In Box Review of Dragon 1/35th Scale
’39 – ’45 Series
Italian Infantry El Alamein 1942
Kit no. 6391
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2008
Available at Kit Linx for $16.50 and two locations overseas on the web.
I paid $11.01 for this kit at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2008
Available at Kit Linx for $16.50 and two locations overseas on the web.
I paid $11.01 for this kit at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
HISTORY:
The Bersaglieri, singular Bersagliere, (Italian pronunciation: [bersaʎˈʎɛːri], "sharpshooter") are a troop of marksmen in the Italian Army's infantry corps. They were originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Royal Sardinian Army, which later became the Royal Italian Army. They can be recognized by their distinctive wide-brimmed hats decorated with black capercaillie feathers, which is worn with the dress uniform. The feathers are also applied to their combat helmets.
The Bersaglieri Corps were a high-mobility light infantry at their inception in 1836, with their specific situation evolving with changes in warfare. In the nineteenth century, Bersaglieri acted as skirmishers or shock troops, moving from place to place by running. An elaborate system of bugle calls allowed their units to be deployed and commanded quickly, singly or in combination. The tradition of running continues today in parades and during barracks duty. In World War I, some Bersaglieri served as bicycle troops, better to execute their mission of maneuver warfare. During the Cold War, the Bersaglieri were exclusively employed as mechanized infantry.
Bersaglieri are well-known for their extraordinary performances in parades and military tattoos, always running instead of marching, with hundreds of black capercaillie feathers flowing from their wide-brimmed black hats. These feathers are also worn on Bersaglieri combat helmets. They once served a military purpose, acting as camouflage and as a sunshade for the marksman's shooting eye. Today, they are a badge of honor, attracting new recruits and fostering esprit among their wearers.
The Bersaglieri, singular Bersagliere, (Italian pronunciation: [bersaʎˈʎɛːri], "sharpshooter") are a troop of marksmen in the Italian Army's infantry corps. They were originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Royal Sardinian Army, which later became the Royal Italian Army. They can be recognized by their distinctive wide-brimmed hats decorated with black capercaillie feathers, which is worn with the dress uniform. The feathers are also applied to their combat helmets.
The Bersaglieri Corps were a high-mobility light infantry at their inception in 1836, with their specific situation evolving with changes in warfare. In the nineteenth century, Bersaglieri acted as skirmishers or shock troops, moving from place to place by running. An elaborate system of bugle calls allowed their units to be deployed and commanded quickly, singly or in combination. The tradition of running continues today in parades and during barracks duty. In World War I, some Bersaglieri served as bicycle troops, better to execute their mission of maneuver warfare. During the Cold War, the Bersaglieri were exclusively employed as mechanized infantry.
Bersaglieri are well-known for their extraordinary performances in parades and military tattoos, always running instead of marching, with hundreds of black capercaillie feathers flowing from their wide-brimmed black hats. These feathers are also worn on Bersaglieri combat helmets. They once served a military purpose, acting as camouflage and as a sunshade for the marksman's shooting eye. Today, they are a badge of honor, attracting new recruits and fostering esprit among their wearers.
THE KIT:
Dragon (sometimes called DML) is an old prolific plastic model manufacturer based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of plastic 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 of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 4 Bersaglieri infantrymen in an earth-walled position, that has tan canvas sand bags all around the top of the walls. It is in the desert. In the background there is an illustration of the front of an Italian L3/35 light tank, it is in earth-yellow.
Trees are not alphabetized. Instead, each of the figures are.
The infantrymen all wear Khaki-green uniforms.
Reading left to right:
The 1st man (letter D) is running. His trousers are bloused into black leggings over brown shoes. He wears a wide brimmed hat with a large black feather on it. He has a brown cloth back pack with two tubes that have fluted open ends on them, that are tucked under the pack vertically. I think they may be spare gun barrels. He is armed with a rifle and has field gear on his belt.
The 2nd man, to the right, (letter C) also is running. He is uniformed the same as the first man. He is armed with a machine-gun that has a bipod attached.
The 3rd man, to the right,(letter B) is prone and in the same uniform as the first two men, but with a dark-grey steel helmet. His trousers are not bloused. He is armed with a sub machine-gun.
The 4th (and last man) on the right (letter A) is kneeling on his right knee. He wears a khaki-green blouse, shorts and a cloth billed field cap with ear flaps. He is looking through a pair of binoculars and has a pistol in his right hand. I believe he is an officer.
The bottom of the box serves as the assembly and painting guide. Gunze Sangyo brand of paint numbers with arrows point to parts of the figures in a color repeat of the box art. However, no names for these colors are provided here. You have to go to the chore of looking the names up on the web. Which is what I did and wrote in on the color illustration. Model companies sorely need to stop just giving you the numbers.
The front and back of each of the figures is shown for assembly.
Dragon (sometimes called DML) is an old prolific plastic model manufacturer based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of plastic 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 of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 4 Bersaglieri infantrymen in an earth-walled position, that has tan canvas sand bags all around the top of the walls. It is in the desert. In the background there is an illustration of the front of an Italian L3/35 light tank, it is in earth-yellow.
Trees are not alphabetized. Instead, each of the figures are.
The infantrymen all wear Khaki-green uniforms.
Reading left to right:
The 1st man (letter D) is running. His trousers are bloused into black leggings over brown shoes. He wears a wide brimmed hat with a large black feather on it. He has a brown cloth back pack with two tubes that have fluted open ends on them, that are tucked under the pack vertically. I think they may be spare gun barrels. He is armed with a rifle and has field gear on his belt.
The 2nd man, to the right, (letter C) also is running. He is uniformed the same as the first man. He is armed with a machine-gun that has a bipod attached.
The 3rd man, to the right,(letter B) is prone and in the same uniform as the first two men, but with a dark-grey steel helmet. His trousers are not bloused. He is armed with a sub machine-gun.
The 4th (and last man) on the right (letter A) is kneeling on his right knee. He wears a khaki-green blouse, shorts and a cloth billed field cap with ear flaps. He is looking through a pair of binoculars and has a pistol in his right hand. I believe he is an officer.
The bottom of the box serves as the assembly and painting guide. Gunze Sangyo brand of paint numbers with arrows point to parts of the figures in a color repeat of the box art. However, no names for these colors are provided here. You have to go to the chore of looking the names up on the web. Which is what I did and wrote in on the color illustration. Model companies sorely need to stop just giving you the numbers.
The front and back of each of the figures is shown for assembly.
One side panel of the box says: Contains parts for four figures. Paint and glue are not included. In Japanese, English, German, French, Spanish and Chinese. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
This is followed by the copyright for the kit of 2008 and Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China. Kit was made there.
This is followed by the copyright for the kit of 2008 and Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China. Kit was made there.
The other side panel shows 2 color box arts of other figure kits that Dragon manufactures: Kit no. 6374, German anti-tank team w/Panzerschreck and Kit no. 6376, Soviet Guards Infantry 1944-45. Followed by: Not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. Over Dragon’s European office address in Austria. For modelers aged 14 and over. In multiple languages, including English.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX;
The kit holds 2 medium-grey parts trees in 2 sealed clear cello bags.
Trees are not alphabetized.
The large medium-grey parts tree holds: the parts of the 4 figures (divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs). Also on the tree is: a pair of binoculars, a pistol in holster, 4 canvas sacks, 4 spades in carrying cases, 4 wide-brimmed hats, a steel helmet, a billed cloth field cap, two tubes, a back pack, ammo pouches etc. (62 parts)
The kit holds 2 medium-grey parts trees in 2 sealed clear cello bags.
Trees are not alphabetized.
The large medium-grey parts tree holds: the parts of the 4 figures (divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs). Also on the tree is: a pair of binoculars, a pistol in holster, 4 canvas sacks, 4 spades in carrying cases, 4 wide-brimmed hats, a steel helmet, a billed cloth field cap, two tubes, a back pack, ammo pouches etc. (62 parts)
The small medium-grey parts tree holds the weapons and bipod (5 parts)
Detail is very nice.
Recommended.
Recommended.