WWII British Troops

[martinj]

Is it me? or is there very little in the way of Brit troops in 1/35?

Tons of Germen and Russian, but not many Brits, especially the European campaign.

Have an idea for a dio. but do not think my sculpting skills are up to the job.

Any one have any tips on where to find figurers of this type?

Thanks

Martin

[IainA]

Agreed Martin.

Off the top off my head Dragon have, I think, 5 or 6 different boxings, 2 of them Red Beret/SAS/Paras, both with a Welbike and drop container! (6585, 6586), Infantry Europe (6055, 6212), haven't got the others. Tamiya has a box of infantry (35223). I think Master Box have brought a few out over the last couple of years, check their web site. There's a few others dotted about but I hope this gets you started.

Cheers

Iain

[Troy Smith]

Martin

if you just wish to do some British figures, and are not really stuck on doing 1/35th, may I point out that Airfix do a set of 1/32 nd Multipose figures [or 54mm for the figure buffs]

here's the box art

But if you have not encountered these the idea is that the figures come as separate parts, full heads w/ helmets/berets etc legs, torsos, arms, and equipment and are interchangeable or 'multipose' as the exploded drawing shows

see here as well - http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/Airfix_1_32_Multipose_British_Infantry_03585_04585__about21679.html

Note in the link some variations possible. The Infantry set is late war [though 1937 type uniform, 1940 pattern lost the pleats and had exposed buttons] with MkIV Lee Enfields, spike bayonets, both types of helmets, the classic and 1944 type.

They also have some decals for shoulder titles and rank stripes.

But, if you want some varitation then other bits of equipment are in the 8th Army set, eg tommy guns and mkIII Lee Enfields and sword bayonets.

Now, the figures are very well built [unlike a lot of WW2 tommies who were squat and malnourished!] and you can't really mix them with 1/35th, but they are excellent if you want freedom of pose as many can be made from the basics, and even more with some minor modifications.

for example

Some salvaged multipose, 8th Amy and US infanrty, combined to make a naval officer.

[i made a load of these 30-35 years ago in my youth..not very well as you can see.]

I just built them 'as is' but with some care and carving to get packs and equipment to fit, plus some lead foil for straps really high class figure work can be done. They also match Historex 54mm figures. I don't know about now, but the old boxings were made crisp but soft thus very carveable plastic, a real pleasure to work.

2nd pic showing what came from where, note lead foil gaiters and cap cover.

what I was aiming for

basic completed figure

as yet unfinished.... and I should have extended the 'skirt' of the jacket, but you get the idea I hope.

another simple conversion, same basic figure parts, US Marine converted to US Infantry with boots carved to gaiters and jacket skirt and long sleeves from milliput, the marine I did age 12, the US infantry about 14, I was getting better with practice

Got some untouched British Infantry if you want to buy some?

HTH

T

PS they did 7 sets of Multipose

8th Army

Afrika Korps

US marines

Japanese Infantry

German Infantry - early to mid war

British Infantry NW Europe

US Infantry NW Europe

[martinj]

Agreed Martin.

Off the top off my head Dragon have, I think, 5 or 6 different boxings, 2 of them Red Beret/SAS/Paras, both with a Welbike and drop container! (6585, 6586), Infantry Europe (6055, 6212), haven't got the others. Tamiya has a box of infantry (35223). I think Master Box have brought a few out over the last couple of years, check their web site. There's a few others dotted about but I hope this gets you started.

Cheers

Iain

Thanks Ian

i have the Tamiya infantry set but am on the look out for others.

will have a look Master Box and Dragon

Thanks

Martin

if you just wish to do some British figures, and are not really stuck on doing 1/35th, may I point out that Airfix do a set of 1/32 nd Multipose figures [or 54mm for the figure buffs]

My Idea involves a Uni carrier and a field kitchen and lots of tea, so 1/32 I think would look odd.

your builds look great and you say you did them at 12??? better than mine now

thanks for sharing though

Regards Martin

Edited August 24, 2013 by Mike
Removing large photo quote

[Troy Smith]

Thanks Ian

i have the Tamiya infantry set but am on the look out for others.

will have a look Master Box and Dragon

Thanks

My Idea involves a Uni carrier and a field kitchen and lots of tea, so 1/32 I think would look odd.

your builds look great and you say you did them at 12??? better than mine now

thanks for sharing though

Regards Martin

Thanks Martin

The Marine figure would be about 12, the US infantry conversion would be 14. the photography actually makes them look better! they are flat painted, as in no shading or washes.

All the photos are from when I documented the build. Never got around to painting him though!

I got a lot of figure painting practice, doing boxes of Airfix polythene figures, I did pretty much all the WW2 figures in 1/32 and 1/76th! [which are boxed up somewhere]

The naval figure was for a friend, done in 2010, but the first figure modelling I'd done since the early 80's. Didn't finish it of course!

Here's another from the same photo session, This from about 14[ I think], multipose British infantry converted to paratrooper by addition of plastic card skirt..not really a good jump smock! This better shows the not so hot painting!

But if you do fancy having a crack at some pure figure work at some point, then multipose are still very good base figures to work with.

cheers

T

PS and if you think there is a shortage of British figures now... back then? If you wanted non-desert/8th army, there were the Multipose set above, a set of 4 poor very early Tamiya 1/35, some mis-shapen Esci paratroops...and... i think that was it unless you went to the Airfix polythene, and they didn't have any stock standard British Infantry until the early 1980's for reasons i could never figure out!

[they did Paratroops, Commandos, Infantry Support Group, 8th Army]

[D1fuN0]

There are actually quite a few britsh figs available.

Tamiya have two, the four piece and eight piece sets(plus the eight army set), and there are some figs in a couple of the vehicles as well, the Universal carrier has some nice figs in it (the european theather one, has three new figs and the 2 8th army ones.

Theres also quite a few available from masterbox, dragon etc. Armourcar crew, european tank riders, desert tank riders, winter tank crew, para's etc.

I think the biggest issue is that they arent available in the animations that we'd like to see, as are the German, Russian etc.

But with the new weapon set thats just come out and the British Accessories sets that's also just been released, I think we are finally on the way to getting some good british figs...

Steve

[martinj]

There are actually quite a few britsh figs available.

Tamiya have two, the four piece and eight piece sets(plus the eight army set), and there are some figs in a couple of the vehicles as well, the Universal carrier has some nice figs in it (the european theather one, has three new figs and the 2 8th army ones.

Theres also quite a few available from masterbox, dragon etc. Armourcar crew, european tank riders, desert tank riders, winter tank crew, para's etc.

I think the biggest issue is that they arent available in the animations that we'd like to see, as are the German, Russian etc.

But with the new weapon set thats just come out and the British Accessories sets that's also just been released, I think we are finally on the way to getting some good british figs...

Steve

Thats what i mean Steve, lots of poses for the others , but seems the Brits just get on with the job (On Patrol, Tank Riders)

There seems to be a lot the British troops don't do that the the German troops did and are catered for in kit form(Tank loaders, Mechanical repairs) thing like that, normal every day things a solider dose, I know I wasn't always on patrol and i think i only ever sat on a tank once, and it was standing still

But do like the Royal Engineers box from Tamiya, must get that

Troy

thanks think I might give it a go

Martin

[D1fuN0]

Ha, you're quite right Martin...

Would be fantastic to get a British sp gun crew set and tank crew/ soldiers at rest....

Steve

[martinj]

The more you think about it, the worse it gets

Off the top of my head you have Germans playing football?, Germans round the Naffi wagon and German soldiers

lounging about, seems strange to me

Hmmmmmmmmmmm time to right some letters

Martin