Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (1 Viewer)

[ucla1967]

Mike, don't want to get off the Hiriart track here, but Soldiers of the World (Regal) makes Austro-Hungarian WW1 infantry, both early and late war, with or without gasmasks. -- Al

Thanks, Al. I kind of knew that, but I couldn't recall exactly what sets they have in their line. I forgot to mention that a Forum member has ordered the Austrian Rifles in post #474 as ski troops. Looking forward to seeing that variation.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a stock photo of my Hiriart Set 1265 WORLD WAR I AUSTRIAN MOUNTAIN ARTILLERY.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a stock photo of my Hiriart Set 1162 WORLD WAR II BRITISH BREN GUN CARRIER.

 

[ucla1967]

Since Hiriart didn't have any World War II British Infantry their catalog, I commissioned this set for me a couple of years ago based on the Bren Gun carrier figures in the previous post. WORLD WAR II BRITISH INFANTRY.

 

[ucla1967]

Another Hiriart non-catalog set I commissioned was WORLD WAR II U.S. 101ST AIRBORNE INFANTRY. I didn't specify how the set should be made and I received it with two unexpected U.S. Army Air Corps pilots.

 

[ucla1967]

I bought this Hiriart set from the late Frank Longstreath of Hudson, Ohio, as he was winding down his Hiriart sales activity about 10 years ago. It was a part of about a dozen sets I bought from him after speaking with him over the phone. Most of the sets were in less than pristine boxes which I have replaced over the years. Hiriart Set 1188 FRENCH INFANTERIE DE LIGNE, 1890. NB: At one time Hiriart's standard sets came with 10 figures, as in this case; they now come with nine figures.

 

[lancer]

I bought this Hiriart set from the late Frank Longstreath of Hudson, Ohio, as he was winding down his Hiriart sales activity about 10 years ago. It was a part of about a dozen sets I bought from him after speaking with him over the phone. Most of the sets were in less than pristine boxes which I have replaced over the years. Hiriart Set 1188 FRENCH INFANTERIE DE LIGNE, 1890. NB: At one time Hiriart's standard sets came with 10 figures, as in this case; they now come with nine figures.

This is quite a lovely set. I have always loved the white spats on the late 19th Century French infantry. These are dress uniforms as the field service uniform had undergone several changes since 1870 that had done away with white spats, red shoulder boards and the high crowned hats with poms. They were still used on dress unis. I also like that Hiriart has the officer in the black coat, as should be. -- Al

 

[ucla1967]

This is quite a lovely set. I have always loved the white spats on the late 19th Century French infantry. These are dress uniforms as the field service uniform had undergone several changes since 1870 that had done away with white spats, red shoulder boards and the high crowned hats with poms. They were still used on dress unis. I also like that Hiriart has the officer in the black coat, as should be. -- Al

Thanks, Al. I suspected that you, like me, would like this set. I also commisioned a non-catalog set from Hiriart of FRENCH CHASSEURS A PIED, 1890, which is attached below in two stock photos. They are wearing their field service uniforms which look like 1914 uniforms except for their taller kepis with poms.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a stock photo of my Hiriart Set 1145 WORLD WAR I FUSILIERS MARINS FRANCAISE, 1914. They are wearing pompon rouge naval caps and they have lighter blue greatcoats than the army's 1914 uniform and have blue rather than red pants.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a photo of the Hiriart Fusiliers Marins as I have them on display. In this photo you can contrast their uniforms with the standard French Army uniform of 1914 as shown in the Hiriart set in front of them.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a Hiriart set I have which shows the French Army's modern camoflauge uniforms and FAMAS assault rifles: Set 1199 517TH REGIMENT DU TRAIN.

 

[ucla1967]

Another Hiriart set which shows modern French military uniforms is Set 1172 SPAHIS DE VALENCE where the figures are armed with the FAMAS assault rifle, but are wearing uniforms reminiscent of colonial Africa. Valence is a city in southern France.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a stock photo of another Hiriart French themed set. It is Set 1093 GARDE REPUBLICAINE A PIED, FRANCE. There are also two more Garde Republicaine sets that Hiriart has in its catalog: 1089 mounted and 1189 as a band, but I don't have either one.

 

[lancer]

This is a photo of the Hiriart Fusiliers Marins as I have them on display. In this photo you can contrast their uniforms with the standard French Army uniform of 1914 as shown in the Hiriart set in front of them.

^&grin^&grin^&grin Best uniforms EVER! -- Al

 

[ucla1967]

^&grin^&grin^&grin Best uniforms EVER! -- Al

Thanks, Al.

 

[ucla1967]

This is my Hiriart Set 1331 1ST POLISH LANCERS, JOZEFA PILSUDSKIEGO, 1934.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is a stock photo of Set 1331 which does not include the trumpeter, as I ordered it for me.

 

[ucla1967]

In 2011, I ordered three special, Hiriart non-catalog sets of WORLD WAR II POLISH INFANTRY, 1939. Hiriart subsequently added it to its standard catalog as Set 1341 ARMIA POLSKA, 1939. These are photos of my set.

 

[lancer]

Mike, those are fantastic Polish Army sets. Very different and a subject much neglected considering the part Poland has played in WW2 history. Glad to see someone is doing these figures. -- Al

 

[ucla1967]

Mike, those are fantastic Polish Army sets. Very different and a subject much neglected considering the part Poland has played in WW2 history. Glad to see someone is doing these figures. -- Al

Thank you, Al. They are different and do represent a neglected subject matter which is why I commissioned them from Hiriart. I am in the process of ordering special, non-catalog sets from Hiriart representing some of the other neglected secondary powers who fought in World War II. In April, I am scheduled to receive new sets of WWII Slovak and Hungarian Infantry. I sent Hiriart the Osprey color plates for these German Eastern Front allies, but I don't really know for sure what they will look like until I get them. In the future, I am ordering WWII Romanian Infantry, WWII Dutch Infantry, and WWII Eastern Front Italian Savoia Regiment Cavalry.

Here is a stock photo of Hiriart Set 1341 ARMIA POLSKA 1939 where you get a different view of them.