German Mountain Troops
Airfix 1:76 Scale Figure Review
Airfix German Gebirgsjäger Mountain Troops wearing a mixture of field grey uniforms, or reversible white/reed green, white/Splittertarn, white/Sumpfmuster Windblouse (Anorak) and Windtrousers, and Bergmütze 41 field cap with Edelweiß emblem.
Contents
37 Figures in 14 Poses – 22 mm equal 167 cm Height
- Officer, kneeling, pointing (1)
- NCO with MP 38/40, kneeling, firing (4)
- Signaller with Semaphore Flags (2)
- Light Machine Gun Team
- Machine Gunner No. 1 with MG 42, prone, firing (2)
- Machine Gunner No. 2 with Ammunition Box, prone (2)
- Gebirgsjäger with Karabiner 98k, standing, firing (4)
- Gebirgsjäger with Karabiner 98k, prone, firing (4)
- Gebirgsjäger Rope Team (2+2)
- Gebirgsjäger with Rope and Grapnel (2)
- Gebirgsjäger of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 112, on Bicycle (2)
- Gebirgsjäger with Pick Axe (3)
- Gebirgsjäger with shouldered Skis, climbing (3)
- Gebirgsjäger skiing (4)
- Mule with Ammunition Boxes (2)
- Spare Skis (6)
Evaluation
Good choice of subject, the Airfix Gebirgsjäger offer many interesting poses for dioramas and small vignettes featuring mountain troops. Interestingly, the Airfix figure set is unique in this scale, none of the other major manufacturers have released German mountain troops.
Excellent poses suitable for dioramas. The figures are anatomically correct and they are accurately posed to represent mountain troops fighting and mountaineering. Wargamers may have to convert some of the poses to draft them into wargame units.
The Gebirgsjäger of the Bicycle Squadron of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 112 may also be used as a runner or reconnaissance soldier of Radfahr-Abteilung 54 or Radfahr-Abteilung 95. As the war progressed, bicycles increasingly replaced horses in cavalry regiments and infantry reconnaissance battalions.
The standing, firing Gebirgsjäger is the only figure in this set equipped with a Feldspaten entrenching tool, and he carries his Sidearm 84/98 Ausf. III incorrectly on his belt, rather than strapped to the entrenching tool. The prone rifleman and the Gebirgsjäger with rope and grapnel are equipped with a bayonet only.
The Gebirgsjäger with semaphore flags and the one with rope and grapnel are easily converted to become Tragtierführer pack animal handlers of the mule company.
Several poses are only suitable for dioramas. Wargamers may want to convert them to gunners or engineers. Using the new Pattex Blitz Plastik flüssig adhesive for Polyethylene figures, it will be possible to place rifles into the hands of those figures.
Compatible with Fujimi, Matchbox, Milicast, Cromwell Models, Ostmodels, MMS, and Vac-U-Cast.
Possible Conversions
- Figures wearing summer uniform may be painted as late war German infantry with soft caps or helmets.
- The Gebirgsmütze soft cap was not worn in combat, it should be replaced by a German steel helmet.
Airfix German Gebirgsjäger mountain troops were released in 1977, and they are still among the most popular figure sets of German infantry. Wargamers need a box or two of these troops to recruit Gebirgsjäger units which served on many fronts throughout the war. The figures may be mixed with Airfix Afrika Korps troops or other late war German infantry to increase the variety of poses in a platoon.