Dragon 6455 1/35 11.FrW.Pz.GrenDiv. Norland Plastic Model Kit

 

Early in 1945, the Red Army was closing in on the crumbling Third Reich. A total of 2,203,000 Soviet troops kicked off The Vistula-Oder offensive from the Vistula River in Poland on January 12, and by February 2 they had driven deep into Germany. Their strategic offensive carried them as far as the Oder River just 70km from Berlin. The Soviet juggernaut claimed a staggering 377,000 German lives and 292,000 missing. One of those German units tasked with slowing the enemy advance was the 11th Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division “Nordland”. Formed in February 1942, this mechanized infantry division was made up of volunteers from a bewildering array of foreign nationalities. In the Vistula-Oder battle it fought to virtual extinction.

 

Dragon has announced a 1/35 scale figure set featuring soldiers from the “Nordland” Division. These four figures realistically capture the vicious nature of winter combat in the Vistula-Oder offensive, as troops wearily sought to slow the Russian advance. A typical hodgepodge of uniforms is in evidence in this set, as the German military fought for survival late in the war. They also carry a variety of weapons – their armaments include a captured PPsh41 submachine gun, as well as an MP-40, MP-44 and panzerfausts with which to stave off tank after Russian tank. These figures utilize Dragon’s famous molding expertise to achieve an astounding level of detail. While this set sums up the essence of this desperate battle on Germany’s doorstep, it also offers unlimited potential for other late-war scenarios too.