Cotswold is happy to announce the upcoming DID release of Karl Stroop, German Feldgendarmarie, better known in the United States as Field Police. The Feldgendarmerie (nicknamed Kettenhunde, or "chained dogs" by the German infantry, for the gorget they wore) were charged with occupation duties in the territories that came under the operational control of the Wehrmacht. This ranged from straightforward traffic control and civilian policing to handling of captured partisans and enemy stragglers. 

Pictured here is Karl with his rubberized motorcyclist coat unbuttoned at the collar and at the leg so he has better movement while directing traffic.  In his left hand he is holding the field police signal wand while pointing with the other hand.  His MP40 is slung over his shoulder, available just in case it is needed.

Here is a close up shot of Karl wearing his rubberized motorcyclist’s coat with the collar up for wind protection and the Feldgendarmerie gorget with chain around his neck (both made of metal).  His helmet is the M1935/40 variety with realistic leather liner and chin straps.  The goggles are removable and can be worn either on his face or on his helmet, as shown.

This photo shows how versatile the rubberized motorcyclist’s coat is.  It can be worn like a regular trench coat or can be buttoned up (as pictured) here so Karl can ride his BMW motorcycle.  The wrapping of the legs within the coat protected the driver from getting mud and dirt on his pants and clothing in general.  It also prevented the coat itself from getting caught in the wheel spoke or burned by the motorcycle’s engine.  Note that Karl has his gas mask canister slung over his neck as opposed to slung over his shoulder.  This was common practice by German motorcycle riders as it allowed the wearer to have quick access to the mask. It also prevented it from slinging around his back while on the motorcycle.

The figure comes with three pair of hands to use.  One set of hands are “pointers” – perfect for when you need him to direct traffic.  The second set of hands are “generic” – good for holding things such as his traffic wand or flashlight.  The third set of hands are “weapon-friendly” – to be used for holding his MP4sub-machine gun or any other weapon he comes across.  All are the new DID design so they fit more snugly within the wrist sockets.

Here is a shot of Karl ready to fire his MP40.  I wanted to show this pic to demonstrate how well the “weapon-friendly” hands are when used.  You’ll notice in the picture that the figure comes with rubberized gloves for when he’s on the road.  This is a nice accessory piece, but unfortunately, they do not fit on any of the hand sets (without extreme modification).

The MP40 sub-machine gun is crafted entirely out of metal.  The magazine is removable and the slide can move into “fire” or “safety” positions.  The sling is made of leather and is constructed just like its 1:1 counterpart, all the way down to the metal retention buckle.

Here is a shot to show you how you can mix and match the use of the three pair of hands.  The left hand is from the “pointer” hands set and the right hand is from the “weapon-friendly” hands set.

The set comes with two MP40 cloth ammo pouches.  One of the pouches is made of a greenish coarse fabric while the other is made of a grayish coarse fabric.  Both are well constructed and can hold MP40 magazines with ease (not included).

The leather marching boots (also known as “dice shakers” in some circles) are handcrafted out of leather.  They are pre-creased at the ankles to give the impression that Karl has been wearing them for some time.  This adds to the realism of the overall figure.

Here is Karl without his coat and gear.  His tunic is a model 1943 – less detailed than earlier German tunics (no pleats or scalloped flaps), due to shortages in fabric availability.  He comes with a choice of 4 medals (3 pictured) plus removable Feldgendarmerie shoulder boards (distinguished by the orange piping) as well as a leather belt and metal buckle.  The buckle itself functions just like its 1:1 counterpart, having “teeth” in the back that lock into the pre-set holes on the belt.

Here is a shot of the variety of gear that comes with this set.  The brown leather map case can open via the flap to hold any maps (not included) that are needed while in the field.  The metal flashlight/torch has a leather retaining strap that can attach it to most any button on Karl’s tunic or jacket.    The metal gas mask canister carries the gas mask cape bag via a leather strap.  As the war progressed, it became more and more common for the German soldier to discard the gas mask cape bag because it became apparent that gas warfare would not be prominently used during WWII.  The traffic wand, common to most all Feldgendarmerie, is constructed of wood and metal.  The front of the sign states “Halt Polizei (Stop Police) and the back is of the universal “STOP” symbol.  The MP40 Pouches are both made of a tough cloth fabric – very close to how the real ones were made.