A new set of six Panzergrenadiere, Kharkov 1943 figures from Stalingrad

Stalingrad Miniatures has sent us a set of pictures showing off their latest release - a set of six figures depicting a German squad of six Panzergrenadiere and an AFV crewman on the eastern front during late WWII. See a little of the figures unpainted & painted, then of the pictures of the actual men that inspired them in our new item preview... 

A new set of six Panzergrenadiere, Kharkov 1943 figures from Stalingrad!

German soldiers, Kharkov 1943

# 3191

1/35th scale

A pair of light grey resin figures

Sculpted & boxart by Alexander Zelenkov

The first of the six are sold as a set of two soldiers, both in heavy winter gear that they received from late 1942 onwards and synomonous with the reversible "Kharkov Parka" 

 These two Panzergrenadiere are a machine gun team, with both the loader and the gunner. It is pretty easy to spot the gunner, he is the soldier carrying the MG 42, but the loader and ammo carrying assistant gunner is picked out as he is carrying the Laufschützer or barrel carrier along with his Kar.98 rifle for self-defence.

The "soldier's bride" the Kar.98 rifle is carried in the soldier's hand, below is the real thing is for comparison.

 When firing the MG 34 and MG 42 continuously the German soldiers were presented with a harsh and difficult task: changing the barrel. The MG 34 and MG 42 where both made with a quick-change barrel and to help in the changing of the barrel. The barrel is then placed in the Laufschützer or barrel carrier to cool down and a cool new barrel is inserted. According to regulations, the barrel had to be changed after 150 rounds fired continuously. Every MG team had one or two spare barrels in spare barrel carriers with their field equipment.

Below are some pictures that the sculptor used to make these figures - note the gear and the uniforms, especially the Kharkov parka, large MG 42's and the sheets over their uniforms to give them some semblance of winter camo.

Here these two men are in their unpainted form albeit put together. IT gives you a good idea of the work put into these two soldiers, the folds in the clothing the body language and the hands, nose, ears and boots of these soldiers that also stand out when we are looking at miniatures.

German soldiers, Kharkov 1943

# 3192

1/35th scale

A pair of light grey resin figures

Sculpted & boxart by Alexander Zelenkov

These two are also sold as a set, and like the others in this larger six-piece crew, they can make their own little diorama by themselves. 

One is seen offering a light of a cigarette to his comrade from the higher position of standing inside the half-track. In fact, this set was made to suit the height of a soldier in one of the German half-tracks Sd.Kfz 251.

You can see from these pictures below that were used in producing the sculpt the way that the body language was interpreted by the sculptor.

Here is a picture of both of these soldiers in resin put together and unpainted. Again the work that has gone into the clothing, the straps for equipment and weapons and the fur inside the hood of the parka is really well done. I like the sucking face muscles of the smoker as he dries to draw a light in the cold air of the eastern front - or any other cold battlefield of WWII.

German soldiers, Kharkov 1943

# 3193 

1/35th scale

A pair of light grey resin figures

Sculpted & boxart by Alexander Zelenkov

These last two in the set are seen looking over the side of their half-track at the scene with the panzer companie of soldiers smoking and talking int he cold, cold air of the eastern front.

Seen from the back, you can see that the crewmember of the half-track belongs to this vehicle with his overalls and thick gloves for handling equipment int he winter. The other man could well be part of the crew of the vehicle also, with his parka covering the rest of his uniform from the elements in this open-topped vehicle.

 These pictures that are in the same series as the ones above show the men in the half-track talking and conversing with the other squad members in the scene below.

Unpainted, these men's careful sculpting can be better seen, The contrast of these two very well sculpted 35th scale soldiers is seen with the thinner but still warm winter clothes of the soldier on the left and the thick parka clad soldier on the right with covered facial features. Both are very interesting looking subjects and can be put together or used separately.

Panzergrenadiere, Kharkov 1943 

(Big Set 6 figures)

# 3190

1/35th scale

Light grey resin figures

Sculpted & boxart by Alexander Zelenkov

Here are the set all painted and put together below - although there is no halftrack there, you can see from the body language and pictures above where these men can be placed in a diorama. The sale price of all six is that of a slight discount also over buying them in sets.

An example of the figures actually in situ on a Sd.Kz 215
 Half-track to show you that they do indeed fit and a better image of their body language...

These figures as the pairs or in the whole set of six and they are available right now - check these out and all of Alexander's other works at the  Stalingrad Website: