Minifigure – German Luftwaffe (Air Force) ground combat soldier from the mid-to-late period of World War II (LEGO Compatible)

This image displays a toy minifigure set representing a German Luftwaffe (Air Force) ground combat soldier from the mid-to-late period of World War II.

The figure is depicted in a tan or olive-green field uniform. While the Luftwaffe is known for its pilots and blue-grey uniforms, it also had extensive ground combat units (like the Fallschirmjäger and Luftwaffe Field Divisions) that wore tan, green, or camouflage uniforms. He wears a dark, heavily weathered Stahlhelm (steel helmet) and his tunic features the Luftwaffe eagle on the right breast. He is equipped as a standard infantry rifleman with leather Y-straps and Kar98k ammunition pouches.

The set includes two key accessories:

• A toy replica of the Karabiner 98k (Kar98k) rifle. This was the standard-issue bolt-action rifle for the vast majority of all German soldiers, including the ground troops of the Luftwaffe.
• An alternative headwear: a grey Luftwaffe M43 field cap (Einheitsfeldmütze) with the correct Air Force insignia.

Historical Background: This figure represents one of the many German airmen who were tasked with fighting as ground infantry during the war. This primarily included the elite paratroopers (Fallschirmjäger), who fought as elite infantry after the Battle of Crete, and the Luftwaffe Field Divisions. These divisions were formed in late 1942 from surplus air force personnel (ground crews, support staff, etc.) to combat severe manpower shortages, especially on the Eastern Front. This figure represents one of these soldiers, armed as a basic rifleman.