Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/35 scale '39-'45 Series Kit No.
6410; German Cossack Cavalry - Premium Edition; 194 parts (136 in grey styrene, 58 etched brass); price estimated at US$13.95Advantages: nice update to a good kit makes it better; optional horse heads gives the opportunity for different action poses by the horses
Disadvantages: etched brass straps will need to be annealed before use; traditional Cossack dress has fairly thick coat edges
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for German, Soviet and horse cavalry fans
When this kit came out in 1997 (as No. 6065, for I went back and looked at my notes!) I originally rated highly with the exception of the fact that no bridal or other saddle furniture straps were included. This upgraded version, put out under the Premium Edition aegis, now fixes that and adds two of the generic "Gen2" sprues to the kit to upgrade the details.
To recap the original review, the kit provides two Kuban Cossacks in German service. One is wearing a German uniform and the other traditional Cossack dress, so he at least can "change sides" if the modeler wishes him to! Both wear the traditional Cossack cap and the light sabres preferred by the Cossacks, and the German garbed one also carries a Kar 98K.
The figures are the original DML style in that each consists of six basic parts (legs, torso, head and arms) with separate headgear and uniform details. The edges of the long coat of the Kuban man are a bit thick, and modelers may want to either thin them down or replace them.
Kit comes as either the standard bits for the horses or one of the "Gen2" generic sprues, which provides bread bags, ammo pouches, ponchos, and small accessories.
Most useful is the inclusion of the etched brass horse furniture from Kit No. 6216 which now solves the original failing of the No. 6065 kit. The fret includes horseshoes with nail holes, bridles, halters, belly bands, stirrups, and reins. Note that the fret will have to be held over an open flame to anneal it before use in order to get the brass flexible enough to replicate straps.
The original painting instructions and cover by Ron Volstad are included, but alas DML only added a foolscap illustration for installing the stirrups and reins and thus it is not much help in getting a nice installation of the etched brass bits. I wish that DML would provide better directions, as they give you great parts but only minimal directions on how to assemble them into a equally outstanding finished product.
Overall this is a nice upgrade to an older kit and if you are an experienced figure modeler you will be able to get a great result from it. I hope that DML will improve the directions, however, so the not- so-experienced modeler can enjoy it too.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell