Review
While Legend Productions are in the process of switching production to 3D printed releases they have not left us empty handed. Legend Productions has released their latest figure releases over a range of scales and so if you have a WW2 American tank in need of a crew Legend Productions have you covered. This five man crew is available in 1/72nd, 1/48th, 1/35th and 1/16th. The 1/35th and 1/16th offerings are also now available as 3D printed offerings.
Each set of five figures regardless of scale provides three full figures and two ¾ figures. The ¾ offerings are for the radio operator and driver and will fill those slots well despite not being complete. The three full figures have been designed to have one stood outside of the tank and the other two sat on the hatch rings. The stances of all the figures are relaxed and natural; by this I mean that they are not stiff in appearance.
The uniform is mixed in the offering with figure I believe is the commander wearing cavalry boots over trousers and wearing the jacket with the elasticated neck, waist and wrists. The other four crew figures are all wearing the M41 jacket, under the jacket we have the 1937 pattern trousers as best I can tell, but it is not easy to be 100% sure in such areas. Two of the figures are wearing gaiters that were standard issue and the other two are loose at the ankle. It is my understanding that when in the field there was no such thing as specific uniform as no one was really chasing the crews around because of how they were dressed. The shoes are lace up and were Brown not Black leather. The M37 shirt is most likely under the jacket but as usual I cannot be definite in that belief.
Now it is possible that a crew member could be wearing coveralls that were issued and it is my understanding the coveralls were popular as they were loose fitting while at the same time were unlikely to get caught on anything inside the tank. Unlike just about all other clothing in the tank the overalls would be green and so easy to identify if replicated. Tank crews usually wore tan leather gloves in the vehicle but all of these figures appear to have no gloves on. Gauntlets are possibly a more accurate term for the gloves worn.
M36 belts would be issued to tank crews and as with everything is tan in colour from this would normally be an M1924 pouch near the front on the right side and this is your First Aid pouch and so where you can get at it quickly. The officer has a chest holster for an M1911 Colt, the holster and strap will be brown leather for a figure in a WW2 setting. The spare magazine pouches that are attached to the chest holster arte not present on this figure. All of the figures are wearing the M1938 helmet to protect them against head injury in the vehicle and enabled clear communications between the crew.
Conclusion
Regardless of which scale you are looking for I like the set offered here in its various scales. I prefer the 3D figures as I feel the detail is just got the edge as crispness of detail is concerned. A staff member on here who I respect greatly prefers resin figures but I do not know the reason for that preference. These figures could be used in a mix as there is no need to use all five offerings at the same time. I can never be 100% that I have detailed all clothing accurately and I plumped for the uniform worn following D-Day as it looked the best match.