German infantry were frequently carried on tanks and other armoured vehicles when speed mattered more than comfort. These men were not tank crew in the usual sense — they were infantry hitching a ride on armour to keep pace with advancing formations, save energy on long marches, or move quickly through contested areas.
This German Tank Riders figure set is designed specifically for placing on tanks, assault guns, half-tracks and other armoured vehicles. The seated and crouched poses help create a much more convincing vehicle scene than standing infantry figures placed awkwardly on a hull.
The story behind tank riders
Throughout the war, infantry often rode on tanks whenever transport was limited or rapid movement was needed.
On the Eastern Front in particular, armoured formations could move over huge distances. Infantry riding directly on the tanks helped ensure soldiers were available to support the vehicles when they reached villages, defensive positions or crossroads.
The arrangement was practical, but far from comfortable. Riders were exposed to weather, dust, mud, shell fragments and enemy fire, and had to hold on wherever space was available.
Designed for realistic vehicle scenes
The set includes a mix of seated, kneeling and resting poses intended to sit naturally on:
Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks
Panther tanks
Tiger I and King Tiger
StuG assault guns
half-tracks
armoured recovery vehicles
supply and transport vehicles
The varied poses let you spread the figures across the engine deck, rear hull, turret sides or front deck to create a natural-looking group.
Crew poses
The figures are designed to represent soldiers in different moments rather than identical seated poses.
Depending on the set, the group includes figures such as:
seated rifleman
kneeling soldier
soldier resting with weapon
soldier scanning the area
soldier pointing or directing movement
This allows you to create a small story around the vehicle instead of simply adding passengers.
Perfect for dioramas
These tank riders are ideal for:
armoured columns
rural road movements
Eastern Front scenes
Normandy countryside
muddy tracks
forest roads
village approaches
supply convoys
halted tank columns
troops preparing to dismount
late-war defensive movements
They also work particularly well combined with roadside signs, trees, hedges, fences, fuel drums, ammunition crates and other field accessories.
Why tank riders add realism
A tank on its own can look impressive, but adding soldiers immediately gives the viewer a sense of scale.
At 1:87 or 1:76, the figures help model railway viewers understand just how large the vehicle is compared with a person.
At 1:48 and 1:35, the poses, uniforms and equipment become a major feature of the model and can turn a simple vehicle display into a complete narrative scene.
Available scales
1:87 HO1:76 OO1:721:481:35
Custom scaling may also be available.
Finish options
Unpainted & Cleaned – supplied in detailed resin, cleaned and ready for your own painting.
Grey Primed – supplied with a neutral primer ready for painting.
Base Colour – supplied with an appropriate WWII German uniform-style base colour ready for further detailing and weathering.
Painting suggestion
For a classic WWII German appearance, use a Feldgrau / field-grey uniform, darker grey-green helmets, dark brown or black leather equipment and natural wood tones for rifle stocks.
Subtle dust and mud weathering on boots, knees and lower clothing works particularly well when displaying the figures on a weathered tank.
Fun Fact
Riding on a tank might look like convenient transport, but it could be brutally uncomfortable. Tank surfaces became hot, oily, muddy and extremely rough during cross-country movement.
For the infantry, though, the alternative might have been walking for kilometres beside the tank — so the ride was often worth hanging on for.
Model highlights
A detailed set of WWII German infantry posed specifically as tank and vehicle riders, featuring a mixture of seated, crouched and active poses.
Ideal for tanks, assault guns, half-tracks, military dioramas, model railways, collectors and wargaming displays.
Designed and produced in Australia by Blueprint to Print 3D.
