'70s-'90s softskins with crew figures - asking for recommendations (and a rant)

[FriendlyNeighbourhoodNerd]

Hi everyone!

This is gonna be a bit of a long post/rambling, so strap in - TL;DR at the bottom for those who don't want to read this wall of text.

Lately I've been itching to start a project depicting some sort of Cold War or modern (Gulf War/Chechnya is the most recent I'd like to go preferrably, just because I like the look of military gear around that time, maybe early War on Terror too) subject, preferrably as part of a small force for wargames (but not 100% necessarily).

Now, there's a lot of subjects I'd be interested in.
US or Soviet/Russian troops (possibly both, to fight each other?),
Sometime between the mid '70s and late '90s (Soviets in SSh-68 helmets, '73 or Afghanka uniforms, and possibly ballistic vests, for the latter end of this period. US troops in either M1s or PASGT helmets and ALICE webbing),
And as for scale, preferrably 1:72/20mm or 28mm, but I wouldn't be opposed to doing 15mm too.

Now, there's figure lines for basically all of the options I've described above. Empress (28), Eureka (15/28), Elhiem (20), Battlefront (15), Peter Pig (15), Underfire (28), Wartime (20), a bunch of 1/72 plastics (Caesar or Preiser Americans, Orion Russians), the list goes on. However, the issue is vehicles, and particularly vehicle crew, something I almost have to use when modelling softskins.

Tanks and APCs are cool, of course, I like them just as much as the next guy, but what I'm really interested in is trucks, jeeps, that sort of stuff - so, softskins.
Unfortunately for me, tanks and APCs are much more popular - in 1/35, you might find most softskins unless it's something really obscure, and a lot of the time you'll even be able to choose between a couple kits, in 1/72 you might not be so lucky, but don't even think about 1/48 to use with 28mm figures. For Soviet subjects, you tend to have fewer choices. More often than not, it's Russian companies making these kits, and especially with the war now, you can't find them anywhere really.

Now, even if you find vehicles (which I'll get to in a bit) you can't find vehicle crew at all!
Out of these figure lines mentioned, Elhiem makes seated Americans, as well as a couple fairly generic military driver figures, Peter Pig (bless them) make seated figures for every range they make, I'm pretty sure, and there's a couple of 1/72 resin figure sets (a few of them have disappeared/been discontinued) containing seated troops - Mig Productions makes one for Russians and one for Americans, although they don't have any figures driving!
But that's it! Finding one seated figure is possible, finding one driver figure is possible - finding a whole squad, sitting down, ready to be put on the back of a truck? Not happening. One set of Americans in a truck by Preiser only exists in 1/87 (for now) and a set of Russians for a truck by Alex Miniatures - but it's a Russian company so I'm out of luck.

At this point it's worth noting that tank crews tend to be far more widely available - probably has to do with the aforementioned popularity of tanks and APCs over softskins.

As for the availability of vehicles, here are some softskins I've taken an interest to (these are just some I've looked into scale model-wise, for some I haven't bothered checking if they exist in 15 or 28mm scale):

• UAZ-469/Hunter: available in 15mm (Peter Pig) and 1/72 (MAC Productions), no 28mm seems to be available.
• GAZ-69: only in 1/72, resin, by Gran (Russian company, currently unavailable, but was also ridiculously expensive), haven't found it in any other scales.
• Ural-375, Ural-4320, ZIL-131: available in 1/72 (ICM, all seem a bit fiddly for wargaming and aren't the easiest of builds, from what I've heard).
• GAZ-66: 1/72 by ACE, really detailed, seems complicated, probably overkill for wargaming (for me at least).

• M151(A1/A2): in 28mm by Eureka, in 1/72 by S-Model.
• M35: in 1/72 by Academy, seems to be a nice little kit
• M37: Pricey resin kit by Armada in 1/72.
• M39, M809 or M939: seems that there are some variants available as really pricey resin kits in 1/72 by Armada Hobby? Otherwise, forget about it.
• Humvee: Both the Revell and the Dragon kit in 1/72 seem to be out of stock everywhere/out of productions. There's a model of the M1114 (not strictly accurate for the period I'd like but meh whatever) by T-Model, who also offer a gunner and a driver but again it seems rather complex, even contains photo-etch parts.
• M880, M890, CUCV, LSSV: There used to be a resin kit of the M1008 and M1009 by PJ Productions in 1/72, but the man behind this small business has retired, and there's two pricey kits of these by Miniman, in 1/48. Other than that, nothing (except an expensive resin kit of the M880, in 1/72 by Armada).

Really my main problem is the figures. I'd like to have at the very least a driver and one other figure; I do understand a whole section of guys seated on benches on the back of a truck is probably a lot to ask for.

So, that's the whole rant. Any suggestions for models, miniature ranges and such are very, very welcome!

Thank you in advance

P.S. For some of these vehicles, I've looked into getting diecasts, taking them apart and repainting them: the GAZ-69, UAZ-469 and the Dodge/CUCV pickup trucks.
So far, I've found either 1/64 or 1/43 offerings, while I'm trying to figure out exactly which civilian models the US military pickups are based on, and then find diecasts of those.
I'm planning on using 1/64 vehicles with 1/72 figures, which I've found doesn't look too silly with based figures (unless you have a 1/72 version of the vehicle next to the 1/64 one), and I'll have to check whether I like how 1/43 with 28mm figures.

TL;DR Looking for mid '70s-late '90s Americans or Soviets, really struggling with finding softskins and especially figures to put in/on them in particular. Any pointers and suggestions are much appreciated!

[carlos marighela]

OK. As 28mm is my area of interest I'll tell you what I know about availbility in this scale.

Empress produce some Cold War British and Soviet VDV vehicle crews. With a bit of conversion work both can be adapted to fit other armies. S&S also produce 28mm gun crew for their 105mm Light gun a couple of which are in seated poses. They do both Brits in Berets and Yanks in PASGT (Fritz) hemets.

Both Empress and Rubicon make suitable Soviet tank crew. Empress make US AFV crew, Rubicon have additional crew for Vietnam era types among their vehicles. Rubicon often provide double the crew figures you need so there are usually spares. Eureka produce Rhodesian armoured car crew  which will double as any beret wearing crew figures/

HLBSC still exist. Despite having sold their vehicle line to Empress, they still produce 1/48 scale vehicle crew for Brits, Soviets and US Army as well as separate heads.

The rest I convert. Plastics are good for this and Eureka do 28mm 'NATO office workers' which are essentially two part seated figures.

Vehicles. I've seen a GAz-69 in 1/56 in resin. There's also a 1/43 Diecast if you don't mind big.

Apart from the Technopark diecast UAZ-469 there's a resin version from BobMac that a number of printing services have the printing rights to. This chap does one and I will vouch not only for the print quality but also the cust0mer service. Same deal for the GAZ-66.

https://patrickminiatures.de/collections/vehicles-all-items

He also has an Etsy store and there's often sales on via that site.

Both Ural 4320 and Zil-131s are available as diecasts from Technopark, they are roughly 1/55.

Eureka does a superb M151A2 as you have discovered but the earlier M151A1 version is available from Empress, Gringo 40s and Rubicon and Sloppy Jalopy. Rubicon even produce the M151A1C version with the 106mm RCL.

M35s. There are resin ones out there as well as the M54 five ton variant. BobMac does them for one and Rubicon are doing an M54 in plastic. There's also the Solido 1/50 M34 diecast if you aren't fussy about exact types. Mine see service as proxy M35s. They tend to be fairly cheap.

M37: BobMac resin but if you are artful with plasticard, the Solido Dodge Weapons carrier makes a good proxy. I converted one for my Vietnam collection.

CUCVs are problematic. You can search 1/43 for Dodge W200s and see what you get. I just used generic pickup trucks from Empress for mine.

Sadly, the Tamiya 1/48 Humvee is OOP but Maisto did a 1/48 Diecast and there's always the TAG versions in 1/56 (these are early not Iraq era armoured versions so good for the 1980s/90s)

I have Soviets, Brits, East Germans, Panmanian Defence Forces and both early and late '80s/'90s US forces, all i 28mm. It's more of a hunt finding what you want and obviously more expensive than 1/72 or smaller but most of what you want is available, including helicopters and the toys are much nicer IMO.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

If you want a UAZ-469 in 28mm, Crooked Dice do one.

You do have to look for their "Alien Jeep".
https://crooked-dice.co.uk/product/alien-invader-jeep/
If I remember correctly I think it might be a Rich H sculpt.
It might be a bit bigger than you expect.

Empress HMMWV.
For Carlos

Crew are another thing though.
I am looking at the Empress Jeep crew with head swaps or VDV19 Soviet para crew for the LUAZ967.

More comparisons here :https://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.com/2021/11/crooked-dice-uaz-486-aka-alien-jeep.html
[Edit] And yes, the post title is wrong, not sure why I have only just noticed it.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

I did try the Empress "Modern British Crew" figures (designed to rescale the Airfix Jackel) in the Empress Jeep.


Again the separate heads allow quick change of allegiance if not high accuracy.
https://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.com/2018/04/empress-modern-british-vehicle-crew-and.html
I might issue some Hotchkiss M201s to British Armoured units for Twilight 2000 using the Empress Jeep and the Cold War BAOR Land Rover crew.
This will supplement the Land Rovers

[carlos marighela]

The problem with the CD Alien Jeep is that it's a 2 door vehicle whereas the UAZ-469 is a 4 door vehicle. That said it looks close enough.

[FriendlyNeighbourhoodNerd]

Thanks a lot Carlos and Ultravanillasmurf, I'll take a look at the stuff you've mentioned. The Empress BAOR and VDV crews look perfect already.

I do agree that 28mm is a great scale – the toys are indeed cool too, allthough so pricey!

The CD Jeep looks... kinda cute! It's a bummer that it's not fully accurate, but I suppose I could try and modify it?

By the way, it's almost as if Hotchkiss knew modellers and wargamers would want to depict a Willys MB in modern colours

[Ultravanillasmurf]

By the way, it's almost as if Hotchkiss knew modellers and wargamers would want to depict a Willys MB in modern colours

There are examples of Hotchkiss M201s in the Tankograd publication Panzerschlacht in Süddeutschland - Kecker Spatz 87
https://www.tankograd.com/cms/website.php?id=/en/Panzerschlacht-in-Sueddeutschland-Kecker-Spatz-87.htm#
One set is in the fourth block of images for the publication.

[carlos marighela]

Hotchkiss M201s in Berlin in the 1980s, with added bangy bits.

[cuprum]

I can offer Russian UAZ Hunter in 1:50 scale (only police special forces paint option left). And, if needed, the last medical minibus "Gazelle" in 1:50 scale is left. This is a line of Russian diecast car models, now, unfortunately, apparently discontinued. You can pay by PayPal, the parcel arrives to Europe within two to four weeks (depending on luck).



http://siberia-miniatures.ru/index.php?cPath=41_39_52_53

If you are interested, I can look for the remnants of models from this series somewhere in the warehouses of toy companies. There were a UAZ 452 "Bukhanka" minibus (1/50), "Ural" trucks (1/56), GAZ-13 "Chaika" (1/50), KrAZ-255B - Soviet and Ukrainian military truck (1/56), UAZ Patriot (UAZ-3163) (1/50), ZIL-130 (1/56), ZIL-131 (1/56). There are no guarantees, but perhaps some of them can still be purchased.

[carlos marighela]

Speaking of Soviet era softskins and some rarities like over-snow vehicles, artillery tractors etc there's a Russian company called AVD which makes a wide range of kits in 1/43. The kits are multi-media, mostly screw together white metal chassis and bodies but with rubber tires etc. They even do a few AFVs.

There are distributors in Europe. One example:

https://miniaturmodelle.net/en/1:43/russian-cars/trucks

Some of those Technopark Ural trucks are showing up on Amazon but at hugely inflated prices over what I spent with Cuprum.

[cuprum]

Yes, the prices have increased significantly. Apparently the reason is that these models are no longer in production.

[CapnJim]

Miniature Building Authority dos several versions of the GAZ66 and the Ural 4320 in 1/56.  They also do a CUCV (Blazer version) in 1/56.  The CUCVs I have experience with were both Chevrolets and Dodges.  Both had the pickup version and Chevy provided one based on the Blazer.   

[carlos marighela]

Miniature Building Authority dos several versions of the GAZ66 and the Ural 4320 in 1/56.  They also do a CUCV (Blazer version) in 1/56.  The CUCVs I have experience with were both Chevrolets and Dodges.  Both had the pickup version and Chevy provided one based on the Blazer.

Thanks for the heads up Jim! Those are perfect. USAF Police may get a new ride and the US Army may get a MERDC CUCV.

The Empress chaps can go back to being OPFOR vehicles.

Interesting to see just how many people have licensed those Bob Mack prints, loads of his stuff there.

[FriendlyNeighbourhoodNerd]

Thanks CapnJim these look real nice.

Truly, these prints are everywhere! My only gripe with these is the windows are "filled in" but... beggars can't be choosers. And I guess you save on a driver figure 
And their UAZ-469 is only available with the canvas on, unfortunately.

[Cypher226]

Butler#s Printed Models do a range of vehicles including some you've listed, like the UAZ jeep, in a number of formats (with/without canvas etc) - they also offer the prints in resin these days which are vastly superior to the older FDM offerings.  Modern-miniatures have a Ural 4320 coming with/without canvas back. 

Crews are, like you say, the big missing item - though modern-miniatures has started work on some (he's recently done a DAGOR SF vehicle with full crew and passengers).  These might be adaptable for other ultramodern vehicles.  I believe Dan at Desk-ops has a licence for the Modern Minis stuff.