1:35 German Pontoon Set

German pontoon set 1:35, Dragon 6135 kit

An injection-molded plastic kit in 1:35 scale intended for a river scene of engineer units. The package holds one hundred and twelve parts and contains a pontoon bridge, a motorized assault boat and two large inflatable boats. It is not a model of a single vehicle but a kit of the means by which a water obstacle was crossed; it therefore suits above all as the basis of a diorama.

The real subject

Crossing a river was among the most demanding tasks an engineer unit could be given. Inflatable boats carried the first wave of infantry to the far bank, motorized assault boats towed them and kept communication against the current, and the pontoons were then joined into a floating roadway over which the vehicles crossed. All of it was done under fire and as fast as possible, because an unprotected crossing was an ideal target for the defenders. It is exactly this kind of scene that gives a diorama the action a single vehicle on a base does not have.

Building and painting tips

Lay out the scene before you start gluing; the pontoon parts can be assembled in various lengths and the size of the base follows from that. It pays to make the water surface last, once the boats are finished, so that they can be seated into the medium. The wooden platforms on the pontoons stand out if you draw a thin glaze over the base color and let it run into the gaps. Leave the rubber boats matte and only hint at a sheen on the folds.

Who the model is for

• builders of dioramas with a water obstacle
• modelers interested in engineer equipment
• those who want action in the scene, not just a vehicle
• completing infantry and vehicle models in the same scale

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.