Tamiya 35128 - 1:35 Livestock Set

Tamiya 35128 Livestock Set for 1:35 dioramas

A hen running across a farmyard, a dog at a soldier feet, a mule loaded with supplies – details like these turn a diorama from a static vehicle display into a story. The Tamiya 35128 set provides a complete group of farm animals in 1:35 scale.

The box contains a mule, an adult dog and a puppy, a sow with three piglets, hens, cockerels, chicks with eggs, geese and hares. No human figures are included, and there are no cows, horses or sheep – those can be found in the later Livestock Set II (35385), which is a natural companion to this set. The parts come from new 1984 tooling.

What is in the box:

• A mule
• An adult dog and a puppy
• A sow and 3 piglets
• 2 cockerels and 2 hens
• 3 chicks and 6 eggs
• 2 geese
• 2 hares

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Item number: 35128
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Type: diorama accessories – animal figures
• Tooling: 1984 (new tooling)

Assembly and painting required

The parts have to be removed from the sprues, cleaned up, assembled and painted. Cement, paints and modelling tools are not included in the set and must be obtained separately.

Use in a diorama:

• A farmyard where a military column has halted
• Farm buildings and a barn taken over by soldiers as quarters
• The mule as a pack animal in mountainous terrain or with a supply unit
• A dog accompanying figures – a natural way of leading the viewer eye to a chosen part of the scene
• Poultry scattered around a vehicle, contrasting with the military hardware
• Combined with Livestock Set II (35385) to add a horse, a cow and sheep

Tools you will need:

• Sprue cutters
• Hobby knife and files or sandpaper to clean up the parts
• Polystyrene cement
• Model paints and brushes for the animal figures; washes and dry-brushing work well on fur and feathers
• Precision modelling tweezers for the smallest parts such as the eggs and chicks

Animals in a battlefield setting:

Much of the fighting of the Second World War took place in farming country – among Normandy farmsteads, Italian smallholdings and villages on the Eastern Front. Livestock was part of everyday life there: soldiers were billeted in cowsheds and barns, vehicles parked in farmyards, and the war went on alongside the ordinary business of the farm.

Mules also had a purely military role. Where wheeled and tracked vehicles could not go – in the mountains of Italy, on the tracks of the Balkans, on rain-soaked trails – supplies were carried by pack animals. The mule, tougher and more sure-footed than a horse, was particularly valued and served with many armies.

For the modeller, animal figures are above all a tool for building atmosphere. A hen, a dog or a piglet adds everyday life and a sense of scale to a scene – showing that a tank has passed through, but the farm is still there.

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya is a Japanese company based in Shizuoka, active since 1946 – first as a timber business and, from the 1960s, as a manufacturer of plastic scale models. The brand built its reputation on precise tooling, good parts fit and clear instructions, which is why its kits are chosen by beginners and experienced modellers alike.

The 1:35 Military Miniature Series, to which this set belongs, covers military vehicles, figures and diorama accessories. A shared scale and consistent style make it easy to combine parts from different Tamiya sets in one scene.