Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/35 scale =9139-=9145 Series Kit No. 655=
2; British Expeditionary Force France 1940; 96 parts (83 in grey styrene, 1= 3 etched brass); pre-order price US$16.95 via Dragon USA OnlineAdvantages: nicely done set of figures with full coats and excellent new Vi= ckers gun
Disadvantages: use of heavy coats limits usefulness of the set
Rating: Highly Recommended=20
Recommendation: for all Commonwealth fans
In a surprise move DML has now released a nice fresh set of four Commonwea= lth figures from what appears to be the =93Sitzkreig=94 or =93Phony War=94 = period of the BEF deployment to France in 1940. It consists of an officer i= n a raincoat (NOT trenchcoat) and three =93squaddies=94 in greatcoats manni= ng a Vickers .303 water-cooled machine gun.=20
The figures follow the DML format =96 six parts consisting of head, torso,= arms and legs =96 but as all are in winter garb their coat skirts are sepa= rate parts. Each skirt consists of three or four parts, all with nicely thi= nned edges, and all designed to simulate the positions shown on the box art= . The officer is kneeling and pointing with a stick, the gunner sits wrappe= d around the rear trail of the Vickers, and the =93other numbers=94 are pro= ne, one feeding the gun and the other with rifle at the ready to provide co= ver.=20
The Vickers gun is of the =93smooth=94 jacketed variety but comes with exp= ansion/feed tank (the hose must be bent to fit by the modeler as it is mold= ed integral with the tank), three ammo cans, a belt of around 50 rounds, an= d the lock and brace. It has the recoil booster in place but as it is in th= e middle of the sprue does not come with a clean molded bore. The carrying = straps and handles are provided as etched brass components, but they will n= eed annealing to be twisted to shape as shown. A section of what appears to= be spare hose (W9) is also provided.
This kit also uses the disappointing Photoshop style artwork which has beg= un to appear on other DML sets of late. It shows a Universal (=93Bren=94) C= arrier with two soldiers covering the deployed team and appears to combine = reworked shots from WWII with reenactors. The back of the box is little hel= p in finishing them (they assume you use GSI Creos Mr Color!) nor is the wa= shed-out color of the figures any help. DML really needs to spend more time= on supporting their products.=20
Overall this is a great new set, but due to the early war winter setting w= ill be of little use other than very early in France, Norway, or some of th= e operations in Greece.=20
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.=20
Cookie Sewell