introduction

Aurora Model keeps releasing interesting figures representing women served in World War II. Owner and sculptor of the company, Kiyoshi Tsuda, carries his talent on sculpting female figures to 1940s battlefield. His figures are very good complemantary figures to add realism to World War II scenettes.

The figure ML-010 represents a female Russian Red Army member captured and employed in a German Field Communication Unit. In the boxart photo, the figure is displayed with a German radio operator from DML 6053 German Signal Troops. It seems the figure is sculpted as a replacement figure for the Russian auxiliarie carrying the Torn.Fu.d2 (Tornisterfunkgeräte.d2 - VHF AM transceiver) on this DML kit.

Please know that the German radio is not included in Aurora Model figure kit.

about the figure

Just a few weeks after the German invasion, thousands of Soviet soldiers were surrendering or deserting their posts. Because of the enormous numbers of prisoners taken, the Germans had placed them in temporary internment camps. The internment camps were unsafe since hundreds of thousands of Soviets prisoners were dying from starvation and disease. Many of the Russian captives and deserters suggested their help to Germans in subsidiary services. The Germans took this needed manpower, since casualties were amounting on the Eastern Front and this was a good possibility to send more Germans to serve in forward positions. These Russian auxiliaries serving in German Army were called as HiWi from the word Hilfswillige - Voluntary aide. At first, they served in the rear services as laborers, cooks, interpreters, hospital attendants. In time, they were also used as guards, messengers, ammunition or communication device carriers.

HiWi’s didn’t have standard uniforms. Many of them continued to wear Soviet uniforms and badges of rank and some wore mix and match Soviet and German uniform combinations. The only standardized part is the white cotton armband carried on the left sleeve of uniform. It has black lettering with an inscription of Im Dienst der Deutschen Wehrmacht which means In the service of German Army. ( Photo )

Packing

The figure comes in a 12x7 cm transparent zip-lock bag with a company label stapled on the top of the bag. Inside the bag; there are 2 small paper sheets ; one with the information about the figure in Japanese and English, the other with a painted photo of the figure that can be used as a painting guide. It is noted on the information sheet that the metal of the figures contains lead.

Figure parts are secured in another plastic bag.

Parts

Figure is sculpted by Kiyoshi Tsuda aka SOLO in 1:35 scale (47 mm for this figure) and cast in white metal. A cleanwork is needed to clean vertical seamlines and the metal excess (casting block junction) on the top of lower body part. A quick sanding and brushing process will make the figure ready to prime.

The figure is made up of 3 parts.

Upper body with right arm : Facial details and hair with a topknot are well represented. As the headgear,she has a Pilotka cap, the standard khaki color sidecap of all enlisted ranks of Soviet Army usually worn tilted to the right. The red enamelled star badge is a nice detail sculpted on the cap. She wears Gymnastiorka, khaki color cotton made shirt-tunic of the standard Soviet uniform. The high collar, front buttons, pockets and cloth folds of the tunic are well defined. The modified Y-straps to carry the Torn.Fu.d2 radio are molded on the figure. Rings and buckles of the webbing are well defined. Right arm is also cast on this part holding the strap.

Lower body : The skirt part of the gymnastiorka is molded on this part. She wears khaki color half-breeches loosy trousers named Sharovari and knee-length leather boots. Cloth folds and under-knee reinforcement patches are well defined. As the radio is quite heavy for a woman, the figure is posed to support her body putting her left hand on left knee. The left hand is molded on the knee for easier assembly and correct fit.

Left arm : HiWi armband is represented well on the left sleeve. The hole on the wrist makes a very good dry-fit to the left hand on the knee.

Conclusion

Sculpting and cast of the figure are good. There is no chance to display it as a single figure as the radio is not included in the kit. Anyway,it is a good figure to replace to the male Russian auxiliarie carrying radio on DML 6053 kit.

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