CJB Models: Colin J. Burkill's Individually Hand Cast Masterpieces (7 Viewers)

[Louis Badolato]

For the first time in a couple of years, I managed to pick up a CJB model, this nice military lorry:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Here are a couple of shots of my new CJB Models Lorry on display with some of its mates:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Good friend Mike Tarantino (UCLA1967) was kind enough to tip me off to this June 19th Auction with 5 CJB Military Models. Sadly, I have them all so won’t be bidding, but here’s a link for the rat of you:


https://nam02.safelinks.protection....a413cz3u5eh31Vd8c3OW06q4MTNuTAc0g=&reserved=0

 

[tdubel]

Good friend Mike Tarantino (UCLA1967) was kind enough to tip me off to this June 19th Auction with 5 CJB Military Models. Sadly, I have them all so won’t be bidding, but here’s a link for the rat of you:


https://nam02.safelinks.protection....a413cz3u5eh31Vd8c3OW06q4MTNuTAc0g=&reserved=0

Couple of comments regarding this auction house for USA bidders from my experience. Unfortunately, they do not have their own internal shipping and therefore they have 2 recommended shippers. My experience:

A. First auction - won a good deal of sets at a fair price. Asked for 2 quotes - took first one. 90% of items arrived damaged and I sold off as repaired, junk or paid to have it fixed. Miserable experience.

B. Second auction - won even more and went with other shipper. Got a quote for shipping/packing that was double of the value of items I won and I won a crapload. Fortunately, I had a very dear friend in the UK who went and picked up my goods from the packer. He painstakingly wrappred and repacked and sent it to me. If not for him, I would have cancelled the sale to show you how outrageous the shipping was. In addition, in my opinion, the packers were not good either.

All of that said, there are a few items I may go for in this auction as it appears to be nice items, however, I am dreading the thought of winning any. It is a shame in my opinion as the auction is put on by a world renown expert.

Tom

 

[jazzeum]

Based on experience, I tend to avoid overseas auctions. Just easier and avoids aggravation.

 

[Louis Badolato]

For only the second time in 2+ years I picked up a CJB Model: a nice Battery Staff Car.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I managed to pick up about a dozen castings of CJB Models figures, British Military drivers and passengers. They are going to fill out my CJB Models Military vehicles nicely!

 

[Louis Badolato]

There is another Battery Staff Car for sale on ebay for 215 british pounds. Here is a link to the auction if anyone is interested:

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]https://www.ebay.com/itm/223997281094?ul_noapp=true[/FONT]

 

[Louis Badolato]

I separated my displays, the Interwar Vehicles which were mixed in on my WWI display, while on the same diorama, are depicted together on a paved portion, and my CJB Models Civilian Models are also displayed separately:

 

[InterWar]

I separated my displays, the Interwar Vehicles which were mixed in on my WWI display, while on the same diorama, are depicted together on a paved portion, and my CJB Models Civilian Models are also displayed separately:

Hello Louis,
Was just browsing your vehicle park, and wondering who some of the manufacturers were, as there are various pieces I'd like to find for my own (more modest) collection!

What's the light grey WWI vehicle, just in shot at the top left corner, with 'RN' markings?
Looked like one of the early armoured lorries serving with the RNAS - Possibly a Seabrook?
Or an early open-topped car?

Column on the road, right hand side, second vehicle up, carrying oil drums - Is that an AEC Matador gun tractor?
I seem to remember Airfix did a few 1:32nd vehicles in plastic, but possibly not a Matador - Is it by Bengurion or Fusilier?

I need a couple of these to tow the various 5.5inch Mediums and the 3.7inch AA guns I have in metal kit form - assuming they ever see paint!

Best, Paul

 

[Louis Badolato]

Paul,

The vehicle in the top left corner with the Royal Navy Markings is a Metal Shed Tabot or Rolls Royce Armored Car. I would check with Joe Remsen, Metal Shed's principal distributor, for price and availability. Here are better photos of both. The truck is an AEC Matador made by Heco Tinplate Models. It is one of the rarer pieces in my collection, according to Tony Williams he made only a handful, but I know Figarti made an AEC Matador which might be more readily available. Here are some better photos of the Heco AEC Matador as well.

 

[Louis Badolato]

My son Alec took some photos of my CJB Models Civilian vehicles:

 

[InterWar]

Paul,

The vehicle in the top left corner with the Royal Navy Markings is a Metal Shed Talbot or Rolls Royce Armored Car. The truck is an AEC Matador made by Heco Tinplate Models.

Hello Louis, and thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

Not encountered Metal Shed before, as it's not something that makes its way over the UK very often - The man certainly likes his rivets!

My limited knowledge of the HECO range goes back to the early 1990s, and the mail order lists from MKL Models, when it was more focused on tinplate aircraft.
I knew he did the odd tank and armoured car (you look to have three of his Mark IVs ?), but not lorries.
Didn't realise he went to the trouble of adding chassis and power train details underneath - Tinplate is a good material for these bulkier vehicles, as cast lead makes for an excellent paperweight.
By the looks of it, he's used solid recasts of the trail wheels and tyres of the Britains 155mm gun.

I'm after something more consistent with my own CJB convoy, which numbers around 20 models, so the Figarti isn't quite on the money.
May have to roll my sleeves up and try and make my own - Which is an easier proposition with the slab-sided Matador, compared to complex angles and curves of the Morris and Austin vehicles.

Glad Colin tackled the hard stuff ;-)

 

[Louis Badolato]

Hello Louis, and thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

Not encountered Metal Shed before, as it's not something that makes its way over the UK very often - The man certainly likes his rivets!

My limited knowledge of the HECO range goes back to the early 1990s, and the mail order lists from MKL Models, when it was more focused on tinplate aircraft.
I knew he did the odd tank and armoured car (you look to have three of his Mark IVs ?), but not lorries.
Didn't realise he went to the trouble of adding chassis and power train details underneath - Tinplate is a good material for these bulkier vehicles, as cast lead makes for an excellent paperweight.
By the looks of it, he's used solid recasts of the trail wheels and tyres of the Britains 155mm gun.

I'm after something more consistent with my own CJB convoy, which numbers around 20 models, so the Figarti isn't quite on the money.
May have to roll my sleeves up and try and make my own - Which is an easier proposition with the slab-sided Matador, compared to complex angles and curves of the Morris and Austin vehicles.

Glad Colin tackled the hard stuff ;-)

Paul,

Actually, the wheels on the Heco AEC Matador are hand made from tin. Tony Williams and Adele Moore of Heco did quite a few wheeled vehicles. Take a look on the Heco thread on this forum, and you will see different trucks, armored cars, tractors, as well as several tanks. I have Mark IV, Mark I, Whippet and Renault FT-17 tanks, Rolls Royce, Austin and Crossley armored cars, the AEC Matador, as well as Aircraft Recovery, Crane, Fuel Tanker and general purpose trucks, Steam tractors and aircraft towing tractors, in addition to a number of aircraft, buildings and other diorama materials. Drop me a PM if you would like to add a CJB truck to your convoy, I have a couple of duplicates.

Regards,

Louis

 

[InterWar]

Paul,

Actually, the wheels on the Heco AEC Matador are hand made from tin. Tony Williams and Adele Moore of Heco did quite a few wheeled vehicles. Take a look on the Heco thread on this forum, and you will see different trucks, armored cars, tractors, as well as several tanks. I have Mark IV, Mark I, Whippet and Renault FT-17 tanks, Rolls Royce, Austin and Crossley armored cars, the AEC Matador, as well as Aircraft Recovery, Crane, Fuel Tanker and general purpose trucks, Steam tractors and aircraft towing tractors, in addition to a number of aircraft, buildings and other diorama materials. Drop me a PM if you would like to add a CJB truck to your convoy, I have a couple of duplicates.

Regards,

Louis

That's quite fleet of HECO vehicles you have - Though I'd expect nothing less ;-)

I suspect your duplicates are ones I already own - Are they the inter-war Morris Commercial 6-wheel lorries (Forward and Standard Control)?
I seem to have acquired 4, which is a bit worrying - 1 RAF standard, 2 Army Standard, and 1 nice customised Army Forward control, that I had Colin make for me, based on 1920s photos I researched at the Imperial War Museum Archives.

I also have the behemoth wartime 6-wheel truck, (CS8, I think), which I've seen you use to tow your generator, plus the recovery vehicle based on the same chassis.

The only ones I'm really after are the Austin Tilly (with the folding seats in the back), and the canteen wagon - I see you have both the Yeomanry Miniatures and CJB versions of the canteen, each based on a different chassis.
They're not essential, as my collection is more about 'Moving the Guns', but they are just superb models.

More the dust...

Kind regards, Paul

 

[Louis Badolato]

Paul,

I don't have duplicates of the Austin Tilly and the Food Truck (my favorite CJB Model, I got mine directly from Mr. Burkill), sorry. I have a second Austin Tilly, but it is my only piece in desert markings (see below). I have a duplicate of one of the big six wheel trucks, as well as duplicates of the ambulance and battery staff car. If I come across another Tilly or Food Truck, I will grab it for you.

Louis

 

[Louis Badolato]

Paul,

Another thought . . . I know that Clive Gande was producing some really terrific quality vehicles a while back. I only have one, but it is quite exceptional (see below). Maybe you should ask him if he made an artillery truck or tractor.

Louis

 

[Louis Badolato]

My son Alec took some photos of the CJB Models Ambulance in RAF Blue, Beaverette Armored Car, CS8 Platoon Truck and Austin Tilly on our Snetterton Heath Airfield diorama (on John Firth and TM Terrain bases):

 

[InterWar]

Paul,

I don't have duplicates of the Austin Tilly and the Food Truck (my favorite CJB Model, I got mine directly from Mr. Burkill), sorry. I have a second Austin Tilly, but it is my only piece in desert markings (see below). I have a duplicate of one of the big six wheel trucks, as well as duplicates of the ambulance and battery staff car. If I come across another Tilly or Food Truck, I will grab it for you.

Louis

Ah yes, the desert finish really does look nice, but is rarer even than the RAF blue.
I remember Colin showing me one of the Ironside humber armoured cars he'd made for a client, done out in a satin desert sand, with an RAF crew.
Then the client found out the RAF hadn't operated those cars in that theatre of operations, so got cold feet, and Colin ended up keeping it himself!

 

[InterWar]

Paul,

Another thought . . . I know that Clive Gande was producing some really terrific quality vehicles a while back. I only have one, but it is quite exceptional (see below). Maybe you should ask him if he made an artillery truck or tractor.

Louis

Yes, Clive's range is called Grey Goose Collectables, and was produced mainly by Dave Love of Mountford fame, with figures partly by Alan Caton, not long before he passed away.
Some of the production side was handled by RP World Models in Nottingham.
They are a clever combination of resin, lead and brass etch/fret, to give you a solid feeling model with less weight and cost.
A CJB style, solid lead version would have been an absolute brick to post.

http://www.grey-goose.co.uk/product-categories/category/Western-Front/1116/1118/

They made a whole series of Leyland lorries, with different bodies, but no a gun tractor, as they weren't used in that role - Though there is an 13-pounder AA one, similar to more familiar Thornycroft lorry depicted by Britains Premier/Charles Biggs
(Which incidentally, you can still get as a kit, without the Charles Biggs crew, from RP World Models)
The original figures were sculpted by Andrew Stadden, who works for many makers including Tradition, and the now defunct Empire Miniatures and Sarum Soldiers.

Leyland lorries have a local interest for me, as they bought back all the lorries from the British Army at the end of WWI, and reconditioned them in the former Hawker aircraft factory in Ham, about 1/2 mile from where I live.
The idea was that, by preventing badly maintained wartime trucks hitting the civilian market in poor repair, they'd be able to limit damage done to their brand, and control prices by regulating supply.

Clive issued a few in a WWI desert finish - Not sure what he has left, or if any further production runs can be made, as Dave is retired, and Alan is no longer with us, and I think some of the moulds were sold off with his estate by accident.

http://www.grey-goose.co.uk/product-categories/category/Desert-Campaign/1116/1119/