Landships II

All 1/72. Excellent news.

baldwin wrote:

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Just to add to the confusion W^D will be briging out new sets of French infantry shortly. All are non action figures (as usual)

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Well, we can't have too many.

I've been having a good look at the Pegasus WWII, and there are a few differences but they can be ironed out to create more variety for WWI.

The canteen is different; the WWI have the twin-spout model.

The gas mask is absent.

Some of the WWII have the 1937 pattern webbing with an extra, half-sized ammunition pouch next to the front pair, as in the pic below. That can be trimmed off. I assume that some still have the 1916 pattern because the new pattern hadn't reached all units.

After a prolonged debate, Plastic Soldier review conceded that the absence of the rear ammunition pouch on the HäT WWI Early French is a mistake. It should be there on all WWI French throughout the War. By 1940 it might have been an optional extra, and sometimes used for carrying a pistol, but it is shown in the second pic of the 1937 webbing. Some of the WWII men have the rear pouch, some don't.

The rifle appears to be different. I'm sure someone will know what replaced the Lebel and Berthier, but it's not a major problem. The WWII men don't have bayonets, but those seem to have become less common in the later stages of WWI. The haversack also appears to be somewhat different from the WWI model.

The more Hotchkisses the merrier, obviously. The other machine gun looks like a Chatellerault. It's possible that it could me made to pass for a Chauchat.

If anyone spots any other differences I'd be pleased to hear it. I don't think the Adrian changed outwardly between the Wars. With a bit of fiddling the WWII men can be used to add more variety to the trenches. Perhaps Airfix's poilus are in danger of losing their crown after 42 years.