The Special Air Service, more commonly known as the SAS, is one of the most famous and elite military units in the world. The SAS was famously involved in resolving the Iranian Embassy siege in London in 1980, and has been deployed in numerous hotspots around the world since then. The SAS was actually born in 1941 in the midst of WWII for the purpose of operating deep behind enemy lines in North Africa. The SAS subsequently also participated in the invasions of Italy and France, operating deep inside enemy territory conducting raids, ambushes and supporting local resistance members. In all, around 2,500 personnel served with the SAS and associated Special Boat Service (SBS) during WWII.
Dragon’s new figure set features four soldiers from the 2nd Regiment of the elite SAS operating in France. As a Premium Edition set, these 1/35 scale figures have been issued by Dragon before. However, the set has benefitted from an important enhancement in the form of a Welbike. The Welbike, the smallest motorbike ever used by the British Armed Forces, was produced between 1942 and 1945. From the beginning, the diminutive motorcycle was designed to fit inside a standard parachute airdrop container. It could be assembled rapidly, and made an ideal vehicle for covert operations. Indeed, this upgraded set depicts a folded Welbike and its associated parachute drop container, ready for use in some destructive mission against German forces.
The figures, and the motorcycle, are sharply moulded, with the poses of the four figures lifelike. This is a very useful set of British figures, each wielding typical British weapons of the era, and it would make an ideal centre of attraction for any vignette!