Cal-Tek 1:6 Xpo 2011 USAF CCT ( CA-8012 ) review

Cal-Tek ( Soldier Story ) USAF Combat Control Team 1/6 Xpo 2011 Exclusive ( CA-8012 )

It is always interesting ( and exciting ) to see a figure or accessory released in conjunction with a major sixthscale event. Over the years we have been lucky to have several exclusive event tie ins that are actually pretty decent. These exclusives have been in many cases been imaginative and worthwhile – not just examples of easy way out re-imagined or repackaging as it were. And in this case, as well as in the case of the The China Model Exposition version, we have a figure that is well worth chasing down.

Before jumping headlong into this review, I would like to take a minute to share some information that I came across while doing research on the United States Air Force Combat Controllers for the Toys City USAF CCT I published last April. As you will read, these folks are extremely well trained…

From wikipedia:

Overview:

United States Air Force Combat Controllers (CCT) (AFSC 1C2X1) are ground combat forces specialized in a traditional pathfinder role while having a heavy emphasis on simultaneous air traffic control, fire support and command, control, and communications in covert or austere environments. Assigned to Special Tactics Squadrons, Combat Controllers are an integral part of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), the Air Force component of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Combat Controllers are often assigned individually or as a team to Army Special Forces, Army Ranger, and Navy SEAL teams to provide expert air support coordination and communications capabilities.

Motto:

CCT Motto: “First There” reaffirms the Combat Controller’s commitment to undertaking the most dangerous missions behind enemy lines by leading the way for other forces to follow.

Mission:

Air Force Special Operations Command’s Combat Controllers are Battlefield Airmen assigned to special tactics squadrons. They are trained special operations forces and certified Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers. The mission of a Combat Controller is to deploy undetected into combat and hostile environments to conduct special reconnaissance, establish assault zones or airfields, while simultaneously conducting air traffic control, fire support, command, control, and communications and forward air control. They deploy with air and ground forces in support of direct action, such as drug cartel, counter-terrorism, foreign internal defense, humanitarian assistance, and combat search and rescue. Combat Controllers employ all-terrain vehicles, amphibious vehicles, weapons and demolitions in pursuit of their objectives, which may include obstacle destruction.

Training:

Combat controllers are among the most highly trained personnel in the US military. They maintain air traffic controller qualification skills throughout their career in addition to other special operations skills. Many qualify and maintain currency in joint terminal attack control procedures. Their 35-week initial training and unique mission skills earn them the right to wear the scarlet beret. From that point they attend a 12-15 month advanced skill training course to obtain a 5 skill level.

Initial training:

Combat Control Selection Course, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas (two weeks).This selection course focuses on sports physiology, nutrition, basic exercises, combat control history and fundamentals.

Combat Control Operator Course, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi (15.5 weeks)

This course teaches aircraft recognition and performance, air navigation aids, weather, airport traffic control, flight assistance service, communication procedures, conventional approach control, radar procedures and air traffic rules. All air traffic controllers in the Air Force attend this course.

Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, Georgia (three weeks). Trainees learn the basic parachuting skills required to infiltrate an objective area by static line airdrop.

Air Force Basic Survival School, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington (3 weeks). This course teaches techniques for survival in remote areas. Instruction includes principles, procedures, equipment and techniques that enable individuals to survive, regardless of climatic conditions or unfriendly environments, and return home.

Combat Control School, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina (13 weeks). This course provides final Combat Controller qualifications. Training includes physical training, small unit tactics, land navigation, communications, assault zones, demolitions, fire support and field operations including parachuting. Graduates of the course are awarded the 3-skill level (Apprentice), scarlet beret and CCT flash.

Advanced training:

Special Tactics Advanced Skills Training, Hurlburt Field, Florida (12 to 15 months). Advanced Skills Training is a program for newly assigned Combat Controller operators. AST produces mission-ready operators for the Air Force and United States Special Operations Command. The AST schedule is broken down into four phases: water, ground, employment and full mission profile. The course tests the trainee’s personal limits through demanding mental and physical training. Combat Controllers also attend the following schools during AST:

Army Military Free Fall Parachutist School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona (five weeks). This course instructs free fall parachuting procedures. The course provides wind tunnel training, in-air instruction focusing on student stability, aerial maneuvers, air sense, parachute opening procedures and parachute canopy control.

Air Force Combat Diver School, Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center, Naval Support Activity Panama City, Florida (six weeks). Trainees become combat divers, learning to use scuba and closed circuit diving equipment to covertly infiltrate denied areas. The course provides training to depths of 130 feet, stressing development of maximum underwater mobility under various operating conditions.

History:

United States Army pathfinders originated in 1943 out of need for accurate airdrops during airborne campaigns of World War II. These pathfinders preceded main assault forces into objective areas to provide weather information and visual guidance to inbound aircraft through the use of high-powered lights, flares and smoke pots.

When the Air Force became a separate service, Air Force pathfinders, later called combat control teams, were activated in 1953 to provide navigational aids and air traffic control for a growing Air Force. In the Vietnam War, combat controllers helped assure mission safety and expedited air traffic flow during countless airlifts. Combat controllers also flew as forward air guides in support of indigenous forces in Laos and Cambodia. It’s been reported that Combat Controllers conducted covert forward air control for U.S. and allied aircraft performing interdiction missions against Communist troops & supplies on the Ho Chi Minh trail. Combat controllers were also present during the Earthquakes in Haiti where they set up and coordinated airplanes to land and take off at airfields that had been heavily damaged in the quake.

Combat controllers continue to be the “First There” when they are called upon to participate in international emergencies and humanitarian relief efforts.

Head-sculpt and base body…

It took me a while to realize that there were actually two versions of the USAF CCT figure – one for the China Model Exposition, and one for the onesixthxpo ( or Xpo ). The first version that I saw on the boards was the China version, and straight away I was surprised at the choice about the sculpt. I kept wondering why Soldier Story chose it in particular from a bevy of what I consider to be better looking sculpts. Bear in mind this was before I knew that there were two versions, and, as it turned out two sculpts that were to be used.

During the time that I was under the impression that there was only one version, I did a lot of contemplation on the sculpt. My initial misgivings about the sculpt had dissipated as the rest of the figure was stunning and sweet enough to sell the figure no matter what sculpt was used. This contemplation led me to some observations and some thoughts on how I might use the sculpt. I am including some of these herein – and they are somewhat comical in places, but a few of them are ideas that I would really like to try.

Of course I was even more excited when I learned about the Xpo version with the reissued Soldier Story FCS Multicam “josh Duhamel” sculpt, as this was one of those sculpts that I had been kicking myself in the butt for not picking up after the Soldier Story FCS Multicam figure was parted out. This excitement was multiplied when I found out that I would be laying hands on the Xpo version for my review – a cool new figure to play with and a second chance to lay hands on that sculpt I missed picking up? Good stuff!

With the China Model Exposition version we receive the same head-sculpt as was seen with the German SS Panzergrenadier Wiking Division figure. And he is a screamer. Okay, I have to say that this is not my most favorite of the newer sculpts from Soldier Story, but it does have some potential. For bashes, customs, and shelf dio’s where one needs a screaming, excited, wildly animated, or fervidly, open mouthedly, all agog head-sculpt this is the place to go. Here is a list of uses – and I am, as I stated previously pretty serious about at least a few of them…

1. Guy having a bite of a food thing.

2. Guy having a bite of another guy ( or gal ) – think zombie themes – so good for that.

3. Guy biting down on a scuba mouth piece – there was a DML head that worked really well for the same purpose – I wish I could remember the name of the guy who made the figure because I would list it here along with a link – it looked that cool..

4. Guy getting a root canal – I’ve had one – and I bet I looked just like that when it was happening.

5. Motivational speaker.

6. Aggressive real estate seminar guru.

7. Primal scream yoga instructor.

8. Singer in the band ( straight edge, grind core, or Andrew W.K. – he is the good times, white jeans, gallons of sweat guy ).

9. Roman general Vomitous Maximus.

10. Bingo dude ( either the one who yells out the numbers, or the one shouts “BINGO!!!” ).

11. Guy going in for an awkward kiss ( probably in a Judd Apatow or Fairley Bros. movie ).

12. Guy yawning ( probably in the theater while watching a Judd Apatow or Fairley Bros. movie ).

13. Guy getting dressed down by the D.I. in the barracks ( let me see your war face ) Dio piece for your Sideshow Toys R. Lee Emery Sergeant Hartman figure.

14. Shot caller.

While it’s true that the screaming sculpt has some built in limitations due to the expression, and is a little unusual when compared to the vacant expression so common to sixthscale head-sculpts, the detailing and the paint are right up there with other later model Soldier Story sculpts. This is due to some pretty impressive sculpting, and some pretty paint apps.

And I cannot stress enough how important the material that the sculpt is cast in helps lend itself to the overall look of the sculpt. It’s that semi-translucent urethane like material that gives the sculpt a head start toward looking lifelike. I think the natural translucence of human skin is an effect that is like sub-surface light scattering – almost like you are seeing the skin illuminated from just under the epidermis. I wish I knew more about this phenomenon so that I could better understand and explain it. Bottom line, it is cool that the simple use of a semi-translucent material can go so far to mimicking this natural light effect. I suppose that this effect is part of what people mean when they describe human skin as having a sort of natural glow.

As I mentioned earlier, the sculpt that comes with the Xpo version ( the matter at hand ) is the same sculpt that came with Soldier Story’s FCS Multicam figure. And it does, arguably, look like the American actor Josh Duhamel. For those of you who may not be familiar with Josh Duhamel, he is the dude who plays the dude in the Transformers movies. I think he also goes steady with that smash fox from the Black Eyed Peas, but I am not for one hundred percent certain about that.

The FCS-M/CCT sculpt is good – with clean paint and decent lines – and as I mentioned earlier, for those of us who missed a crack at it the first time out, this presents a nice opportunity for a second chance. I would say this sculpt is Soldier Story’s answer to the Hot Toys 10th Mountain sculpt, but maybe it’s the other way around – you never know how long a sculpt sits around before it gets fitted out on a figure, and just how many people see it and then let slip that it is in line for production. Plus, there does seem to be an almost one upmanship when it comes to sixthscale sculpts, so it is not unusual to see several companies take a shot at a particular likeness.

The base body is the newest incarnation or iteration of the S2 – the version with the slightly darker skin tone, narrow shoulder girth, and beefed up ratcheting joints. I am now torn between the S2 and the Hot Toys True Type, when choosing a base body for a bash – they are both so good, and so easy to work with, that either makes a sure thing base for that custom that you want to go all out on.

Of course, an important factor when making a choice between the S2 and the Hot Toys TT, is the price. The S2 being the lower price of the two choices ( at the time of this review ). This means that you can get an S2 with hands, feet, and a decent sculpt for the same price as a stripped down Hot Toys TT with no hands, no feet, and no sculpt ( decent or otherwise ). I will say that there is one specific area where the S2 could be improved – an area that would propel it to a whole new level. I will not share that here – as I would prefer to discuss it with Soldier Story – while we are going over my list of figures that I want to develop ( lol ).

Hands wise, we receive a pair of flesh hands ( right hand in a pistol grip pose, left hand in a slightly relaxed rifle stock grip pose ). The hands come with the wonderfully inventive, and must have on any sixthscale figure, multi-rotational wrist peg. I call it multi-rotational as it may not be entirely accurate for me to describe it as a universal joint type of design. It does not have the U-joint look ( as seen as a connector in a well stocked socket set for example ), but it is in truth more of a hinge with benefits. It can be rotated roughly 180 degrees on a vertical axis, and has a post or peg on one end on which a hand or glove can be swiveled 360 degrees on a horizontal axis, and a post or peg on the other end that inserts into the open end of the forearm, and can again be swiveled 360 degrees on a horizontal axis. I wish I could have expressed that in a more coherent way – let’s just say that these wrist joints can bend like an electric eel in a tank of goldfish.

In addition to the hands and wrist pegs, we also receive a pair of tan gloved hands made to represent some model or another of Mechanix Tactical glove. I have been trying to read up on the subject a bit of late to help me with projects and to give me more of an education for my reviews, so I feel comfortable to say that these are most likely the Mechanix M-Pact Coyote gloves. This is a slightly different model than we have seen in the past, and the color is ( I feel ) an improvement over the butterscotch brown on black variants that we have seen offered with other figures. These are also the same gloves that we get with the Soldier Story 160th SOAR Night Stalkers Pilot CW4 Todd McDunn figure. And they look cool.

So, what about the score… Taking all of the aforementioned factors and factoids into consideration, I feel comfortable giving the full five out of five stars in this category.

Uniform elements…

Cool-looking pants ( Mulitcam pattern ).

Cool-looking shirt ( Mulitcam pattern ) – a TRU-SPEC Combat Shirt as it turns out ( thanks much to OSW’s blackjax30 for the I.D. on this ) .

Short sleeved tee shirt ( light tan color ).

Cloth Danner boots ( tan color ).

Duty belt ( black – I would say ” black color” – but technically speaking black, white, and gray are all considered to be “absences of color” ).

Riggers Belt ( tan color ).

Ball cap ( Mulitcam pattern ).

Patch set which includes five patches ( CCT, BP blood type marker, American flag in subdued color pattern, multiple type blood type patch block, and red cross style patch – guess this is a corpsman patch??? ) – Got some info and clarification on this one – thanks much to my OSW buds Davinator65 and blackjax30 for the I.D. – turns out this is the Alabama State Flag.

At first I thought that I was looking at a reissue of the uniform that came with Soldier Story’s 10th SFG figure. But upon closer inspection I noticed that this is something different.

The shirt:

One point of difference seen on the shirt, is the vertical zipper detailing found on the sleeve pockets. Another point of difference seen on the shirt, is the fact that it is a FROG style shirt – the shirt that came with the Soldier Story 10th SFG was not. I have to say that the zippers and the FROG styling really make this shirt stand out. I would love to be able to lay hands on a few of these as a loose parts purchase.

The pants:

Now as far as I can tell the pants are, in fact, similar if not identical to the pants that came with the Soldier Story 10th SFG figure. And that is a good thing as far as I am concerned – it is never a bad thing in my opinion to have a second chance to pick up a decent sixthscale piece. The cut and the styling of the leg cargo pockets ( slightly slanting top opening portion ), and the reinforcement patches on the knees, give these pants a very unique look – sort of what I would expect to see on a pair of civie/PMC/tactical pants ala Blackhawk or Crye Precision. In fact, they remind me of the pants that came with those Barrack Sergeant PMC figures from a few years back – the ones that had the pirated DML head-sculpts and nifty TAD hoodies.

I could no doubt drum the boards and gear sites for an identification or manufacturer model distinction on both the pants and the shirt, but I think I will forgo trying to nail down a 100% positive I.D. and will instead declare them to be really super cool and big time neato mosquito. As with the shirt, I would be happy to be able to track down an extra pair or two of these for my loose parts uniform box.

Update: I recently came across some information stating that the uniform that comes with this figure is intended to be the Crye Precision Combat shirt and Combat pant. I have done extensive searching to see if I could back this up, and alas, I cannot. There are too many inconsistent elements to positively I.D. them as such. Among these inconsistent elements we see:

Different back yoke, collar, elbow patches, and pocket detailing with the shirt.

Different construction, and pocket detailing with the pants.

And not just a little different – these are fairly significant differences – especially with the shirt. So what are they?

Note: I received some helpful information on the make and model of this mysterious and very cool shirt… It is the TRUE-SPEC Combat Shirt. Thank you to OSW’s blackjax30 for the help on this.

I must also mention the boots – which definitely fall on the side of not too bad… I am not always a fan of cloth boots just because they are cloth – cloth doesn’t always equal high quality or richness of detail when it comes to things sixthscale. But these are one of those examples where the use of thinner ( yet durable ) materials, and a clean finish equate to a Jim Dandy pair of boots. These are not the oversized, overstuffed monsters that we sometimes see – the ones that look like a cast painted to look like a boot – or the result of some crazy toy maker deciding to launch a line of stuffed animals shaped like boots. These actually look pretty good.

I.D. wise, it looks to me like these are the same Danner-esque boots that we have seen with other Soldier Story releases – the 10th SFG, and SFOD Delta come to mind. As I stated above the detailing and construction are solid, and the boots work well with the overall look of the figure. This is one of those examples of the judicious use of items that already exist within a companies product line.

Alright, let’s get a score for this category… Taking into consideration all of the detail and quality, not to mention the unique look of the uniform elements, I feel that a perfect five out of five stars is warranted in this category.

Gear ( softline gear – webbing and pouches )…

MRC ( Mayflower Research and Consulting LLC ) UW Chest Rig Gen IV.

Mystery Ranch 3-day Assault Pack.

LBT-2367F Retractable Tie-In Safety Lanyard.

The body armour/plate carrier that comes with the figure is nearly identical to the body armour that came with BBI’s 2007 Anniversary Joe Brennan figure. Different color patterns on the vest as well as the hook side velcro, but the same cut and the same materials. I am not sure what make or model we are looking at here, but this is a very intersting looking piece. It seems a little odd to see body a armor/plate carrier which has it’s outside ( out-facing ) surface covered in Spacer Mesh. Normally we would only expect to see Spacer Mesh used on the inside surfaces of the body armor/plate carrier to help aid in air circulation and cooling. But this actually gives this thing a kind of exotic look. The BBI Brennan armor is one of my all time favorite sixthscale body armour/plate carriers, so it is nice to see a nearly identical piece offered up by Soldier Story in a different color pallette. In fact, I am using the BBI Brennan version on my first HDFL ( Hyper Detail Figure Lab ) figure.

When I first laid eyes on the chest rig that comes in the set I though that I was looking at an LBT ( London Bridge Trading Company ) LBT-1961A. And that assumption stayed with me through tedious research on the web – I mean there are quite a few similarities present… But after some more poking around, I learned that it was in fact, intended to represent an MRC ( Mayflower Research and Consulting LLC ) UW Chest Rig Gen IV. I had never heard of these guys, so I checked out their site, and was amazed to find that they make quite a few different rigs and various other assorted web gear. In fact, it could be argued that the body armor that I have been scratching my head about could also be a Mayflower tie in – I am thinking the Mayflower Low-Profile Armor Carrier. It is always nice to learn something new in the course of composing these reviews.

I found a portion of the Mayflower motto ( or missin statement ) fairly interesting. They describe their product as “high speed tactical gear for the military athlete”. I had to sit and mull that one over, and the more I thought about the more the concept of gear for that is athletic and milspec started to sound reasonable. Afterall, the stuff that adventure sports enthusiasts favor sometimes finds it’s way into various military kits and loadouts – GPS units, boots, packs, gloves, gaiters, eyewear, helmets ( non-balistic ), etc.

And while the wildest, most totally balls out hairy adventure sport sesh utterly pales in comparioson to any miltary deployment, the same tecnologies and R&D that go into sports gear could adapt well to military use. For example, the UBACS ( Under Body Armor Combat Shirt ) uses some of the same principals and materials that go into the Underarmor gear that the NFL uses – so it may not be such a stretch to make this coralation.

The only part of the term “military athlete” that gives me pause, is that many athletes do what they do for fitness, fun, or in some cases entertainment and vocation. And what soldiers do is service focused – a sacrifice and a stand for something larger than themselves. Soldiers are heroic. Athletes can be heroic as well – and sefless, but war is not a “sport”, so the term “military athlete” comes off sounding a bit ham-handed.

Anyway, Mayflower describes their UW Chest Rig Gen IV as a “mission focused” vest – sort of a different way of saying mission specific I suppose… The UW Chest Rig Gen IV is intended to be an ambidextrous set up which features the following:

5.56 magazine pouches x 4

Pistol magazine pouches x 2

PRC-152 MBITR radio pouches x 2

GP ( General Purpose ) pouches x 2

H style harness with loops to route either radio antennas, communication wiring, or hydration tubing

Built in map pocket

It is also stated that the UW Chest Rig Gen IV is designed to be mounted to the front of the Mayflower Low-Profile Armor Carrier, and I suppose that explains the hook side velcro patch that is faced out on the backside of the rig. This velcro patch in turn matches up and attaches perfectly to the loop side velcro on the face out of the armor carrier. So there you go…

Quality wise, this is as good as anything we have seen thus far from Soldier Story – and that is a good thing as Soldier Story is almost always on their A game when it comes to things in the softline gear category. The velcro is scale specific, the buckles are crisp and clean, and the stitching is tight and even. All of these elements work together and add up to gear that is very, very solid.

The Mystery Ranch 3-day Assault Pack that comes with the set is pure gold. It has that cool Mystery Ranch 3Zip zipper system that helps give the pack it’s signature look. The real world lifescale equivalent of the The Mystery Ranch 3-day Assault Pack is a 2000 cubic inch dynamo with beaucoup built in Mil-Spec features. So it is easy to see why this particular pack would be a good choice for a CCT guy. The name Mystery Ranch is also kind of cool – and unusual – sort of conjurs images of Hardey Boys and Nancy Drew titles – or maybe an episode or two of Scooby Doo…

With the Xpo CCT, we get the Multicam Mystery Ranch 3-day Assault Pack – and with the Exposition CCT, we get the coyote Mystery Ranch 3-day Assault Pack. The pack also comes in black and foliage green – so hopefully Soldier Story kept the sewing pattern so they can churn out more of these in the future ( Soldier Story guy in charge of packs – foliage green – please…. ).

As with the other elements in this category, the pack is very well made – with all of the scale specific bells and whistles we want to see in today’s sixthscale gear. I am very happy with this piece, and it is an Xpo and Exposition CCT item that I will have on my sixthscale loose parts radar. I am just hoping that I can get a crack at the coyote version.

The last item in this category is the LBT-2367F Retractable Tie-In Safety Lanyard. Tie-Ins are something that we are seeing with just about every new modern era figure that hits the shelves. I like the idea of this in both the real world and in the sixthscale world. Like the CAT ( Combat Action Tourniquet ), the Tie-In Lanyard is one of those pieces of equipment that helps keep our soldiers safe.

Note: There seems to have been a quality control oversight with respect to the LBT-2367F Retractable Tie-In Safety Lanyard that came with the sample that I received for review. No retention pin and yellow pull tab detail. This is one of those teeny tiny pieces that can become dislodged and lost after you open the box and set the figure up for display, but in this case it seems as though it was lost or overlooked at the factory. Soldier Story is pretty good about their QC, but this sort of this does happen from time to time. Still, it’s nice to not have to fix or replace things straight out of the box.

The set does seem to be a little light on softline gear when compared to almost ( if not every ) other modern era figure that Soldier Story has produced. I am not sure why this is, but I suppose it could have to do with the fact that the vest ( or Load Bearing Chest Rig ), and the plate carrier are essentially two solid pieces – and not a collection of platforms and pouches as with other modern era Soldier Story offerings. There was also the issue of the missing piece in this category – true, it is a small piece, but it is still missing. Thus, the missing tab and pin, and the overall lack of softline goods contributed to a slightly lower score of four and a half out of five stars.

Gear ( hardline gear – tools and sundry parts )…

ITW Military Products Fast Mag Polymer 5.56 magazine case x 2.

Oakley Straight Jacket sunglasses.

Inova LED VIP.

MK18 red smoke grenade.

Garmin Foretrex 401 Military GPS.

EMT scissors.

Spiral bound yellow ruled notepad.

Wrist mounted map case with map – this is possibly the MRC ( Mayflower Research and Consulting LLC ) Assulter Arm Board.

Red Cyalume lights.

Peltor Dual ComTac II.

MITBR radio with TCI U94 ( Nexus U94 ) PTT x 2.

We get a little more by way hardline gear then we did with the softline gear – maybe there is just more of the former to spread around, and maybe it has to do with the solid, non-configurable vest and plate carrier that make up a large part of the softline gear category. Either way, we get a fairly decent haul of hardline gear.

Most of it ( with the exception of the note pad and dual comm ) is stuff that we have seen before – some would say rehash, but I defer, as I don’t always cotton with the acerbic way that the term “rehash” gets bandied around. It’s one thing to offer up one’s observations, and to one’s voice opinion, it is quite another thing to make words happen for no other reason than to be sneering or discourteous. There was a time when such behavior was a sure fire way to turn people off and to marginalize or discredit the speaker – when being cynical and mean spirited in the name of getting pats on the back made you a pain in the ass and not a clever or witty icon. And at times O see a hard edge come into discussions about products on the forums.

Hard edges and hard words are a part of life – but it is okay to opt for a more constructive approach at times. And let’s face it – it’s rehash if it’s something that no one wants or has asked for. It’s a second shot at a purchase if it’s something you missed first time out. I just wish DML would make a second run of that Astronaut with the all black uniform and helmet, and that BBI would do the same with their U2 pilot:)

I occasionally state such things in my reviews as I hope that it will give people pause to think. I am in no way perfect, and am not the voice of the masses or the corrector of bad behavior, but I bristle at rudeness, and I shudder at the way that it has permeated every fiber of social media and popular thinking – becoming almost chic and fashionable – as if it’s a virtue. I therefore feel compelled to make a small stand against it in my own life – which includes my reviews – which are in turn part of my all time most favorite hobby and my online social activities.

Alright, that said, I have to tip my hat to Soldier Story for giving us a pretty decent selection of hardline gear stuff. It’s kind of fun to to sit down and admire the detailing and craftsmanship of this stuff – who would ever have know that sixthscale detail would have ever reached the level that we are seeing today. I especially like the hard shell magazine carriers that are the same carriers that came with Soldier Story’s FCS TF version figure. Clever and cool, these are a good fit with modern era figures, and dare I say, a decent little chachki to add to a near future or science fiction themed figure. I also really like the sunglasses that come with the set – wouldn’t mind having a full size pair for the upcoming sunny summer days…

Score: Five out of five stars.

Weapon elements…

HK416 D10RS. 264mm or 10.4″ barrel variant and 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition.

Flip up front iron sight ( which comes attached to the Hk416 ).

RIS rail mount front iron sight.

RIS rail mount rear iron sight.

Raytheon Elcan SpecterDR Combat 1-4x Red Dot Sight.

Blue Taclight looking thing that may be some sort of ILWLP ( Integrated Laser White Light Pointer ). As it turns out, this is some sort of pointer… Thank you to Dominic for his I.D. and info – very helpful. So it is not a light, but is actually the B.E. Meyers Electro Optics IZLID 200P lightweight laser pointer/marker.

Sand anodized finish M600C Scout WeaponLight ( although it could pass for an ATN J125W Javelin 125 Lumen Halogen ).

TDI ( Tango Down Industries ) vertical foregrip with IPSP ( Integrated Pressure Switch Pocket ).

Black bungee weapon sling.

Beretta 92FS/M9 combat handgun.

Blackhawk SERPA Level 2 430504-CT-R holster.

Gemtech TRL ( Tactical Retention Lanyard ).

Strider Model BT fixed blade knife with cordura sheath.

I can still remember the giddy excitement and palpable sense of anticipation that took hold when Soldier Story announced that they were working on a sixthscale Heckler & Koch HK416. There was a computer model rendering of the 416 that showed up on the boards which seemed to further the excitemet and anticipation. Then the fervor subsided when Soldier Story didn’t immediately follow through with a market release. Hot Toys came close to satisfying our 416 hunger when they released a very respectable, and very non-Hot Toys ( read “over sized” ) version of the HK417. One crazed customizer by the name of Sir Eaton Flipflop even dared to put the chops to his Hot Toys HK417 in order to transform it into it’s smaller cousin the HK416… That Sir Eaton Flipflop is incorrigible…

It didn’t take long after the HT HK for Soldier Story to finally unveil and release the long awaited HK416. The first showing was with the FCS ( Future Combat Systems ) Multicam figure – which coincidentally shares the same head-sculpt with the subject of this review. There were follow ups with the FCS ACU, as well as the DEVGRU Gold Team figure – each a little different than it’s predecessor. And of course who can forget the omission of the front sight with the DEVGRU Gold Team figure… Soldier Story certainly took a beating for that misstep. They did however make good by sending out the missing sight to retailers, who in turn shipped them out to their customers.

The good news was ( and is ) that Soldier Story does a mean HK416… All of the details, and all of the quality that we have come to expect from Soldier Story weapons over the past few years are present here in spades. We even have some very clean and very crisp pad stamped cartouche detailing on the left, right, and center profiles of the lower receiver – I just love it when sixthscale companies make that little detail happen. Soldier Story is on the right track, and we really have a chance to see that displayed in the detail, quality, and refinement of their HK416. And we even get the iron sights ( two front and one rear ) that we saw in the pre-release pics, so happy camping.

This time out we receive some interesting extras with our 416 – the most notable of which is the Raytheon Elcan SpecterDR Combat 1-4x Red Dot Sight. Along with the SpecterDR, we receive a smaller red dot scope that can be attached to the top of the SpecterDR, and a Elcan Killflash attachment that can be inserted into/onto the front of the SpecterDR. And of course the quality is just what you would expect from Soldier Story – clean lines, crisp detail, moving parts, and stamp printed graphics. So nice…

SpecterDR’s are quick becoming the must have sixthscale optic – with just about every sixthscale company that dabbles in modern era offerings taking a turn at making one. This seems to happen anytime a relatively new optic hits the scene – kind of like any gizmo, or gimme gimme that thing there. People want the newest and best, so that fuels the development and release of the aforementioned.

In sixthscale optics we have seen more than a few systems enjoy a fair bit of attention and adoration. First it was Aimpoints and Acogs, then the Elcan M145, then the Eotechs came along – and are still coming along in newer and slightly different iterations. Now it’s the SpecterDR that has everyone reaching for their wallets. Kind of makes you wonder what will be next – something in a Trijicon, Aimshot, C-More, or Barska?

Quality and approbation aside, one thing that caught my eye at an odd angle was the color of the sight – a sort of anodized brown color… This color seems somewhat non-tactical and out of place on a rifle. Maybe it’s that fact that we are seeing an anodized sort of brown, and that two uses of the color brown that are immediately in-congruent are anodized brown and fluorescent ( read NEON ) brown. And even more strange, I feel as though I have seen this metallic brown color somewhere else before – like in a candy store maybe – like someone decided to plate an Elcan SpecterDR sight in a Ferrero Rondnoir Chocolate foil wrapper…

Aren’t familiar with Ferrero Rondnoirs? They are these delicious dark chocolate bon bons made by Ferrero Roche. And one of the very best ways to familiarize yourself with them is to track down a box, find a comfortable recliner chair to lean back in, and then go wild stuffing yourself with delicious Ferrero Roche chocolaty goodness. Afterward, you can examine the foil wrappers that have collected in a gigantic pile around your chocolate smeared and horrifically distended stomach. You will see that these wrappers are a near perfect match to the color that Soldier Story chose for their first ( and hopefully not last ) SpecterDR. I am suddenly in the mood for a bon bon.

Now the SpecterDR is not the only weapon accessory with the set that is presented in a somewhat non-tactical color. There is also the Sand anodized finish M600C Scout WeaponLight. The color is described as sand, but depending on who you ask, it could almost be described as gold. So far the only individuals I have seen sporting gold colored weapon accessories are forty foor tall alien robots that turn into semi trucks, and my buddy Nick Medallion’s uncle Bobbette. So golden weapon stuff is kind of uncommon.

In addition to the SpecterDR, and the sand M600C, there is a bluish gray flashlight ( ? ) that comes with the set. I cannot for the life me I.D. this thing – I cannot even tell what to type in for a word search. Might be a light, might be a laser, might be both. It has two switches and what looks like a red cut off switch – but who knows… It does look really cool though. And again, the color fit into that same non-tactical range as the SpecterDR and the M600C Scout WeaponLight – just not anodized this time.

This profusion of metallic color kind of reminds me of the world of after market chi chi’s that you can buy for things like mountain bikes and performance autos. In the case of the mountain bike parallel ( the one of the two examples with which I have personal experience ) the addition of anodized colors to aluminum parts is very reminiscent of stuff that companies like Cane Creek, Ringle, Kooka, and Paul offered. Stuff like crank sets and threadless ( Ahead ) headsets – even smaller pieces like wheel skewers and spoke nipples. It was high end stuff with a personal flare – a way to hop up and add flavor to your bike.

Although it seems highly unlikely, maybe this has leaked into the world of high end weaponry as well – Magpul’s XTM modular rail covers come to mind – you can mix and match the coyote, black and ME green colors for really unique looking results.

Soldier Story also gives us some smaller weapon elements with the set – the first of which is the Beretta 92FS/M9 combat handgun, and Blackhawk SERPA Level 2 430504-CT-R holster. Solid offerings done up in crisp detail with high quality finishes throughout. We also get a Gemtech TRL ( Tactical Retention Lanyard ) to go with the Beretta 92FS/M9, and that is a nice addition, as the Gemtech TRL is ( in my opinion ) one of those super cool sixthscale pieces. I suppose you could even come up with a way to fit the TRL to a vest should you want to have the Beretta in a cross draw configuration.

The last bit in the weapon category is certainly not the least… It is the Strider Model BT fixed blade knife with cordura sheath. I have to say that we have been getting some pretty decent, and pleasingly varied sixthscale knives over the past couple of years. And at least two of these have come from Soldier Story. The Strider Model BT is no exception – with crisp lines, decent paint, and an imposing, purpose built look. The sheath is also well made, and is a good look with the knife and the figure. This sheath is a nice alternative to the Kydex run of sheaths that we have seen over the years.

Before it slips my mind, I wanted to mention the functional features of the TDI ( Tango Down Industries ) vertical foregrip with IPSP ( Integrated Pressure Switch Pocket ). It is nice to see that we can actually use this thing in similar fashion to how it would be used in real life – this relating to the ability to mount a pressure switch to the IPSP portion of the grip.

To do this, we simply remove the end cap from the grip, and then slide out/off the IPSP keeper ( small piece of plastic ). This will then expose the IPSP pocket so that we can insert the pressure switch. With the end cap removed, and the keeper free, you can secure the pressure switch that comes attached to the end of the M600C Scout WeaponLight ( and yes, there are other Soldier Story weapon accessories with compatible pressure switches ).

It is a near perfect fit – although you may have to use a little magic fingers or wiggly english action to coax it all the way into place ( that sounded a little funny ). Once the pressure switch from the M600C Scout WeaponLight is in place, you can then re-attach the end cap to the grip. The great thing is that this means that we don’t have to either glue the pressure switch in place, or use tape to secure it. Great bit of engineering there Soldier Story.

Pointing range > 39 km

Ruggedized to withstand extreme environments

Handheld or weapon-mounted with windage and elevation adjustments

IR aim dot or wide illuminator mode

Multiple power options (AA, 123 Li, 3.3V dc, 12V dc

In conclusion, is the addition of some color in the set ( tactical or not ) an unwelcome deal breaker? No. In fact, I feel like it gives the 416 a curiously cool and exotic look – even gets me thinking of some future soldier and sci-fi themed uses for the pieces. So the uniqueness, quality and variety of the pieces leads me to the score of five out of five stars for this category.

Packaging and final impressions…

The packaging on this one is noteworthy as it is a departure from what we are used to seeing from Soldier Story – and other sixthscale manufacturers for that matter. This is no doubt due to the Xpo/Expositional exclusivity of the figure(s).

The packaging consists of a mix of different media, which starts off with a medium weight card stock outer sleeve on which there are photographic images of the figure accompanied by a host of logos. This outer sleeve slips over a heavier weight cardboard ( approximately 1/10″ thickness ) main box comprised of lower and upper box halves – imagine a fancy shoe box for example. This main box has a matte black finish with silver logoing. Finally, inside of the main box, we have a fairly substantial black foam block matrix with cut out cells for the figure, the rifle, the pack, and the majority of the zip lock bagged accessories ( the other accessories are stored under the pack ). I should also mention that there is a 1/2″ thick black foam inner lid that lays over the top of that big foam block, and acts as a buffer between the contents and the inside of the box lid. Just a little extra protection for the figure and it’s parts

Personally speaking, I really enjoy this sort of box – it has a look and feel ( vibe ) befitting an exclusive or one-off product offering. I wish that all sixthscale figures came packaged like this so we could more easily unpack and repack them – not to mention save a bundle of cash when shipping them. The only drawback was that the parts were somewhat haphazardly packed into small zip lock baggies – which while not a huge detractor, did make me concerned that the parts would be more easily damaged or lost. I suppose that this is part of the price for having a somewhat open form of packaging.

In summation, this figure is a pleasant surprise from Soldier Story… The parts that we saw being reissued and reused seemed appropriate to the figure, and the new parts that Soldier Story chose to include are definitely welcome additions to the sixthscale world. Bottom line, this is one of those figures that leaves a lasting impression, and one that I am happy to have added to my collection. When adding up all of the parts that I want to add to my loose parts wish list, not to mention the parts that I want to track down from the China Exposition version, I may end up opting for a purchase of the China Exposition version.

Score recap and final total…

Head-sculpt and base body: 5 out of 5 stars

Uniform: 5 out of 5 stars.

Gear ( softlines ): 4 out of 5 stars

Gear ( hardlines ): 5 out of 5 stars

Weapons: 5 out of 5 stars

Grand total: 4.75 of out 5 stars

What I changed or added…

Thread Patrol:

One of the byproducts of sewing is leftover thread. This is an unavoidable outcome that can be solved with some deft scissor work. For the most part 1/6 companies do a fair job of removing the surplus thread remnants, but there is always something leftover. Often times the amount of leftover ( overlooked ) thread remnants is roughly equal to the quality of the garment – better sewing and better finishing, less loose thread. And in some cases ( I won’t mention names as I don’t want to hurt any feelings ), the amount of leftover thread can be downright ridiculous.

With that said, part of my preparation of a figure always includes the removal of the thread remnants from any and all of the cloth elements. I feel it just looks a whole lot better to have the figure’s uni and gear neat-looking and squared away. My preferred method for removing the pesky threads is the use of a butane lighter. I simply pass the flame over the loose end of the thread and viola… it’s history. In cases where the loose thread is longer that an inch or so I will trim it down with scissors before giving it the butane lighter treatment. The lighter not only burns the thread down, it also cauterizes ( or seals ) the end of the thread thus helping to keep the seam from unraveling. This method requires some practice as you want to melt the thread without burning the garment. Once mastered it can become an invaluable finishing tool.

There are two sets of pics that accompany this review. The first set shows the figure as it stands after having been set up with no modifications. These pics are intended to represent as closely as possible, the look of the figure from both the pre-release or web campaign pics, and the pics on the box art. This set of pics is denoted by the addition of the word “stock”, which will appear somewhere in each of the pics. The second set of pics represents my take on the figure. These pics are intended to show the custom touches and modifications that I made to figure. This set of pics is denoted by the addition of the word “custom”, which will appear somewhere in each of the pics.

The first thing with this one was to go for the weathered look on the uniform, weapon, and gear. I then decided to go for a repaint on the HK416 as I thought that it would be nice to see what it would look like with a black and tan color scheme. It was a little scary to add paint to such a great looking ( and difficult to replace ) sixthscale weapon, but I am happy with the results.

I guess that just about wraps it up. I am happy to have had a chance to have worked on and with this figure – it was one that I was really looking forward to. I hope that you guys enjoyed reading the review, and that you also enjoyed the pictures that accompany the review. I really appreciate that people are looking at these, and thank you for the feedback – it has been great.

Thanks again, best regards, Mike

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