Preview: 35th scale US Infantry 2nd ID Set (2 figures) from Alpine Miniatures

Alpine Miniatures two new figures are from the 2nd Infantry Division. These two soldiers both come with two head choices & are sold as singles or pairs. We look at the division's soldiers & both figures in detail in our preview...

Preview: 35th scale US Infantry 2nd ID Set (2 figures) from Alpine Miniatures

The Subjects: Soldiers of the Second Infantry Division during WWII: "2nd to None"

The 2nd Infantry Division (2ID, 2nd ID) (the "Indianhead") is a formation of the United States Army. After training in Ireland and Wales from October 1943 to June 1944, the 2d Infantry Division crossed the channel to land on Omaha Beach on D plus 1, 7 June 1944, near St. Laurent-sur-Mer. Attacking across the Aure River, the Division liberated Trevieres, 10 June, and proceeded to assault and secure Hill 192, the key enemy strongpoint on the road to St. Lo. With the hill taken 11 July 1944, the Division went on the defensive until 26 July.

2nd ID route through Europe in WWII & the shoulder combat service identification badge 

Exploiting the St. Lo break-through, the 2d Division advanced across the Vire to take Tinchebray 15 August 1944. The Division then moved west to join the battle for Brest, the heavily defended fortress surrendering 18 September 1944 after a 39-day contest. The Division took a brief rest 19-26 September before moving to defensive positions at St. Vith. The German Ardennes offensive in mid-December forced the Division to withdraw to defensive positions near Elsenborn, where the German drive was halted. In February 1945 the Division attacked, recapturing lost ground, and seized Gemund, 4 March. Reaching the Rhine 9 March, the 2d advanced south to take Breisig, 10-11 March, and to guard the Remagen bridge, 12-20 March.

John N. Wauthier of the 2nd Infantry Division. Note his BAR & similar layout to the gunner in this set.

The Division crossed the Rhine 21 March and advanced to Hadamar and Limburg, relieving elements of the 9th Armored Division, 28 March. Advancing rapidly in the wake of the 9th Armored, the 2d Division crossed the Weser at Veckerhagen, 6-7 April, captured. Gottingen 8 April, established a bridgehead across the Saale, 14 April, seizing Merseburg on the 15th. On the 18th the Division took Leipzig, mopped up in the area, and out posted the Mulde River; elements which had crossed the river were withdrawn 24 April. Relieved on the Mulde, the 2d moved 200 miles, 1-3 May, to positions along the German-Czech border near Schonsee and Waldmunchen, and attacked in the general direction of Pilsen, reaching that city as the war in Europe ended.

Seen here in a respite from fighting, these two 2nd ID soldiers are seen in winter gear and with that 2ID patch prominent on the kneeling soldier

Pfc. Floyd Rogers, 24, of Rising Star, Texas, and his Browning Automatic Rifle, with which, according to his officers, he has killed 27 Nazis, mostly snipers harassing advancing American troops. Note the German camouflage pattern on his helmet...

After suffering 16,795 battle casualties spending 303 days in combat across Northwest and Central Europe from Omaha Beach to Czechoslovakia– where they were still in combat on VE Day– 2ID would go on to see a war of a different sort in Korea, where they still serve today.

 Pvt. Walter E. Przybyla from Hampshire County, Massachusetts, a member of "B" Battery, 37th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, is writing Christmas cards for friends and family from an artillery ammunition storehouse in Heckhalenfeld, Germany - November 30, 1944.

Two soldiers of 9th Infantry Regiment of 2nd Division in front of a military cinema, provided for soldiers' entertainment, in March 1945.

The figures: Two new figures from the US 2nd Infantry Division in 35th scale.

Alpine Miniatures are well known for being a pioneer in the industry, their quality continues to impress us, with this, their latest set of two single figures, also sold as a pair.

We will look at them both now, with the single figures, and then the set of two figures together

US BAR Gunner 2nd ID

From Alpine Miniatures

1/35th scale

Figure No #35321

Sculpture by Taesung Harmms

Box Art by Dr. Jin Kim

Two heads are included with the figure

This Figure is sculpted by Taesung Harmms, it comes with two headgear choices & is cast in light grey resin, unassembled in 1/35th scale. The figures is seen below in a higher resolution than the painted images we have, so we will focus on those mainly.  The BAR Gunner is seen holding his heavy gun to port - you can see him holding it tightly in his left hand by the magazine, but resting into his arm. These guns weighed a LOT(19.4 pounds / 8.8 kg).

Both of the heads feature a feature rich face, with detailed eye, nose and lips. This figure wears the regulation M1 helmet, the difference between these two figures is that one has camouflage netting on it, the other is bare. You can see below a WWII-era 2ID helmet with the patch painted on to it alongside a net-covered reproduction helmet.

The BAR gunner wears a cotton uniform shirt under his M-1941 jacket. This "Parson’s Jacket" (named after the designer Maj. General J.K. Parsons) was standard issue to all corps with the exception of the Navy. It is a light weight short jacket that would not keep someone warm due to the light weight material used. This jacket was produced from 1941 until late 1943 and was intended for light combat wear. It stayed in use throughout the war. You can see the details identifying this jacket by the same location on the buttons, the slit pockets on the front and the collar shape which the sculptor has captured in a lovely, wrinkly fashion here.

The gunner wears a partially hidden but full M-1937 WWII pattern magazine belt for the Browning Automatic Rifle (B.A.R.) - with 6 pockets which holds a total of twelve 20 rd. magazines. Due to the width of the original bar belt used in WWI and the difficulties of restricted movement lead to the change to a narrower bar belt and smaller buckle. Although heavy when full, they were well liked by their users, often others in the section carried spare ammo for the BAR gunner.

Over his high boots he also wears M1938 Leggings which his standard issue pants are covering also, keeping all types of nasties out of his boots. You can see where the sculptor has taken care to show the wrinkles of the canvas and the stitching and laces that keep them together in his fine sculpt work.

In his hands, he carries the BAR that we mentioned already.  The M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle or BAR as it was called for short was a light machine gun developed to give the infantryman more mobile rapid firepower. Designed to be fired from the hip or from a bi-pod mount, this gun gave the G.I.’s the advantage in heavy firepower from the very last stages of the First World War and through the WWII to Korea and the opening stages of the Vietnam War. 

The BAR was given one-to–a-section of GI’s where possible and was a partial counter to the feared light machine guns the Germans carried. I think the modeller would need to add their own strap to this, and a paper one could be made to match pretty easily.

Seen from behind, you can notice a lot more about the skills of the sculptor, with the webbing that is  holding the BAR belt holding and pinching the jacket underneath it with his delicate sculpting, while the thicker seams are straighter and more stiff looking. The creases in the legs of the trousers stand out and will look great under paint. 

He carries also a medical pouch on his belt, along with a canteen and an entrenching tool.

Finally with this figure, you can see the impressive paint work that not only the sculpt allows, but under the hand of the box artist by Dr. Jin Kim. This is how nice the figure can look under a skilled hand...

US Infantry 2nd ID

From Alpine Miniatures

1/35th scale

Figure No #35322

Sculpture by Taesung Harmms

Box Art by Dr. Jin Kim

Two heads are included with the figure

This second figure is also a soldier of the 2ID, this one is also heavily laden and sculpted to look like it by Taesung Harmms in 35th scale. Seen gesturing forward with open hand towards something as he holds his M1 Garand in his right hand. The sleeves of his jacket are rolled slightly, making me think these guys are in a summer climate in Europe somewhere.

Again, like his comrade, he is supplied with two headgear choices, both bare and netted M1 helmet. The liner and suspension were developed after a modified Riddell Football helmet. The M-1 helmet was approved for production in June 1941. This helmet is offered “bare” without any camo covering, and also with the mesh netted covering, which could hold foliage in it for camouflage.

2ID Major General Walter M. Robertson honours S/Sgt. Edwin B. Flexer with the Bronze Star for his action on July 3, 1944. He wears much the same gear as this figure, and you can compare the wrinkling on the clothing, ammo bandoleer and helmet netting favourably with this chap.

This trooper carries with him the M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle. This was the primary weapon for most U.S. soldiers throughout World War II. It shot .30-'06 bullets from an eight-round clip, and a paratrooper might typically jump with 136 total rounds of ammunition. The rifle had a maximum effective range of 440 yards, but could still do damage in excess of 1,000 yards. What really made the Garand so effective was its semi-automatic firing. He is seen holding his rifle in his right hand casually as he gestures with his left hand, so you would think this is a soldier behind the front line in his mannerisms.

The The M1943 Jacket, Herringbone Twill (O.D. Shade 7) jacket is a feature of this man's torso, with spare M1 Garand ammunition pouches in canvas and a spare grenade on his chest with even more spare ammo pouches for good measure. 

A wartime M1943 HBT currently for sale at auction..

A soldier wears the M1 steel helmet (bare), with bandoleers of M1 Garand ammo hanging from both sides and his M1 held in his right hand, very much like this figure. Like the sculpt, you can see how the jacket bends and creases under movement and the soldier's webbing.

He is not short of ammunition, with a  khaki webbed canvas U.S. M23 Cartridge ten-pocket ammunition belt, as well as the M23 Rifle Cartridge WWII Springfield M1 Garand 10-pocket canvas ammunition belt bandolier.

Versions of the reproduction ammo pouches and bandoleer are below. .

Two GIs with the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, return to their unit after escorting some German prisoners to the rear of the line near Brest, France - September 3, 1944. 

On this figure you can see the same trousers & leggings as the first figure. Below, you can see a pair of reproduction US Army M1943 trousers & M1938 leggings. These leggings were worn in conjunction with Service Shoes until late in the War when they began to be replaced by the Combat Service Boots.

Showing the sides and rear of this figure, you can see how the sculptor again saves the best of his work for the wrinkles and folds of clothing as they follow the form of the fabric and the material's rigidity. The M43 HBT jacket and shirt below it pinch and crease under the soldier's webbing and where the pants are captured into the leggings especially.

On his rear he wears the and the larger US Army lightweight service gas mask bag - an olive-drab canvas gas mask pouch with a fold over closure flap. The fold over flap has three blackened brass stud-holed snaps, which mate with corresponding studs mounted on pieces web strap sewn vertically on the front of the bag. Although designed to house the M4 gas mask, these bags (likely most) soldier's simply "lost" the gas mask, cut off the leg strap and used the bag for carrying miscellaneous "junk". They are a perfect size to carry on your side- smaller than a musette bag and bigger than a German bread bag. 

On the sides and rear of his belt the soldier has the M43 entrenching tool with a wooden handle & folding & locking steel head, M42 flask with canvas cover over a Bakelite bottle along with a M42 field dressing pouch,.

Again below you can see this figure painted up by Dr. Jin Kim. He shows us his "Second to none" skills with the paintbrush on both of these 2ID figures...

US Infantry 2nd ID Set (2 figures)

From Alpine Miniatures

1/35th scale

Figure No #35323

Sculpture by Taesung Harmms

Box Art by Dr. Jin Kim

Two head choices included with each of the two figures in this set.

These figures are also sold as a set of two for a slightly cheaper price. They are shown below with both headgear choices on each figure. They are both wearing similar, but not always the same gear, and both are fairly passive in nature, which is great for those wanting to show them in a natural setting. We like them both a lot.

This impressive set or singles, your choice - will be available in early October

These two figures in singles and a set will be available from Alpine Miniatures Online Store or their distributors worldwide. If you are in the USA, you can now purchase Alpine products directly from their online store with free shipping (within the US) on all orders.