Tamiya 35086 - 1:35 US Gun & Mortar Team Set

Plastic model figures: US Gun & Mortar Team Set in 1:35 scale

Tamiya 35086 is a set of eight figures of US heavy weapons crews together with their armament. It is aimed at modellers who want to show infantry at work — on a firing position, in the characteristic poses of a crew passing ammunition, loading and adjusting fire.

Eight figures in one box provide a solid basis for a fire-support diorama or a natural addition to a scene with a vehicle or with 1:35 US infantry figures. The tooling dates from 1976 and the kit belongs to the Military Miniature Series.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with the parts for eight figures of US heavy weapons crews
• The weapons served by the figures
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Catalogue number: 35086
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Series: Military Miniature Series
• Number of figures: 8
• Tooling: 1976
• 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:

Assembling the figures is straightforward and the parts fit well. With eight figures plus weapons it is convenient to work in batches: first clean all the parts of gate marks and mould parting lines, then assemble the torsos, and paint the weapons and equipment before final assembly — once a position is put together, access to some details becomes limited.

Figure painting is a skill in its own right, but with this many figures progress comes quickly. The base is the olive drab of the US field uniform (e.g. Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab) and the steel of the M1 helmet, complemented by leather browns and canvas equipment. Varying the uniform shades slightly between figures is worth considering — in the field they rarely looked identical. 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 weapon details
• Optional: pigments for dust and mud effects

About the soldiers – US heavy weapons crews:

In the American rifle company the heavy weapons — mortars and machine guns — were concentrated in the weapons platoon. They decided whether an attack by the rifle squads had a chance of success: their fire pinned the enemy down, destroyed his positions and covered withdrawals.

Crew-served weapons required several men: a gunner, a loader and ammunition bearers carrying rounds and belts. Work at a mortar had its own rhythm — setting the baseplate and bipod, adjusting elevation, passing rounds — and it is precisely this rhythm that a firing-position diorama captures best.

American support units fought on every front: in Normandy, in the bocage, in the towns of Western Europe and on the islands of the Pacific. The figures in this set represent the soldiers of that less spectacular but essential part of the infantry.

Historical background:

• Formation: US Army infantry heavy weapons crews, Second World War
• Role: fire support for the attack and defence of rifle squads
• In the US rifle company the heavy weapons were concentrated in the weapons platoon
• Typical crew of a crew-served weapon: gunner, loader and ammunition bearers
• Use: firing-position dioramas, a complement to 1:35 US vehicle models and infantry figures

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.