Indian Brigade
Atlantic 1:72 Scale Figure Review
The Atlantic Indian Brigade figures in our inventory have largely been modified to add missing poses and increase overall variety, as is generally recommended for infantry operating in skirmish order. The spare parts for these conversions came from miniatures of the British 8th Army (Airfix 01709, ESCI P-207, Matchbox 5005, and Revell 02512).
The 4th (Indian) Infantry Division, also known as the “Red Eagle Division” because of its divisional insignia, formed the vanguard of the British Indian Army overseas during the Second World War. Established in Egypt in 1939, the infantry division consisted of the 5th, 7th, and 11th (Indian) Infantry Brigades. It served in the campaigns in East Africa (Eritrea and Sudan), Syria, North Africa, and Italy. The officers of the British Indian units were predominantly British, the enlisted men Indian, although there were also Indian officers up to the rank of captain or major.
Contents
Figures in 10 Poses – 24 mm equal 173 cm Height
- Muslim Soldiers wearing a Pagri with pointed Kullah
- Muslim Soldiers wearing a Pagri with fan-shaped Turra
- Officer with Scimitar, advancing
- NCO with Sten Mk.II Submachine Gun, standing, firing
- Machine Gunner No. 1 with .303-inch Vickers Machine Gun
- Muslim Soldiers wearing a Pagri with loose Shamla
- Officer with Service Revolver and Scimitar, standing, firing
- NCO with Sten Mk.II Submachine Gun and Khukuri
- Private with Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield № 1 Mk. III, standing, firing
- Private with Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield № 1 Mk. III, kneeling, firing
Evaluation
Excellent choice of subject, Atlantic‘s Indian Infantry, released in 1977, was unique in this scale for almost 40 years, until Strelets released their Indian Infantry (M119) in 2016.
The various turbans identify their wearers as Muslim soldiers of different ethnicities. While they did serve in mixed regiments, they were then assigned to so-called Class Companies, which consisted exclusively of soldiers from one ethnicity, caste, or religion. Sikhs, Hindus, and Gurkhas are missing. Apart from the Sikhs, all these soldiers would have worn the British Brodie steel helmet Mk.1 in combat anyway, which is why the numerous turbans in this set are actually unnecessary.
Atlantic‘s Indian soldiers, from officers to privates, wear the Khaki Drill (KD) or Jungle Green (JG) Aertex Shirt in a completely unmilitary manner, untucked. This is unacceptable! Atlantic appears to have mistakenly applied the style of the British Khaki Drill Uniform or Khaki Drill Bush Jacket to the Aertex shirt. This error can be corrected by fitting the figures with Khaki Drill Shorts scrounged from British 8th Army figure sets.
Atlantic has armed its Indian infantry with oversized firearms, which may be easier to produce, but are not compatible with 1:72 scale. The Sten submachine gun is an unbelievable 318 mm longer than the original, the SMLE rifle 163 mm too long, and the revolver has a 28 mm thick barrel like a spade handle. Compared to the scale weapons of Airfix‘s 8th Army, everything here looks quite heroic. The exaggeration goes so far that revolvers don't even fit into their holsters.
Two of the three officers mistakenly wear the holster for the service revolver on their right hip. Their remaining equipment is the 1937 Pattern Web Equipment for riflemen, not officers. Correcting this would require such extensive work that the three officer poses are, at best, suitable only as parts suppliers for conversions.
Furthermore, it is doubtful that Indian subaltern officers actually carried their ceremonial Talwar in the field, at least not with the frequency celebrated here by Atlantic.
The Atlantic Vickers .303 machine gun, little more than a caricature of the original, but at least recognizable as a machine gun, would certainly fit perfectly into the era of the Wild West or the Mexican Revolution. Light machine guns, light and medium mortars are missing, but these can be sourced from many other figure sets.
Historical Employment
- n.a.
Possible Conversions
- Sikhs with Turbans of British-Indian Infantry (ESCI P-232)
- Gurkhas with Slouch Hats of Australian Infantry (Airfix 01750, Matchbox 5008)
- Indian Infantry with Brodie Steel Helmets
Despite its obvious shortcomings, Atlantic Indian Infantry offers a few interesting poses that certainly deserve to be painted. In addition, the set includes turbans and other useful parts suitable for a variety of conversions.