Dragon 1/35 German Fallschirmjaeger (Monte Cassino 1944)

The German Fallschirmjaeger were paratroops and very well trained ones at that. They were used to excellent effect to capture the Belgian fortress at Eban Emael, during initial landings in Norway to hold Oslo's airfield, as well as the battle for Crete. But the Luftwaffe lost a huge number of irreplaceable transports and gliders during these operations and it was felt that they just were not working out as planned. Though these units fought during other battles and campaigns, rarely was it after jumping out of an aircraft. They were used as normal ground troops.

The kit consists of no fewer than nine sprues! Three large ones and six smaller ones as well as a small etched fret for the rifle straps. This is, for all purposes, an updated set. The main sprue with the figures and original equipment is from set #6005, one of Dragon's earliest figure sets. The other two large sprues contain a plethora of equipment for six figures, including pistols, ammo packs, shovels, blanket rolls, helmets and a myriad other things.

On the six smaller sprues are new rifles and machine guns, heads, fallshirmjaeger hemets,  and grenades, to name a few items. These newer items are all molded using Dragon's latest molding technology. This provides superior detail to the older pieces, especially when it comes to the small bits. For instance, there is an actual depression at the end of the gun barrels and some of the guns have those foldable 'wire' stocks, which are very nicely done.

Of the four new heads, two of them are 'flat tops' for helmets while the other two could be built without a cover. All four of them have distinctly different facial features, a nice plus. One thing for sure, when you get done building these, you will have a considerable number of parts left over for other projects or to help fill up a supply truck!

There are not any instructions, per se, but there is a full color painting guide that shows both the front and back of each figure as well as what parts go where. Colors are Gunze and Model Master referemces

A very nice set of figures that should help to animate one of your next dioramas. The new weapons and parts really add a lot more detail than the older bits and I'm sure you will be as impressed as was I when you get yours.

October 2007

Thanks to www.dragonmodelsusa.com for providing this excellent set. Get yours at your local retailer or ask for them if you don't see them.