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What the title says really, I'm looking for some more 28mm scale pilot models to add to my collection. Not really with any real project in mind, don't have any proper Imperial flyers anyway aside from a lone Thunderbolt, though with Aeronautica Imperialis looming on the horizon it may be fun to have a pilot for every plane in the future squadron whenever the game drops. Maybe even future minigame fodder where a downed pilot is hunted down by enemy forces?

Anyway, so far I've got the two pilots from the Bombshell Miniatures range, Betty and Tillie:



And this years Adepticon exclusive from Victoria Miniatures:



I'm more or less looking for models in the same style, which seems to mostly be WWII / not overly sci-fi in style, preferably also a dude or two. Bonus pretzel if the model happens to be in the same style as a certain holy grail mini of mine:

A KS limited edition but you might be able to track down a 32mm scale Tara Kurkova from Infamy Miniatures KS if she's not too SF



or Dimension Hop Tesla (another KS limited edition from Infamy, although you can still pick up a 54mm version from their webstore)



and I should be able to remember a couple more but the might show up in my brain later

Do they have to be humies?

Is the FW Imperial pilot rare then - must put my spare one on ebay!

There is that 3rd Ed boxset marine vs tyranids pilot:


Also the female pilots from Artel W:
https://artelw.com/#w--ul-id-570-2/28mm-scale-miniatures/c/27134181/offset=16&sort=normal--w

Valkyrie gunner body makes a great and easy conversion if you're up for it.

Reaper has a pilot in their Bones range. I think DUST Tactics may have had some pilots who were not sitting. I can check if I still have some of their pilots--even the sitting ones can potentially be converted.

Artel W Miniatures has these 2...

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
Do they have to be humies?

Spoiler:

I may have to pick up that one and the other pilot they got for whenever my brother plans on doing his own squadron.

 Mr Morden wrote:
Is the FW Imperial pilot rare then - must put my spare one on ebay!

I've seen it go for good money every time, well beyond my "single model" budget.

 Big Mac wrote:
There is that 3rd Ed boxset marine vs tyranids pilot:

Spoiler:

I've got a Lt. Varras somewhere, though his crashed shuttle has seen a lot more use over the years.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Reaper has a pilot in their Bones range. I think DUST Tactics may have had some pilots who were not sitting. I can check if I still have some of their pilots--even the sitting ones can potentially be converted.

I'll give the Reaper site a try, but a hard pass on Dust, not a fan of the company.

 Smokestack wrote:
Artel W Miniatures has these 2...

I've considered them, but they don't really fit in style-wise with the pilots I already have. Doesn't mean I still want them though at a later date, one day I'll have me a little Eisenhorn retinue.

Do they need to be specifically 40k style? Infinity has a selection of T.A.G. (i.e. dreadnought) pilots:

https://store.corvusbelli.com/search?q=pilot

 AndrewGPaul wrote:
Do they need to be specifically 40k style? Infinity has a selection of T.A.G. (i.e. dreadnought) pilots:

https://store.corvusbelli.com/search?q=pilot

I have a couple of their T.A.G. pilots, though I've wound up using them as tank commanders.

1/48th Pilot models are common enough.





Though you're maybe looking more models which are both in line with "Heroic Scale" (or at least as chunky as Forge World) and come already done up with the obligatory random sci-fi tubing, and other tat. Otherwise a set of plastic WWII pilots just need some extra bits added and they'd do for 40K.

Bandai did 1/48th Snow Speeder pilots which you may find on Ebay. They came with a kit, so could be a bit difficult to source. ...Otherwise buying the whole Snow Speeder may be your thing. ...Or not.

Modern pilot models may have more of the flight suit + cabling look you may be going for. The chunkier 28mm pewter pilot models available from Warlord tend to be wearing bulkier clothing. If its more Plug Suits you're looking for then Corvus Belli's Infinity range will have something which could be adapted - though the majority may be a bit too heavily armoured as opposed to just wearing the suit.

Edit: and damn the Ebay prices for the Forge World Imperial Pilot can be silly (hardly compared to the Tau Air Caste Pilots ...for all that they're two sculpts just reposed a few times). Especially given how often its recast. I remember seeing recasts going for a few Pounds they were that common.

 Wyrmalla wrote:
1/48th Pilot models are common enough.

I may give the Hasegawa set a try, as some of the models I got right now aren't as overly heroically scaled as the regular stuff from GW. Though I have seen people use 1:48 scale models alongside the regular hobby stuff and the differences in size and whatnot is jarring.

On the bright side, these kits usually aren't that overly expensive, so I'll keep them in mind when there's a hobby budget next month.

And I have that downed pilot from Warlord Games, waaaaaay back when they first did plastic Germans you could get one for free with each boxed set. He's indeed dumpy and chunky, I think even shorter than the Victoria Miniatures pilot, who herself is already a chibi compared to other models.

When it comes to vehicles scales matter. However model companies then find it difficult to actually fit their human models inside of their accurately scaled tanks properly, so those can be all over the place. Properly sized 1/48th scale models stand as tall as a Primaris marine.1/56th would be close to a 28mm Guardsmen. In a perfect world that is. Tamiya's 1/48ths come out closer to 1/56th... Which leads us into the silliness of using 1/56th scale figures with 1/48th scale vehicles. Your bloody models look like children besides those tanks! (seethes internally)

If it comes to it you could cut the top part of the 1/48th figure off and stick it onto a similar model with stubbier legs. That would suit the 40K look.

 Wyrmalla wrote:
When it comes to vehicles scales matter. However model companies then find it difficult to actually fit their human models inside of their accurately scaled tanks properly, so those can be all over the place. Properly sized 1/48th scale models stand as tall as a Primaris marine.1/56th would be close to a 28mm Guardsmen. In a perfect world that is. Tamiya's 1/48ths come out closer to 1/56th... Which leads us into the silliness of using 1/56th scale figures with 1/48th scale vehicles. Your bloody models look like children besides those tanks! (seethes internally)

If it comes to it you could cut the top part of the 1/48th figure off and stick it onto a similar model with stubbier legs. That would suit the 40K look.

You can also get the opposite problem with the Warlord scale Bolt Action soliders towering over the vehicles or looking like they can pick up jeeps like large toys! Having been to plenty of tank museums - the reality is very different

I think Warlord's vehicles scale fine to be honest. The vehicles are fine, its the infantry which are the issue. Height wise most historical 28mm matches the 1/56th vehicles (barring a few which are closer to 1/60th, like the Perry range), however there's an expectation that people are larger than they are, which makes the other proportions off. Not as bad as Games Workshop mind, however many 28mm figures are far too wide - which leads to them seeming large compared to the same scale of vehicle. Leading to people buying 1/48th scale vehicles - as by width 1/48th and thick 28mm models are similar - so when look at from above they appear to be the same scale. However when viewed from the front you'd think the soldiers are 4 foot tall besides their vehicles (there's an expectation as well that vehicles are larger than they are. Which they aren't. Even a German Tiger I's front glacis are hardly over a man's waist. Or a German Sd.Kfz 251 half track is the size of a transit van. That's without looking at all the exceptionally cramped and low profile Soviet stuff).

Which is why I avoid the thicker 28mm models where possible. Otherwise there are 32mm historical companies out there for those who prefer the 1/48th vehicles (like CP Models). 1/48th vehicles paired with 28mm just looks silly to me. ...Which is a problem with 40K with all of its out of proportion things (guns, vehicles, basic human anatomy...), but its so universal with Games Workshop products, yet completely unrelated to what I collect now, that it can be ignored (except when people start using Anvil Industry Regiments models besides their 1/50th scale Empress Miniatures vehicles. Yuck).

Woo, scale debates.

Updated with a new query: Are there any good Ork pilot models out there? Or failing that, any companies out there that sell good orky pilot bits?

I've kitbashed together two flyboys from spare Nobs and the heads of a Dakkajet kit, but there's gotta be more stuff out there. I need at least three more pilots for Aeronautica Imperialis.

there is a official FW ork pilot on foot, he's usually around 60+ on ebay, the ork plane kit comes with a few pilot heads and bodies that you can kitbash into what you are looking for.

The Forge World miniature can be seen here, on a 40mm base:

http://www.coolminiornot.com/202902

(not my model)

 BrookM wrote:
Updated with a new query: Are there any good Ork pilot models out there? Or failing that, any companies out there that sell good orky pilot bits?

Kromlech has several really cool ones. They have an Ork Pilot, an Ork Jet Fighter Pilot, an Ork Flying Ace, and Da Green Baron, as well as ork crew standing and seated. Great company, great sculpts, really good castings, and great customer service.

I've never ordered from Da-Green-One (Waz Wyatt on the youtubes) but he's just come out with an ork pilot also:

https://www.da-green-one.com/product-page/barron-von-dakka-nob

I think Ian "Waz" Wyatt used to sculpt models for Da Green One, but I believe their business relationship is severed (not 100% sure on that).

The Ork pilot from Da Green One looks amateurish IMO compared to the Kromlech ones (which is odd, because Da Green One's vehicle sculpts are pretty darn good). The proportions and detail look off and much less crisp.

I may need to get one of Kromlech's models, should make for a great Smartboy Navigator.



Their pilot torsos aren't half bad either! All I need now is some ork legs in shorts and we can make us an Uzgob.

That other model is a bit.. crude, I want to say.

You can't go wrong with Kromlech. You get exactly what you pay for in a reasonable amount of time. I have noticed that some of their items are slightly larger then GW, but still mix in nicely.

In reference to Da Green One, I have made multiple purchases and was satisfied each time. Good castings and minimal flash, but I was surprised at how large the heavy weapons are. I expected them to be about razorback turret size, but found hem to be KMK size, give or take. The sitting legs are a just right.