General Slim of Burma, Airfix multipose conversion in Military Modelling magazine, which issue?

[Troy Smith]

Picked up a book on Burma campaign at the local fete,  saw a colour pic of General Slim, which instantly reminded, me, there was a  Airfix multipose conversion in Military Modelling magazine, late 70's, early 80's, any know  which issue? 

They did a series of these famous generals, IIRC, conversions mostly based on multipose/54mm Airfix and maybe Historex kits.

I know recall the General Slim of Burma was based on US Marine legs, and I suppose 8th Army torso, with a scratch built slouch hat?   It was dynamic, like the figure was standing in strong wind.

 

I may well still have the magazine... somewhere!  either/or from the time, or when I was given a vast stack of model mags years ago,   If any can remind of the issue that would be of great help  as I can look up the issue cover which makes finding it easier when browsing.

if you happen to have the mag and can photo the article that would be fantastic as it would save a lot of digging around.

 

TIA

T

 

 

[Richard Humm]

March 1979. It has a yellow background to the cover of Max Longhurst's "Carabiniers" vignette. I have dug my copy out, but I won't be able to do a scan of the article until next Sunday.

 

Yes, it was US Marines legs and arms, 8th Army torso and head, and a scratchbuilt slouch hat, with various plastic card additions to the uniform.

[Troy Smith]

2 hours ago, Richard Humm said:

March 1979. It has a yellow background to the cover of Max Longhurst's "Carabiniers" vignette. I have dug my copy out, but I won't be able to do a scan of the article until next Sunday.

Hi Richard, thanks for that, I'm almost certain I have a copy,  somewhere, so don't worry about a scan.   If I  go hunting for the mag I'm bound to find half a dozen other things that are also 'lost' 

2 hours ago, Richard Humm said:

Yes, it was US Marines legs and arms, 8th Army torso and head, and a scratchbuilt slouch hat, with various plastic card additions to the uniform.

Funny what sticks in memory...   

 

cheers

T

 

[Ted]

On 8/2/2022 at 10:49 AM, Troy Smith said:

They did a series of these famous generals, IIRC, conversions mostly based on multipose/54mm Airfix and maybe Historex kits.

 

 

 

What a cool idea!

[Troy Smith]

On 04/08/2022 at 14:04, Ted said:

What a cool idea!

I managed to get to some old mags today,  seems the General Slim was No.10 in the series,  the only other I could find were General Zhukov and Marshal Foch.  

Perhaps @Richard Humm could fill in the names/issues of the other builds if he has a better filing system than me.

 

I may have more of the mags, but they are not in order, and are elsewhere,  I only found the other two as i knew I was looking from April 78 on. 

They look better than I recalled, and even have colour photos.  

One conversion that always stuck in my mind, as it was so extensive,  from then was a conversion of a pair if Airfix Grenadier guards into mid 19th century US Cavalry,  it was not my magazine when i saw it age 10, so I was pleased to find it in the vast stack I was given.

 

I really should do some pics of these. 

 

cheers

T

[Richard Humm]

I do have my copies filed in date order, so it's easy enough to find them.

 

1 The Duke of Cumberland April 1978 (based on Historex Napoleon in greatcoat)

2 General Custer during the ACW May 1978 (Airfix Highlander body, Revolutionary War American legs, German Multipose left arm and head, Historex right arm and sword)

3 General Patton June 1978 (Airfix Multipose German body, US Marine legs, head and helmet, Historex arms)

4 Benedict Arnold July 1978 (Airfix Revolutionary War American body and head, French Grenadier legs, unspecified arms)

5 Marshal Zhukov August 1978 (Tamiya German Infantry body, Russian Infantry legs, German Tank Crew arms, GAZ field car officer's cap)

6 Field Marshal von Rundstedt September 1978 (Tamiya German Officer set) and anonymous German general in pre-1943 uniform (same set)

7 Joseph E. Johnston October 1978 (Airfix 95th Rifleman head body and cut-down shako, Revolutionary War American legs, Highlander arms, Historex sword)

8 Marshal Ferdinand Foch November 1978 (Airfix Multipose German head, body and legs, Airfix Guardsman left arm, Historex right arm)

9 General Gordon January 1979 (Airfix 95th Rifleman with unidentified Airfix arms)

10 General Slim March 1979 (Airfix US Marines legs and arms, 8th Army body and head)

11 Major General Montcalm May 1979 (Historex mounted Napoleon and cuirass, Segom head)

12 General Crook July 1979 (Airfix Foreign Legionnaire)

 

I've looked through the rest of 1979, and that appears to be all of them. A slightly odd mix, with three 18th century, two ACW, one Plains Wars, one British colonial, one WWI and four WWII. I suppose French Napoleonic Marshals were all covered straight from the bag by Historex, but some of the British Napoleonic generals would be idiosyncratic enough to have a go at, and the Austrians, Prussians and Russians had some notables.

[Black Knight]

5 hours ago, Richard Humm said:

I do have my copies filed in date order, so it's easy enough to find them.

 

1 The Duke of Cumberland April 1978 (based on Historex Napoleon in greatcoat)

. . . . 

 

I've looked through the rest of 1979, and that appears to be all of them.. . .

    but some of the British Napoleonic generals would be idiosyncratic enough to have a go at, . . .

1. Thanks for that list. Now copied to one of my note books

2. Clintoys does a set of figures of "Wellington's Staff". 1/32 scale, and I think they are in that funny resin figure makers now use. (They also do "Sharpe's Rifles", a set of figures based on the TV films series). Both available through Hannants

3. a note on the conversions; Historex is nominally 1/30 scale but some of their parts are quite variable in size. Legs are mostly 1/30 or even 1/28, arms vary between 1/30 and 1/32, heads vary between 1/32 and 1/28. So you need to choose the parts carefully otherwise you might get a figure with arms and legs like an orangutan (Wreck the Caddy Clyde!)

4. There are so many 1/32 resin based pre-moulded figures on the market today that I use them to supply body parts. I've also used 'Timpo' figure heads and bits from 'Britains' figures, all 1/32 (54mm, near enuf)