Bill Cross reviews Dragon Model's German Half-Track Riders.



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Thanks!

Nice review, Bill. Would this set work as figures for a vehicle such as the 7/1 or 7/2 variants

I too have wanted something like this for a long time so when it came out I jumped on it. The first couple of guys I glued the torso to the pair of legs then the 4 part jacket bottoms and ended up with a few gaps. The rest of them I did legs first then the jacket bottoms then glued the torsos on, the gaps were a lot smaller then. There is no web gear or belts on the little dudes. So I'm building as a pre-war, coming back from a training mission. They all have side caps on so I have substituted other Dragon Heads for a few with helmets on. My question is, " what year did the billed caps appear?". I'd like to have a couple of those on the troops. But a welcome addition never the less.
Thanks Bill for the review ! Tom

Thanks, Russ, these figures would work for those vehicles, though the crews are smaller.


You're welcome, Tom.

My information has the overseas cap (the "side cap") being supplemented by the M41 billed cap in the early part of the war. The M41 was developed from the mountain troop's ski cap (Gebirgsjäger), and was modified by the Waffen-SS (there's a nice overview here). This was then modified again (though very slightly visually) for the M43 model.

As to the belts, the same topic came up here when I cross-posted this review. There is some question whether artillery crews would be wearing accoutrements that might get caught in the gun's pointy parts. The photos in this book show the crews wearing no belts or accoutrements when working their guns. The question would be whether they would be wearing them when in the half-track.

The visual record is mixed on that. Some photos show the crews with the "Y straps," while the majority that are clear show them with nothing more than the standard leather belt.

The "billed" field cap is the Einheitsfeldmutze and was first issued in 1943. The post war collector community commonly calls it the M43 cap. The m41 field cap generally refers to the tropical billed cap as worn in Africa.

Artillery troops, had no requirement for the belt support suspenders as much of their personal gear could be carried on the towing vehicle (horse drawn or motorized). Typically, the belt would be worn with the single ammunition pouch (as already pointed out) and perhaps the bayonet. Removal of such items would have been at the discretion of the unit commander.

FWIW
Ron Volstad

A very useful set and some heads added by "Hornet" etc. will really elevate their overall appearance. Looks to be an excellent V.F.M. figure set as well.
Gary

Ron, thanks for clarifying that. I think the chance of having your gear get caught in the gun would induce most artillerists to shed things like belts and gas mask cans.

Gary, I agree, and Hornet heads will make a few of these sets stretch out over my numerous 1/2 track builds.