In Box Review of Esci-ERTL- Dragon 1/9th Scale Great Warrior Series
BMW R-75 Motorcycle w/Feldgendarme
Kit no. 1801
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1998
Out of production.
I paid $38.98 when the kit was marked down from $44.98 at the Esci-ERTL store.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1998
Out of production.
I paid $38.98 when the kit was marked down from $44.98 at the Esci-ERTL store.
Feldgendarme:
The Feldgendarmerie were a type of military police units of the armies of the Kingdom of Saxony (from 1810), the German Empire and Nazi Germany until the conclusion of World War II in Europe.
When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, Feldgendarmerie were reintroduced into the Wehrmacht. The new units received full infantry training and were given extensive police powers. A military police school was set up at Potsdam, near Berlin to train Feldgendarmerie personnel. Subjects included Criminal code, general and special police powers, reporting duties, passport and identification law, weapons drill, self-defense techniques, criminal police methodology, and general administration.
All prospective candidates served at a Feldgendarmerie command after the first term of examinations. Courses lasted one year and failure rates were high: in 1935 only 89 soldiers graduated from an initial intake of 219 candidates. Feldgendarmerie were employed within army divisions and as self-contained units under the command of an army corps. They often worked in close cooperation with the Gheimeh Feldpolizei (English: Secret Field Police), district commanders and SS and Police Leaders.
BMW R-75 Motorcycle:
The BMW R75 is a World War II-era motorcycle and sidecar combination produced by the German company BMW. The BMW R75 stands out by its integral two-wheel drive design, with drive shafts to both its rear wheel and the third side-car wheel, from a locking differential, as well as a transfer case offering both road and off-road gear ratios, through which all forward and reverse gears worked. This made the R75 highly maneuverable and capable of negotiating most surfaces. A few other motorcycle manufactures, like FN and Norton, offered optional drive to sidecars.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: BMW
Production: 1941–1946
Class: Motorcycle
Engine: 745 cc flat-twin (OHV)[1]
Bore / stroke: 78 mm × 78 mm (3.1 in × 3.1 in)[1]
Power: 26 hp (19 kW)[1]
Weight: 420 kg (930 lb.) (dry)
The Feldgendarmerie were a type of military police units of the armies of the Kingdom of Saxony (from 1810), the German Empire and Nazi Germany until the conclusion of World War II in Europe.
When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, Feldgendarmerie were reintroduced into the Wehrmacht. The new units received full infantry training and were given extensive police powers. A military police school was set up at Potsdam, near Berlin to train Feldgendarmerie personnel. Subjects included Criminal code, general and special police powers, reporting duties, passport and identification law, weapons drill, self-defense techniques, criminal police methodology, and general administration.
All prospective candidates served at a Feldgendarmerie command after the first term of examinations. Courses lasted one year and failure rates were high: in 1935 only 89 soldiers graduated from an initial intake of 219 candidates. Feldgendarmerie were employed within army divisions and as self-contained units under the command of an army corps. They often worked in close cooperation with the Gheimeh Feldpolizei (English: Secret Field Police), district commanders and SS and Police Leaders.
BMW R-75 Motorcycle:
The BMW R75 is a World War II-era motorcycle and sidecar combination produced by the German company BMW. The BMW R75 stands out by its integral two-wheel drive design, with drive shafts to both its rear wheel and the third side-car wheel, from a locking differential, as well as a transfer case offering both road and off-road gear ratios, through which all forward and reverse gears worked. This made the R75 highly maneuverable and capable of negotiating most surfaces. A few other motorcycle manufactures, like FN and Norton, offered optional drive to sidecars.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: BMW
Production: 1941–1946
Class: Motorcycle
Engine: 745 cc flat-twin (OHV)[1]
Bore / stroke: 78 mm × 78 mm (3.1 in × 3.1 in)[1]
Power: 26 hp (19 kW)[1]
Weight: 420 kg (930 lb.) (dry)
THE KIT:
ESCi-Ertl was a manufacturer of farm toys, based in Dyersville, IA, It was 50 miles north of my home and I used to drive up there to their discount store and buy some model kits when they sold some. They sold the company to another farm toy manufacturer, when they went out of business. The new company does not make model kits.
Dragon is an old prolific model kit manufacturer, based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model kits in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a large, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It is most blousy of all the kits in my collection. The box is 21” long and over half of it is a void of 12” !
All the parts in the kit are in the other 9” half of the box. This kit could have been sold in a 9” box !
The box art shows a BMW R-75 motorcycle with Feldgendarme riding it in the foreground. Posed against a background showing 3 more Feldgendarme on BMWs, that are illustrated very pale.
The bike in the foreground is overall Panzer-grey, with a tan headlight and tan bag on the side of it’s rear. A white license plate, outlined in black with black no. WH-285708 on it, on top of the front fender and a BMW emblem on the sides of the gas tank.
The Feldgedarme is dressed in a field-grey leather jump-suit and steel helmet, with goggles strung around it. He has a metal gorget on a chain around his neck with FELDGENDARME on it and black jack-boots.
One side of the box has the contact information for Dragon Models and photos of the completed model
ESCi-Ertl was a manufacturer of farm toys, based in Dyersville, IA, It was 50 miles north of my home and I used to drive up there to their discount store and buy some model kits when they sold some. They sold the company to another farm toy manufacturer, when they went out of business. The new company does not make model kits.
Dragon is an old prolific model kit manufacturer, based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model kits in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a large, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It is most blousy of all the kits in my collection. The box is 21” long and over half of it is a void of 12” !
All the parts in the kit are in the other 9” half of the box. This kit could have been sold in a 9” box !
The box art shows a BMW R-75 motorcycle with Feldgendarme riding it in the foreground. Posed against a background showing 3 more Feldgendarme on BMWs, that are illustrated very pale.
The bike in the foreground is overall Panzer-grey, with a tan headlight and tan bag on the side of it’s rear. A white license plate, outlined in black with black no. WH-285708 on it, on top of the front fender and a BMW emblem on the sides of the gas tank.
The Feldgedarme is dressed in a field-grey leather jump-suit and steel helmet, with goggles strung around it. He has a metal gorget on a chain around his neck with FELDGENDARME on it and black jack-boots.
One side of the box has the contact information for Dragon Models and photos of the completed model
The other side has warnings in 6 languages.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 5 light-grey parts trees, a black vinyl tree, black rubber tires, 4 metal springs, loose light-grey parts for the figure, a clear tree of head-light lenses and one of a pair of binoculars, the decal sheet and instructions in 10 sealed clear cello bags.
Trees are not alphabetized.
The clear tree of head-light lenses holds 5 parts.
The kit holds 5 light-grey parts trees, a black vinyl tree, black rubber tires, 4 metal springs, loose light-grey parts for the figure, a clear tree of head-light lenses and one of a pair of binoculars, the decal sheet and instructions in 10 sealed clear cello bags.
Trees are not alphabetized.
The clear tree of head-light lenses holds 5 parts.
Another clear tree holds the googles for the rider.
The light-grey tree of the handle-bars etc. holds 40 parts.
The light-grey tree of the engine parts etc. holds 61 parts.
There are 4 light-grey parts of the figure.
The light-grey tree of the frame, fenders, fuel tank etc. holds 40 parts.
The light-grey tree of the helmet, canteen, mess-kit MP-40 sub machine-gun etc. holds 50 parts.
The light-grey tree of spoked wheel rims holds 4 parts.
There are 2 black rubber tires.
The black vinyl tree contains the two seats, straps, etc. and holds 26 parts
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion -folds out into 8 pages in 8 ¼” x 14” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over IMPORTANT INFO. about the kit and descriptions of camouflages for the bike. In multiple languages, including English.
Pages 2 on through to page 6 give a grand total of 21 assembly steps.
These steps show the parts illustrated tightly together. Careful study will be needed to get things right and this kit is by no means for the beginning modeler.
Page 7 is a marking and painting guide.
At the top there is a 5-view of the BMW-R-75, over an illustration of the decal sheet and a listing of accessories, wire and metal springs, in multiple languages, including English.
Page 8 is the parts-trees illustrations.
The decal sheet and a plastic bag containing the springs and vinyl tubing completes the kit’s contents.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over IMPORTANT INFO. about the kit and descriptions of camouflages for the bike. In multiple languages, including English.
Pages 2 on through to page 6 give a grand total of 21 assembly steps.
These steps show the parts illustrated tightly together. Careful study will be needed to get things right and this kit is by no means for the beginning modeler.
Page 7 is a marking and painting guide.
At the top there is a 5-view of the BMW-R-75, over an illustration of the decal sheet and a listing of accessories, wire and metal springs, in multiple languages, including English.
Page 8 is the parts-trees illustrations.
The decal sheet and a plastic bag containing the springs and vinyl tubing completes the kit’s contents.
The detailing is excellent.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.