Model Forum / General / Models / October 2007

Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/35 scale '39-'45 Series Kit No.
6389; Afrika Korps Panzergrenadier El Alamein 1942; 76 parts in grey
styrene; price estimated at US$8.95

Advantages: new release of figures will help out German desert fans

Disadvantages: why no "Gen2" weapons sets?

Rating: Highly Recommended

Recommendation: for all German diorama and desert fans

    DML still seems to have a large supply of "original series" figures
in stock and keeps releasing them from time to time to keep us on our
toes. This new set provides four figures in combat poses which should
be appreciated by desert warfare fans.

    The four figures consist of a two-man machine gun team based around
an MG-34, one man loading a Kar 98K rifle in the kneeling position,
and an officer directing them from a crouch. The weapons are mostly
separate (the MG34 is an older model less the "slide molded" details
and hollow bore, and the rest of them - a Kar 98K, a Gewehr 43, an
MP40, an MP44, a Panzerfaust 60 and an MG42 with accessories - are
from kit No. 6003) and no brass is provided for straps or detailing. I
say mostly because the officer comes with a Luger molded in place; at
least with small arms like pistols this makes better sense as it looks
to be held for use rather than "stuck on" as too many do when modelers
try to fit them to the hands of figures.

    The figures are all basic DML types of six basic parts (head, torso,
arms and legs) with molded in place coat skirts. These figures are
wearing the desert canvas uniform with long trousers and long sleeves.
Two helmets have camouflage covers, two do not and one set of sand
goggles is provided for the officer. Two of the figures (the officer
and the rifleman) have defensive grenades ("potato mashers") stuck in
their belts, which are provided as separate parts.

    The machine gunner is operating the weapon from the prone position
and the assistant is feeding ammo from a box. The positions look far
more natural than some but preclude "digging in" as the gunner is
completely prone.

    Artwork is by another of DML's artists and the directions are the
photographic rendering type and not the excellent artwork of Ron
Volstad. They consist of "paint this color here" flags and tags on a
miniature version of the box art.

    Overall, this is a good idea and as many modelers tend to suffer from
overkill with the full "Gen2" sets a reversion to the "old school" is
a good idea every now and again. But the "Gen2" weapons are better,
and having the rifleman with his bolt open as in "Gen2" style would
have made a bit more sense.

    Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.

Cookie Sewell