WW1 US Infantry
Airfix 1:76 Scale Figure Review
Airfix 1:76 scale US Infantry wearing the M1917 pattern service coat, M1912 service breeches, M1910 canvas leggings, M1910 cartridge belt, shoulder straps, and the M1911 Montana peak campaign hat, which was replaced by the M1917 overseas cap, or the M1917 steel helmet in combat.
Contents
48 Figures in 19 Poses – 22.5 mm Height equals 171 cm
- US Officer with .45 Cal. M1911 Pistol, running (2)
- Automatic Rifle Team
- Gunner with FM Chauchat Modèle 1915 light machine gun (1)
- First Carrier with French 20-round semi-circle Magazine (1)
- Second Carrier and US Rifleman with Ammunition Box (1+1)
- Grenadier with VB Rifle Grenade Cup Discharger, kneeling (2)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield and Bayonet, low port arms, running (4)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle and Bayonet, port arms, running (4)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle and Bayonet, kneeling (4)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle and Bayonet, in melee (2)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle and Bayonet, bayonetting (2)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle, standing, firing (4)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle, kneeling, firing (4)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle, prone, firing (4)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle, crawling (4)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle, falling (2)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle, advancing (2)
- US Rifleman, M1903 Springfield Rifle, seated (2)
- US Rifleman, fallen (2)
Evaluation
Excellent choice of subject, Airfix World War One US Infantry are unique in this scale.
Airfix WW1 US Infantry offers an excellent variety of poses, but they are marred by the fact that the troops are mistakenly wearing the Montana peak campaign hat in combat, instead of the M1917 steel helmet. The error may be fixed by swapping heads with Airfix British Infantry. Spare Montana peak campaign hats can be used to convert British 8th Army figures to New Zealanders.
The French “Fusil Mitrailleur Modele 1915 C.S.R.G.” light machine gun is mounted on a strangely elongated bipod, which we could find no photographic evidence for. One way to fix this is to cut the bipod back and place the standing machine gunner inside a trench. The FM Chauchat Modèle 1915 may be used to arm WW1 French Infantry which Airfix did not supply with a light machine gun.
Most of these US infantrymen carry minimal equipment. Only four of the 19 poses are equipped with a canteen. While eleven riflemen have a bayonet and scabbard, the kneeling, firing figure carries his bayonet on the wrong hip. Not a single soldier has a gas mask bag. The standing, firing soldier carries a full pack, but again without canteen or gas mask bag.
Excess plastic and noticeable mould lines need to be removed prior to painting.
Airfix sculpted the M1917 pattern service coat without the side pockets, and the M1910 cartridge belt is worn so low on the hip that it conveniently hides this mistake.
Compatible with EMHAR, and Revell.
Historical Employment
- US Infantry, Pancho Villa Expedition, 1916–1917
Possible Conversions
- US Infantry wearing M1917 Steel Helmet, 1917–1918
Bibliography
- Mollo, John: Uniforms of World-War I, plates 179–187
Airfix US Infantry of World War One offers an excellent number of poses, but the figures need to be fitted with steel helmets if they are to be used in wargames recreating the trench fighting of the Great War.
Sample from HäT Industrie