German Reserve Infantry, 1914–1916

Airfix 1:76 Scale Figure Review

German Reserve Infantry in Pickelhaube, 1914–1916, 1:76 Miniatures Airfix 01726, HaT 7001.

A platoon of World War One German Reserve Infanterie based for Crossfire Rules. The figures are sculpted with camouflage covers over their Pickelhaube helmets. A red regimental number may be painted on the Pickelhaube cover, green after 1914. A simple conversion would be to remove the spike of the Pickelhaube as was common practise among frontline troops. The Airfix figures are actually Reserve Infanterie, Landwehr or Landsturm militia wearing the obsolete 1889–pattern cartride pouches and a modified M.1910 uniform with rolled cuffs. German line infantry wore the M.1910 uniform with Brandenburg, Swedish or Saxon cuffs, and the 1909-pattern cartridge pouches.

Contents

45 Figures in 20 Poses – 24 mm equal 173 cm Height

  • Emperor Wilhelm II / Officer (2)
  • Adjutant General with Aiguillette and Binoculars
  • Machine gun commander (Gewehrführer)
  • Machine gunner № 2 with M.08 Machine Gun on Dreifuß 16
  • Machine gunner № 3 with ammunition
  • Totenkopf-Pionier with flame-thrower (2)
  • Pionier with pole-charge (2)
  • Rifleman throwing handgrenade (2)
  • Rifleman running (4)
  • Rifleman marching (4)
  • Rifleman prone, firing (4)
  • Rifleman kneeling, firing (4)
  • Rifleman standing, firing (4)
  • Rifleman crawling (2)
  • Rifleman in melee (2)
  • Rifleman in melee (2)
  • Rifleman surrendering (2)
  • Stretcher-bearer (2)
  • Casualty on stretcher
  • Fallen rifleman (2)

Evaluation

Good choice of subject, these early war German figures may be converted to represent Franco-Prussian War infantry.

Useful historic poses.

Heads with the Pickelhaube may be used to convert EMHAR and Revell German Infantry figures for the 1914–1916 period of the war.

The crawling rifleman may be converted to a casualty figure.

Most of the figures are portrayed in combat order, without packs, but showing the Y-shaped braces of the M.1939 belt supports of the Wehrmacht. The men are actually wearing a modified version of the M.1910 field-grey uniform with rolled cuffs, issued to Reserve Infanterie, Landwehr and Landsturm militiamen, and obsolete M.1889-pattern catridge pouches.

The marching rifleman does not have the typical blanket-roll around his Tornister knapsack, and his M.1910 mess tin is missing.

In the Germany army, flamethrowers were operated by two men, one of whom carried the propellant and flame oil tank while his assistant operated the Strahlrohr (flame lance). Airfix chose to have the flamethrower operated by a single man which, while technically possible, was not normally done. The Airfix model of the flame-thrower is impossible to identify, but it‘s clearly not the kleine Flammenwerfer „Kleif“ M.1912 nor the Wechselapparat „Wex“ M.1917.

Noticeable flash and mould lines need to be removed prior to painting.

The painting instructions on the HaT box are incorrect, the uniform and helmet covers should be field-grey. The M.1889-pattern ammunition pouches were made of brown leather. The front box cover shows the same figures painted medium blue, which is incorrect as well.

Compatible with EMHAR, and Revell.

Historical Employment

  • German Reserve Infantry 1914–1916
  • German Landwehr Militia 1914–1916
  • German Landsturm Militia 1914–1916

Possible Conversions

  • German Infantry of the Franco Prussian War
  • German Marines during the Boxer Rebellion
    The figures are fitted with new heads wearing a pith helmet.
  • German Reserve Infantry 1916–1918.
    The figures are fitted with new heads wearing the M.1916 steel helmet.
  • German Landwehr Militia 1916–1918.
    The figures are fitted with new heads wearing the M.1916 steel helmet.
  • German Landsturm Militia 1914–1916
    The figures are fitted with new heads wearing the Landsturm shako.
  • Bulgarian Infantry 1941
  • Hungarian Infantry 1941

Bibliography

The Airfix German Reserve Infantry, Landwehr or Landsturm wearing the early war Pickelhaube helmet and obsolete ammunition pouches are unique in this scale. The figures are nicely designed and they capture the flavour of the period.

Sample from HäT Miniatures

German Infantry, 1914–1918