Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/35 scale '39-'45 Series Kit No.
6456; German Officers - Kursk 1943; 56 parts; estimated price about US $10Advantages: four new poses for use with tank kits
Disadvantages: Gen1 figures with very early DML weapons set; somewhat static poses; bizarre box artwork
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all WWII German armor fans
DML tends to take turns between producing its very detailed "Gen2" series of figures and what could be termed "Gen1" sets with far less complicated figures and fewer details. This is one of the later sets; while not as detailed or offering as many options, the figures as usual are up to DML's high standards. (Note that a good number of modelers really don't care for the "Gen2" figures as they are "too busy" to assemble, so there are fans of both styles.)
This set provides four officer figures and appears to be based on photos of actual German troops at Kursk. One senior officer in a service cap and without a blouse is reading from a map; two Panzergrenadier officers are next to him, with one officer in a camouflaged smock really looking like it has been "warm work"; the fourth officer is seated on the edge of a Pzkw. IV hull and pointing to something in the distance. All have very good facial details and a variety of uniforms and kit give the impression of "not on the parade ground" which some companies tend to miss. Note that all of the officers are SS officers but the collar tabs are "pre-censored" as are their cap badges, even though the "death's head" items are minuscule the ones on the uniforms are also "service neutral."
The weapons are a letdown as they are from one of the very first DML sets and are over 15 years old. DML should retire these and use the Wx sets from their "Gen2" figures as they are state of the art, and even if you don't want to use a 17-piece figure in place of a 6-piece figure they should have decent weapons. They also come with three diferrent styles of binoculars and two sets of lens caps, a near scale cigarette, and four different styles of headgear.
The really odd thing is the box art; this is not a Ron Volstad set and it shows, as the figures are clearly "Photoshopped" with what looks to be xerox-like precision and the Pzkw. IV tank is obviously the same image with cut and paste. Likewise the back of the box shows completed figures with "stick here " arrows and no detailed painting directions. Even if Mr. Volstad did not do the artwork, the system he uses is far better and more flattering to the product than this sort of production level.
Overall, Germans are always popular and Kursk being a focal point this set should prove a good one for most modelers
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell