December 2022 Odds Ends Mars Paratroopers Set Two, I start off with a photo of the complete Mars U.S. Paratrooper Set Two. I note the passing of one of our Brethern. I have a preview from Warhorse Miniatures. Stad purchased a large collection of Britains and Timpo and I will be showing some of the items.
December 2022 Odds Ends Mars Paratroopers Set Two
Warhorse Miniatures Preview
Glen Smith Has Passed Away
Paul Morehead of Plastic Warrior Magazine has informed me that Glen Smith has passed. Glen was from the Detroit area and was a collector for many years. I don’t remember if I met him first at a Marx warehouse sale or in Chicago. We hit it off and had many pleasant conversations over the years. He later met Laurie and enjoyed her sharing in our conversations. One thing I remember about Glen was when he got to a Plastic Warrior Show. He was looking for various English figures. One was the Cherilea Napoleonic Lifeguard marching. We met up and he showed me that he had finally got one. Peter Evans showed up and handed him a half dozen more of the figure. He will be missed.
December 2022 Odds Ends Stad’s Finds
The paratroopers look good, kinda odd is the netting on the helmets which seems identical on each helmet? Maybe they’re designed in a 3D program on a computer?
Re: Glen Smith. Condolences, our ranks are thinning.
Re: Paratroops. Overall, exciting. I agree with the flame thrower pose – out of place in Europe. Without researching deeper and relying on my memory I don’t think flamethrowers were used much in Europe. Of course, there was the 503rd PIR and 11th Airborne with MacArthur in the Pacifc… often neglected, but they did some amazing work with some textbook drops, Los Banos and Corregidor come to mind. Even then, jumping in a flame thrower… even trying to ride one in on a glider? I don’t think so and again, don’t recall it being tried; but there might be ONE instance someone would Google.
I don’t think it was worth a pose. At the same time, the BAR pose is fun and interesting – a novelty pose, if you will – but I wouldn’t want more than one of them.
I don’t think they ruin the set for me, though as the other poses are valuable. JMO.
Re: Warhorse. Mike keep getting “gooder and gooder.” Always fun to see what he comes up with next.
I’m also glad to see an M-1 Garand rifle. IMO there are too many M-1 carbines in most sets; particularly US paratroopers. Airfix US Infantry had all their riflemen armed with carbines.
I know the carbine was pretty much designed with the idea of a lighter weapon that was easier to jump – at the same time a weapon officers who wanted something more than a pistol to take into battle. From my reading of personal accounts of US paratroopers in both the 101st and 82nd, I came away with the impression most US paratroopers didn’t like the carbine as it was TOO light and lacked “stopping power.” Most seem to have preferred the bulkier and heavier Garand – even if it was more awkward to jump.
I know Matthew Ridgway carried his World War I era Springfield in combat and Jim Gavin used an M-1 Garand when they could have carried a carbine.
Didn’t they sometimes drop supplies (like-possibly–a flamethrower?) in separate “pods?” I’m just thinking, maybe nobody had to actually “jump” with it strapped to their back.
Thanks!
It’s possible and might have been done. Again, there is the risk of the tanks exploding on a rough landing. As I said, I don’t reading or hearing any cases of that being done. That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen – just rare and/or unlikely IMO.
I would add; if they WERE going to use a flame thrower – I imagine that’s how they would do it.
Correction: As I said, I don’t remember reading
I found one photo supposed to be a US paratrooper in a 1944 camo jump suit using a flamethrower. I have no idea where it was taken; it’s in color so I wonder.
If that IS a genuine photo the camo hints to me it would be Pacific. There ARE a lot of apparently genuine photos of other nations’ paratroopers with flamethrowers.
Remember, the British paras did have some flamethrowers at Arnhem, so it is possible for U.S. paras.
Yes ,all heavy weapon such Bars ,30,50 MG ,bazookas,Flamethrower ,extra grenades ,food ,ammo was/should be drop in containers .Paras only/should drop with light regular infantry weapon ,the M1 garand was seen too heavy enough that is the why the m1 carbine was mainly adopted for paratroopers jumper since mid/ late 1944 if used as such while air transported trooper were issue the garand M1 more.Actually the M1 carbine was specifically designed with the idea to supplies paras with it and replace other weapons .
I’ve been trying to place an order on Warhorse Miniatures site but it won’t accept it. Have emailed Mike several times but haven’t gotten a reply. Any idea how to contact him?
Hi guys. Yes, I have been getting better with creating things. I have been trying to fix some errors in detail that I have might have missed.
Rich, I messaged you back.
The Candian & Native War Party should be ready sometime in January. There will be either 8 or 9 figures in this set when everything is finished. The Canadians are almost finished now. I just have to work on the French Marine Officer. I should have a set of marching figures soon too. That will be two poses each of the Canadian Militia and French Marine. Plus, an Officer marching. I will have some British sets ready for March or April.
Base in what I had red, research about this.
On D-Day jumping, those who drop carry in most cases the M1 Garand with about less of a third armed with M1 carbine.
During land operation the US paratroopers used as infantry troopers in ground during weeks after were replenished with plenty more M1 Garand as indeed was seen as it had far longer-range stopping power. Same when fighting on the Ardennes operation for both 82 and 101. Far less in this period used the M1 carbine.
Generally speaking the M1 Carbine has a max of 300 yards and of that only 200 yards use of its ballistic power range for accuracy and stopping plus but much better accurate at that range than M1 Garand as uses the first 200 yards more accurately and compact ,while the regular infantry M1 Garand rifle has over 600 stopping power and far better max range ballistic straight trajectory than the carbine but it was tricky on landing as weapon was drop split and covered that require some assembling after dropping in ground and not able use on landing immediately contrary to the M1 carbine .
Now several observations seen and analyzed during the war were the following.
The M1 Carbine hits hard (weaker than a .30–06, better than a .45ACP) out to 200 yards or so, and it and the ammunition are lighter and them better for availability to carry more ammunition on you. (A plus for any paratrooper and even marines in the jungle or inland island far from supplies). The M1 carbine itself carry from 15- or 30-round detachable box magazine versus M1 Garand 8-round – bloc clip, internal magazine max. Given a trooper with more shots per weapons if using the carbine and faster/easy to load as well.
More generally, a lesson leading to the “assault rifle” generation was how rarely soldiers could even see an enemy at 300 yards, let alone hit them, when in a battle rather than leisurely shooting on a one-way range. Almost all rifle shots were taken at targets inside that range (100-300 yards max) generally , and most hits were inside a first 200 hundred yards. (There were exceptions, but not many). Combats in towns, cities and villages reduce space within 100 to 200 yards max. Jungle, cave /rocks, heavy vegetation, forest, farms action/combat does the same. Only far long fields and desert areas more suitable in eastern Europe and northern Africa the ranges exceed it generally
Western /south Europe and Pacific field were dominated by those type of combat environment.
Also, the M1 Garand weapon on the paratroopers was disassembled to cut the length of the weapon which helped avoid injury and made it easier to carry during drop. When you added the weight of their combat pack, parachute, and reserve chute and the Griswold bag, the ensemble was bulky and difficult to manage and weighed down each soldier with 125–150 pounds of equipment. This was a negative for paratroopers.
Those concept ,finding ,experiences and research finding is what force the army to actually supplied the paras far more with carabine rather than M1 Garand as both will use same power on average same distance on normal combats while the carbine been more lighter ,short and able shoot more bullets give an advantages to the paratroopers over the Garand rifle .The numbers distribution of carbines from August 1944 till war end to the paras and marines plus amount built say all about it .
Far more M1 carbines were built and supplied to marine corps and paras than M1 Garands. The M1 carbine was the more built infantry/trooper weapon in US arsenal. Yet the amount time using it was yet reduced as mentioned before.
On subsequent operation such Operation Market Garden the 82 and 101- 2 main parachute regiments of each division were armed as follow.
Carbine -4252, Rifles (MI Garand and bolt rifles snipers)-3046, pistols -2110, MG 0.60 cal- 187, MG 0.50- Cal 105 AMG (0.45)-203 Others -218.
Base in this data apparently more were armed with the two version M1 carbine, folding stock and regular stock, yet plenty 1 Garand were delivered as well in drop or after landing, meaning the M1 Garand made had been used as replenishment.
On later operation ,17th Airborne Division at operation Varsity about two third those;”” jumping only”” were fully armed with M1/2 carbines. The Airfix set represent this late period units more likely with exception of the pose with British Sten gun that I doubt big time any American would trade, pick or choose over any MP 40 or STG44 captured from Germans.
Conclusion: because initially US paratroopers were designed for in/as part of the infantry units were armed at company level as regular infantry unit in regards amount weapons per trooper. Yet during the war and base in experience, during later post D Day jumping action those jumping generally used more the M1 carbine but substitute it with regular M1 Garand soon after as possible from either US infantry surplus or theirs after landing supplies. From the “Personal perception point of view” of actual veteran’s experiences from those mentioned in books and else it differed a lot and are split in what was best from their perspective base in what I had red leading to be observed by me as 50/50 likeness of both weapons on both Air troopers and marines using them.
Sources used.
https://www.battleorder.org/post/us-ammo-load-ww2
https://www.battleorder.org/us-airborne-ww2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TNpPjMPVK0
Osprey books, including US Army Airborne 1940-1990, US Paratrooper 1941-1945, US Army Airborne and Paratrooper; and US Army Paratrooper in the Pacific Theatre 1943-45.
My thoughts
Happy Birthday Paul …
Glad have you for so long and going .
Wish u best and many more ….
Happy Birthday Paul …
Glad have you for so long and going .
Wish u best and many more …
RIP Glen