The New Fallschrimjagers: initial impressions (1 Viewer)

[Vezzolf]

Scheduled for release in Nov....What is the general consences of these new figures regarding both color of uniforms and poses......Are these for the desert war theater.??.....Thank you Vezzolf

 

[HAWKEYE]

The only thing they can be

 

[GJB22]

I'm not trying to complain, but I was hoping for some Normandy FJ's. These look like the older Afrika FJ's that everyone seems to love. I still like them, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that maybe Andy will offer these in a different paint scheme.

 

[sv288]

The only thing wrong on the helmets that they didn't use very many. Also they didn't have the Red white and black imbluem on the helmets in Afrika.

 

[Canadian Samurai]

Also they didn't have the Red white and black imbluem on the helmets in Afrika.

Good catch. Only Sicily and Italy then for the figures that don't have helmet covers concealing the German tri-colour.

 

[Simpson & his donkey.]

Good catch. Only Sicily and Italy then for the figures that don't have helmet covers concealing the German tri-colour.

These are good figures but I think they would look great with green/grey pants as you can than use them for Europe.If I buy some of these that is what I will be doing.The yellow colour doesn't look right to me .Simmo.

 

[fmethorst]

Overall the new fallschirmjagers are just OK for me. After seeing the recent Figarti Splinter camo this doesn't look as good and the poses aren't that interesting to me.

It is kind of odd that they've done Italian theatre Germans. What K&C figures do we have for opposition? The 1st Infantry Division (Big Red 1) for Sicily? Are the uniforms right for this period?

Here are a few pictures of a 90mm Andrea Miniature "Monte Cassino Fallschirmjager"

Note the tropical field jacket (under jump smock) and trousers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino

 

[Warrior]

WHat a jaw droppingly beautiful figure that is; amazing..........

 

[sv288]

Its mainly for the AK. But there were some FJs who did wear the covers on there helmet.

 

[damian]

I think ANdy just wants to give us collectors options. Probably a good idea in the current financial squeeze we are in

 

[Old Guard]

I am not a uniform expert so let me those of you who are. SV288 has already mentioned that the helmets red, white and black emblem would be wrong for North Africa. I can live with that and still use these guys with my Africa Korp. Is there anything else wrong with their uniforms that I should be aware of? I am willing to live without a little historical inaccuracy but not a lot.

Thanks,
Old Guard

 

[desk11desk12]

I hate to add any controversy to this thread but these guys look right on for Italy and Sicily. Good job Andy.

Carlos

 

[jazzeum]

I hate to add any controversy to this thread but these guys look right on for Italy and Sicily. Good job Andy.

Carlos

I do look them also. They look better to me than the previous batch (which were pretty good I thought).

 

[Wraith]

I like 'em. Especially the 'new' 2 sets of fighting poses, but I'm a bit of an FJ sucker, so will end up getting the lot. Like Brad, I prefer the uniform over the previous releases (which I thought were also pretty good).

I like the idea of building troops up for an Italian front. I can see these being put up against the BR1 figures.
Simon

 

[Wraith]

BTW,
Has anyone else noted the difference between the colours in the splinter camo between the repainted FJs, and the new sculpts? I wonder if this will be reflected in the production figures, or whether the repaints were painted up a while ago....

 

[OzDigger]

I think they are a great addition to the FJ series and well suited to Italian based battles such as Monte Cassino as some FJ there had helmet covers and some didn't. The Italian theatre was noted for wide variations in uniform, for example a number of FJ guys had Luftwaffe clothing.

 

[Old Guard]

Well I have just read my post from last night and I was more tired that I though. Only a few grammar mistakes that make it very hard to understand what I was trying to ask. So let’s try again now that I have some sleep.

Will the new FJ soldier’s uniforms work for Africa?

Thanks for all your help in advance.

Old Guard

 

[OzDigger]

Well I have just read my post from last night and I was more tired that I though. Only a few grammar mistakes that make it very hard to understand what I was trying to ask. So let’s try again now that I have some sleep.

Will the new FJ soldier’s uniforms work for Africa?

Thanks for all your help in advance.

Old Guard

I don't think they would be historically accurate for Africa.

 

[Old Guard]

Thanks OZ. That was kinda of my feeling too, though I am not a uniform expert. Still I have to say they look good to me. One or two still might make their way to Africa.

Thanks,
Old Guard

 

[Panzer]

Allow me to jump in to the conversation and offer a couple points of clarification.

First, the “Splinter” pattern camouflage jump smock is correct for the North Africa Campaign (Egypt, Libya, and later Tunisia) and the Sicily and Italy campaigns. In fact, the Splinter pattern Smock was worn by at least some Fallshirmjager on every battle front except the early battles in Poland, Norway, and Holland. The splinter pattern was the most widely used Fallshirmjager Jump smock and was produced from 1940 to 1944. As with the German Army uniforms, subtle differences in colors and patterns were common due to varying differences in inks, printing, and fading from washing and the sun.

Second, Fallshirmjager helmets with tri-colored (black, white, and red) National Colors decal were worn by some of the Fallshirmjager in Africa. The national colors decal was officially ordered to be removed from helmets in 1940 but the order was inconsistently enforced and the National Colors decal remained on many helmets long after 1940. After the El Alamein battle, the 9th Australian Division recovered some Fallshirmjager helmets on the El Alamein line belonging to the Ramcke Brigade displaying the National Colors decal. There were no Factory produced tropical helmets for the Fallshirmjager. These were painted either before the unit deployed to Africa or shortly after arriving in theater. The different units within the Ramcke Brigade painted their standard dark green helmets in a variety of ways. In some cases the decals were masked with tape before painting in other cases faintly sprayed over, and in still other cases completely painted over.

Additionally, historical photographic evidence shows the Fallshirmjager in Africa wearing a variety of uniform configurations (splinter patter jump smocks, green jump smocks, no jump smocks, uncovered helmets, helmets covers in solid green in varying shades and varying splinter patterns, soft visored caps, overseas caps, Herman Meyer caps, Officer Summer White caps, tropical trousers, green trousers, to name a few). So it looks like Andy did his homework on this one.

For those of you who want to do additional research into Fallshirmjager tropical uniforms, I strongly recommend John Hodgin’s book “German Paratroops in North Africa – Tropical Uniforms, Headgear, and Insignia of the Fallshirmjager in WWII” published by Schiffer Military History Books. While the book is a little pricy, it is by far the best reference available on tropical Fallshirmjager uniforms.

Semper Fi!
Rick