On September 15, 1944, the U.S. 1st Marine Division began the assault on the island of Peleliu in the Palau Islands. What was expected to be a four-day battle turned into a two-month slug-fest as marines tried to root out the dug-in Japanese troops. This battle would prove to be, proportionally, the bloodiest battle the Marines would fight in WW II, made even worse by the fact the island had little strategic value. Eight marines would receive the Medal of Honor for actions on Peleliu, five of them posthumously.

This Dragon release depicts four marines from that battle, although they could represent marines from any of the late war fighting. There is a wounded marine being tended by a U.S. Navy corpsman, a kneeling officer, and a running figure with a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR).

Modelers of German WW II vehicles and figures will find this latest effort from Plus Model of interest. Packed nicely in the new, sturdy plastic packaging are nine resin pieces of German rucksacks, packs, and field gear.

German troops were originally issued a back pack (Tornister) with a flap made of unshaven calf-skin. There were loops on the sides and top for straps to attach the great coat. Plus model has included one of these packs with a rolled up great coat in this set.

The tornister was not sufficient for mountain troops, who were required to carry more gear, so rucksacks based on civilian designs were issued. During the course of the war, these came in a variety of designs, with two or three outside pockets, with or without integral shoulder straps, and in a number of colors.

The Kit

This slick new set of Hungarian fuel drums and Jerry cans comes in a small, side-opening box with instructions and painting suggestions on the back. Three identical sprues of soft yellow-tan plastic and three sheets of photo etch make up the content. Expecting a run-of-the-mill modeling experience, I was more than pleasantly surprised by the engineering and design of everything – these were made with the modeler in mind.

Oil Drums

There are enough parts to assemble six oil drums. The top and bottom of each eight-part drum is stamped with either ‘HONV’, ‘LUH’, ‘MKR’, serial numbers, and such. What makes the design great is that the two rather thick banding rings are fit into grooves cut into the side of the drum half. This allows the modeler to assemble the drum, fill and sand away the panel lines, and then add the banding rings. In the hands of other manufacturers, this might have been a real sanding chore.

This 1/35 scale set of 22 posters in waterproof ink is a must for diorama builders invading/defending The Fatherland. These posters measure ¾ x 1” and are a great addition to dioramas. The colors are bright and the lines are sharp and crisp. The only thing that I see to be a problem is the instructions. They simply read, “cut out poster and attach to diorama subject with adhesive. May be moistened, crumpled or burned to simulate weathering.” The word” burned” scares me. Just be careful not to overburn them, you may not have a poster to mount.

My thanks to Archer Fine Transfers and IPMS for the opportunity to review this item.

History: The workshop crane was used in most machine shops or automotive shops, both military and commercial. It primarily was used to handle items up to 1,000 pounds in load.

Items in the box: The model is made from cast resin parts – grey in color. One fold-out instruction page, well presented. A metal chain for the hook is provided, as well as a small decal sheet.

Construction: Assembly started with the base, then the trunk, lifting arms, braces, and last, the lifting piston. Some small modifications were made to the crane. I substituted the pins with straight pins, cut to size. The wheels were made with thinner sheet plastic, as the original wheels were too thick for the yokes. I also used railroad bolts for the dolly. As illustrated, the box or load, an extra feature, mostly for effect. (Not supplied in the kit).