BBi Elite Force Private Vince Neiheisel (D-Day)

BBi released their Elite Force WWII 63rd Anniversary of D-Day Limited Edition Private Vince Neiheisel "Vince", a 1/6 scale 12-inch combat engineer with the 29th infantry division, in 2007 (3 years after Dragon's D-Day 60th anniversary commemorative figure, a 1/6 scale 12-inch US Army 29th Infantry Division soldier "Mike Connolly" - my post here)

Private Vince Neiheisel served as a combat engineer with the 29th infantry division. He landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day and served for 335 consecutive days throughout the European theatre. Among the decorations he received during his service were a distinguished unit Badge, the European campaign medal with 5 bronze stars, and a presidential citation for the Roer River crossing.

"Vince" came with G3.5 body with bare hands, M1 Helmet with Netting, M1 Helmet liner, M1941 Field Jacket with front zipper and button, M41 Field shirt, M1936 Suspender Belt attached to M1923 Cartridge Belt for M1 Garand, M1916 "leather" holster, Canteen in pouch/carrier, M1944 General Purpose Ammo Bag with detachable straps, Rope, M41 Herringbone twill trousers and M1943 GI double buckle boots

Weapons included the M1 Garand rifle with rifle sling, M1 Garand magazines X 4, M3 Trench knife in M8 Scabbard, M1911A1 pistol with M1911A1 magazines X 2, M18 Smoke grenades X 2 

M9A1 "HEAT" (High Explosive Anti Tank) rifle grenades x 2

Head sculpt has the character likeness of Vincent Neiheisel. BBI's M1 helmet is NICE and IMHO 1/6 accurate, not too high like Dragon's

M1923 Cartridge Belt (3 years on and BBI still couldn't match Dragon's realistic cloth cartridge belt as worn by "Mike Connolly" - Each has its plus points and the best would be to combine the two company's products to get one outstanding figure)

M41 Herringbone twill trousers and M1943 GI double buckle boots

M3 Trench knife in M8 Scabbard, Water bottle in pouch/carrier

M1944 General Purpose Ammo Bag with detachable straps and rope

M1911A1 pistol in M1916 "leather" holster (actually just plastic)

The M1 Garand (officially the United States Rifle, Caliber .30, M1) was the first semi-automatic rifle to be generally issued to the infantry of any nation. In 1936, it officially replaced the bolt-action M1903 Springfield (carried by the doughboys of World War I - see my post here) as the standard service rifle of the United States Armed Forces and was subsequently replaced by the selective-fire M14 in 1957. [source: wiki]

Additional Equipment: M5 assault gas mask bag (no gas mask), Canteen cup with folding handle, M26 Life preserver belt, M1 Garand rifle weather proof plastic bag, M1910 T-handle shovel, M17 fragmentation grenade with M1 Projection Adopter x 1 and M7 Grenade launcher adopter

M26 Life preserver belt was worn around the waist and held by buckle