Plastic Invasion Publications

Scale It!

Black Panzer Uniform / Sd. Kfz. 222

This is the third issue of a new line of modeling magazines from Plastic Invasion, based in the Czech Republic. The launch of this magazine was largely due to the success that Plastic Invasion had in publishing their book “Scale Modelling WW2 German Camouflage Uniforms” (favorably reviewed by AMPS). The previous two issues of Scale It! were interesting publications, and also favorably reviewed by AMPS.

This issue #03 of Scale It! addresses the painting of a WW2 German Black panzer crew uniforms, and also examines the Sd. Kfz. 222 armored car. This issue includes a historical look at the Sd. Kfz. 222, an in-detail style look at the vehicle, painting guidelines on painting the black panzer uniforms, construction and painting of figures and the Sd. Kfz. 222, and then finally using these items in a diorama.

Vital Statistics

Format - softcover, portrait format

Page Count -  124 high gloss pages

Size - 8.25” x 11.5”

Photos - some historic Black & White, full color re-enactor, equipment and techniques photos.

Tables / drawings / diagrams - none

All text and photograph captions are in English.

What's between the Covers?

Trxt

The opening chapter examines the development and doctrine of German use of armored cars in WWII. As you’d expect, the Sd. Kfz 222 is featured very highly in this examination. Good period photographs accompany well written text.

The volume then moves to a well done photographic examination of the Sd. Kfz 222 itself, in a series of well composed and lit photographs of the vehicle from just about every angle. Many smaller components of the vehicle are shown in up-close detail views.

This photo examination of the 222 does not neglect the interior of the vehicle, with some genuinely nice images provided of the crew compartment, again with some good in-detail photographs also provided. The quality of the photographs in this chapter is of a uniformly high standard.

Next, there is a short segment of a few pages showing reenactors in uniform doing various tasks around their vehicle. The photos are well taken, and this short segment may assist with visualization of the uniforms as worn in the field. An example of these reenactment photographs can be seen on the volume’s cover, seen up at the beginning of this review.

The next 30+ pages address the painting of the two 1/35 scale figures featured in this volume, including detailed tutorials on face painting, fabric and leather uniform parts, and the jerry can carried by one of the figures. Techniques and paints used are all quite well described.

Above - the photography in the volume, particularly in the how-to chapters is very well done.

The volume’s final chapter addresses the building and painting of the Hobby Boss #82442 kit of the Sd. Kfz. 222, and then the construction of the diorama that incorporates the figures and vehicle.

Above - very crisp and clear images accompany the descriptive text. The photos are bright and clear.

Some improvements and modifications to the base kit are made, and well covered in this chapter. Paint and finishing techniques are well described, and are well photographed. Various finishing techniques discussed / shown include highlighting panzer gray with an airbrush, decal application, oil paint dot filtering, general washes, and detail washes. Pigments were then applied, and followed with an airbrush applied misting of a dusty color to lower surfaces of the model. All of these techniques are well explained and shown.

Above - a photography spread showing the completed Sd.Kfz. 222. A very nice job!

The final dozen or so pages of the issue examine the diorama construction, including the groundwork, fabrication of the brick wall using a foam material, and then the end composition of the diorama using the models previously built and painted in this issue.

Conclusions

The issues that I’ve examined in this series have all been well presented, and as with this issue, focus on more than just what’s in the title. In this issue, while the title leads with Black Panzer uniforms, there is actually as much or more coverage on the Sd. Kfz 222. These issues of Scale It! are a bit misleading, there’s much more in them than what you might expect from looking at the title.

The text is descriptive and well written, with the build / paint and finishing sections being very complete in particular.

The photography in this issue is first rate all the way, with bright and crisp images. It is quite easy to see easily what the text is describing. The walk around type images of the vehicle are great and well suitable for reference use.

All things considered, I believe this issue of Scale It! to be a very solid value!

Highly Recommended! 

Thanks to David Doyle Books for the review copy

Reviewed by Chuck Aleshire, AMPS Chicagoland

AMPS 2nd Vice President, Midwest Region 

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