In Box review of DML Dragon 1/35th Scale
German Fallschirmjager Bataillon 500 (Drvar 1944)
Kit no. 6145
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $6.65 after it was marked down from $7.98, back in 2000 at the Toy Fair store that went out of business at the local mall.
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $6.65 after it was marked down from $7.98, back in 2000 at the Toy Fair store that went out of business at the local mall.
HISTORY:
The Fallschirmjäger (German: [ˈfalʃɪʁmˌjɛːɡə] (listen)) were the paratrooper (German: Fallschirmjäger) branch of the German Luftwaffe before and during World War II. They were the first German paratroopers to be committed in large-scale airborne operations and came to be known as the "green devils" by the Allied forces they fought against.
The Fallschirmjäger were very effective when used in commando style raids. The Fallschirmjäger were famous for their willingness to give every effort unwaveringly even in the grimmest of situations.
The Fallschirmjäger were seldom used as parachutists. Instead, they were prized for their combat abilities and frequently acted in a "fire brigade" role as roving elite infantrymen. Throughout World War II the Fallschirmjäger commander was Kurt Student.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Active: 1935–1945
Country: Nazi Germany
Branch: Luftwaffe (Air Force)
Type: Paratrooper, Air force infantry, Special forces
Garrison/HQ: Berlin
Nickname: "Green Devils"
Engagements: World War II
Notable commanders: Kurt Student, Richard Heidrich & Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
The Fallschirmjäger (German: [ˈfalʃɪʁmˌjɛːɡə] (listen)) were the paratrooper (German: Fallschirmjäger) branch of the German Luftwaffe before and during World War II. They were the first German paratroopers to be committed in large-scale airborne operations and came to be known as the "green devils" by the Allied forces they fought against.
The Fallschirmjäger were very effective when used in commando style raids. The Fallschirmjäger were famous for their willingness to give every effort unwaveringly even in the grimmest of situations.
The Fallschirmjäger were seldom used as parachutists. Instead, they were prized for their combat abilities and frequently acted in a "fire brigade" role as roving elite infantrymen. Throughout World War II the Fallschirmjäger commander was Kurt Student.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Active: 1935–1945
Country: Nazi Germany
Branch: Luftwaffe (Air Force)
Type: Paratrooper, Air force infantry, Special forces
Garrison/HQ: Berlin
Nickname: "Green Devils"
Engagements: World War II
Notable commanders: Kurt Student, Richard Heidrich & Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
THE KIT:
DML Dragon is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art shows 4 Fallschirmjagers in a field with a wrecked German DFS 230 glider in the background, in front of some trees and houses.
The 4 men all wear camouflage smocks, field grey trousers bloused into low shoes. They are posed behind some bushes.
On the left there are 2 men manning a MG42 machine gun on a bipod. One man is firing the gun and the other is feeding an ammo belt to it out of a steel case. They both have canvas pouches and shovels in carrying cases on their belts.
The man that is the loader wears net over his helmet.
Directly behind them is a kneeling man armed with a Mauser 98K carbine that has a rifle grenade mounted on its muzzle. He has a canvas ammo bandolier strung around his neck and otherwise the same equipment on his belt as the gun crew men.
The 4th man, on the right, is standing and carrying a cluster type grenade in his right hand and a 98K in his right hand. He has 2 potato masher type grenades tucked under his belt and a couple egg shaped grenades on his belt with the same equipment as the other men.
One side panel shows 2 color box arts of other figure kits that DML Dragon manufactures: kit no. 6143, 3rd Fallschirmjager Division (Ardennes 1944) Part 2 & kit no. 6144, German Commanders conference (Kharkov 1943).
DML Dragon is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art shows 4 Fallschirmjagers in a field with a wrecked German DFS 230 glider in the background, in front of some trees and houses.
The 4 men all wear camouflage smocks, field grey trousers bloused into low shoes. They are posed behind some bushes.
On the left there are 2 men manning a MG42 machine gun on a bipod. One man is firing the gun and the other is feeding an ammo belt to it out of a steel case. They both have canvas pouches and shovels in carrying cases on their belts.
The man that is the loader wears net over his helmet.
Directly behind them is a kneeling man armed with a Mauser 98K carbine that has a rifle grenade mounted on its muzzle. He has a canvas ammo bandolier strung around his neck and otherwise the same equipment on his belt as the gun crew men.
The 4th man, on the right, is standing and carrying a cluster type grenade in his right hand and a 98K in his right hand. He has 2 potato masher type grenades tucked under his belt and a couple egg shaped grenades on his belt with the same equipment as the other men.
One side panel shows 2 color box arts of other figure kits that DML Dragon manufactures: kit no. 6143, 3rd Fallschirmjager Division (Ardennes 1944) Part 2 & kit no. 6144, German Commanders conference (Kharkov 1943).
The other side has the address for Dragon and content descriptions in 6 languages.
The bottom of the box serves as the coloring guide and assembly instructions.
There are 2 color illustrations of each figure to use to assemble and paint them.
At the bottom there are 3 line drawings: a Astra Model 300 pistol and its holster, knee pads and Luftwaffe pattern grenade bags.
There are 2 color illustrations of each figure to use to assemble and paint them.
At the bottom there are 3 line drawings: a Astra Model 300 pistol and its holster, knee pads and Luftwaffe pattern grenade bags.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 4 medium-grey trees in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The trees are not alphabetized or illustrated anywhere on the box. The do however have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees. Bad move DML Dragon !
The largest medium-grey tree holds: the 4 figures (divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs), 4 gas mask canisters, 4 canvas sacks, 2 Astra 300 pistols in their holsters, 32 canvas ammo pouches (to form bandoliers out of), 4 shovels in carrying cases, 4 steel helmets, 4 egg shaped grenades, 3 potato masher type grenades, but no cluster grenade that is shown on the cover art, etc. (92 parts)
The kit holds 4 medium-grey trees in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The trees are not alphabetized or illustrated anywhere on the box. The do however have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees. Bad move DML Dragon !
The largest medium-grey tree holds: the 4 figures (divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs), 4 gas mask canisters, 4 canvas sacks, 2 Astra 300 pistols in their holsters, 32 canvas ammo pouches (to form bandoliers out of), 4 shovels in carrying cases, 4 steel helmets, 4 egg shaped grenades, 3 potato masher type grenades, but no cluster grenade that is shown on the cover art, etc. (92 parts)
A medium-sized medium-grey tree holds: a MG42 machine gun and its bipod folded and open, a snail ammo drum, a steel ammo box, a MP40 machine pistol, a Mauser 98K carbine, a FG42 automatic rifle, a ammo belt for the MG42 and a panzerfaust (14 parts)
The first medium-grey small tree holds: the 98K with rifle grenade attached, another steel ammo box and 3 more ammo belts for the MG42. (9 parts)
The second medium-grey small tree holds: a second MP40 and 2 ammo clips for it, another FG42 and 2 98K carbines etc. (7 parts)
There are no decals in the kit.
Detail is very good. Highly recommended.
Detail is very good. Highly recommended.