DML 1/35 Gebirgshjaeger Crete 1941 Kit First Look Kit First Look

By Cookie Sewell

First Look

Other than the 10th Mountain Division, the US Army never worried much about mountain warfare. This was not true in continental Europe, where every one of the major countries had mountaineers trained for combat. The Italians had the Alpini, the French the Alpinists, and the Germans the Gebirgsjaegern. These troops were trained in mountaineering and climbing as well as some use of skis for winter patrolling and raiding.

The Germans used them in the Balkans among other places as well as the invasion of Crete in 1941. These troops as presented in this set wear the lightweight reed green jackets with sand colored shorts as their basic uniform. The kit presents four figures in two pairs: a major talking to a seated private, and an NCO and private preparing to move out on patrol.

All come in the normal six parts (head, torso, arms and legs) and use what would be termed DML "Gen 1 ½" kit for their basic fittings. No etched brass is included for slings and straps.

Some modelers were excited when this set came out as they felt they could easily be converted to Afrika Korps, but it should be noted they are correctly molded wearing birgsteiflen or mountain boots. These have thicker soles and steel cleats reinforcing them – they were after all designed to increase footing on ice and snow. However, the headgear is pretty generic and does not have the conspicuous "Edelweiss" badge on the left side.

Overall these troops make a nice set of pairs for vignettes.

Thanks to DML for the review sample.

Sprue Layout:

• 6742 30 Four figures, basic kit
• G 62 Basic kit items (pistols, bayonets, bread bags, helmets, canteens, etc.)
• W 30 Basic weapons (Kar 98K, Gw 43, MP40, MP44, MG34, MG42)