1:12 Hand Granade / Case and Hafthohlladung 3

What the set contains

A set of small accessories for figures and dioramas from the Second World War. According to the name it is made up of hand grenades with a carrying crate and the German Hafthohlladung adhesive shaped charge. These are accessories that are fitted to finished figures or placed around a scene; this is not a vehicle kit.

The real subject

The Hafthohlladung was a German anti-armor charge that an infantryman attached by magnets directly to the armor of a vehicle and set off with a friction igniter fuse. In shape it recalls a funnel set on a short handle, and among accessories it is one of the instantly recognizable pieces. Hand grenades were carried and stored in crates, which work in a scene just as well as the grenades themselves, whether open by a trench or stacked on the bed of a vehicle.

Building and painting tips

• Clean and degrease the parts first, or the paint will not hold on them.
• Cut off any excess material with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the remainder down carefully.
• On parts that are not polystyrene use super glue; liquid cement for plastic does not hold on them.
• Paint them away from the scene and only then fit them; small parts are hard to reach later.
• Let the metal settle into the whole with a dark wash in the recesses and light highlighting of the edges.

Who the set is for

For builders of figures and dioramas who put a scene together out of details. It is exactly such small things that make a scene believable: a crate standing at a figure's feet or a charge hung from a belt tells a story better than the best-painted uniform. In large scales these accessories are clearly visible, so it is worth painting them carefully and not sparing the time it takes to seat them.

The package holds the accessories listed. Paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.