History

In WWII, German Medics were called Sanitäter, or Sani for short. In Wehrmacht, the direct medical care for wounded soldiers on the battlefield was provided by medics who were part of platoons, companies, and battalions. They could be distinguished from ordinary infantrymen by their special medical pouches, additional water flasks, patches, and armbands. They were also able to evacuate the wounded to first aid stations or collection points. Infantry companies also included non-commissioned officers of the medical service, and at the battalion level, a military doctor (Assistenz or Oberarzt) was responsible for centralized medical care. However, it was not possible to carry out serious medical operations in the battalion; this was the responsibility of the divisional medical service, which could also include sanitary convoys that were engaged in the centralized transportation of the wounded.

The Kit

There are three sprues in the box: One for the figures, one with lots of infantry gear, and a small sprue with two lengths of belt-fed ammo for the MG34 on Sprue #2. The figures include The Wounded Guy, Plasma Medic (Holding a bottle of plasma as high as he can to expedite infusion), Crouching Guy #1 (applying pressure to the bandaged left leg of Wounded Guy), and Crouching Guy #2, helping to elevate the wounded lower extremity. The heads are all separate, and the facial features are very nicely sculpted. All of the body parts, including the heads, have a heavy molding line on them. These need to be scraped/sanded away, which is not difficult as the plastic is on the softish side, but it is an annoyance. The uniform details (buttons, belts, epaulets) are a little on the soft side. All of the infantry gear on the second sprue is nicely detailed and rendered well. The infantry helmets are also nicely detailed.

Instructions

The instructions for this set are one page showing the assembled figures as drawings. Each body part is labeled with the corresponding sprue number and paint color callout. This makes for a busy sheet. The other side of the sheet has sprue diagrams.

Construction

Once all of the parts were cleaned up, assembly was quick and easy. Uniform/limb seams were filled with Vallejo Plastic Putty.

Decals

There are no decals, although I suppose there is a myriad of 1/35 Wermacht uniform badge decals out there.

Paint & Finish

The paints used were a mix of SMS, MRP, Vallejo, Ammo by Mig, and Mr. Hobby Aqueous. Airbrushing and paint brushing techniques were used. The faces were painted using techniques I watched on YouTube, and subsequently failed to succeed. The final coat was MRP Super Clear Matte airbrushed on, which, as is evident from the photos, is anything but matte. Color call-outs are for ICMs’ proprietary acrylic range, which I learned on this project is a thing.

Conclusion

I decided to ask to review this kit as it was something completely out of my wheelhouse, and I wanted a challenge. 15 years ago, or so, I did a fair amount of armor modeling, with 1/35 figures. I learned with this project that those skills are dormant at best. I did have fun with this project, which is all one can hope for. In the hands of a capable modeler, this kit set will be a stunning wartime medical vignette or part of a diorama. The sculpting of the figure's facial expressions and body language convey a definite sense of urgency, in which a wounded comrade is losing blood due to a traumatic lower extremity wound(s). Time is of the essence and expedited evacuation is needed.

References

References...LOL? The instructions color call-outs.