German Gebirgsjäger
Mountain Troops, 1939–1945
Airfix 1:76 Scale Figure Review
Airfix German Gebirgsjäger mountain troops wearing a mixture of field grey uniforms and Sumpfmuster tan aqueous camouflage smocks. The figures represent a rifle platoon based on 50 × 38 mm infantry stands compatible with the Crossfire game system. The single figure is the platoon commander. Additional infantry stands may be added to account for the fact that elite infantry units typically showed greater initiative at the platoon and section level. This is particularly true of German infantry sections which were trained to fight in two groups, a machine gun group of five men and a rifle group of seven to nine men. In game terms, these groups may be deployed on individual section-sized infantry stands.
Contents
37 Figures in 14 Poses – 22 mm equal 167 cm Height
- Officer, kneeling, pointing
- Signaller with Semaphore Flags (2)
- l.MG No. 1, prone, firing (2)
- l.MG No. 2, prone, serving ammunition (2)
- Gebirgsjäger Rope Team (2+2)
- Gebirgsjäger with Rope and Grapnel (2)
- Gebirgsjäger riding Bicycle (2)
- Gebirgsjäger with Pick Axe (3)
- Gebirgsjäger walking with shouldered Skis (3)
- Gebirgsjäger skiing (4)
- Gebirgsjäger with Karabiner 98k, standing, firing (4)
- Gebirgsjäger with SMG, kneeling, firing (4)
- Gebirgsjäger with Karabiner 98k, prone, firing (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 bicyclist is a nice figure which may be used as a messenger or recce trooper of Radfahr-Abteilung 54 or Radfahr-Abteilung 95 reconnaissance battalion. 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.
Compatible with Fujimi, Matchbox, Milicast, Cromwell Models, Ostmodels, MMS, and Vac-U-Cast.
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.
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 Afrikakorps troops or other late war German infantry to increase the variety of poses in a platoon.