 Valiant
Miniatures
HOBBY KIT
9755
GERMAN PARATROOPERS,
MACHINE GUN TEAM, 1944
(Retail US$31.49)
The Germans were the first
nation to recognize the potential of a well-trained
assault force of paratroopers, and were the only
nation at the beginning of World War II to have
sizable formations of them ready for combat. They
soon proved their worth when at the beginning of
the 1940 offensive their surprise aerial assault
captured the supposedly impregnable fortress of
Eben Emal in a matter of minutes and knocked
Belgium out of the war in one day. Their landing on
Crete the following year marked the first totally
airborne invasion in history, and succeeded in
driving the British from the island in less than a
week. The casualties from this operation, however,
were so severe that the Luftwaffe was reluctant to
risk such losses again, and the German parachute
divisions fought out the rest of the war as elite
ground troops. Although Ramcke's paratroopers saw
considerable action in North Africa, it was in
Italy and Normandy that they made their mark.
Luftwaffe ground forces played a major role in
Italy, particularly at Monte Cassino, where they
were the backbone of the German forces. Their
stubborn defense of the mountain Abbey brought the
war to a virtual standstill for six
months.
These are unpainted
and unassembled metal hobby kits.
Unless otherwise noted, these kits are in the
International 54mm
Collectors Scale. Standing figurines are approx.
2-1/2" - 3" tall.
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