1:48 copy of Tank Man 'Tienanmen 1989'

A figure after the scene in Beijing 1989, 1:48 scale

The figure in 1:48 scale is based on footage from June 1989 in which a lone man stood in the path of a column of tanks on a Beijing avenue by Tiananmen Square. The designation Tank Man took hold for this figure and his identity has never been reliably confirmed.

The real subject

The picture is among the best-known photographs of the twentieth century and went around the world within a few days. That is exactly why it became a subject for modelers as well: the scene is intelligible at a glance and needs no caption. A man in ordinary civilian clothes stands against a machine, and that is where its whole effect lies. Unlike most figures, this one does not rely on a uniform or on equipment, so the carriage of the body and cleanly executed painting are what decide the result.

Building and painting tips

• Wash and degrease the figure before painting, so that the paint holds even on smooth surfaces.
• Cut the surplus material away with a sharp blade a little from the part and sand the rest down.
• Paint the civilian clothing with restraint; two or three muted colors look more convincing than a varied combination.
• 1:48 scale is small, so use a thin brush for the face and hands and apply the glazes in layers.
• If you want to complete the scene with hardware, check that the model of the vehicle is in the same scale.

Who it is for

For modelers who build figure scenes with a story, and for collectors of historical subjects. The scope of the box and the number of parts are stated by the manufacturer.

Paints and glue are not supplied, unless stated otherwise.