1/6 DID - A80164 WWII General Of The United States Army George Smith Patton Jr. + E60071 Accessory Kit

[Asta]

Just finished watching the movie Patton again still as amazing as I remembered; all the dialogue is great and of course, George C Scotts portrayal was just perfect but Karl Malden who plays Omar Bradley stole the show for me I've said this before but I really need DiD to make an Omar Bradley.

I watched the 1986 sequel, The Last Days of Patton, the other day. Started well, but the second half was depressing, which was unsurprising.

 

[JMT1979]

I wonder if they'll ever make a Gregory Peck MacArthur?

 

[Asta]

Qu Rachel​

Admin
· 1 m ·

Since General Patton is available for pre-order, we received feedback from collectors, concerning the two helmets for him. Let's find the answer in the video instructions.




They confirmed that, "We specially equipped with an extra helmet liner..."

So there are two separate wearable helmets in the set, and not just the liner removed from one helmet.

They've amended the parts list from:

4 M1 helmet with inner line & Patton 3rd Army Lieutenant General Rank

to

4 M1 helmet with inner line X 2 & Patton 3rd Army Lieutenant General Rank


(Which isn't exactly what they explained, since that implies two full helmets both with shell and liner).

 

[Asta]

 

[Asta]

 

[Asta]

https://bbs.bbicn.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=394434&extra=page=1&_dsign=953a528d

 

[FlyAndFight]

Looks great.

 

[Asta]

https://bbs.bbicn.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=394519&extra=page=1&_dsign=7f6ee65b

I got the Patton head sculpture in the morning. The first thing I felt was that the eyes have a partial style. I guess the old people are like this. The revolver is quite exquisite. There is even a four-star rank of Patton in the accessories, which is not reflected in the official blog (forcing everyone to build it again) It’s a new look) Did’s uniform buttons are still so big, let’s see how to improve it. Although it’s easy to put on and take off, it’s too easy to wear from the left side.

 

[Asta]

The flying jacket is more versatile than I thought.

Credit: U.S. Army Signal Corps. "George Patton as Lt. General." March 30, 1943. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.

On that date Patton was in North Africa, during his brief command of II Armored Corps.

A couple of days later, as per his war letters, he was at the Headquarters of II Corps in the Field Tunisian Front, Gafsa.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazin...from-africa-sicily-france-and-germany/644111/

So that jacket can be worn to represent him in North Africa, Italy or Northern Europe.

This is my favoured look for the figure though...

...and while the jacket could be worn open it would cover up the guns, unless it could be pushed back without bunching up too much. The gun belt over the jacket doesn't work for me because of the ballooning effect it creates.

I'm still thinking that my likely use for the jacket, if any, will be for a 1930s adventurer, unless DID break with tradition and start making some US pilots.

 

[Asta]

Just realised that in that photo the shoulder straps have been removed from the jacket. DID left them intact:

At some point they were applied (or it was a different jacket), as they're on the one in the museum:

 

[Asta]

Another curiosity turned up.

In a magazine that just came out (on local newsstands) called "Patton - In His Own Words" they make mention of his coat. On page 66 there is a caption that refers to a good picture of him on page 67. The caption says: "1944: In a letter to his wife Beatrice, Patton wrote that Army Air Force General Jimmy Doolittle was sending him "a fleace lined (sic) leather coat." Patton wore the bomber jacket during the Battle of the Bulge. And in the picture, the General Stars do look painted on.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/what-winter-jacket-did-general-patton-wear.33652/page-2

It's an anecdotal post (from 2010), but I did verify it from the quote:

https://archive.org/stream/ThePattonPapers19401945PDF/The Patton Papers - 1940 - 1945 (PDF)_djvu.txt
They had the date wrong though. It was 1943, not 1944, which makes a lot of difference.

Letter, GSP, Jr., to Keyes, 13 March 1943

The day and hour [of our attack] are as yet somewhat veiled and, within limits, the longer the
delay the better. The situation is quite good except as to discipline which is bad, particularly with
respect to vehicles. However, in the week we have been here, we have had some results and have at
least got people to the point of buttoning their clothes and wearing the same kind of a hat.

Letter, GSP, Jr., to Beatrice, March 13,

The Der Tag has been postponed but not for long.

Well at last I am a Lt. Gen. but there are so many of them that it has lost its zest. Still of course I
am quite pleased . . .

It is funny how easy it is to do the things one has planned to do.

I am having a hell of a time with discipline. When I got here there was none. No salutes. Any sort
of clothes and general hell.

Omar Bradley is my deputy and is good. He will get the job when I have finished this phase. If I
do. I don’t think it is too easy. However, it is perhaps a compliment to be used to do the fighting and
still thought so important that I actually command on both coasts at the same time.

We had quite a little fight to day. We got three tanks and lost two planes. Life is never dull, but
terribly cold. It is realy awful. Jimmy Doolittle is sending me a fleace lined leather coat. I guess it
will be warm in two weeks . . .

Lots of love. George. Lt. Gen. (FIRST TIME)

So this photo from 30th March 1943 is just a couple of weeks after writing the letter:

He'd received it by 18th March:

Letter, GSP, Jr., to Beatrice, March 18, 1943 I commanded in a pretty big battle . . .

We took a famous town and had practically no casualties. It was a very well run show ...

I tried to get in, but we hit a mine field and had to stop. The Dagoes beat it and I fear we got few
prisoners, but the air and artillery killed a lot of them.

I was going to attack again this morning, but it rained all night so we had to delay. It is blowing
like hell now so we may have a go at them in the morning if the guns can move accross country. When
I started forward, I was realy scared of an air attack but soon got used to it and stopped worrying.

Ike and Alex were both here telling me to stay back, which cramped my style, but any how this
high command keeps me out of the real front line stuff, and honestly I rather resent it. But when one is
fighting Erwin [Rommel], one has to be near the radio.

If you hear that I have been relieved, don’t worry, there is a reason. Anyhow I will finish this
show which will take some weeks. We have to go slowly to get confidence going in the troops. Terry
is really good and so are his men. I am not too happy about John’s outfit [1st Armored Division], but
they will come back. I may have to relieve a general.

Ike and Alex seemed very well pleased. I hope they stay that way. But realy I have a hell of a job
fighting with men I have not trained and with a staff I don’t know. I have only Hugh G. [Gaffey], Kent
L. [Lambert], and Oscar K[och] . . . with me. All the rest are boy wonders, but the G-2 [Dickson] is
good.

The weather is frightful cold and wet. Jimmy Doolittle gave me a fur lined leather coat or I would
freeze.

 

[shells075]

The flying jacket looks a bit like the the one that Bale wore in Salvation. Might have to pick it up as the jacket on my JC fig has crumbled.

 

[Asta]

Just got the invoices from Kit. Patton and the Accessory set are both in stock.

 

[JMT1979]

Just got the invoices from Kit. Patton and the Accessory set are both in stock.

Yep, me too. This didn't take long at all and came way earlier than the estimated Q3 delivery date.
That said, I've paid for both Patton and the accessory set and soon I'll have a figure from my favourite movie of all time!

 

[Asta]

George and Willie Patton are due for delivery tomorrow.

DID got their unboxing video up before arrival this time:

 

[Asta]

There's a big nod to the movie with their choice of backdrop:

But DID's flag appears to be of the 50 star variety.

 

[FlyAndFight]

Looking forward to your detailed review, Asta!

 

[Asta]

The first thing that jumped out on opening the main box were the huge gloved hands. I wish DID would ditch that idea and sculpt them instead.

The next thing was how good the sculpt is. It seems to have a less satin finish than recent figures, especially in hand.

The real George:

T'other George:

Willie is a good sculpt, and looks a lot more realistic than the upcoming German Shepherd.

The chain is too short to fully hang below the neck joint:

It could be futzed to show more on whichever side is going to be on display, but the magnet in the neck makes it fiddly.


The revolvers are plastic:

Gun belt and holsters are very fine, and as with most of DID's 'leather' work look like the bonded reconstituted kind:

The full helmet has a metal shell and plastic liner, and the liner to be worn separately is also plastic. There's a two part fabric chin strap included which can be attached to either helmet. The reason for this is that from photos Patton often didn't have the strap attached or showing.


For the podium base the name plate has tape on the back, while the stars have magnets. There's a metal bar to place on the inside of the stand, so any number of stars can be arranged on the outside:

He actually stands very well unassisted, and I can see the attraction of this option, but neither podiums nor unsupported figures are my thing:

The old fashioned (i.e., 1960s GI Joe / Action Man) giant metal poppers on the Ike jacket are unsightly. They could've made the closure neater with magnets. The only thing good about them is that they aren't as fragile as the little plastic poppers.

They can be hidden to a degree with futzing, but will always show if looked at more side on.

The flying jacket is pretty amazing. It's very supple even with the full 'sheepskin' lining. The lining is also very soft and snuggly!

DID claim that it's "genuine leather", but from the acrid smell, which is likely glue, it's the bonded kind again.

 

[JMT1979]

View attachment 643783

The first thing that jumped out on opening the main box were the huge gloved hands. I wish DID would ditch that idea and sculpt them instead.

The next thing was how good the sculpt is. It seems to have a less satin finish than recent figures, especially in hand.

The real George:

View attachment 643784View attachment 643785
View attachment 643786

T'other George:

View attachment 643787

View attachment 643788View attachment 643789View attachment 643790


Willie is a good sculpt, and looks a lot more realistic than the upcoming German Shepherd.

View attachment 643791

View attachment 643792

The chain is too short to fully hang below the neck joint:

View attachment 643793View attachment 643794View attachment 643796View attachment 643797

It could be futzed to show more on whichever side is going to be on display, but the magnet in the neck makes it fiddly.


The revolvers are plastic:

View attachment 643802View attachment 643803

Gun belt and holsters are very fine, and as with most of DID's 'leather' work look like the bonded reconstituted kind:

View attachment 643804

The full helmet has a metal shell and plastic liner, and the liner to be worn separately is also plastic. There's a two part fabric chin strap included which can be attached to either helmet. The reason for this is that from photos Patton often didn't have the strap attached or showing.


For the podium base the name plate has tape on the back, while the stars have magnets. There's a metal bar to place on the inside of the stand, so any number of stars can be arranged on the outside:

View attachment 643807

He actually stands very well unassisted, and I can see the attraction of this option, but neither podiums nor unsupported figures are my thing:

View attachment 643810

The old fashioned (i.e., 1960s GI Joe / Action Man) giant metal poppers on the Ike jacket are unsightly. They could've made the closure neater with magnets. The only thing good about them is that they aren't as fragile as the little plastic poppers.

They can be hidden to a degree with futzing, but will always show if looked at more side on.

The flying jacket is pretty amazing. It's very supple even with the full 'sheepskin' lining. The lining is also very soft and snuggly!

DID claim that it's "genuine leather", but from the acrid smell, which is likely glue, it's the bonded kind again.

View attachment 643817View attachment 643818


View attachment 643815



View attachment 643813

Mine is likely to arrive on Monday, so you're lucky getting it now.

What's your overall opinion?

 

[Asta]

I knew there was something else I wanted to mention.

It's the ongoing mystery of the 1st Armored Division / I Armored Corps patch.

The specs for the main set erroneously stated 1st Division, whereas it should've been I Corps. The one DID included is 1st Division.

The top row is from the main set.

1st Armored Division; II Corps; Seventh Army; Third/Central Army:

The bottom row is from the accessory set and has the correct I Armored Corps patch.