1:72 German Don Cossack WWII

Horsemen between two fronts

During the Second World War the Don region gave rise to one of the most contradictory formations in European history. Part of the Cossacks there, marked by the seizures of grain and the upheaval of the 1930s, went over to the German army after 1942. They served first as mounted reconnaissance and guard squadrons, and later they were gathered into large mounted formations and committed far from home, in the Balkans and in northern Italy. They kept an appearance of their own: a fur cap with a colored crown, a long coat with chest pockets for cartridges, a saber at the saddle and with it a German rifle and belt.

Mold seams and what to do about them

Every casting carries a faintly noticeable line on its sides, in the place where the two halves of the mold meet. On the horsemen it runs across the back and the belly of the horse, on the foot figures along the arms and the legs. In a small scale it tends to be inconspicuous, but as soon as the dry brush comes along, light pigment catches on it and it stands out more sharply than the real relief.

The recommended way to trim

The line is best removed by running a sharp scalpel flat along the surface and scraping the material away in thin layers. Sanding does not pay off on softer plastics, because it roughens the surface rather than smoothing it. Work away from yourself, and it pays to change the blade more often than would seem necessary; a blunt knife slips and snaps off a bayonet or a saber.

The rider and the horse

With mounted sets it pays to try seating the figure in the saddle before painting. The seat tends to be shaped to fit the back, and any extra layer makes the fit worse. Anyone who tries the position dry saves himself scraping the paint off both parts later.