How about some new posts in Plastics? (1 Viewer)

Shannon Reuss

Shannon Reuss

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We haven't had a new post in the plastics area in over a month. Where are you plastics guys and gals?
This is a great place to discuss vintage Herald, Eyes Right and Swoppets--doesn't have to be current productions.
This is an area I don't know much about because I deal almost exclusively in metal but I've been told by those who enjoy painting their own figures that some prefer plastic to metal. What do you painters think?
Why do people collect plastic? Is it the price? Because it reminds them of their youth? Because you can get certain figures in plastic that haven't been made in metal?

This fall W. Britain will be releasing the new Super Deetail range starting with American Civil War figures. I assume they will be including in the soon to be released 2nd half of the year catalog. Do we have people anxiously awaiting these figures?

Let's hear from plastics collectors!
 
Shannon, New Britains plastic ACW? 1st I've heard of it but I'll add them to my collection .
I like plastics, I guess they are sentimental to me.
They are also far easier to convert than metal for obvious reasons.
I like different poses in my armies I build and will use anything, plastic, metal kits, painted factory sets.If it is of good quality and will fit in with a particular theme I am working on then I'll use it.
Also, plastics are good "fillers". example, Big Battalions of French 1812 line Infantry would be cost prohibitive in metal,either as kits or factory painted sets, so I use plastics.
As far as painting metal or plastics, I really don't do anything different other than use different primers.

Also, I HAD a vast collection of Swoppet Knights, Timpo swoppet crusaders, Romans ect. I let them go. Fetched a healthy sum which of course I put into
Painted metal Frontline and Britians sets.I was basically trading vintage plastics for new Painted metals figure for figure on the Britains Swoppets and maybe 2 for one with the Timpo.

I might add that new plastic sets by Conte, TSSD, Italeri { Forgetting others I am sure} etc. are getting better and better.We just have to wait for them alot longer.Plastic molds are very very expensive.Metals molds{ talking spincasting, not die cast, I dont have a clue how die cast works} are inexpensive, a drop in the bucket compared to plastic molds.
I for one would be very happy to see Britians and others release more plastics.Even if they are factory painted {which I always thought were fine for toys but sorry for dioramas} One can always enhance the paint work .

Der Fub
 
I love to paint and convert plastics and I wish that more of the forum members were into painting and converting them. I havn,t posted munch in the plastics becuase the forum members don,t seem to have munch interest in plastic but I,d love to see a spot on the forum for plastic conversions, and painted plastics, maybe fubar and a few others here that convert plastics could post some pictures of conversions that they have done. I know that fubar most have a lot of them he could post. Maybe some of the guests that visit the forum could post some pictures also??? I,ll try and get us started with a few pictures and maybe we could share how we went about doing the conversions and share a few tips. Here are a few simple conversions that I did awhile back that are just airfix napoleonic old guard figures with a simple head change from the airfix french line troops. A real easy start to converting figures. If anyone has any interest in seeing or learning more I,ll start a thread and help anyone with the little that I know about how to do this stuff, or better yet If anyone here has some know how in this they can help also. Its lots of fun if you don,t cut your fingers off!:p
 

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Here is another conversion thats a lot more complex, the base figure was a marx viking with a lot of parts made from two part putty and the head is from an airfix highlander.
 

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For me the plastics are a source of personal frustration. I collect WW2 US figures, Conte has announced a large amount of fine figures in plastic, and continues to show painted plastic GIs on his website. Total produced to date = ZERO!!!! Lots of photos, lots of announcements and self praise, no plastic GIs for public consumption. TSSD veers off in all directions instead of continuing with previously started themes - kind of like a drunk driver. Again - no new GIs to continue what WAS a nice set! About the best plastic GIs from 2006 are the three infantrymen added to the FoV Sherman tank.

Frustrated in Nebraska,
Gary
 
Gary, I could not have said it better.
I love what TSSD is doing, quality plastic, but you are right.
Winter Civil War! Great figures, but I can use them with nothing.
Why not stick to the tried and true, WW2.
German paras, U.S. crew served weapons, more GI,s, even more SS. That,s what I want.
Gary
 
Firstly, I've got to ask - does anybody have any new info abt Britains PLASTIC ACW??!!!??! Holy cow. That's a major annpuncement. Has anybody talked to Richard Walker abt these figs? Will Britains be doing other plastic ranges, i.e., WWII Brits in plastic that are knock offs of their fine metal range? Shannon, are you out there? What do you know? Anybody?

Yeah, lots of hype and self applause from Conte, Gary. That's an OLD story. He talks up numbers of different projects spanning a variety of different eras and then - surprise - other manufacturers are reluctant to do competing figs, such as G.I.'s, cas they're worried Conte's release will pre-empt them. But MANY of Conte's figs/projects NEVER get done.

I loved TSSD's G.I.'s and would love to see more of them. As soon as TSSD made it clear they hoped to have their new G.I.'s at OTSN, Conte ran out a bunch of test shots for OTSN to compete with Nick's production figs, indicating he hoped to have D Day sets ready before Xmas, but it just never happened. My guess is we'll finally see Conte's G.I.'s and maybe a D Day set by OTSN (one year later), but I wouldn't bet on it. Would you invest in more G.I.'s if you thgt a major competitor was abt to release a huge range of the same figs? Pretty intimidating, given the costs of plastic molds. Great way to control the marketplace over an extended period of time even tho you haven't actually produced a single figure. My hope is that, notwithstanding Conte's strategy, other manufacturers will go ahead, ignore the hype, and produce more G.I.'s. I would especially love to see more TSSD G.I.'s, cas they're super. I thgt the winter ACW were fantastic - great poses and animation - but I understand that people may have reservations abt winter Union troops. For my own part, I find I can use them in combo with TSSD's first series Union guys to provide a nice pose selection. I just accept that not all Union on the battlefield would be wearing the long coats. I don't feel I have to have opposing Confeds in long coats, either. Still, I do see people's objection re limited applicability of winter dress.

Dick
 
Hi- all the dealers that I buy figures from have no definite news about the Deetail reissues, apart from the same figures with a better more detailed paint scheme. As for totally new sculpted figures they all seem very doubtful!
I hope that there are new figures - maybe some Zoaves if we are lucky. We should know for definite in a few weeks time I suppose. Regards, 9thHussar
 
Winky, I too thoguht the new TSSD ACW troops in greatcoats are a vast improvement over their earlier offerings, but I don't have much use for them.Much like the troops themsleves, they often pitched them and regretted it later.Rebs in overcoats, sure , they wore them too, often robbing the dead Yanks as at Fredreickburg but theres also plenty that were made in grey.

I thought just about all the deetail figures save the Waterloo troops had already BEEN reissued?There were tons at OTSN last year and you even had the optian to buy unpainted figs.New Deetail sculpts would be wonderful, but I doubt they'll invest in it.Molds for injection plastic are STEEEEEEEEP.

as far as the Conte GI's go, well geez, yeah , I don't like the teasers for a year or better either.
Their website says they'll be available in painted sets like the ACW and shows some examples.Look pretty sweet anyway. All good things to those who wait!
Tired of waiting but we aint got a choice do we?I'll bet we'll be happy when they are released though!Keep yer fingers crossed and maybe we'll have some to put on our wives Christmas shopping list.
Der FubbbbbAAaaRRrRrrRr

:eek:
 
I love the plastics myself! While you get a little bit in every world I think this is where the real market is. When one companie decides to persue this in force they will hit a home run. 21st century has a good chance as does Unimax, Dragoon can do was a great idea. Both 21st and Unimak have spent so much time wandering in various scales time periods etc that neither has actually dominated this market! I believe it wont be too long before some one catches on. Maybe W.B.
 
Oh almost forgot TSSD has three new sets of WWII plastic figures comming!
 
Hi - Britains shall be re-releasing their existing range of Deetail (made in China) figures very soon. They have been given a much more detailed paint job in matt paints and look realy good and are still very inexpensive. The ACW sets foot and mounted have been given different new flags - some with battle honours on them. The Red Indians have warpaint and lots of extra detail. The Confederates have more accurate uniforms with different shades of grey , butternut and brown. Check out the photos of the full range at Michigan Toy Soldier Co,. website.
If the range sells okay then Britains have plans to release brand new figures in 2007 possibly including American Revolution types which could be painted in blue as Americans, Red as British and white as French. I actually convert many of these Deetail figures and add extra equipment and repaint and just hope they go ahead with the new stuff next year. Please buy them as they are great figures, they dont fall over because of the metal base and the paint doesnt chip. They have great detail and conversion potential.

On a sad note Humbrol Ltd the owners of Airfix have gone into administration. They had various problems. No news as to who will buy the company as a whole or if someone is interested in the Airfix kits alone. The 54mm Collectors series kits were great and the 1/32nd multipose sets with all the spare parts for use in conversions. Hopefully, the eventual new owners may decide to reissue the 1/32nd polythene sets so popular on the 2nd hand market.
Does anyone have extra information on these subjects
Regards, 9thHussar
 
9thHussar said:
Hi - Britains shall be re-releasing their existing range of Deetail (made in China) figures very soon. They have been given a much more detailed paint job in matt paints and look realy good and are still very inexpensive. The ACW sets foot and mounted have been given different new flags - some with battle honours on them. The Red Indians have warpaint and lots of extra detail. The Confederates have more accurate uniforms with different shades of grey , butternut and brown. Check out the photos of the full range at Michigan Toy Soldier Co,. website.
If the range sells okay then Britains have plans to release brand new figures in 2007 possibly including American Revolution types which could be painted in blue as Americans, Red as British and white as French. I actually convert many of these Deetail figures and add extra equipment and repaint and just hope they go ahead with the new stuff next year. Please buy them as they are great figures, they dont fall over because of the metal base and the paint doesnt chip. They have great detail and conversion potential.

On a sad note Humbrol Ltd the owners of Airfix have gone into administration. They had various problems. No news as to who will buy the company as a whole or if someone is interested in the Airfix kits alone. The 54mm Collectors series kits were great and the 1/32nd multipose sets with all the spare parts for use in conversions. Hopefully, the eventual new owners may decide to reissue the 1/32nd polythene sets so popular on the 2nd hand market.
Does anyone have extra information on these subjects
Regards, 9thHussar
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I,ve seen some of your detail conversions for sale on ebay you should post some pictures of your work on the forum they look great.
I hope britains re-releases there napoleonic detail figures. You can find recast of just about every figure they made but these???? Whats up with that????
 
Hi - I was told recently that the Napoleonic moulds for the Deetail series are with DSG in Argentina who have been reissuing several other ex-Deetail sets, but other sources have said that this is not the case and that the moulds are lost, probably gathering dust in a forgotten corner of a storehouse somewhere in England. Does anyone know more - Sherlock Holmes required methinks!
Regards, 9thHussar
 
According to one of the DSG importers for the UK, DSG do not have the Napoleonic moulds and there whereabouts (along with the Apache moulds), as you say, is a bit of a mystery.

Simon
 
Hi - MY SOURCE HAS TOLD ME THAT BRITAINS DEFINITELY DO NOT HAVE THE NAPOLEONIC MOULDS, SO POSSIBLY SOMEONE ELSE MUST HAVE THEM.
DOES ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW OF ANY DEETAIL RANGES THAT WERE SCULPTED BUT NEVER MADE IT TO PRODUCTION?
JUST HEARD THAT HORNBY (THE TRAIN MAKERS) ARE INTERESTED IN HUMBROL/AIRFIX. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT THE AIRFIX KITS ARE MADE IN FRANCE BY HELLER WHO OWN THE MOULDS AND IT COULD BE A LONG TIME SORTING EVERYTHING OUT FOR A POTENTIAL NEW OWNER. THANKS
9thHussar
 
Even if the moulds to the detail napoleonics are lost does anyone know who owns the rights to use them and could britains some how make new moulds of the napoleonics from the plastics that have survived and release them if they wanted?
On a past post from britains on this forum they stated that they would bring back the detail range and were looking for suggestions for new figures and stated that they may make some new napoleonic along with other figures for a whole new upgraded detail range and that the new range would be of better sculpts and painting.
 
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