US 82nd Airborne Pathfinder "Tom"

The first operational jumps made by the 82nd "All American" Airborne Division in North Africa and Sicily (July 1943) resulted in excessive losses because the drops were too scattered or too far from the target. This led to the formation of airborne scouts (pathfinders) who were sent into the drop zones to reconnoitre them and mark them out before the massed drops.

This US 82nd Airborne Pathfinder by Dragon is supposed to have been in Normandy before D-Day 6 June 1944 since he has to mark out the drop zone for his buddies who would come later. For some strange reason, Dragon had this thing for Nicholas Cage. Not content with his sculpt as SGT Joe Enders, they put out this figure with a different head sculpt that also resembled Nicholas Cage.

They should have done something about the Parachute First Aid Packet because it was just a lump of molded plastic and it looked like "Shite" (pardon my British). I'm gonna have to fix that one of these days. If you can look beyond the shitty Parachute First Aid Kit by Dragon, you can see the resemblance of the head sculpt to Nicholas Cage.


However, once you remove the helmet, he looks like someone else altogether, someone more handsome than Cage could ever be

The 82nd Airborne Pathfinder comes with M1C paratrooper's helmet with A-strap, leather chin cup & camouflage netting with airborne first aid pack attached, M1942 jacket & trousers with expanding cargo side pockets, M1936 X pattern web gear with first aid kit, ammo pouches, water canteen, M1910 entrenching tool, two MkII A1 grenades, M1938 dispatch case, modified Thompson M1 SMG with M1918 trench knife attached, M1936 musette bag, aircraft signalling panels in carrying case and one of the prized possession of the American Paratrooper, his Corcoran jump boots.




His modified Thompson M1 Sub-machine gun with the M1918 Trench Knife attached

Another view of his Thompson SMG

Close-up of his M1918 Trench Knife with its original crimped metal sheath.

His gear. Since he has to be self-sufficient until his buddies arrive, he certainly packed a lot of stuff with him, especially extra ammo



The US 82nd "All American" Airborne Pathfinder all ready for duty, honor and country

The CS-150 carry case for the signal panels (Panel AL 141)

Carry case CS-150 opened

Signalling Panel being unrolled

US 82nd Pathfinder laying out the signalling panel. The straps along the sides could be staked down or attached to a vehicle. These visual signals panels would direct the drops. Holophane lamps and morse signal lamps were used at night.