In Box Review of Dragon 1/35th Scale
German 3rd Fallschirmjager Division (Ardennes 1944) Part 2
’39-’45 Series Kit no. 6143
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2000
Available at Hobbylinc for $13.39 or at Sprue Brothers for $14.49 or at Mega Hobby for $15.26 or at Kit Linx for $11.99 and at 1001 Hobbies for $22.99. Overseas at 3 locations on the web. I paid $6.65 for my kit when it was marked down from $7.98 at the Toy Fair store that went out of business at the local mall.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2000
Available at Hobbylinc for $13.39 or at Sprue Brothers for $14.49 or at Mega Hobby for $15.26 or at Kit Linx for $11.99 and at 1001 Hobbies for $22.99. Overseas at 3 locations on the web. I paid $6.65 for my kit when it was marked down from $7.98 at the Toy Fair store that went out of business at the local mall.
THE KIT:
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 parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end-flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a color illustration of 4 Fallschirmjagers standing atop the engine deck of a German tank. All 4 are dressed in tan and green camouflaged- jackets and khaki green trousers, that are bloused at the bottom over black shoes.
The tank is in a spotted pattern camouflage.
Reading left to right, the first man is showing his rear. He wears a camouflage cloth cover on his steel helmet and black gloves. He is smoking a cigarette. He holds a carbine by the barrel in his left hand. He has a pistol in a holster and other field equipment on his belt.
The second man to the right is armed with an automatic rifle, that he is holding by the barrel with the stock resting on the tank. He has an ammo bandolier strung around his neck and his steel helmet is bare and a pair of black gloves.
The third man to the right wears a camouflaged cloth on his steel helmet, black gloves, field equipment on his belt and he is holding a carbine by the barrel, with its stock resting on the tank. He is lighting a cigarette for the fourth man.
The fourth (and last) man to the right wears a bare steel helmet that is dark grey. He has a sub machine-gun slung over his right arm and is accepting a light for his cigarette from the third man.
The scene is posed against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya also does the majority of their box arts.
One corner of the box art says: Unassembled model kit. This kit contains 66 parts. For modelers aged 10 and over. Box contains models of 4 figures.
One side panel of the box says: Contains parts for 4 figures. Paint and glue not included. In 6 languages, including English, each labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
Copyright of the kit is 2000. Over Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
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 parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end-flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a color illustration of 4 Fallschirmjagers standing atop the engine deck of a German tank. All 4 are dressed in tan and green camouflaged- jackets and khaki green trousers, that are bloused at the bottom over black shoes.
The tank is in a spotted pattern camouflage.
Reading left to right, the first man is showing his rear. He wears a camouflage cloth cover on his steel helmet and black gloves. He is smoking a cigarette. He holds a carbine by the barrel in his left hand. He has a pistol in a holster and other field equipment on his belt.
The second man to the right is armed with an automatic rifle, that he is holding by the barrel with the stock resting on the tank. He has an ammo bandolier strung around his neck and his steel helmet is bare and a pair of black gloves.
The third man to the right wears a camouflaged cloth on his steel helmet, black gloves, field equipment on his belt and he is holding a carbine by the barrel, with its stock resting on the tank. He is lighting a cigarette for the fourth man.
The fourth (and last) man to the right wears a bare steel helmet that is dark grey. He has a sub machine-gun slung over his right arm and is accepting a light for his cigarette from the third man.
The scene is posed against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya also does the majority of their box arts.
One corner of the box art says: Unassembled model kit. This kit contains 66 parts. For modelers aged 10 and over. Box contains models of 4 figures.
One side panel of the box says: Contains parts for 4 figures. Paint and glue not included. In 6 languages, including English, each labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
Copyright of the kit is 2000. Over Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
The other side panel of the box shows 2 color illustrations of box arts of other figure kits that Dragon manufactures: Kit no. 6138, Afrika Korps Infantry and Kit no. 6142, Ramcke Brigade (Libya 1942). Followed by: Kit not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. In multiple languages, including English. For modelers aged 10 and over.
The bottom of the box shows color illustrations of the front and rear of each of the 4 figures and a patch of the camouflage pattern on their uniforms. Below them are 3 black and white line-drawings of: a FJ Steel helmet with cover on it, a FJ Pattern gas mask case and a FJ Bandolier. Illustrations are all done by Dragon’s resident artist Ron Volstad.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 3 medium-grey parts trees in 2 sealed clear cello bags.
Trees are not alphabetized. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
The largest medium-grey tree holds: the parts of the 4 figures (divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs), 4 steel helmets, 4 canvas sacks, ammo pouches, field shovel in carrying case, 4 canteens, 4 mess kits, rolled tarp and a pistol in holster etc. (62 parts)
The kit holds 3 medium-grey parts trees in 2 sealed clear cello bags.
Trees are not alphabetized. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
The largest medium-grey tree holds: the parts of the 4 figures (divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs), 4 steel helmets, 4 canvas sacks, ammo pouches, field shovel in carrying case, 4 canteens, 4 mess kits, rolled tarp and a pistol in holster etc. (62 parts)
The first small medium-grey tree holds: 3 potato-masher type grenades, 4 bayonets in scabbards, 2 grenade launchers and 2 carbines. (11 parts)
The second small medium-grey tree holds: a carbine, 2 different sub machine-guns, a grenade launcher, heavy machine-gun and its ammo belt, folded and unfolded bipods and ammo box etc. (14 parts)
Nicely detailed. Tank shown on box art not included in kit.
Recommended.
Recommended.