Childhood toy soldier memories (1 Viewer)

[Currahee Chris]

Hey gang:

The TS world seems to have gotten so entrenched in hyperrealism and cost increases that it seems like we have forgotten the key word in this hobby- T-O-Y. :smile2:

Anyone want to share any happy memories of childhood and rocking the toy soldiers? I have a picture I want to get scanned of me and some buddies on my 9th birthday (can it really be almost 30 YEARS AGO NOW!!^&grin) playing with my NEW Guns of Navarone set and this gigantic 2 foot tall Godzilla toy I had- He was hanging on the side of the mountain and the Germans were frantically trying to defend against this new Allied SUPER WEAPON!!^&grin That was such a happier time..........

Anyway, just thought we could all unwind with some comical stories from childhood.

 

[thebritfarmer]

I remember visiting my Nan in the UK for the summer (we were living in Germany at the time and came home for the summer holidays) Dad went and bought some plywood and made my brother and I a castle and he painted it with plaster of paris and the scribed in all of the stones and then painted it. We used our Britains deetail knights and had many great battles in Nans garden that summer. We hung onto it for a few years and my other younger brothers also played with it. I think we tossed it when we left Germany to return to the UK.

 

[lancer]

As a kid, I was all into the various Marx sets but the one I had the largest numbers of was the ACW. I had 400 or 500 of each side. I also had several dozen of the fine, pre-painted Timpo figures. In the summer, I would have my friends come over with their sets and we would set up huge battles in the backyard with the hundreds of figures. These could and did turn into all day affairs, with short breaks for food. On one occasion we held a multi-day battle we called the Seven Days battle, with the South winning, of course. Come to think of it, the South always won.^&grin Somewhere there are several b/w photos of me playing with my figures in the yard. Maybe I will find them someday.:redface2: We also played with the WW2 figures a great deal and had quite an elaborate trench system in a remote corner of the yard. The Allie always won, with the Germans or Japanese always being wiped out.:tongue: Those were wonderful days, some 50 years ago. -- Al

 

[Cyber Field Marshall]

When I look back on my childhood most of the toy soldiers I had were Britains Deetail, Airfix, Corgi and Matchbox. My neighbour who was a little older than me used to play outside with his soldiers and he had an amazing and large collection that really impressed me. I liked playing with him. For myself my collection was far more modest, I mixed and matched all different scales (HO to 1/32) together to create an ad hoc mix. I distinctly remember using shoe boxes with the front cut to create landing craft. Oh those poor Germans, my Brits always used to lay a beating on them.

 

[Currahee Chris]

I had all the Atlantic Romans, Greeks and Egyptians. I used to play with them in the sandbox on the playground. I cut out all the pictures from the covers of the boxes to act as "background" Scenics- worked out pretty well.

I also had some Deetails- in fact, perhaps my most coveted figure is "King Arthur"- just some Deetail mounted knight with a lance who destroyed anyone who got in his way- still have the three figures of Deetail mounted knights I had as a kid.

 

[johnnybach]

Well done - I for one have never forgotten that TOY precedes Soldiers with this hobby. My memories have never involved more than six toy soldiers though - and the one that sticks out in my memory was Monty the Mountie. I may add that none of my toy soldiers were EVER obtained complete. Monty was no exception - he only had one cast in arm - the other was missing - as was much of his paint! He was always a "goodie" as opposed to the "Baddies". Another was an injun with no head. I was into conversions - even then, 'cos I would stick a match-stick down his hollowcast neck - and bung a blob of plasticine on for his head. This was useful - as You could stick broom bristles in it - for feathers - so I was doing modifications too - even then.

I had a fort - made out of twigs. Some horses (never with all legs from a zoo - I think)- which also took part in Cowboy and Indian Battles. I also remember cutting out figures from the back of Corn Flake packets - but can't remember what they were now. All this was solitary - when it was raining - and indoors. When it wasn't - we were always outside playing cowboys and indians all over again - but this time - for real. I had a double barrelled shotgun (fired corks) and a six-gun that fired caps! I also remember making a US Marshall's badge!

But never forgot my favourite - Monty. I have only recently made up a Mountie band - from castings - Just for him - and his one arm - and his other paraplegic friends. Memories....................... must be 60 years ago now! johnnybach:salute::

 

[Martin Tabony]

We had an old tin bath in the back yard. I used to put water in and add clumps of grass with the earth attached. That was my Burma swamp for the Airfix Ausies to beat the Japs! A bit unfair realy because the Australian had Action Man on their side.

Martin

 

[Martin Tabony]

Another thing, we moved to a new housing estate when I was eleven. As the estate was still being built there were piles of builders sand and bricks everywhere (before all he modern "health and safty" rules) Every morning when the builders came back to work their matterials had been turned into deserts with brick "foreign Legion" forts or the "D Day" beaches with brick bunkers!

Martin

 

[Currahee Chris]

I remember there was a phase where I was 8 probably and I liked to simulate "going to the field" or " on manuevers". Essentially, me and my friends would like up our guys and trucks and convoy out to some area in the house or outside, setup a mockup campsite and pretend the guys were practing drills in the army. Sort of funny as I seem to be Mr. "Action Pose". ^&grin

We had guys doing mockup first aid evacs, platoon advances (usually under fake fire), and recovery operations. Go figure %^V

 

[johnnybach]

Just had another "flashback" of a memory. About four or five of us, would practice "Firing Squads" and "execute" our smallest recruit. You know - blindfolds - brick wall - "Ready, Aim Fire!" It all ended in tears though, when my brother "spilt the beans" - and my double-barrelled pop-gun was confiscated for a short time. (spoilsport). We secretly "banned" him from any military games after that.

Ha! johnnybach

 

[theBaron]

My earliest memory of toy soldiers as such is seeing Britains Deetail soldiers in the Christmas display in Hess' in Allentown. That was around '68, so I was 4. Apart from that, it was green plastic army men in the sand box out back, and then, when I got older, I took up building models.

Prost!
Brad

 

[thebritfarmer]

There are some great stories here. Refreshing to see what others got upto growing up. Happy times

Now picture the kids of today in 20/30 years time.

"Now when I was a kid I remember sitting in front of the plasma playing CoD"

Wow that was fun :rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2:

 

[Currahee Chris]

"Now when I was a kid I remember sitting in front of the plasma playing CoD"

I'm hearing you- I thank God everyday I didn't grow up with the XBox generation. Too bad my eldest will.

I'm looking forward to some of these guys scanning some old pictures if they have them. I will make it a point when I turn 39 (Simon, that is for you!!^&grin) that I will post those "9th birthday party " pictures up.

 

[Go for Broke]

Wow, you guys had nice toys. I basically had only green armymen. Only a few Marx stuff. We used set them up under the Mango tree with elaborate trench works and then threw rocks at them. Later it was "the sniper" with the pellet gun. I remember the shield on the pak gun actually deflected the pellet and saved the gun crew. We used to play "big army" and go battle with our toy guns and helmets, using the whole block as our battlefield, running through neighbor's yards without a single complaint. Try that today. I swear I collect TS today, because my plastic TS got "lost". I go hunting, like still playing "big army".

 

[lancer]

Wow, you guys had nice toys. I basically had only green armymen. Only a few Marx stuff. We used set them up under the Mango tree with elaborate trench works and then threw rocks at them. Later it was "the sniper" with the pellet gun. I remember the shield on the pak gun actually deflected the pellet and saved the gun crew. We used to play "big army" and go battle with our toy guns and helmets, using the whole block as our battlefield, running through neighbor's yards without a single complaint. Try that today. I swear I collect TS today, because my plastic TS got "lost". I go hunting, like still playing "big army".

LOL! This brings back further memories of similar play. I had built many Aurora tanks (Panthers, Tigers, etc), which were plastic kits and they had some rather thick plastic on them. I liked to shoot them with my BB gun, too. Tank battles took place many times and the plastic many times deflected the BB's and left realistic (to me, anyway) looking damage. Eventually destroyed all the tanks. Also had the BB gun taken away as tanks weren't the only things getting shot!:redface2: The old days were great. Today, BB guns get you arrested. -- Al

 

[Wraith]

I will make it a point when I turn 39 (Simon, that is for you!!^&grin) that I will post those "9th birthday party " pictures up.

Okay Pops, don't blow a gasket! :tongue:
Look forward to seeing the photos.

Airfix and Matchbox all the way for me, both 1/32 and 1/72 - 1/76. Had some Deetail stuff, but I wasn't to forgiving in my handling of them, and they always ended up minus base plugs. Therefore, they formed the casualties.

My parents still occasionally dig them up in their back garden.

Luckily, when I discovered girls, music, alcohol (well, shandy bass anyway) and electric blue trousers (Miami Vice Styleeee!!!!), they ended up going to a younger cousin. Fast forward many years and I end up getting them back from my Uncle for my kids (yeah, like they get a look in), so they're back in the fold.

 

[uksubs]

For me Airfix 1/32 soldiers loved there British paras & for armour dinky toys tanks,my mum still finds my soldiers in the garden today

 

[Partner]

my earliest toy soldier memory is doing a chore for a neighbour and going downtown (against the rules ) to the five and dime and spending my 10 cents on a mounted knight . I got in s**t when I had to explain how I acquired it , but it was worth it .

I grew up with plastics which perished in a hale of lighter fliuid and BB's

 

[Leadmen]

I amused myself with friends from a early age with toy soldiers. I had metal Dimestore figures, Marx plastic and a few Britains.

I enjoyed playing with and buying figures at the dimestore with my paper route money. (not much allowance then). I made balsam wood gunboats and used Marx hard plastic machine guns and artillery on the boats. I had one Grey Iron figure which was indestructible.That was always the General. (he never broke^&grin).

At about 11 years old I was allowed to take the EL train to downtown Chicago where they had a store called Vaughn's Seed Store. This store had every Britain set they made. Two large store windows were filled to the ceiling with red box sets. I would spend hours looking at all the figures and guns. Without fail I never had enough money to buy those sets. Sometimes a few items I could afford.

Most of my figures were destroyed by BB guns with the rest of my collection taken by a nephew when I was in the service. I know they were pretty beat up but I somehow imagine them as mint.:rolleyes2:

This is one hobby that I enjoyed my whole life except for a few years when my family was young and growing.

My wife says " Have you got all your childhood soldiers back by now?" I say " there are a few more I need."

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Leadman - and I hope you always will - need that few more I mean. I recognise that "nose against the window" longing that you describe - even though it took me about 50 years to remember it. It NEVER really goes away. Once you have it, it's always there. Sometimes weak - sometimes so strong - you can almost taste it.

Hi brother - you are not alone! johnnybach%^V