Australian Infantry
Matchbox 1:76 Scale Figure Review
Matchbox 1:76 scale Australian Infantry offers an impressive variety of excellent poses for dioramas and wargames. The figures are of the same high quality as Airfix British 8th Army, and they wear the same tropical uniform, but with Khaki Drill Trousers instead of KD Shorts, with the Australien bush hat – also called “digger hat”.
Contents
42 Figures in 19 Poses – 22 mm equal 167 cm Height
- Officer with Webley .38/200 Service Revolver, running (1)
- NCO with Thompson Machine Carbine, kneeling, signaling (2)
- NCO with Thompson MC, standing (3)
- Signaller with No.18 Wireless Set (1)
- № 1 Bren with Bren LMG, standing (3)
- № 1 Bren with Bren LMG, prone (2)
- Australian Bomber with SMLE, throwing Hand Grenade (2)
- Australian Soldier with SMLE and Bayonet, walking (3)
- Australian Soldier with SMLE and Bayonet, standing (2)
- Australian Soldier with SMLE and Bayonet, running (2)
- Australian Soldier with SMLE and Bayonet, charging (4)
- Australian Soldier with SMLE, standing, firing (4)
- Australian Soldier with SMLE, kneeling, firing (3)
- Australian Soldier with SMLE, prone, firing (3)
- Australian Soldier with SMLE, Stealth Patrol (2)
- Machine Gun Team
- Team Leader (Corporal) – not available
- № 1 Vickers Gunner (2)
- № 2 Vickers Loader – n. a.
- .303 Vickers MMG (2)
- Mortar Team
- Team Leader (Lance-Corporal with SMLE) – n. a.
- № 1 Mortar Gunner with Thompson MC – n. a.
- № 2 Mortar Loader (1)
- 3″ Mortar and Bipod (1)
- Australian Soldier, leading Mule (1)
- Mule carrying Supplies (1)
- Australian Soldier, wounded (1)
Evaluation
Excellent choice of subject. These Matchbox figures tie in perfectly with Airfix Australian Infantry and British 8th Army. The figures in all three sets wear the British Khaki Drill tropical uniform that was worn in North Africa, Southeast Asia, and Southern Europe. For jungle fighting, the Khaki Drill uniform was dyed jungle green.
The figures are wearing “aertex” tropical shirts, khaki drill trousers, puttees, ammunition boots, 1937 pattern web equipment, and the iconic Australian slouch hat. Fitted with steel helmets, these Australians may be used as British and Commonwealth infantry.
Exceptional variety of figure poses. This figure sets offers an officer, and enough non-commissioned officers, light machine gunners, and riflemen to raise an infantry platoon. The missing 2″ mortar may be recruited from Revell British Infantry.
Matchbox Australian Infantry provides five Bren light machine guns, including three standing machine gunners who are ideal for wargames.
Nine riflemen are an excellent selection of this key figure pose. The mule driver shown on the left makes a suitable platoon sergeant. Rifles and bayonets are very well done, and even the bomber has his rifle in hand.
The mortar team is incomplete, the team leader and gunner are missing. A possible solution can be seen here, the wounded soldier has been converted to a kneeling No. 1 gunner. The No. 3 behind is a former machine gunner whose Bren light machine gun has been converted into two 3″ bombs.
The mortar is a very simple and robust design, easy to set up or take apart, but it might be replaced by a more realistic model. However, the 3″ mortar belongs to the support company of the British Infantry Battalion. Indirect mortar fire is directed by a Mortar Fire Controller (MFC), a mortar NCO, who accompanies the infantry to be supported and is connected to his mortar section by radio, telephone line, or flag semaphore.
A Vickers machine gun team without a team leader and loader is worthless and unnecessary, especially since the heavy machine gun and crew can be taken from other compatible Matchbox and Airfix figure sets.
Painting Guide
The original painting instructions for Matchbox Australian Infantry recommended enamel paints which are not really suitable for soft plastic miniatures. Cf. Plastic Corrosion
- Humbrol 83 »Ochre«: Tropical Shirt, Khaki Drill Trousers
- Humbrol 71 »Oak«: ‘37 Pattern Webbing, Gaiters, Puggaree
- Humbrol 61 »Flesh«: Faces, Hands
- Humbrol 67 »Tank Grey«: Boots, Gun Metal
- Humbrol 29 »Dark Earth«: Water Bottle, Rifle Stock, Machete Scabbard
- Humbrol 64 »Light Grey«: Bayonet
The painting guide is incomplete, it refers only to the Khaki Drill Uniform worn in the desert. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, Australian troops were issued Jungle Green uniforms and transferred to the Pacific Theater of Operations. The Australian bush hat was made of khaki-coloured felt. In 1944, reddish brown Jungle Boots were issued.
Historical Employment
- Australian Infantry, 1941–1945
Possible Conversion
- British and Commonwealth Infantry in Steel Helmets, 1941–1945
- British and Commonwealth Infantry in KD tropical Dress re-dyed Jungle Green, 1942–1945
Matchbox Australian Infantry offers many valuable poses to supplement the British 8th Army, Airfix Gurkhas and Australian Infantry. This set is a must-have for collectors and wargamers.