Tamiya 35061 - 1:35 German Panzer Grenadiers Set

Plastic model figures: German Panzer Grenadiers in 1:35 scale

Tamiya 35061 is a set of eight panzer grenadier figures — infantry created to fight alongside tanks, carried in armoured personnel carriers and going into action wherever the vehicles alone could not cope. It is a natural companion for a model of the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track or for a 1:35 tank scene.

The figures wear 1936 pattern uniforms, jackboots and helmets without covers, and the armament comprises two MP40 submachine guns intended for the NCOs and six Kar98k rifles. Arms, helmets and equipment come as separate parts, which is convenient for painting and allows the figures to be varied a little. The tooling dates from 1975.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with the parts for eight panzer grenadier figures
• Weapons: 2 MP40 submachine guns (NCOs) and 6 Kar98k rifles
• Separate parts for arms, helmets and equipment
• 1936 pattern uniforms, jackboots, helmets without covers
• Stickers for the helmets
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Catalogue number: 35061
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Series: Military Miniature Series
• Number of figures: 8
• Tooling: 1975
• Skill level: beginner

Note: The kit does not include cement, paints or modelling tools. The figures are supplied for self-assembly and painting.

Assembly and painting:

Separate arms, helmets and equipment are a real convenience: a figure can be painted in sub-assemblies and glued together afterwards, when the face and the inside of the helmet are far easier to reach. With eight figures it pays to work in batches, first cleaning all the parts of gate marks and mould parting lines.

Figure painting is a skill of its own, and this set is practically made for practising it. The base is the grey-green cloth of the field uniform (feldgrau), complemented by the black and brown of leather boots, belts and pouches and by the steel of the helmets. A wash brings out the folds of the cloth, while dry-brushing highlights raised areas. The instructions provide Tamiya paint codes.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling side cutters for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes, including fine ones for faces and details
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• A wash to emphasise uniform folds and equipment
• Optional: pigments for dust and mud effects

About the soldiers – Panzergrenadiers:

Panzer grenadiers were mechanised infantry, created to keep up with the tanks and protect them where armour alone was vulnerable — in towns, in woods, against a well dug-in enemy. The name Panzergrenadier was officially introduced in 1942, but the concept had accompanied the German armoured force from the start of the war.

The most recognisable vehicle of the branch was the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track armoured personnel carrier, which carried a squad together with its weapons. In practice, however, only some panzer grenadier battalions had such carriers — the rest moved by truck and fought on foot beside the tanks.

The squad's armament rested on Kar98k bolt-action rifles and a machine gun, while NCOs carried MP40 submachine guns for heavy firepower at close range — exactly the distribution of weapons reproduced in this set.

Historical background:

• Formation: German panzer grenadiers (Panzergrenadiere), Second World War
• Weapons represented in the kit: 2 MP40 submachine guns (NCOs), 6 Kar98k rifles
• Uniforms: 1936 pattern, jackboots, helmets without covers
• MP40 — 9 mm submachine gun with a 32-round magazine
• Kar98k — 7.92 mm bolt-action rifle with a five-round magazine
• Typical vehicle of the branch: the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track armoured personnel carrier

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, regarded as the centre of the Japanese model industry. The business began in the timber trade, moved on to wooden models in the late 1940s and released its first plastic model kit in 1960. In 1968 it launched the 1:35 Military Miniature Series, to which this figure set also belongs. The brand is known for precise injection moulds and excellent parts fit, which makes its kits a popular choice for beginners and experienced modellers alike. Tamiya figures are valued for their natural poses and clearly rendered uniforms, weapons and equipment. Besides plastic kits the company offers a full range of modelling accessories: paints, cements, tools and brushes. Today Tamiya is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable brands in the hobby.