WWII US Marine Raider BAR Assistant - Bougainville 1943

As I continue to explore this image of the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion on Bougainville, I wanted to start looking at some of the lesser known roles within WWII infantry squads. One of the prominent characters appears to be a normal Marine rifleman, until you start looking at his equipment. My best assumption would be that he's an assistant gunner to a man carrying a BAR, which raider companies were equipped with an impressive amount of. A WWI vintage design, BARs were still fed from the same 20 round magazine in WWII, requiring enormous (and heavy) amounts of ammo to be carried with them. The same solution persisted in both World Wars, designating a series of assistant gunners, armed with their own long arms, but whose principle duty was carrying additional ammunition for the gunner. 

Matching the photo, this figure dons the full P1942 "Frogskin" uniform and helmet cover. I've incorporated the standard Marine P1941 field pack, with new artwork as a plain assembly without shovels, shelter halves or ponchos wrapped around it. Most interesting are the BAR magazine bandoliers he's wearing as a chest rig. Originally designed during WWI, with a different left and right side orientation, they don't show up much in WWII. The Marine Corps did however, see potential in them as a universal pouch, and began producing their own version of the right side only early in WWII. Somehow this Marine managed to get ahold of not only the current issue right side, with a field repair added to a torn out snap closure, but also a left side from older army stock. Given this heavy load, he's also unbuckled his rifle belt, allowing it to just be held up with his pack suspenders. 

For this figure, I also pushed myself to also create new, difficult art for both the helmet cover with foilage net, and the helmet chinstrap buckled around the minifigure face. Both of these prints require the highest degree of registration on the printing end, and really considerate design time with the art. The net itself has been traced over a real theatre made raider net, as most units in WWII made, or had made their own distinctive styles of nets. The chinstrap printed better than I could have expected and beautifully wraps from the sides to under the minifigure head, avoiding the common style of printing the entire strap on the front of the head. I think the result speaks for itself, matching the original Marine. 

Original Proof Copy - 1 of 1, first complete minifigure out of the printer. Signature by Landon Reimer, sealed plastic collectors slab with Brick Warp artwork.

Collectors Edition - Signature by Landon Reimer, sealed plastic collectors slab with Brick Warp artwork.

Base Model - Complete figure in hand-stamped numbered case inspired by WWII era packaging. Not sealed. This packaging again, is hand-stamped and is not intended to look perfect. 

• BrickArms M1 Pot helmet with custom printed frogskin camo cover and raider net 
• Custom printed minifigure head with M1 helmet chinstrap
• P1942 camouflage utility uniform
• Early war white T-shirt
• BAR bandolier pair 
• Marine contract M1923 cartridge belt (unbuckled)
• Army M1910 canteen cover
• P1941 Marine haversack (plain) 
• P1941 Marine suspenders 
• Navy N1 (Boondocker) Boots
• Inside leg printing 
• Holographically sealed packaging (original and collectors edition) 
• Hand stamped WWII inspired packaging (base model)

Information Info: Art and printing by Lando (that’s me!) on genuine factory direct Lego minifigure elements & BrickArms headgear.

Legal Disclaimer: This is not a LEGO® Product. LEGO and the LEGO minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorize, or endorse this product. The LEGO Group is not liable for any loss, injury or damage arising from the use or misuse of this product.