Whilst many Cossacks hated the Communist Regime they still held loyal to Russia in the Second World War. But some hated the Communists enough to see Germany as an ally against them, so when Germany entered into the Cossack held territories in 1942 they found some of them willing to join forces with them , and these were formed into German Cossack units retaining their horses, sabres, and hats but donning German uniforms.
This kit from Dragon depicts two German Cossacks on horseback and comes in a medium sized tray and lid style box on two medium sized, and three smaller sized light grey sprues. Also included is a fret of photo-etched brass for making the horse’s reins and harness as well as a colour printed sheet which provides the assembly instructions and painting guide. As you’d expect from Dragon the moulding quality is excellent with minimal clean-up.
The horses are probably the best I’ve seen in 1/35 scale plastic. The heads, ears, manes, tails and hooves are all made as separate pieces with the manes and tails very well represented. The briddles and the saddle blankets are moulded on but the saddle comes as two parts and look very good, while the stirrups and the rest of the harness is made up using the included photo-etched brass parts.
The two cossack figures are also beautifully produced with very well detailed faces including beards and moustaches. The coat skirts have full undercut detail and the scarf is moulded as separate pieces which together makes for a very well detailed figure. These would easily be as good as any resin figure I have seen.
A separate small spure holds the two sabers and their scabbards as well as a cossack dagger, and in addition they get one standard Kar98K rifle as well as an extra sprue with two Gen 2 Kar 98K rifles with separate bolts and twelve clips of Kar 98K ammunition.
As part of the kit, though not really used, you get a large Gen 2 equipment sprue which, even if you choose not to use any of it on these two, will come in handy elsewhere. This contains a holstered Sauer 38H, four rolled zeltbahns, a mapcase, an MG34/42 maintenance kit pouch, eight breadbags, a holsterd P08 Luger, a holstered P38 Walther, four MP40 triple mag pouches, eight Kar 98K triple mag pouches, four G43 double mag pouches, four MP44 triple mag pouches, four gascape bags that are flat and another four that are curved to fit the gas mask containers.
Also included are another two MP44 triple mag pouches, two MP40 triple mag pouches, two Kar 98K triple mag pouches and two G43 double mag pouches that each have one pouch open with the flap sticking up. In the same manner you also get a P08 Luger holster, a P38 Walther holster and a Sauer 38H holster, all with the flaps moulded open and the holster looking empty.
This is a very, very nice set which covers a seldom seen subject and makes up into an impressive looking pair. The inclusion of the extra equipment sprue, which is rather unnecessary for this kit, is a very nice bonus as well, as are the Gen 2 weapons. All up a very worthwhile set with the only regret being that there aren’t a lot more like it to enable a larger display of Cossacks in a diorama.
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