this sculpt.
This picture shows a young girl used in the reference in behind the family with everything she can carry.
And here the sculpt is painted up…
# 3149 Young Woman
Lastly what I think may be another counterpoint to this set of refugees, a woman who is well-dressed, carefully manicured and well-heeled looking on, whether she is looking on at the refugees or not is up to you, but she would be a good foil to be placed to balance out the tragedy of these poor souls in this set.
The fashion papers of the day hint at her clothing and are a good reference.
Here she is made up unpainted – not a hair out of place
– nice work from Stalingrad on not just this but all of their figures in this set.
These new 1/35th scale figures from Stalingrad are now available now, for more info or distributors you can check out Stalingrad’s website: