Arabs (Bedouins)
Airfix 1:76 Scale Figure Review
Airfix markets their 1:76 scale Arabs (Bedouins) as opponents of the French Foreign Legion. In reality, however, these are Arab irregulars of the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) against the Ottoman Empire. The set includes several mounted leaders, among them very likely Prince Faisal bin Hussein and his British military advisor, the archaeologist, officer, and secret agent T. E. Lawrence “of Arabia”.
Contents
- Arab Leader, mounted, gesturing (1)
- Arab, mounted (1)
- Horse, ambling (2)
- Arab Irregular Cavalryman with SMLE Mk I, mounted, gesturing (1)
- Horse, trotting (1)
- Arab Irregular Camel Rider, gesturing (1)
- Arabian Camel, standing (1)
- Arab Irregular Camel Rider with SMLE Mk I, gesturing (1)
- Arab Irregular Camel Rider with Short, Magazine, Lee–Enfield Mk I (1)
- Arabian Camel, trotting (2)
- Arab Irregular with SMLE Mk I, dismounted, charging (6)
- Arab Irregular with SMLE Mk I, kneeling, firing (4)
- Arab Irregular with SMLE Mk I, prone, firing (4)
- Arab Irregular with Short, Magazine, Lee–Enfield Mk I, crawling (2)
Evaluation
Excellent choice of subject, the Airfix Arabs (Bedouins) are suitable as Arab civilians, irregular cavalry, irregular camelry, and guerillas throughout the 20th century.
Most of the figures are armed with the British “Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield Mk I” (SMLE) service rifle, introduced in 1902, and they carry a matching Bandolier, 90 rounds (Mark I).
The bandoliers are mistakenly depicted with eleven cartridge pouches, each holding two stripper clips. In reality, there should only be nine: five on the chest and four on the back. This error can be easily corrected by removing the two superfluous cartridge pouches.
The three unarmed, gesticulating riders may be leaders of the Arab Revolt, inspired by the epic film “Lawrence of Arabia” (Columbia Pictures, 1962). This assumption is plausible, given that Airfix released its Arabs (Bedouins) in 1964, a good two years after the film, which won seven Oscars. Whether these figures actually depict Alec Guinness (Prince Faisal), Peter O‘Toole (T. E. Lawrence), Omar Sharif (Sherif Ali ibn el Kharish), or Anthony Quinn (Auda Abu Tayi) is left to the discretion of the collector, figure painter, and wargamer.
The two mounted figures, who could be Sherif Ali and Lawrence, are depicted with crossed bandoliers on their chests, which is obviously nonsense. Careful reworking with a scalpel or soldering iron will be necessary to remove the unwanted bandolier. The missing bandoliers of the crawling and prone firing Bedouins may be added with Milliput or Green Stuff.
The horses and camels are anatomically correct, and the riders sit on them nicely. The trotting camels are correctly modeled in an ambling gait, but unfortunately, two of the three horses are also ambling by mistake. Cavalry horses are generally not trained to amble, even if production managers of popular figure manufacturers might like it to be otherwise.
Historical Employment
- Arab Irregular Cavalry and Camelry of the Arab Revolt, 1916–1918
The Airfix Arabs (Bedouins), actually irregular cavalry and camelry of the Arab army of the Sharif of Mecca, Hussein ibn Ali, can certainly be used as opponents of various European colonial troops of the late 19th century, if we overlook the fact that the figures are armed with the British Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield Mk I service rifle. This is not a problem at all, since a 1:76 scale SMLE is only barely distinguishable from an older Lee-Metford (M.1888) service rifle or Carcano Model 1891 infantry rifle.