Tuesday, March 5

Dragon bring something different to the table this month...


 
We don't often see these – figure sets that are of a “less popular” nature than German troop sets – Dragon bring us some early soviet troops along with some interesting Japanese soldiers from Guadalcanal – we have some of the release info for you if you like to go the route less travelled…

Dragon March Items..

 
 ITEM NO: DRA 6555
SCALE: 1:35
EST ARRIVAL: April 2013
Case Pack: 48 kits
Box Size: 6.4" x 10.2" x 1.5"

The Battle of Peleliu took place on the small Pacific coral island (its present-day name is Palau) from 15 September to 27 November 1944. Defending the island were approximately 11,000 Japanese soldiers, primarily from the 14th Infantry Division. The amphibious assault was initiated by the 1st Marine Division. The commander of the USMC division predicted Peleliu would be secured within four days, but the dug-in defenders put up fierce resistance that protracted the operation to 73 gruelling days. In fact, the Japanese soldiers created the highest casualty rate for US forces in any battle in the Pacific campaign. The 1st Marine Division lost about a third of its strength on Peleliu, and this battle set a pattern for future Japanese island defence in places like Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Dragon’s newest 1/35 scale figure set portrays Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) soldiers fighting on Peleliu. In fact, they form the perfect accompaniment to Dragon’s newly released Type 95 “Ha-Go” light tank. The combat poses are expertly rendered and moulding is sharp and detailed. The Japanese infantrymen are fully equipped with weapons like Type 99 rifles, a Nambu Type 94 pistol and Type 99 light machine gun, items that are brand new toolings. Worthy of special note is the fact that the soldiers are wearing traditional footwear and bindings instead of ankle boots, something that was common in Pacific combat. While the box top title names Peleliu, the figures could easily be used to portray any other campaign of the late-war period in the Pacific.

 
ITEM NO: DRA 6744
SCALE: 1:35
EST ARRIVAL: April 2013
Case Pack: 48 kits
Box Size: 6.4" x 10.2" x 1.5"

Dragon has released Soviet infantry figures in its 1/35 scale series before, but never before has it offered soldiers from the 1941 winter period. Thus the stage is set for this exciting release! Germany mounted a massive invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, and the powerful force’s momentum took troops to the very gates of Moscow. However, amidst stiffening Soviet resistance, freezing weather and badly overstretched supply lines, the attack slowed and stalled.

Stalin had been transferring fresh troops from Siberia and the Far East since autumn, and in early December 1941 they helped launch a counter-offensive near Moscow. These troops were better equipped for cold-weather operations than the Germans, and as they advanced, Soviet forces drove a gap between Army Group North and Army Group Centre. It’s from this desperate period of winter fighting that this figure set emanates.

The box-top illustration shows four Soviet soldiers dressed for winter combat. They wear uniform gear such as greatcoats, sheepskin jackets, toques, mittens/gloves and fur boots. The action poses are very suitable for depicting a combat scene in the snow and ice, and the sculpting of the plastic is sharp and realistic. The soldiers also wield weapons suitable for this time period of 1941, including Moisin-Nagant rifles and a DP28 light machine gun. Of course the figures could also find application in a different setting (in the winter fighting against Finland, for example) so they will prove very versatile. This new Dragon set will find a niche amongst modellers as there is little else available representing this period of the Great Patriotic War.

Keep an eye out at Dragon’s Site to see more about these and all of their other kits…