Best match for Conte Germans? (1 Viewer)

[Bid_kahuna]

I have a lot of Conte Germans,but of course, I need even more Germans. Which are a better match, scale-wise? TSSD or CTS (later sets, not the Marx clone early set). Also, are the CTS Germans to scale with the CTS GIs?

 

[tws1956]

I have a lot of Conte Germans,but of course, I need even more Germans. Which are a better match, scale-wise? TSSD or CTS (later sets, not the Marx clone early set). Also, are the CTS Germans to scale with the CTS GIs?

Yes the recent CTS Germans with gun crews and medical guys are a good match with Conte Germans. As are Marx originals. TSSD are actually a good match as well if you can ignore the large bases. And believe it or not the original Airfix Germans are a good match with Conte. And the CTS Germans are a perfect match with the CTS GI's. Right now I have CTS, TSSD and original Marx Germans and GI's mixed together. The Marx guys are skinnier but height wise are perfect with the others (not unlike original Marx civil war and Centennial). So by mixing CTS, TSSD, Marx and even Airfix you will have over 80 different poses. Same with the GI's. I have a set of Conte GI's, all 27 poses but I'm thinking of selling them. Great sculpts but they are almost hard plastic. Not the flexible plastic of the Germans and American Airborne figures. I'm concerned that they will break off rifles, arms, etc. and so I'm thinking of selling them. Maybe at the Hackensack show.

 

[Bid_kahuna]

Thanks for the advice! I had seen a comparison picture a long time ago and the CTS figures seemed larger, but it must have been a perspective issue.

 

[binder001]

I have a set of Conte GI's, all 27 poses but I'm thinking of selling them. Great sculpts but they are almost hard plastic. Not the flexible plastic of the Germans and American Airborne figures. I'm concerned that they will break off rifles, arms, etc. and so I'm thinking of selling them.

I have NOT had any problems with Conte GIs breaking in routine handling, and I have cut them, sanded them and generally tortured them in many ways while doing hundreds of conversions. I have broken some parts, but it's usually while pulling or twisting to get the guy apart for conversions. Some of the different colors seem to have slightly different textures of plastic, but all seem reasonably tough.

Size-wise; When doing conversions I can generally mate parts from CTS (later releases), Conte, TSSD, and many Airfix, along with Austin and some Marx. Marx are generally "slimmer" figures with good sculpting but less detail. Some of their "Marines" poses work quite well with COnte. I generally find that the Marx Germans are a bit "skinny" to look right with Conte and TSSD. As mentioned, the later German sets can be used with the Conte figures.

Gary B.

 

[larso]

The Matchbox Germans are a good fit with Conte too.

 

[gk5717]

Since I have hundreds of converted figures with many of them using all different brands of figures the sure thing to do, which I did. I took a Conte figure to Home Depot. There they did a paint match and mixed a small can of paint ($3) to match Contes color. I then painted the non Conte figures with that paint. I guarantee when you set up a diorama they all blend in PERFECT.
It takes a little time painting as it must be done by hand however what I do with other brands where I have numerous mixing & matching I go to Walmart, find an appropriate flat color and spray paint them. This takes seconds. And wala another perfect match. I didn't do the spray with Conte Germans as most were done by Gary Dutko who used nothing but Conte figures for his conversions.
Gary

 

[Bid_kahuna]

The Matchbox Germans are a good fit with Conte too.

I do like the Matchbox and Marx Germans and they have fought in many of my battles over the years, but putting them next to the Conte figures really points up how toy-like they are. This isn't so much a problem with Airfix figures and the Matchbox DAK, but the others really suffer when you put them next to Conte and other newer brands.

That's a great idea about matching the paint!

I have a few Dutko conversions too. I wish he hadn't retired. I was hooked on his figures a while ago. I wish I had gotten one of his Conte officers with MP40.

 

[Plastic General]

TSSD Germans are the best match for CONTE.

Plastic General