The New Fallschrimjagers: initial impressions (1 Viewer)

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


Thank you Rick for that learned and eloquent comment. It has helped me.
 
I also second my thanks for Rick for some great information. Sounds like I can use these Paratroopers in Africa if I want.

Old Guard
 
Panzer, thanks very much for the info about the Tri-colour Helmet Badge being ok for Northern Africa despite some posts to the contrary. As I said earlier I reckon these new Tropical FJ figures are terrific and I will certainly be getting some to go with my Afrika Korps display. I was actually going to get them anyway as I'm not to concerned about markings - I even have German Eastern Front Divisions in my Battle of the Bulge display :D
 
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....:confused:

I noticed this too Simon. there's a definite difference in the smock of the repaints and the new poses.
Just looking at the photos I would say that the new poses are wearing the tan and water smocks. With grey trousers they would be perfect for Normandy.
Just like you i'm an absolute FJ nut and there's a lot here to like amongst the new poses. The repaints look good but the new ones are a must buy. I'm bound to get the repaints too!
Only thing is the completist inside me is going to be really upset that the FJ figure repainted for the Treefrog special event last year is going to be missing from the new repainted FJs!!

Andy - please please think about repainting that FJ NCO figure again too!!
 
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

This is the best Fallshirmjager I've even seen. Beautiful work. Please advise what brand and scale it is.
 
Forgive me is someone already posted this, but where is the sneak peak that everyone's talking about? I leave the board for a few days mid-month, before Chicago and suddenly I'm missing a ton of news!{eek3}
 
Don't worry I was confused at 1st as well these old Fallschrimjager threads from 2008 keep poping up over the last few days lol

Craig
 

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