Tamiya 35382 - 1:35 German Infantry Set Late WWII

Plastic figure kit: German Infantry Set Late WWII in 1:35 scale

Tamiya 35382 depicts five German soldiers of the closing period of the Second World War, in 1943 pattern uniforms. The composition forms a coherent defensive scene: an NCO with an MP40 submachine gun and a map case signals an order, a kneeling rifleman with a G43 rifle holds a Tellermine 42 anti-tank mine (a stick grenade can be fitted instead), another soldier carries an StG 44 assault rifle and a grenadier in a Zeltbahn shelter cape readies a Panzerfaust. The fifth figure is a rifleman with a G43, also wearing a cape.

The kit is based on tooling from 2023 and offers a number of assembly options: standard helmets, helmets with covers and a field cap. The decal sheet provides rank insignia.

What is in the box:

• Plastic parts for five figures
• Weapons: MP40 submachine gun, G43 self-loading rifles, StG 44 assault rifle, Panzerfaust
• Tellermine 42 anti-tank mine and an optional stick grenade
• Zeltbahn shelter capes
• Map case
• Standard helmets, helmets with covers and a field cap
• Decal sheet with rank insignia
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Product number: 35382
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Series: Military Miniature Series
• Number of figures: 5
• Tooling: new tooling from 2023
• Skill level: beginner

Please note: This kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The figures are supplied for self-assembly and painting.

Assembly and painting:

The new tooling gives very good fit and subtle seam lines, so preparing the figures for painting takes little time. It is worth deciding in advance which headgear to use and whether the kneeling rifleman holds the mine or the stick grenade — the two options call for a different hand position, which makes dry-fitting particularly useful here.

The 1943 pattern uniforms are painted in field grey (for example Tamiya XF-65 Field Grey). The Zeltbahn capes are the most rewarding element of the set: they carried a distinctive camouflage pattern of sharp, angular patches of green and brown. A fine brush and a layered approach, from the lighter base to the darker patches, works best. Rank decals are best applied over a gloss coat, which prevents silvering, with a matt varnish to finish. The instructions give Tamiya paint codes.

Tools you will need:

• Sprue cutters
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (for example Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Fine modelling tweezers for small parts and decals
• Brushes in various sizes, including fine ones for faces and camouflage patterns
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for the decals and matt varnish for the final finish
• A wash to bring out uniform folds and the capes

About the soldiers – German infantry at the end of the war:

In the final months of the war the German infantryman carried weapons of very mixed pedigree. The G43 self-loading rifle, partly inspired by the Soviet SVT-40, was at last an answer to the American Garand: it fired without working a bolt, from a ten-round magazine, although it never fully replaced the old Kar98k. The StG 44 assault rifle, firing an intermediate cartridge, pointed towards the future of small arms.

The Panzerfaust changed the relationship between infantry and armour. A cheap, single-use launcher with a shaped-charge warhead allowed a lone soldier to destroy a tank from a few dozen metres — of enormous importance in urban and defensive fighting. The anti-tank arsenal was completed by mines, among them the plate-shaped Tellermine 42, buried in roads and approaches.

The Zeltbahn shelter cape was one of the most versatile pieces of German equipment: it served as a rain cape, a groundsheet and, when several were buttoned together, as a tent. Printed with a camouflage pattern, it became a recognisable attribute of the German soldier and an interesting painting challenge for the modeller.

Historical background:

• Formation: German infantry, late Second World War (1944–1945)
• Weapons: G43 self-loading rifle, StG 44 assault rifle, MP40 submachine gun, Panzerfaust
• Anti-tank means: Panzerfaust, Tellermine 42 plate mine
• Uniforms and equipment: 1943 pattern field uniforms, Zeltbahn shelter capes, helmets with covers
• Use of the kit: defensive combat dioramas and a complement to 1:35 German vehicle models

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, a city regarded as the centre of the Japanese model industry. The business initially traded in timber and produced wooden models from the late 1940s, releasing its first plastic model kit in 1960. In 1968 it launched the 1:35 Military Miniature Series, which grew to hundreds of items and established the standard scale for military modelling. The brand is known for precise injection moulds and very good parts fit, which is why its kits are chosen by beginners and experienced modellers alike. Tamiya figures are valued for their natural poses and clearly rendered uniforms and equipment. Besides plastic kits, the company offers a full range of modelling accessories: paints, cements, tools and brushes. Tamiya is present in dozens of countries today and remains one of the most recognisable brands in the hobby.