Separate heads and some separate arms. Look pretty fantastic to me!
Miniatures News
W^D - New WW1 Germans
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Seen on the Landships forum - not sure if I can get images to display here:
Separate heads and some separate arms. Look pretty fantastic to me!
Separate heads and some separate arms. Look pretty fantastic to me!
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PDA
- Posts: 283
- Member since:
26 Nov 2010, 00:56
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Sorry to say so, but I'm completely underwhelmed by this new masters.
W^D Models have proven that they're able to produce some very good figures in the past.
I'm still very happy with their useful WWI British and French sets, but it seems that they've changed to another sculptor lately. I would've loved to buy some British cavalry as well, but their masters suffer from the same comic-like & grotesque appearance like this Germans here.
Arms like Gibbons & Chimpanzees, unnatural long giraffe-necks, too large weapons, mammoth hands, the Stahlhelm M1916 looks indeed disproportionate ... .
http://i.imagebanana.com/img/r3r3djaz/K ... PrinzK.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... Marsch.jpg
I might try the ones wearing the Feldmütze, but not sure yet.
A disappointing trend, better sculpting provided I would've bought several sets adding welcomed reinforcements to a favourite conflict.
It's even more frustrating since they showed that they can do so much better in the past.
W^D Models have proven that they're able to produce some very good figures in the past.
I'm still very happy with their useful WWI British and French sets, but it seems that they've changed to another sculptor lately. I would've loved to buy some British cavalry as well, but their masters suffer from the same comic-like & grotesque appearance like this Germans here.
Arms like Gibbons & Chimpanzees, unnatural long giraffe-necks, too large weapons, mammoth hands, the Stahlhelm M1916 looks indeed disproportionate ... .
http://i.imagebanana.com/img/r3r3djaz/K ... PrinzK.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... Marsch.jpg
I might try the ones wearing the Feldmütze, but not sure yet.
A disappointing trend, better sculpting provided I would've bought several sets adding welcomed reinforcements to a favourite conflict.
It's even more frustrating since they showed that they can do so much better in the past.
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Erich von Manstein
- Posts: 1105
- Member since:
03 Jan 2009, 21:31
Erich von Manstein wrote:Sorry to say so, but I'm completely underwhelmed by this new masters.
W^D Models have proven that they're able to produce some very good figures in the past.
I'm still very happy with their useful WWI British and French sets, but it seems that they've changed to another sculptor lately. I would've loved to buy some British cavalry as well, but their masters suffer from the same comic-like & grotesque appearance like this Germans here.
Arms like Gibbons & Chimpanzees, unnatural long giraffe-necks, too large weapons, mammoth hands, the Stahlhelm M1916 looks indeed disproportionate ... .
http://i.imagebanana.com/img/r3r3djaz/K ... PrinzK.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... Marsch.jpg
I might try the ones wearing the Feldmütze, but not sure yet.
A disappointing trend, better sculpting provided I would've bought several sets adding welcomed reinforcements to a favourite conflict.
It's even more frustrating since they showed that they can do so much better in the past.
I like the animal comparisons. 99% of this 1/72nd scale figure business is about getting the proportions right be it a helmet or a left arm. The stahlhelm is difficult and those visor lugs are not just anywhere and serve a function and are not that big. The boots & puttees are quite good though the soles are more like my DMs. The hands on one or two are like a bunches of bananas. The heads with caps /feldmütze are fine and the sculpting of the faces is generally very good. Poses and proportions are the two issues for me.
David
- David O'Brien
- Posts: 628
- Member since:
27 May 2008, 19:53
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In response to the above, I am adding this photo of the W^D pioneers set which I have had an early set of. I took the photo from a lower angle and I think it is more representative of the proportions.
Looking at the photo willers posted, it strikes me that there is a fair degree of comic value and an element of the grotesque about the appearance of those men, or am I wrong? The Stahlheim on those photos looks like somebody wearing their grandmothers coal scuttle!
Mike
Looking at the photo willers posted, it strikes me that there is a fair degree of comic value and an element of the grotesque about the appearance of those men, or am I wrong? The Stahlheim on those photos looks like somebody wearing their grandmothers coal scuttle!
Mike
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mike mccabe
- Posts: 28
- Member since:
22 Apr 2012, 15:22
I don't think we can talk about "The stahlhelm". There were many different types of stahlhelm made; Germany experimented a lot, and also supplied Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire, consequently there were many types of stahlhelm. The ones in willers' photos, I note, have no brim so are definitely a special type.
As I understand it, because of the incredible variety, W^D Models provided contemporary photos to the sculptor, for him to copy (and I'm no forensic detective, but it looks like the same sculptor they always use). Perhaps that also explains any monkey arms (although, personally, the proportions look realistic to me). The heads are separate on almost every W^D Models figure I have (I think I have one figure who came with his head attached). You can cut the neck as short or as long as you like. If you don't cut them, just use them the size they come out of the mould, they look long. But I think Mike's photo says it better than any words ever could - the figures are 8 heads tall, the hands come to mid-thigh, etc. the proportions look spot-on to me.
Personally, I like these and I'm really pleased to see something new for WW1 that I can use in a diorama; figures in casual or non-fighting poses; something different from the standing firing, kneeling firing, etc etc.
As I understand it, because of the incredible variety, W^D Models provided contemporary photos to the sculptor, for him to copy (and I'm no forensic detective, but it looks like the same sculptor they always use). Perhaps that also explains any monkey arms (although, personally, the proportions look realistic to me). The heads are separate on almost every W^D Models figure I have (I think I have one figure who came with his head attached). You can cut the neck as short or as long as you like. If you don't cut them, just use them the size they come out of the mould, they look long. But I think Mike's photo says it better than any words ever could - the figures are 8 heads tall, the hands come to mid-thigh, etc. the proportions look spot-on to me.
Personally, I like these and I'm really pleased to see something new for WW1 that I can use in a diorama; figures in casual or non-fighting poses; something different from the standing firing, kneeling firing, etc etc.
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PDA
- Posts: 283
- Member since:
26 Nov 2010, 00:56
The first pic Thomas Willers posted is imho not really a reference for German WW1 helmets, (as long as a Diorama is not about the Freikorps after the war) but the second one is!
The odd appearance on the first photo shows Freikorps soldiers with a special version of the M1918 helmet made for vehicle crews. It has a modified front to provide more comfort while using the vehicles sights.
These soldiers are crewmembers of an armored car used in the street fights of 1919.
I personally have to look at those figs in reality. For me they look OK. Some of the weapons are a bit oversized...but OK.
The odd appearance on the first photo shows Freikorps soldiers with a special version of the M1918 helmet made for vehicle crews. It has a modified front to provide more comfort while using the vehicles sights.
These soldiers are crewmembers of an armored car used in the street fights of 1919.
I personally have to look at those figs in reality. For me they look OK. Some of the weapons are a bit oversized...but OK.
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T. Dürrschmidt
- Posts: 2238
- Member since:
01 Oct 2008, 18:33
Specially designed brimless helmets for armored car crews? Interesting. Thanks for the info Thomas.
I think the W^D helmets look pretty good, honestly. Some slight exaggeration of angle and detail is justified when sculpting in this scale, I believe. I would rather the helmet ridges stick out like the real thing as opposed to being flush to the side of the head as on many examples from major manufacturers.
I think the W^D helmets look pretty good, honestly. Some slight exaggeration of angle and detail is justified when sculpting in this scale, I believe. I would rather the helmet ridges stick out like the real thing as opposed to being flush to the side of the head as on many examples from major manufacturers.
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Bluefalchion
- Posts: 3575
- Member since:
23 Dec 2010, 07:57
The pioneers look good though the one extreme right doesn't interact with his shovel well.
The one with the wheelbarrow has no load so fine -with a load you lean more into the barrow.
Nice to get figures that are not standard "shooters"
I prefer W^D figures when they do the more off beat poses.
Ben Bob writes
These remind me of the WeeFriends and Under Fire sets.
The multi part and long necks ( to be trimmed) are very much like Wee Friends. Under Fire usually have a separate weapon arm to glue on but couldn't be described as multi part. The Under Fire Helmand British 11 - a folded Vallom in a back pack - exquisite.
Finally, sometimes the clay masters look better when cast. In the end quality gets my cash. More than happy with my recent Under Fire, Vepa and AB figures deliveries.
David
The one with the wheelbarrow has no load so fine -with a load you lean more into the barrow.
Nice to get figures that are not standard "shooters"
I prefer W^D figures when they do the more off beat poses.
Ben Bob writes
These remind me of the WeeFriends and Under Fire sets.
The multi part and long necks ( to be trimmed) are very much like Wee Friends. Under Fire usually have a separate weapon arm to glue on but couldn't be described as multi part. The Under Fire Helmand British 11 - a folded Vallom in a back pack - exquisite.
Finally, sometimes the clay masters look better when cast. In the end quality gets my cash. More than happy with my recent Under Fire, Vepa and AB figures deliveries.
David
- David O'Brien
- Posts: 628
- Member since:
27 May 2008, 19:53
12 posts
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