As the Soviet T-34 tank rumbled along the snow-coated street, its steel track treads crumbled the rubble into powder. Lurking in the shadows, a figure raised his weapon and took careful aim at the monstrous steel hulk bearing down on him. Suddenly he fired, the Ofenrohr (“Stove Pipe”) emitting a large cloud of smoke. A rocket streaked towards the tank and penetrated its sloped armor, the vehicle clanking to a stop as flames and smoke erupted from its interior. The German tank hunter team quickly scuttled away to find a new position.

This type of scene was repeated over and over as German defenses were inundated by Soviet and Allied tanks in the latter part of WWII. With a dire shortage of tanks and tank destroyers, one smaller but still effective German weapon was the Panzerschreck (“tank terror”) or Raketenpanzerbu"chse (“rocket tank rifle”, or RPzB). This antitank rocket launcher of 88mm caliber, from which the American bazooka was copied, was employed by infantry. Dragon’s newest figure set offers two Panzerschreck teams, one wearing winter uniforms and the other attired in summer uniforms. Their versatility allows them to be used for either Eastern or Western Front dioramas. As a Gen2 set, the figures are crisply detailed and have anatomically vivid poses. Likewise, their associated gear is sharply molded. Their RPzB 54 weapons with characteristic blast shields are amazingly detailed, the most accurate yet thanks to their Gen2 status. These teams are ready to terrorize some enemy tanks, and simply await a modeler’s touch to bring them to life!

Following directions from his officer pointing a swagger stick, the British gunner aimed and fired his Vickers medium machine gun at the German soldiers advancing across the field. His loader lying on his right fed the weapon with continuous 250-round belts of .303-inch cartridges until the water in the barrel-cooling jacket was boiling from the intense heat. The reliable weapon, mounted on a tripod, sustained high rates of fire as the British soldiers desperately held off the enemy attack. Dragon has a brand new 1/35 scale figure set that allows modelers to recreate such a scene from May 1940. The new set represents four “Tommies” from the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a formation sent to Europe to dissuade Hitler from attacking Western Europe. After the Phoney War came to an abrupt end with Germany’s invasion of France and the Low Countries on 10 May, the BEF was forced back until much of the remnant was evacuated from Dunkirk by early June.

This exciting set fills a glaring gap in the range of plastic figures that are currently available on the market. The 1/35 scale Vickers medium MG is itself a work of art. The weapon sits on a tripod and it’s connected to the condenser container necessary for keeping it cool. Dragon has thoughtfully provided the MG with boxes of ammo, the same bullets as fired by the iconic Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle (Rifle No.1 Mk.III*). Two such SMLE rifles are included in the set. The British figures are sharply molded, and most are wearing the Mk.II steel helmet as well as greatcoats to protect against the night-time chill. The officer, on the other hand, is clad in a raincoat. The four figures of the MG team combine to create a very effective and dramatic vignette as they defend a strongpoint somewhere in France during the confused withdrawal. With these BEF figures, Dragon has greatly expedited the model-maker’s task of producing an early WWII scene.

Twee Duitse soldaten met fietsen en toebehoren zoals o.a. korte scheppen, Mauser K-98K geweren en gasmasker kisten.

De Wehrmacht, gefocust op mechanisatie tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog, zette veel fietsen in als simpele transportmiddel.

Veel fietsfabrikanten produceerden fietsen voor militair gebruik, hierdoor waren er nogal wat verschillende types. De belangrijkste onderdelen waren echter gestandaardiseerd, om vervanging te vergemakkelijken.

De meeste fietsen waren uitgerust met een bagagedrager achterop en een opslagkistje voor munitie en granaten in het midden van het frame.

Door het gebrek aan materialen werden fietsen zonder rubber op de pedalen, voorlicht en spatborden ingezet tegen het eind van de Tweede Wereldoorlog.

German infantry,WWII era. Early period  1/35

4 figuren , 2 koeien en een bonusgeit !