Tan Berlin Troops

One of my favorite things about Odemars is they really try had to make a good product. Their first version of the Battle for Berlin set turned out very poorly and so they were not sold except to collectors who just had to have one. The second version was greatly improved and we see that set here. A Hitler Youth boy in shorts carrying two panzershreck rockets and a man with a full beard and the panzershreck. Facial hair regulations were pretty weak for Volksstrum soldiers.

A police officer and soldier, both with stick grenades. The police officer looks good with the grenade cut off too.

A nice late war panzer hunting team, the man with the rifle has a panzerfaust on his back, the officer has an MP40 and the soldier has an MP44 assault rifle.

In the last few weeks of the war, women were permitted to carry arms to defend the nation. Here we see two typical female soldiers who have elected to carry a panzerfaust and a submachine gun. They would have faced certain death, but better than a fate worse than death many of them reasoned.

Three kneeling figures, the first one is a Hitler Youth boy in his shorts with knee socks. The second has a handgun and a stick grenade. In close fighting, you can't have too many grenades. Lastly a soldier with a rifle in late war camo smock. The Hitler Youth were allowed to volunteer as young as 16 years old, but there were a few younger boys who served as well. Growing up in America during the Cold War against the Russians, I often wondered what it would be like fighting Soviet tanks in your own home neighborhood. As a Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp cadet, I had no doubt in tenth grade that I too would fight for my home against Communist domination. One panzerfaust, or LAW rocket, fired from around the corner of a house could destroy a Soviet tank and kill four Russian crewmen. In the last weeks of the war, thousands of Soviet tanks were lost this way.

Another German police officer and a soldier wearing a gas mask. The Germans used their gas masks as air filters. When using the bazooka, operating in areas of fires caused by bombings or ground combat, it was not unusual to see them wearing a gas mask. The police were used as soldiers when combat came to their district, but until then they performed normal police duties. Responding to domestic disputes, auto thefts, barking dog calls all has to be done, even if the Soviet Red Army is at your doorstep.

A reminder that Odemars troops are still on sale until February 15, 2009, buy one for $10 or 10 Euros and get one set free, including postage. Contact Yves at boiteplastic@aol.com