Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

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AJWW2
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Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by AJWW2 » Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:28 pm

I was wondering what the best brand/series of 1:18 Normandy (preferably 101st) paratroopers were. I am leaning towards Dragon but am hesitant because I have always loved the XD figs with moving joints and posability.
Please Help,

AJ :mrgreen:
it be like dat

SolidSnakeEyes
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by SolidSnakeEyes » Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:42 pm

I buy both Dragon and 21st figures. I do this for Germans, and US troops of all kinds. I take the better parts (heads, hands, gear, weapons, sometimes even feet) from the Dragon stuff, and fit them to my 21st figures. This way, I get better poseability, and added detail, all in one.
I even take the torsos from the green uniformed Dragon US troops (Northwest Europe, I believe), and use the arms from the Unimax US troops, and combine them to make variations of the uniforms. I typically use 21st US legs on those.
I looked at the trap, Ray.

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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by flyboy_fx » Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:54 pm

by FAR the dragon guys! They are the BEST!!!
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by SolidSnakeEyes » Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:57 pm

Yeah, the Dragon paratroopers are the best, but like all Dragon figures, they suffer from poor articulation. Really, all of their figures are the best. If they had articulation like the 21st guys, I'd sell blood to buy them.
I looked at the trap, Ray.

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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by flyboy_fx » Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:59 pm

I like the fact there are no joints. Makes them look 10x better. :D
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SolidSnakeEyes
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by SolidSnakeEyes » Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:00 pm

If you have a knack for placing figures in life-like poses, and do it well, you can make it so joints aren't noticeable, and begin to blend with the pose. Since all of the Dragon figures are in combat poses, it's almost impossible to use them for much else. I like to build dioramas that display all kinds of scenes, not just fighthing. Having articulation is really important for that. But, it's all preference in the end :D

I'm an action figure guy at heart, and I require my action figures to be what I want them to be...within reason.
I looked at the trap, Ray.

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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by flyboy_fx » Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:04 pm

So we just have to collect them all!!! :lol:
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by parrish333 » Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:07 pm

They are each great in their own way. The dragon look the best, but of course have that limited posability (those two factors are often closely related - joints are always hard to hide). If you have the cash, get them for the gear if nothing else.

The six different 21C versions have a nice mix of different looks, and the gear/pouches are easily customizable/swappable between them. One of them has a rare neck joint which allows otherwise impossible poses. The joints are pretty pronounced on a number of them though.

The BBI versions to me have the best mix of looks + posability. Some nice weathering (not really there on 21C), joints that are not too noticeable, and the ones with the removable jump harnesses are just icing on the cake so that you can use them in jump or ground modes.

AJWW2
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by AJWW2 » Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:44 pm

Yes, I'd be buying more BBI troops if their helmets just weren't so small and out-of-scale!
it be like dat

trigger1
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by trigger1 » Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:15 pm

The Dragon paras are my favorite. Great headsclupts and really nice gear. The BBI would be my second favorite. The BBI weapons are kinda cheesy, but the figures have great detail and articulation. I would say the 21C paras are my least favorite. You can swap heads between all of these figures with very little work. Here are a few shots from a dio I did with 21C, BBI, and Dragon paratroopers.
Image
Image
Image
Image
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by flyboy_fx » Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:17 pm

That dio is sweet!!!!
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."
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AJWW2
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by AJWW2 » Thu Dec 15, 2011 5:01 pm

Awesome! I love the hanging dead trooper! Great job. :mrgreen:

AJ
it be like dat

SolidSnakeEyes
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by SolidSnakeEyes » Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:39 pm

Dragon has, by far, the best gear/guns. I mean, the magazines on the MP40s come out. The rifles actually have detailed wood grain too.
I looked at the trap, Ray.

-- Dr. Egon Spengler

AJWW2
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by AJWW2 » Sun Dec 18, 2011 2:37 pm

I love that dio, I wouldn't have much use for the Indian face paint heads on two of the Dragon Paras and I need different headsculpts for them. What should I do?

AJ

P.S. What brand is that jeep?
it be like dat

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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by Rowsdower » Sun Dec 18, 2011 2:54 pm

I can't do Ebay any more, (burn in hell PayPal!) is there a good site I can get Dragon figures from? Do they even still make them? I haven't collected WWII figures in a long time so I'm kinda out of the loop here.
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by trigger1 » Sun Dec 18, 2011 4:18 pm

If you have some BBI or 21c headsculpts that you like just swap them. The kneeling para in the last pic is a Dragon fig with a BBI pathfinder head. The jeep is 21c Willys Jeep. Gate also makes a very nice Willy's Jeep in die-cast. It has no .30 cal but is a much more solid piece (and usually cheaper).
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by Rowsdower » Sun Dec 18, 2011 4:59 pm

Thanks for the info Trigger! :mrgreen:
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by gouchy » Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:03 am

Rowsdower wrote:I can't do Ebay any more, (burn in hell PayPal!) is there a good site I can get Dragon figures from? Do they even still make them? I haven't collected WWII figures in a long time so I'm kinda out of the loop here.
Have you tried contacting Aviator Nut? I think he may have some
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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by ram04 » Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:14 am

trigger1, that is a really nice diorama, can I ask what you used for your base?

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Re: Best Brand Normandy Paratrooopers?

Post by digger » Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:28 pm

Best weapons go to Dragon but BBI are really the best overall. And now that you can get them with removable harness you can cover the whole spectrum from flight ready to battle ready. They also have the best headsculpts - many of which are from Saving Private Ryan and can be swapped out easily to make a diverse group of paras. EDIT this should work to show all 3 brands side by side, all with bbi heads:

Image

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