WWI Air Crew Figures

Alley Cat, 1/48 & 1/32 scales

Reviewed by Rob Baumgartner

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Alley Cat continues their popular series on World War I airmen with another three releases in resin.
As usual, the castings are first rate with no air bubbles present on any of my examples.

The various features found on these items are all beautifully rendered. The masters are the work of Jim Raynor and one can only hope that he continues to offer the variety of subjects that he does.

AC321F - 1/32 scale WWI RFC Pilot (pictured at top of page)

We have seen this figure before from Alley Cat when it was issued as AC481F in 1/48 scale. Now it is more impressive as this larger scale allows even finer detail to be appreciated by the viewer.

It represents an RFC pilot wearing a fur lined Sidcot suit. The over-boots are of thigh length and are made of sheepskin. The helmet is also fur lined and the gloves are of the type that has three fingers.

The animation is excellent with a very relaxed pose and good proportions.

AC484F - 1/48 scale WWI RFC Observer/Gunner

Harrods of London supplied a lot of clothing to RFC airmen. This figure is no exception as he wears their Fug over-boots and massive “grizzly” coat. This latter item was often made from animals with thick long fur with examples coming from bears or alpacas.

He wears the RFC Mk.I helmet and a pair of three fingered mittens.

Once again the attention to detail is praiseworthy with a very realistic rendition of the clothing.

AC485F - 1/48 scale WWI German Pilot / Officer

The double breasted tunic was a standard piece of clothing for an officer and was also liked by flying personnel. He carries a leather jacket over his shoulder and wears the usual cap associated with his status. Thick socks cover his breaches and leather ankle boots complete his appearance.

The sleeves on the jacket look a bit “stuck-on” so some blending with your favourite putty wouldn’t go astray. There is also some merit in tweaking the position of the right arm to give the airman a more natural appearance.

“Early War” modellers are always on the lookout for figures to supplement their period of interest.
With more and more of these appearing on the market each year, the enthusiast doesn’t have very far to look.

These latest items from Alley Cat add extra variety. The detail is both sharp and accurate with the resin proving very easy to work with. Naturally there is the inevitable casting block and flash but here there’s a bit more to clean up than usual. Fortunately it’s nothing a little bit of patience won’t fix.

This is another worthy trio to add to your collection.

Thanks to A2Zee Models for the review sample

Alley Cat and FAA Models' accessories are available from A2Zee Models  website

or from their Ebay store http://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/a2zee-models

Review Text Copyright © 2008 by Rob Baumgartner
Images Copyright © 2008 by Alley Cat
Page Created 28 October, 2008
Last updated 28 October, 2008

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