The awesome new plastic US Airborne Late WWII Paratroopers are ready to board their invasion transports and head your way today! Containing 30-man plastic late period US Airborne Platoon with enough plastic components to make 30 US Airborne miniatures in post D-Day M-1943 uniforms, plus a host of options to allow for different weapon configurations and command models.
Having blooded themselves during the fighting in Sicily in 1943 and then fought in arguably their most famous operations during the D-Day landings in June 1944, the US Airborne divisions were withdrawn from the front lines to rest and refit.
Re-equipped with the new green M-1943 uniform which was being used across the US military to standardise supply, the divisions which included the 101st ‘Screaming Eagles’ and the 82nd ‘All American’ would be used by Allied High command during Operation Market Garden – an ambitious plan to open a corridor through Holland by parachuting in several US, British and Polish airborne divisions to take key bridges.
Following the ill-fated Market Garden, US paratroopers would drop into Germany in 1945 as part of Operations Varsity and Plunder – the crossing of the mighty River Rhine itself.
These battle-hardened fighting men have been immortalised in film and television – A Bridge Too Far and Band of Brothers are both great sources of inspiration for these troops and the actions they fought in so heroically.
Weapons included: M1 Garand rifle, Thompson submachine gun, Browning pistol, Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), M1 Carbine, hand grenades, machete, and .30 Cal medium machine gun.
Contains:
- x5 each of 15 different heads
- x5 LMG with bi pod
- x5 bodies kneeling
- x5 bodies prone
- x20 bodies running/standing
- x5 LMG with bi pod
- x5 BAR
- Arms with Rifles, Carbines, SMGs, pistols, binoculars, machete.
- Pouches, Pigeon, ammo, holsters, knives, backpacks and other gears.
- Construction leaflet including new Bolt Action rules entry.
- Full colour waterslide decal sheet.
Famous Battles: Operation Market Garden
Sunday 17 September 1944, Field Marshal Montgomery puts into action his audacious plan to drive deep into Holland, Operation ‘Market Garden’ begins!
The ‘Market’ part of the operation was to seize the bridges up to Arnhem. The British 1st Airborne dropped at Arnhem, to secure the bridgehead over the Neder Rijn, the US 82nd dropped at Nijmegen, to secure the Grave and Nijmegen bridges, while the US 101st Airborne Division was dropped at Eindhoven, to secure the Son and Wilhelmina Canal bridges.
The ‘Garden’ comprised XXX Corps, preceded by the artillery preparation of some 350 guns were to advance along the main axis of the British 2 Army’s line of the offensive, and reach Arnhem within 48 hours, and continue onto the Dutch/German border.
The entire operation was beset with problems from the outset. The lead elements of XXX Corps, Guards Armoured Division were ambushed by German anti-tank defences, causing delays to the advance while the infantry dealt with the enemy. The ground was too soft so the advance was restricted to the narrow single highway, and bridges were blown before being taken forcing further delays as XXX Corps engineers had to move up through the traffic jam to build Bailey bridges.
The small town of Son in Holland and its bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal was to play a major part in the outcome of the Operation.
The US 101st Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles, dropped north of the Canal around Son intending to capture the bridge and then to drive south into the major city of Eindhoven. The bridge however was rigged in preparation for such an eventuality and was blown by the Germans, it was not until the 18th of September, the day after the drop that they were able to enter Eindhoven where elements of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division were joined by the tanks of the Irish Guards of General Brian Horrock’s 30 Corps.
Prepare your forces for battle
Unless you really like your troops to look identical down to the buttons for each period of the war (Yes we know who you are) you can use your new plastic US airborne alongside the existing Warlord metal range from the D-Day invasion to build your platoons and companies of men ready for battles, tournaments, and just general fun!
Check out the range in store today!
Research References
Have a look at some of these as you prepare for your Bolt Action battles:
http://www.market-garden.info/
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_arnhem.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/battle_arnhem_01.shtml
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
Craig Nixon