Sixth Army Group

[Lord B]

Awesome !
A must buy for me.
Now for the RAF pilot, please, DiD ...


Jordi

[arbomambo]

When I saw the title of this thread...I almost lost it!...I'm NEEDING some good US flight gear right now, as I'm filling in some aviation gaps in my bashes...so I quickly went to DiD's site...
I left less than impressed...
I thought this would easily be a multiple box buy for me...
now it may just be a multiple parts buy...
Here are the pics:













[Iimg]http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u84/arbomambo/80060-13.jpg[/img]




Some real quick observations....and remember, my opinions are based as a modeller/basher...not a collector...collectors may love this guy as a boxed set because, IMO, he has the 'look' of a typical USAAC late war pilot...
based on his mix of gear, I'd have to say he's a 'Medium' bomber pilot...B-26's, A-20's, B-25's (MTO-PTO), or even A-26's...toss the .50 caliber and he's a fighter jock...

Preliminary observations (based only on the pictures...AND only my opinion) I really want to see this figure up close:
B-3 jacket-seems to have pockets...no pockets on the wartime versions (although they could have been tailored)...hard to see, it may not have pockets.
also, only one collar strap is visible...CHECK THAT!...just saw the second strap!...should have two...finish seems nice, though a bit 'glossy'...you'll either love the artwork or hate it (it looks well painted) but it does limit the garment for bashes...
Not enough detail on the flight helmet and oxygen mask pics...If that is a fleese-lined leather B-8 flight helmet, I may just LOSE iT! I really want to see these items up close!...my fingers are crossed for some good news on these!(These items are MUCH needed for 1/6 bashers right now!)
The goggles appear to be the AN-6530's and appear to be nice...
Seat-type chute...we do need one, but, I believe folks are really clomoring for some harnesses for chest type chutes...however...I believe it should be fairly easy to convert this rig to a harness-type...
Nice 'Ike' jacket...pegs it as a later war figure...but the jacket is welcome for a lot of GI officer bashes
The 'pinks' are welcome!...( I was hoping for a flightsuit- but, again, the pinks will lend themselves to some great US officer bashes-pilot or not)
service shoes/boots are, well,...er....there (some folks love the DiD footwear just because it's something other than vinyl...no matter that they look awful, with a horrible shape to them)
the DML service shoe/boot will look better unless you want a real slick 'shine'...then pop for the NLM's.
MG looks good...probably metal...same shape and length as the DML 'Billy Hicks' version (which is correct in length-despite the arguments to the contrary)...BUT...it does have the wooden grips AND wooden cocking handle included!
The crusher looks GOOD!....nice and '50 missioned'!...this may be a winner...the DiD headware has been hit or miss...this looks like a HIT (shape-wise)...the various 'wings' are a nice touch!
Looking at it more and more...it may just be a multiple box buy for me...(I seem to be changing my mind as I look at it more...I'm considering the bash possibilities)
I'm thinking that the only real let-down ,for me, is the B-3 jacket...the DML seems to be superior, plus the trousers are available for it as well...
Oh...I almost forgot...the HS looks great as well....the newer DiD sculpts, starting with 'Stiner' are really looking good and varied...i like the longer necks on the DiD sculpts as well...they fit certain clothing situations better than the shorter-necked DML ones, and also lend some height differences to groups of figures without having to modify bodies...
So far...so good...
Regardless, I welcome this figure and most of the equipment...
I would like to see more of the chute, flight helmet, and oxygen mask befor I get super stoked...but, it still looks as, with the addition of the DML A-2's and B-3's, AND, maybe some slight altering of the chute harness and the addition of some chest packs...this could be a 'squadron' builder...fighter or bomber.
would like to hear some from the aviation experts out there,
Bruce

[Glidah Drivah]

I've been waiting some time to find a decent uniform to finish up my Glider Pilot kitbash; and while the "Albert Ross" Class-As were originally the front runner (since the old Cotswold "Pinks and Greens" set is near impossible to find) this Ike jacket with "pinks" should fit the bill nicely; (though I do wish that the trousers were the same color as the jacket-Frank Savage seems to be in the minority as far as the pics that I have seen.) The crusher looks great as well!

[Schuft38]

Why is there a CIB with a pilot?

[johkaz]

Hi,

Looking more closely at the pictures and the excellent information from Bruce.
This figure looks to me to be a sort of cross match, of both fighter pilot and bomber pilot.
As the leather jacket and .50 cal says to me bomber pilot, but the parachute is definitely a fighter pilots one.
I like this set as it opens up a lot of possibilities, and i can understand now why the leather trousers are absent from the figure.

But knowing DiD's track record on releasing partly equipped figures.
I would not be surprised to see some other parts released as another figure.

Gary

[arbomambo]

LOL...Gary's right...DiD and DML release various 'combos' seperately...not too often...
DiD tends to muddy-the-waters historically with the inclusion of extra gear...lol...no big deal, as the gear can be used with another bash...but, better research would allow them to include extra gear that would complement the sctual figure contained within the box...
This pilot is a good example, the new 'Russ Franklin' is another...adding the late war bazooka was confusing...'Tim Becker' was all over the place....
BUT....the B-3 doesn't neccessarily peg him as 'Bomber'...plenty of fighter pilots wore the B-3...just as plenty of RAF fighter types wore the 'Irvin'...
It's the 'darned' (but welcome!) .50 caliber that confuses things!
The chute seems to be an AN-6510 type.
really want to get a good look at that Flight helmet!
The inclusion of the CIB allows a regular US GI officer bash with the 'Ike' jacket.
Bruce

[johkaz]

Hi,

Heck i am slow tonight...

What use is the .50 cal gun, is he supposed to carry it?
Or are DiD planning a Coburn/Hicks fuselage half?

Let the speculation begin....

Gary

[Loke666]

I'm not an expert on US gear - but this is a sure buy for me!

Henrik

[Germanbilly1]

This will also be a sure buy for me to go with my Billy Hicks. Well it looks like I'm getting into the Allied side , lol.
GB

[Dougmo]

I feel DID's hand in my pocket...lots of possibilities here. It's a goofy mix, but seems like there are enough positives to make it a puchase.
Nice one, DID-