Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale ?39-?45 Series Kit No. 6198: U.S. Army Support Weapon Teams; 112 parts in grey styrene; price estimated at $6.95-8.95
Advantages: nice, new moldings of four different US Army support weapons; good action poses by crews; can be used in any period of the war
Disadvantages: crews are for varying periods of the war
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all WWII US Army fans
Lately DML has shifted to six-figure sets with specific purposes in mind, such as the "Leopold" artillery crew and Soviet tank riders. This is a similar set in that it includes six figures, but it also provides four different US Army weapons platoon and infantry platoon weapons: the M1917A4 .30 caliber air cooled machine gun, the M2HB .50 caliber machine gun, the 57mm recoilless rifle, and the 60mm mortar. Each one, except the two machine guns for which it would appear you have a choice of one or the other with the MG team, has a dedicated crew for it.
The machine gun team consists of a prone gunner and assistant gunner in the early European uniforms with leggings and early field jackets. The guns are either seven parts to the .30 or eight parts for the .50; both are new mold items.
The 57mm comes with two figures in kneeling positions, and as it was a late war weapon, they are wearing late war uniforms with combat boots. The RR is molded with a closed breech, but the sights and operating handle are separate parts. One round is included for the weapon.
The mortar team consists of two kneeling figures in the early war uniform again. The mortar is a little gem, consisting of six parts with three two-piece (separate fins) mortar bombs.
Quality is typical DML and the figures are well animated. While the arms can be "mixed and matched" to some degree, note that the late war arms have button cuffs (parts A3 and A4 and B3 and B4) and will not go with the early war uniforms which have open cuffs. The late war helmets also come with netting on them.
Overall, this a nice little set and will perk up anything, such as the Tamiya GMC or the Tamiya or Italeri M20 armored utility car kits in a diorama or base setting.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell