Nuts! Screaming Eagles!

More figures which were painted some time ago, but not properly posted here on this blog. These are the famous Screaming Eagles - 101st Airborne. As some of you may know, Jimi Hendrix served with the 101st in the early '60's - when the division was still on jump status. I read somewhere that he tried to recreate the sounds of exiting an aircraft (probably turbo-prop C-130's) in his early electric guitar distortion. I remember the sounds too! Anyway, here are more excellent, IMO, Victory Force Miniatures.

These guys are in the M43 uniform issued sometime after D-Day/Normandy. They are a bit greener in shade than the earlier M42 uniforms worn during Operation Neptune/Overlord. These would have been worn during Market Garden and the Ardennes Offensive. The top pockets of the jacket aren't slanted as the M42 ones were. The field jacket I was issued in 1980 was very similar to these - as was the M1 helmet.

Rank and unit patches are decals from Company B. I painted the white spades on the helmets representing the 506 PIR. Thanks to my youngest son's interest at the time I picked up the Band of Brothers DVD set.

Here are guys painted up in the more tan colored M42 uniforms worn during the Normandy Invasion. The pointing leader reminds me of Captain Winters, but he's carrying a Thompson instead of a Garand. This guy is actually sculpted in the later M43 uniform - which you really can't tell since the top pockets of the jump jacket are obscured; but the astute will notice the boots are the later type with integral legging flap.

Bazooka team with Squad Leader and Rifleman in M42 uniform. Note the camo netting on their helmets and strips of cloth.

.30 cal MG team. VFM crew served weapons like this have the tripod and gun sculpted separate, so you can swivel them in any direction.

Bazooka team and Riflemen in M43 uniform.

Thompson totting Squad leader and Riflemen in M43 uniforms.

Just a small detachment of 101st to augment the 4th Armored guys. I recall a cadence from my Army days - kind of corny, but most of them are: "June Sixth, Nineteen Forty-Four...the One-O-First went to War. From the Skies Over Normandy...Rendezvous with Destiny." Oh well, I served in the 82nd which hated the 101st :)