Sunday, September 5, 2010

Dragon WWII SAS Officer "Eddie Mac" Review

The Special Air Service was a unit of the British Army during the Second World War, formed in July 1941 by David Stirling and originally called "L" Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade. It was conceived as a commando force to operate behind enemy lines in the North African Campaign and initially consisted of five officers and 60 other ranks. [source: wiki]

This is the recently released DML Dragon Models Ltd 1:6 scale 12-inch SAS Officer Lieutenant "Eddie Mac", operating in the North African Campaign of the Second World War, around 1942-43. This is probably one of the most distinct image of the British SAS operating behind enemy lines during WWII.



This is the box packaging that the figure came in. Dragon hasn't changed the design very much since 1997 when they first launched their Wehrmacht Infantry NCO (Feldwebel) "Hans" figure which was way ahead of its time then but Dragon seem to have been stuck in time, lagging while new 1:6 manufacturers were constantly advancing and improving.

They had been releasing quite a lot of re-hash 12-inch German military figures from their existing inventory and only recently tried a new approach by releasing WWII USMC figures from the TV series "The Pacific". I was only interested in this figure because there are just too few 1:6 scale British soldiers being released, and even fewer belonging to the SAS so "Eddie Mac" was my first purchase of a Dragon figure for a very long time. The other reason is of course the price, with Dragon's military figures costing even less than some of the uniform sets in the 1:6 market.


This is the new Dragon 12-inch NEO 3 BODY. Eddie has taken off his Royal Air Force KD Jacket to show off his new buff body.  The Dragon Neo 3 body supposedly has the neck re-engineered with extendible joint for increased range of motion and all-new extendible shoulder joints that can be manipulated for a greater degree of movement and more realistic figure poses


Close-up of the 1:6 headsculpt of SAS Officer Lieutenant "Eddie Mac"


And here you can see his Royal Air Force KD Trousers


Dragon WWII British SAS Officer "Eddie Mac" in full uniform consisting of the keffiyeh / kufiya (arab headdress) with agal (black corded ring), Green Scarf, Royal Air Force KD Jacket with SAS Paratrooper Wing Insignia, Distinguished Conduct Medal and General Service Medal (the Distinguished Conduct Medal was for Other Ranks - as an officer Lt. Eddie would have been awarded the Distinguished Service Order unless his was a a battlefield commision), and Lieutenant Shoulder Tabs. He also has on Royal Air Force KD Trousers, "Hose Top" Socks, British Leg Tape and British Ammunition Boots.


His equipment: M37-Pattern Waist belt and Pistol Holster. His weapons: 3rd Pattern Fairborn-Sykes Dagger with Scabbard and Enfield Revolver No.2 / Mark I


This is a pretty basic military figure but you have to admit these guys were one-of-a-kind. They had to be energetic, innovative, self-reliant, physically and mentally tough, and able to live and fight in seclusion in the Libyan desert.



The Dragon 1:6 scale 12-inch SAS Officer Lieutenant "Eddie Mac" also came with three jerrycans captured from the Germans.


WW2 British SAS Officer loading and checking his Enfield No.2 Mk I Revolver


Close-up shot showing the 1:6 scale keffiyeh / kufiya (arab headdress) with agal (black corded ring), Green Scarf, Royal Air Force KD Jacket with SAS Paratrooper Wing Insignia, Distinguished Conduct Medal and General Service Medal plus Lieutenant Shoulder Tabs


Close-up of his M37-Pattern Waist belt and Pistol Holster containing his Enfield No. 2  Mk I Revolver which also comes with a retaining lanyard. His 3rd Pattern Fairborn-Sykes Dagger with Scabbard is also attached to his belt.


Close-ups of Dragon "Eddie Mac" head sculpt with keffiyeh / kufiya (arab headdress) and agal (black corded ring). The keffiyeh was worn to provide protection from direct sun exposure, as well as for occasional use in protecting the mouth and eyes from blown dust and sand.




Close-up photo of the Dragon Models 1:6 scale Enfield No.2 Mk I Revolver



The gloved hands are not designed to hold the British Enfield revolver


Dragon 1:6 scale Jerrycans. The British used cans captured from the "Jerries" (Germans) — hence "jerrycans" — in preference to their own containers as much as possible. When the British Army first saw the German fuel cans during the invasion of Norway in 1940, the British immediately saw the advantages of the superior design. The containers had three handles on them which allowed easy handling by one or two people or to be moved bucket brigade-style. The handle design also allows for two empty cans to be carried in each hand. [source: wiki]

The sides of the can were marked with cross-like indentations that strengthened the can while allowing the contents to expand, as did an air pocket under the handles when the can was filled correctly.


Rather than a screw cap, the containers used a cam lever release mechanism with a short spout secured with a snap closure. Dragon's 1:6 Jerrycans also have the cam lever release mechanism and it can be opened :)


The Germans called the jerrycan the Wehrmachtskanister. Dragon has included two (Waffen SS) Jerrycans and one Wehrmacht Jerrycan

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