Minifigure – elite German Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) of the Luftwaffe (Air Force) from the mid-to-late period of World War II (LEGO Compatible)

This image displays a toy minifigure and accessories representing an elite German Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) of the Luftwaffe (Air Force) from the mid-to-late period of World War II.

The figure is depicted in specialized combat gear. He is wearing a Fallschirmjäger M38 helmet with a camouflage cover; this helmet’s unique shape without a flared rim was designed to reduce the risk of snagging during a parachute jump. His camouflage smock is in the Luftwaffe Splinter Pattern (Splittermuster B), a pattern distinct from that used by the army. He wears this over the standard blue-grey trousers of the Luftwaffe and is equipped with printed ammunition bandoliers across his chest.

The set includes these key accessories:

• FG 42 Rifle: The figure holds a toy replica of the Fallschirmjägergewehr 42 (FG 42). This was a revolutionary and advanced automatic rifle designed specifically for and issued almost exclusively to the Fallschirmjäger, combining the firepower of a light machine gun with the portability of an infantry rifle.
• Luftwaffe Field Cap: An alternative headgear option is provided: a grey M43 field cap with the correct Luftwaffe eagle and national cockade insignia.

Historical Background: The Fallschirmjäger were Germany’s elite airborne infantry. As part of the Luftwaffe, they were pioneers in large-scale parachute and glider assaults, gaining a formidable reputation with operations in Norway, the Netherlands, and most famously, the costly airborne invasion of Crete in 1941. After Crete, they were primarily employed as elite ground infantry, rushed to critical sectors of the front. They were renowned for their tenacity and high morale, fighting in some of the war’s toughest battles, including the defense of Monte Cassino in Italy and the battles in Normandy. The Allies often referred to them as the “Green Devils.”