Hong Kong
based Dragon (aka DML), came on the
1/35 scale scene in the early 1990s. Initially their AFV focus was split between
WWII and modern subjects. But the quality of their products and the fact that
tanks were offered with independent track links quickly grabbed hold of the WWII
modelers and soon that genre was outpacing the others. Using their own new molds
and borrowing parts from others such as Italeri and Gunze Sangyo, it seemed that
DML was churning out a new kit every other week by 1995. Their sudden popularity
gave Tamiya a swift kick in the pants and had the folks in Japan looking over
their shoulders.
However,
towards the end of the decade DML found a new gold mine12 action figures,
like the GI Joes of old. Just as with their plastic AFV models, these figures
hit the market at the right place at the right time and soon baby boomer GI Joe
collectors were buying up every doll they could find. This new product
line took a lot of focus away from the plastic kits, much to the consternation
of modelers. Their annual AFV output was just a trickle of what it had once been
by 2001. Of course, there is still an emphasis on German subjects, but those interested
in American figures were delighted by the appearance of airborne infantry, tank
hunters and Bastogne battlers in 2002 and 2003, ending a seven-year dry spell
since their U.S. tank crew hit the market. Two more kits released in 2004a
set of heavy weapons teams and (finally) an Omaha Beach infantry setwere
well received. Canadian
artist Ron Volstad has designed poses for nearly every DML WWII figure set. Ron
often converses with modelers through discussion groups such as Track-Link. Hes
quite patient with those of us who want to see more GI sets. As Ron explains,
DML is a business, and the business of German armor and figures is the most profitable.
Most of the ideas we pass along to Ron are ones hes already tried
to get Dragon to produce, but if theyre not German their chances of seeing
the light of day are slim. But we, and Ron, keep trying. Dragons
1/35 figures have been praised for their sculpting and degree of detail. Most
serious figure modelers feel DML faces are too complacent and heads from Warriors,
Verlinden or Hornet offer better substitutes. Some of the earlier figure sets
are on the large end of the scale. Overall, DMLs weapons and gear have been
lauded for their accuracy and detail. Sometimes theyre found copied in resin
figure sets. There are some inconsistencies among size and design of some of their
German equipment, but their U.S. equipment is generally good. Their Allied
infantry weapons set is out of production and hard to find, but well worth it. Many
of DMLs earlier Sherman products include Italeris lower hull and running
gear, but they do cover the sponsons, unlike Tamiya. There are some notable inaccuracies
among their British Fireflys, but at least they give us Fireflys. Link-to-link
tracks, however, are a classic downside example of what can happen
when you get what you ask for. With complaints that injection pin marks mar the
tread surfaces and the links are too difficult and time consuming to clean up
and assemble, many modelers who clamored for indy links were yearning for the
simplicity of rubber band tracks, especially upon seeing the quality of the new
generation of tracks from Tamiya or link-and-length options from Academy. Link-to-link
tracks work best when you need a lot of sag over the return wheels (not a feature
of American tanks) or you want to articulate the running gear over uneven diorama
surfaces. In any event, they demand patience and are not suitable for more young
or inexperienced modelers. Some
DML kits find themselves in high demand from time to time. One particularly hard-to-find
kit was the early M4A1 Sherman. When it was re-released in 2004 it flew off the
shelves, much to the consternation of many who ended up on waiting lists or missed
out on the brief sightings. There were rumors that the re-issue was just the release
of some recently found stocks, or that kits were hoarded by modelers looking forward
to making a mint on E-bay; the kit often commanded upwards of $70 during the previous
draught. But it resurfaced in large quantities in March 2005. The
T26E3 Pershing, which also was a hot item on E-bay, was re-released in 2003, only
to be eclipsed by Tamiya's kit. In
2004, Dragon launched a new line of 1/72 scale kits; M4A1 and M4A3 Shermans released
in 2006 generally got high marks. It remains to be seen how Tamiya's foray into
1/48 AFVs will affect DML's product line. 2006
was a banner year for U.S. AFV modelers, with the releases of the M4A1(76)W for
Operation Cobra, the M4A3E8 Thunderbolt VII commanded by Creigton Abrams, the
first styrene M4A2 as seen at Tarawa, and the M2A1 half-track, the first new HT
in more than 30 years. In 2008, the M4 81mm mortar and M16 GMC half-track versions
arrived, and the M3 75mm half-track reached the store shelves in quantity at the
end of the year. Dragon followed on these projects with announcements of new kits
of the M4A1 direct vision and M4 75mm Shermans for 2009. Also on tap are two sets
of the early suspension units seen on M3 Lees, M7 Priests, and early Shermans,
as well as an assortment of weapons and tools, and the T48 rubber chevron track.
The
DML figure line has been enhanced with "Gen2" figures, offering more
parts and better detailing on the weapons and handy frets of photoetch for slings
and such. Some of the older figure sets have been re-released with the improved
weapons. The long out-of-production Weapons WWII Allied Infantry was rumored to
be on the shelves again in 2008, but didn't make it. A Gen2 version of such would
be most welcome, as would an equipment set similar to the German box from the
1990s. Dragon
has a subsidiary located in China, Shanghai Dragon, which has produced certain
kits that Dragon dropped from its catalogue, though not much has been seen in
this line for a number of years. Cyberhobby is another DML offshoot that reboxes
and sells the parent company's products. Figures
and Accessories
3815 | Weapons
WW II Allied Infantry |
6010 | U.S.
Army Airborne (Normandy, 1944) |
6021 | U.S.
Rangers (Normandy, 1944) |
6038 | U.S.
Marines (Iwo Jima) | 6054 | U.S.
Tank Crew (NW Europe, 1944) |
6120 | U.S.
Infantry, 2nd Armored Division (Normandy, 1944) |
6148 | U.S.
Army Airborne (Operation Varsity 1945) |
6149 | U.S.
Army Anti-Tank Team | 6163 | U.S.
101st Airborne (Bastogne 1944) |
6167 | Windtalkers,
U.S. Marines and Japanese Infantry, South Pacific |
6198 | U.S.
Army Support Weapon Teams |
6211 | 29th
Infantry Division, Omaha Beach, D-Day 1944 |
6271 | Advance
to the Rhine, U.S. 1st Army at Remagen 1945 |
6272 | 2nd
Division USMC (Tarawa 1943) (poster) |
6366 | U.S.
Armored Infantry | 6377 |
10th Mountain Division |
6378 | U.S.
Army Tank Riders 1944-45 | 6379 |
U.S. Marines Guadalcanal 1942 | 6653 | Allied
Force ETO 1944 (3 U.S. Infantry figures, 1 British figure) |
6802 | U.S.
Marines Korea '50-'51 (Chosin Reservoir) |
6808 | G.I.
(Pusan Perimeter 1950) | 3863 | DS
Track for Sherman (T80) | 3864 | DS
Track for Sherman (T54E1) | 3865 | DS
Track for Sherman (T54E1 w/EEC) | 3866 | DS
Track for Sherman (T48) | 3867 | DS
Track for Sherman (T48 w/EEC) | 3869 |
M4 VVSS Suspension (Late) + T-51 DS Track | 3870 |
M4 VVSS Suspension (Early) + T-41 DS Track | 3879 |
U.S. Army Fire Support and Accessories |
Wheeled Vehicles
Half-tracks
6329 | M2A1
Half-Track | 1st
Armored Division (M2) | Tunisia,
1942 | | | 1st
Armored Division (M2) | Italy,
1944 | | | XX
Corps (M2A1) | Belgium,
1945 | | | U.S.
Army (M2) | 1941-1942 |
| | U.S.
Army (M2A1) | 1941-1942 |
| | | |
6332 | M3A1
Half-Track (3 in 1) | | |
| | | |
6361 | M4
81mm Mortar Carrier | SP
HQ 13, "Prowler" | USA,
1944 | | | unidentified
unit | |
| | 1st
Battalion, 41st Armored Infantry(?) | Belgium,
1944 | | | | | 6362 | M21
Mortar Motor Carriage | 2nd
Armored Division, 41st Armored Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion | Ardennes,
1944 | | | unidentified
unit, #93 | | | | | |
6381 | M16
Multiple Gun Motor Carriage | 9th
Armored Division, 482nd AAA Battalion | Remagen,
1945 | | | 390th
AA Automatic Weapons Battalion | Germany,
1945 | | | unidentified
unit | Wester
Front, 1945 | | | 457th
AA Automatic Weapons Battalion | Luxembourg,
1945 | | | 209th
AA Automatic Weapons Battalion | Luzon,
1945 | | | 1st
Polish Armoured Division, 1st Light AA Regiment | France,
1944 | | | | | 6421 | Quad
Gun Trailer M55 (Maxson
Mount from M16) | | |
Armor
6511 | M4
Sherman 75mm Normandy | 70th
Tank Battalion, C Company, "CANNON BALL," White 2 | Utah
Beach, D-Day, 1944 | | | 4th
Armored Division, 37th Tank Battalion, "Tonto" |
Brittany, 1944 | | | | | 6441 | M4
Sherman "Composite Hull" PTO | 44th
Tank Battalion, Southern Cross | Limon,
Philippines, 1944 | | | 763rd
Tank Battalion, 96th Infantry Division, Bushmaster | Leyte,
1944 | | | 44th
Tank Battalion, Battlin Basic | Manila,
1945 | | | 44th
Tank Battalion, Ole Miss | Manila,
1945 | | | | |
6048 |
M4A1
Sherman Early Version | 1st
Armored Division, 13th Armored Regiment, 2nd Battalion, HQ Co., "Major Jim" | Tunisia,
1943 | | | 603rd
Light Tank Company, "Sloppy Joe" | Manus
Island, Pacific 1944 | | | 1st
Armored Division, G Co., "Weenie One" | Italy,
1944 | | | | | 6404 | U.S.
M4A1 DV | 1st
Armored Division, 1st Armored Regiment, H Co., "Honky Tonk" | Sidi
Bou Zid, Tunisia, 1943 | | | 2nd
Armored Division, 66th Armored Regiment, H Co., "Hannibal" | Sicily,
1943 | | | | |
6083 |
M4A1(76)W "Operation Cobra" | 2nd
Armored Division, 66th Armored Regiment, D Co. "Duke" | France,
1944 | | | 3rd
Armored Division, 32nd Armored Regiment, I Co., "In the Mood" | France,
1944 | | | 3rd
Armored Division, 33nd Armored Regiment, F Co., "Ferocious III" | Belgium,
1944 | | | 2nd
Armored Division, "Elowee" | France,
1944 | | | Polish
1st Armored Division | Holland,
1944 | | | | |
6062 | M4A2
"Tarawa" | 1st
Amphibioius Corps Tank Battalion, C Co., "Cannon Ball" | Tarawa,
1943 | | | 1st
Amphibioius Corps Tank Battalion, C Co., "Charlie" | Tarawa,
1943 | | | 1st
Amphibioius Corps Tank Battalion, C Co., "China Girl" | Tarawa,
1943 | | | 1st
Amphibioius Corps Tank Battalion, C Co., "Cobra" | Tarawa,
1943 | | | 1st
Amphibioius Corps Tank Battalion, C Co., "Cuddles" | Tarawa,
1943 | | | 1st
Amphibioius Corps Tank Battalion, C Co., "Dude" | Tarawa,
1943 | | | 1st
Amphibioius Corps Tank Battalion, D Co., "Destroyer" | Tarawa,
1943 | | | | |
6462 | USMC
Sherman M4A2 Late PTO | 2nd
Tank Battalion, Co. C, C30 | Tinian,
1943 | | | 2nd
Tank Battalion, Co. C, C30 | Tinian,
1943 | | | 1st
Tank Battalion, Co. C, C8 | Peleliu,
1944 | | | USMC | PTO,
1944-45 | | | | |
6255 | M4A3
76(W) VVSS Sherman (Battle of the Bulge) | 4th
Armored Division, 37th Tank Battalion HQ, "Thunderbolt IV" | Bastogne,
1944 | | | 1st
Armored Division, 4th Tank Battalion, "Somme IV" | St.
Lucia, Italy, 1944 | | | U.S.
Fifth Army, 760 Tank Battalion, "Kokomo" | Italy,
1945 | | | 761st
Tank Battalion (clored), Task Force Rhine, "Julia/Cool Studs Inc. #4"
("Black Panthers" African-American unit) | Germany,
1945 | | | Pzkw.
M4 748(a) "Beute Panzer" (tank captured by Germans) | Aschafenburg,
Germany, 1945 | | | 12th
Armored Division, 714th Tank Battalion | Germany,
1945 | |
| | |
6325 | M4A3
76(W) "Premium Edition" | 4th
Armored Division, 37th Tank Battalion, Thunderbolt VI | Bastogne
1944 | | | 1st
Armored Division, 4th Tank Battalion, Somme IV | Lucia,
Italy 1944 | | | 5th
Army, 760th Tank Battalion, "Kokomo" | Italy
1945 | | | Task
Force, 761st Tank Battalion, Cool Studs Inc. #4 | Rhine,
Germany 1945 | | | 12th
Armored Division, 714th Tank Battalion, #711 | Germany
1945 | | | | | 6698 | M4A3(76)WETO | 10th
Armored Division | Trier,
Germany, 1945 | | | 11th
Armored Division | Andernach,
Germany, 1945 | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
9010 | M4A3
76mm (W) HVSS | 6th
Armored Division | Gieisen,
Germany, 1945 | | | | |
9010X | M4A3
76mm (W) HVSS | (same
as above with corrected resin hull) | |
| | | |
6183 | M4A3E8
"Thunderbolt VII" | 4th
Armored Division, "Thunderbolt VII" | Germany,
1945 | | | 4th
Armored Division | Germany,
1945 | | |
4th Armored Division, 35th Tank Battalion | Bastogne,
1945 | | | 11th
Armored Division, 41st Tank Battalion | Germany,
1945 | | | | |
6283 | M4A3E8
Sherman "Major Albin F. Irzyk" (2005
Dragon Expo kitbash of M4A2 and M4A3 parts with HVSS suspension) |
HQ-1, 4th Armored
Division, 8th Battalion | Belgium,
1944 | | | | | 6665 | M4A3E2
"Jumbo" | | | | | | |
6811 | M4A3E8
Easy Eight Korean War | 89th
Medium Tank Battalion, C Co. | Han
River, Korea, 1951 | | | | |
9009X | M4A3E8
Easy Eight Korean War | (same
as above with corrected resin hull) | |
| | | |
6032 | T26E3
Heavy Tank | 1st
Army, 12th Army Group, 9th Armored Division, 19th Tank Battalion, B Co. | Aachen,
Germany | | | | |
6801 | M26A1
Pershing Tank Korean War | | |
| | | |
6322 | M26
Pershing announced
for 2008! | | |
Artillery, Wheeled
and Tracked6499 | 105mm
Howitzer M2A1 & Carriage M2A1 | with
crew figures based on 101st Airborne Bastogne figure set | | | | | | 6531 | 105mm
Howitzer M2A1 and Carriage M2A2 w/USMC Crew | with
crew figures based on Iwo Jima figure set | | | | | |
6430 |
M2 Half-Track w/37mm Gun announced for 2008! | | | | | | | 6467 | M3
75mm Gun Motor Carriage | 601st
Tank Destroyer Battalion | Tunisia,
1943 | | | U.S.
Army | Sicily,
1943 | | | U.S.
Army | Stateside,
1943 | | | 2nd
Marines USMC, 3rd Battalion, L Company | Saipan
in 1944 | | | British
Army, 1st Kings Dragoon Guards | Italy
1944 | | |
British Army, 1st Kings Dragoon Guards, | Germany
1945 | | | 27th
Lancers, A Squadron | Italy
1945 | | | | | 6496 |
T19 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage (Smart
Kit) | unidentified
unit, "Cathy" | 1942 | | | unidentified
unit, "Battering Ram" | 1942 | | | unidentified
unit, "Alamosa" | 1942 | | | unidentified
unit,"Bull" | 1942 | | | 3rd
Infantry Division, 7th Regimental Combat Team, Evelyn | Rabat,
Morocco, 1942 | | | | | 6637 | M7
Priest Mid Production | 6th
Armored Division, 231st Armored Field Artillery Battalion, Battery A, All
American/Crazy Helen | Germany,
1944 | | | | | | | 9th
Armored Division, 73rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion, Battery A, Gun A10 | Germany,
1945 | | | 8th
Armored Division, 399th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, Battery A, Gun A2,
Minnesota | Bohemia,
1945 | | | | |
6807 | M4A3
HVSS POA-CWS H5 Flamethrower | 6th
Armored Division, 69th Tank Battalion, H Co. | Ardennes,
December 1944 | | | | |
6354 | Sherman
M4A3 (105mm) HVSS | 10th
Armored Division, 20th Armored Infantry Battalion | Germany,
1945 | | | 13th
Armored Division, 67th Armored Infantry Battalion | Austria,
1945 | | | 752nd
Tank Battalion | Italy,
1945 | | | 713th
Tank Battalion | Okinawa,
1945 | | | | | 6548 | M4
(105) Howitzer Tank | 4th
Armored Division, 8th Tank Battalion | Normandy
1944 | | | 7th
Armored Division, 31st Armored Regiment, B19 | Normandy
1944 | | |
3rd Armored Division, 32nd Armored Regiment, HQ company | Belgium
1945 | | | | |
|