WW2 28mm,50mm, 54mm and 60mm Africa Corps

Here is a very mixed selection of plastic Africa Corps figures, some of which are cheapo Chinese copies of Airfix with interesting variations. A handful of 1/35 cheapo figures had lain undercoated and unloved in a plastic drawer but, out of impulse, I got them out and painted them. Usually I concentrate on their larger cousins, the 1/32.

The figures below, except for the officer with binoculars are 1/35. The officer is a copy of Airfix and is slightly smaller than the original, making him between 1.35 and 1/32. The two middle figures I particularly like. They are scaled down copies of Airfix Africa Corps but with helmets. (By the way, although sand colour was the sensible colour for North Africa there were also some grey helmets). The figure at far right (so to speak) is a Tamiya one and shows how the soft plastic figures to his left match up in scale.

                                      The tropical uniform was called 'Reed Green' in colour and looks fairly close to olive green to me but it faded to various shades, finally to a sandy colour. A limited number of sand coloured uniforms were also apparently issued. The colours can be mixed between trousers and coats reflecting differing issue and use dates.

                 At front is a Matchbox kneeling figure. The difference in scale is less apparent here because he is in the foreground.

                                     Cheapo Chinese soft plastic and hard plastic Tamiya.

                                          At left is an Airfix figure with Matchbox to the right.

                                                               Matchbox

                       The difference in scale is more obvious here - 1/35 at left and 1/32 at right.

                                          The long and the short of it... Both are made in China copies of Airfix but the 28 mm one has a change of head. An earlier post of mine featured these figures that were a mix of Americans and Germans and painted in black uniforms.

         At far right is a 60mm Cherilea repainted. The figure came in green or dark grey plastic.