WW2. (not so) British Paratroops 1:72 (01723)

[Tomek22]

I have painted some of my British Paratroops in 1:72. I think there more generic Paras, because manyof this figures is not correct. But I love them nevertheless!. So I painted them into fantasy style uniform color.

 

 

[jopres57]

These are well painted figures Tomek22. As a matter of interest what do you think is wrong with the figures? I have some in my stash that I haven't started yet.

[john redman]

ISTR these were originally released as just generic "Paratroopers" and didn't get badged "British Paratroopers" until some years later!

They have the wrong weapons - Thompson SMGs and bazookas instead of Stens and PIATs - and they lack things like pouches. Also, shame none is wearing the red beret. On the positive side, they are well animated and they still paint up well as the OP's examples show.

[Tomek22]

Hi, jopress57, john redman is right! Look here: Plastic Soldier Review - Airfix British Paratroops

[Tour de Airfix]

A few years ago I built Italeri’s Pegasus Bridge and their Horsa glider kits. Both sets came with what I thought were some really nice WW2 British paratroopers. 

I think they were originally Esci figures. 

I must still have a set of them in my stash, as there were far too many of them for me to use 😊

I had in my youth a set of Airfix’s 1:32 scale British paratroopers which I remember being quite excellent. What a shame I no longer have them 🤷‍♂️

[jopres57]

I always thought that the Paras were a good quality set compared to earlier Airfix offerings such as British and German infantry. I didn't think that not wearing 37 pattern webbing was a problem but I never realised that the Paras didn't usually use the Tommy gun or bazooka. Ironically enough most releases of this set have a picture on the front of a sergeant wearing webbing.

Edited April 26 by jopres57

[john redman]

The parachute units were formed after the war started when Churchill observed the Germans in action in Belgium, Crete etc and wondered where our paratroopers were. The Thompson was kind of an early war weapon, purchased because Britain didn't have its own SMG. They were distributed to commandos and so on, but by the time the paratroopers were established, so was the Sten. The US story was quite similar except they equipped with the grease gun M3 as their SMG (because of the Thompson's weight and unique ammunition).

Likewise I am pretty sure no British units used the bazooka, which these guys are doing. They would have had the obsolescent Boys ATR (briefly) then the PIAT. US paratroopers would have used the bazooka, but if that's what these guys are, they shouldn't have Thompsons. 

So nothing really marks them out as anyone's paras in particular. 

The 1/32 set is more accurate, so it's a shame Airfix didn't pantograph these down to 1/76, as they did with the Afrika Korps and others.

Edited April 26 by john redman

[Tony57]

Hi

In regards US paras, I am watching Band of Brothers on sky ( freeview channel 11 ) they have Thompson machine guns rather than M3 grease guns  I have never seen the M3 in any episode so far on any paratrooper in Easy Company or any other US para in the series.

I could be wrong but Paras would not wear webbing when jumping because of possible issues with parachute harness getting snagged in it, it does not mean they did not have it in their jump bags and put it on once they were on the ground. 

The Airfix British Paras are ok but the Heller version are better as they have the right weapons for the WW2 period. The Heller US paras are just as good.   

[john redman]

It goes to the question of what the figures are trying to depict, and the original designer was perhaps not sure or deliberately trying to make them generic. US paras apparently liked Thompsons if they could get them, but they were used as ground troops so that may have worked better. Digging into it more, the M3 fired the same ammo as the Thompson (who knew?) but weighed quite a bit less. Would you bother bringing a Thompson along on paradrops, or would you rather carry an M3 and more ammo? 

US paras are a possibility, but the presence of the Thompsons and the bazooka, and the absence of Brens, Stens and PIATs say these aren't British. 

Edited Monday at 18:36 by john redman