Tamiya 1/35 German Assault Infantry with Winter Gear KIT NO. 35256 MSRP: $12.50 By Ray Mehlberger

It has been quite a while since Tamiya has released any new figure kits. However, it seems like they are starting to do so again and I, for one, am pleased to see them.

This new figure kit comes in an end-opening type box. It features Tamiya's time honored, white backgrounded, box art. The color painting on the box shows five German infantrymen in winter uniforms. The side panels have more color paintings of various pieces of their personal gear. The back of the box is the color guide and assembly instructions.

What's in the box?:

The kit contains one large and one small tree of light green parts, each is in their own cello bag.

The large tree holds the parts of the five figures. They are all divided into separate legs, arms, torsos, and heads. Two steel helmets, a Luger in its holster, a bayonet in its scabbard, an MG34 machine guns snail drum type ammo drum, and one oval shaped figure base are also on this tree (a total of 36 parts).

The small tree holds weapons and personal gear consisting of: two MG34 machine-guns with one extended tripod and one folded one, a spare MG34 gun barrel, two MG34 ammo cans, a couple of MG34 accessory pouches, five gas mask canisters, five rolled tarps, five canteens, five mess kits, one map case, five bread bags, five steel helmets, two MP40 machine pistol ammo pouches, two Mauser Kar98 rifles, one Luger in its holster, one P38 pistol in its holster, one MP40 machine-gun, one pair of binoculars, two bayonets in scabbards, four Kar98 ammo pouches, and fivefolded shovels of two types. (59 parts here)

The figures are all in winter greatcoats. Two of them wear white smocks over the top of the greatcoats. One figure is an officer. He has a Luger molded into his right hand and a potato masher type grenade in his left. Three of the figures have wool head and ear covers molded into them and all of them wear gloves. All the figures are in crouched poses, obviously made to look like they are advancing and being watchful for the enemy. Very nicely molded.

All the molding is crisp and well detailed. The kit will be very welcome to armor modelers who want to do an Eastern Front diorama.

Highly recommended.

I want to thank my friend Mitsu, in Japan, for trading this new kit to me.