US Navy Chilling

On Deck

U700-001

Ion, 1/700 Scale, Printed Resin

Reviewed by Devin Poore, August 2022

Ship crew figures have recently exploded in popularity with the event of 3D printing. The biggest consideration for figures in this scale is whether or not they can be removed from the printing supports without breakage. Ion not only arrays them in a single line for ease of access, they also have used a slightly softer resin that makes removal easier, as that very little bit of flex means that arms and legs don't go flying. Also, the positioning of the figures is unique in that they're attached to the supports by their head, meaning far fewer supports are required. I cut one of them free with small side cutters, and it came loose easily, requiring almost no post-cleanup. There are slight layer lines visible under magnification, but once painted, these should disappear.

There are 92 figures in the set in unique poses that I haven't seen elsewhere. The poses are more relaxed and even somewhat whimsical in a few cases. While I'm not a fan of sailor figures in the traditional "cracker jack" uniform with the "dixie cup" hats (sailors on warships hardly ever wear that uniform), in this scale, the Ion figures will pass just fine, as they're so small that most of the details for them will be done with paint, anyway.

These are great figures. The poses are unique and varied, and with 92 figures in a box, at $14 (as of 7/31/2022, based on the Euro to USD conversion), they're priced right.

Thank you to Ion for the review sample.

Highly Recommended.