This is the second set of new release Tamiya German figures I have reviewed, and I am even more amazed. My first review was the Germany Infantry Set (Late WWII). Forget any memories of the Tamiya figures of the past! To reiterate the review from a year ago, to say I am impressed would be an understatement – especially at the price for five figures in dynamic poses with great facial expressions.

Upon opening the sturdy top opening Tamiya box, you are greeted with four sprues, a well-appointed decal sheet (including shoulder and collar insignia, breast Eagle, Iron Cross Second Class, belt buckles, helmet insignia and rank), instructions, and a Tech Tips flyer. The details are well-molded and crisp. The uniforms have indentations for the gear and weapons, so they are not just hanging next to the uniform. They look more realistic, like the figure is really wearing his uniform and combat gear.

There are five German Machine Gun Team (Mid-WWII) figures, listed by Tamiya as:

• Infantry 1: Moving upright with two machine gun ammunition cans, spare machine gun barrel case and Kar 98k
• Non-Commissioned Officer (Unteroffizier): Kneeling and firing MP-40
• Infantry 2: Kneeling position shooting MG42 machine gun braced on a destroyed wall section
• Infantry 3: MG34 machine gunner firing in the prone
• Infantry 4: MG34 assistant machine gunner feeding ammunition belt in the prone

All the soldiers have gas masks, bread bags, entrenching tools (except the NCO), helmets, weapons, and mess kits. Additionally, the machine gunner and NCO have a luger holster, and binoculars for the NCO (the binoculars and a spare entrenching tool are not called out in the instructions). What helps make this set stand out is that the gear is molded into the figures and the joins are in logical places hidden by folds and creases.

I built the figures straight out of the box (the torso to combined leg parts are keyed, as are the arms to the shoulders, making assembly very easy and hard to get wrong) and primed them as displayed on the box art.The intent is to show the fit and overall appearance. As the bodies are multi-piece affairs, with separate arms, legs, head and headgear, these figures really stand out.

These figures look the part and can easily be put together with a vehicle, vignette, or diorama for any mid-World War II scene (defined by Tamiya as 1941-1942). The figures are enjoyable to build and assemble easily. There are no weapon slings included, but that is easily remedied, and the ammunition bearer (Infantry 1) has a sling molded with the Kar-98 fitting into his right back. There are two spare ammunition cans (good thing as the MG34’s rate of fire is 1,700 rounds per minute and the MG42 came in at 1,550 rounds per minute) and a MG34 sight case, but no hand grenades or options for other headgear. The decals are superb and really add to the figures.

The figure poses suggest action and not in a fantasy, unrealistic approach. The machine gunners are prone, as most want to do. The MG34 tripod is amazing and both MG crews beg for loads of spent cartridges on the ground to show the effect of the “buzzsaw”. There is a reason that over 40 countries still use the MG3, which shares a high level of parts interchangeability with the MG42.

I had a lot of fun building the new Tamiya machine gun team and look forward to upcoming new Tamiya figure releases. This is a vast improvement over their earlier German Machine Gun Troops (Infantry, Kit No. 35038 first released in 1988). With some creativity, the kits could probably be combined to swap out machine guns, MG tripod, head gear etc, but the figures are leap years ahead of the offerings of over 30 years ago. Well done, Tamiya, very well done!

Profuse thanks to Fred Medel, Tamiya America Marketing Manager, Tamiya and IPMS-USA for providing the review sample.