Zvezda

German medical personnel
1941-1943

While primarily aimed at the wargaming community (witnessed by the base with oversized banner and the wargaming stats on the back of the box), these figures can vie with the best Braille Scale has to offer.
Inside the small end opening box is one sprue of fairly hard grey plastic. This contains the parts to assemble two sets of two figures, each composed of a medic and a wounded soldier.
The instructions are simple and for most experienced modelers overkill. The figures are very well molded with little flash and excellent detail overall.
While the figures might be built by snapping the parts together, glue really is needed to get a convincing fit, whatever the boxtop might claim. Even then, some filling might be needed.
I am always wary when buying plastic figures, as most manufacturers use some ungluable vinyl. While the plastic used here is softer than some styrene, it does react very well to glues like MEK. I really mean VERY well, so be careful as the plastic will soften immediately. This is good to get a convincing joint, but it might also mar the detail. Removing the seams with a sharp scalpel is no problem (for as much as removal is needed) and sanding goes smoothly as well.
Talking about joints, the way the parts are engineered will give you a joint right across some delicate detail, so care is called for when applying glue and some rescribing might be in order. (I am in the process of assembling them, so I know what I am talking about. In all, it's an agreeable process.)
The boxtop says that this set is meant for 1941-1943. The uniforms actually correspond to those produced in 1936-1941 (see article here). Therefore, there is no reason not to use the figures in an earlier setting. Moreover, German troops continued to wear older types of uniforms for a long time, so 1943 (or later) would surely be acceptable.

Review sample purchased by the author.

Zvezda kits can be purchased from

Article Last Updated: 26 October 2014