Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (2 Viewers)

[ucla1967]

This is a stock photo of my Hiriart set No. 1179 ITALIAN ALPINI. It was among the first Hiriart sets I ever bought.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart set No. 1264 WORLD WAR I ARTIGLIERIA DE MONTAGNA, ITALIA.

 

[ucla1967]

Like many other collectors, I am interested in collecting figures from the ARW, Crimean War, ACW, European Colonial Wars, WWI, and WWII. In addition, I also collect figures from some of the less popular (among collectors) "little" wars such as the Franco-Prussian War, the Spanish Civil War, the Balkan Wars, etc. I have a fairly extensive collection of Hiriart sets from the Spanish Civil War. The photos I will be posting are stock photos since all of my SCW sets are still tied into their boxes and not on display. The first is Hiriart set No. ES-01 INFANTERIA 1939. These troops are wearing their winter uniform; also note the unusual Spanish helmet which at first glance appears to be a German stahlhelm. The bugler probably has the best view of its shape.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart set No. ES-02 TIRADORES DE IFNI SAHARA and is the first of several sets representing Moroccan units in the Spanish Army. Many of the Moroccan units were raised in specific geographic locations of Spanish Morocco such as Ifni, Melilla, and Larache. All of these Moroccan units fought on the Nationalist side and were considered to be some of their best troops. I really like them since they are so unusual and not made by other manufacturers that I am aware of. Note the three man Hotchkiss machine gun section wearing fezzes.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart set No. ES-03 MEHAL-LA HALIFIANA. It is one of my favorites and is also listed in Hiriart's regular catalog as set No. 1215.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart set No. ES-04 BANDERA DE MILICIAS de F.E.T. y J.O.N.S. These are Falangist militias wearing their signature blue shirts. Two of the flags are from the militias while the third is the red and gold traditional flag of monarchists Spain.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart set No. ES-09 LA LEGION, DEL TERCIO, 1939 (this is also set No. 1208 in the regular catalog). The Spanish Foreign Legion, unlike their French counterpart, accepted Spanish natives in its ranks. In fact, only about ten percent of the Legion were foreigners. At the start of the war, all six banderas (battalions) of the Tercio were stationed in North Africa were they had been founded in 1920. They took part in the bloody Riff War in the 1920s and were considered to be the best fighting forces in the Spanish Armed Forces. By the end of the war in 1939, their ranks had increased to eighteen banderas. Again, note the three-man Hotchkiss machine gun section.

 

[DMNamiot]

Some very interesting sets here and talk about covering units that are obscure! Thanks for sharing them Mike

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Some very interesting sets here and talk about covering units that are obscure! Thanks for sharing them Mike

Dave

I have to agree with you on that! I guess that is what attracts me to them. You are welcome.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's set No. ES-10 ARTILLERIA ANTICARRO de la LEGION. This is an unusual set in that the anti-tank gun crew is pulling the gun rather than manning it. By the way, a very well know toy soldier manufacturer bought the ES-09 and ES-10 Spanish Foreign Legion sets from me at the West Coaster a few years back. Now, there is a man with good taste.

 

[nmrocks]

Really enjoy the way Hiriart Incorporates tanks, guns and field equipment into there sets
Ray

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart set No. ES-11 FALANGE de MARRUECOS wearing the signature Falangist blue shirts.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart set No. ES-13 LEGION CONDOR representing the German unit, consisting of mainly Luftwaffe personnel, sent to help Franco and the Nationalists. It was instrumental in conducting the airlift of Nationalist forces stationed in North Africa to the Spanish mainland at the out break of the war in 1936.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War set No. ES-15 ESCUADRON de LANCEROS. I mentioned this elsewhere, but to reiterate, the Spanish Civil War catalog shows the units marching at the 1939 Victory Parade in Madrid.

 

[ucla1967]

This is one of the three double sets found in the Hiriart Civil War catalog: set No. ES-17 ARTILLERIA de MONTANA. They are wearing Adrian helmets rather than the unique Spanish helmet. There is a companion double set, which I don't have, ES-18 MUNICIONAMIENTO which has four mules carrying large metal ammunition boxes for the mountain gun.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart set No. ES-19 REQUETES NAVARRO. The Requetes were Carlists based in the province of Navarro. They got their name from their 1833 support of the claim of Don Carlos to the Spanish throne rather than Isabella who had been proclaimed queen in defiance of Salic law. They had opposed every government in Madrid since 1833 and even engaged in a six year long civil war starting in 1834.

The Carlists were ardent Catholics who detested socialism of all stripes so they disliked Hitler and Mussolini in addition to Stalin. At the start of the 1936 Spanish Civil War, the Requete militia totaled more than 8,000 men. They ultimately fielded more than 40,000 men, but by the end of the war in 1939, their numbers had been reduced to 23,000 men due to the heavy casualties they had sustained. They were considered among the best fighting troops, along with the Tercio, on the Nationalists side. The Requete are wearing their characteristic red berets and are being lead by a man carrying a crucifix.

 

[Oberstinhaber]

This is a set of World War I Bosnians from Doppel Adler Soldaten. It is set 2B BOSNIAN INFANTRY; there are other related Bosnian sets with a flag and an officer. I believe that this Australian company is no longer in business, but it specialized in World War I Austro-Hungarian forces.

Hi Mike,

Haven't produced anything new for a while, but still here! I take it as a great compliment that you like my figures enough to put them on the Forum. Of course you need the other 3 sets to complete the "company" ( "A" set: Officer and 5 men; "C" set: Standard, Company Drummer, and Stretcher Bearer; "D" set: 13 piece Band) I also have the same configuration for the "Deutsch" Infantry, and almost the same for the Hungarians (didn't ever get around to doing the "C" set!)

When I started out on this project, about 20 years ago, I wanted to do it a bit differently from the others. The more discerning among you will have noticed 3 things about the figures displayed by Mike: all the faces/heads are different (observe the fall of the tassels on the fezs), the odd guy has a "Marksman's Lanyard" (all red for 2nd Class Marksman, never did do one with a gold, First Class Marksman's lanyard) and the odd guy has an "entrenching pick" not a spade (if I recall accurately the Infantry Regulations called for every 8th Man to be equipped with a pick) This is the same for the "Deutsch" and Hungarian Infantry.

Photograpy is not my forte, so I apologise that there are no photos.

I am an "Austro-Hungarian NUT" ( but never an expert!) so I have a fairly wide ranging collection of A-H material. All the Bastion (have 6 duplicate sets, 3 of which are very unusual) Quite a bit of Kober and Wollner; Tradition, Warriors, Britains; and lots of painted kits out of Europe, which very few people would have heard of (Kovar, Wildner, Puchala, Peddinghaus, Hecker & Goros, WMF, PZ, Boehm, Fischer, Rylit, [several Czechs whose names I can't rememer] usw )

Sorry, I'll stop now before I get carried away. Thank you Mike for acknowledging my figures ( I only became aware of your post yesterday)

Bob

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike,

Haven't produced anything new for a while, but still here! I take it as a great compliment that you like my figures enough to put them on the Forum. Of course you need the other 3 sets to complete the "company" ( "A" set: Officer and 5 men; "C" set: Standard, Company Drummer, and Stretcher Bearer; "D" set: 13 piece Band) I also have the same configuration for the "Deutsch" Infantry, and almost the same for the Hungarians (didn't ever get around to doing the "C" set!)

When I started out on this project, about 20 years ago, I wanted to do it a bit differently from the others. The more discerning among you will have noticed 3 things about the figures displayed by Mike: all the faces/heads are different (observe the fall of the tassels on the fezs), the odd guy has a "Marksman's Lanyard" (all red for 2nd Class Marksman, never did do one with a gold, First Class Marksman's lanyard) and the odd guy has an "entrenching pick" not a spade (if I recall accurately the Infantry Regulations called for every 8th Man to be equipped with a pick) This is the same for the "Deutsch" and Hungarian Infantry.

Photograpy is not my forte, so I apologise that there are no photos.

I am an "Austro-Hungarian NUT" ( but never an expert!) so I have a fairly wide ranging collection of A-H material. All the Bastion (have 6 duplicate sets, 3 of which are very unusual) Quite a bit of Kober and Wollner; Tradition, Warriors, Britains; and lots of painted kits out of Europe, which very few people would have heard of (Kovar, Wildner, Puchala, Peddinghaus, Hecker & Goros, WMF, PZ, Boehm, Fischer, Rylit, [several Czechs whose names I can't rememer] usw )

Sorry, I'll stop now before I get carried away. Thank you Mike for acknowledging my figures ( I only became aware of your post yesterday)

Bob

Hi Bob,

It is good hearing from you. Actually, I had noticed the three things you have pointed out and had thought that it was unusual to see that sort of detail which you don't see from most other manufacturers. You have great figures and I am sorry that you aren't still producing them.

I am also like Austro-Hungarian toy soldiers which I have mainly from Hiriart and Bastion. I have two of the Bastion sets and I am aware of three others. What are the six sets you refered to?

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's set No. ES-20 REGULARES de MELILLA which was one of the 10 Tabores (half battalions) recruited from the Berber hill tribes in Spanish Morocco. All the Regulares Tabores were made up of volunteers and were officered by Spaniards.

 

[Oberstinhaber]

I am also like Austro-Hungarian toy soldiers which I have mainly from Hiriart and Bastion. I have two of the Bastion sets and I am aware of three others. What are the six sets you refered to?

Hi Mike,

Thank you for the prompt reply. It is always refreshing to hear someone admit to liking Austo-Hungarian Toy Soldiers; there are not many of us about!

The six sets to which I referred are: 1. Hungarian Crown Guards, 2. Hungarian Trabarten Guards, 3. Leibgarde Infantry Company, 4. Landesschutzen, 5. Jaegers, 6. Bosnian Jaegers. The first 3 Guards sets are very rare. I had to talk long and hard to Andrew to get him to make me 2 sets of each, a few years ago. The intention was that I would have one set and one of my small circle of discerning Collectors of A-H figures would have the other. Unfortunately, my mate Ken passed away before the figures arrived. So, that is how I have a "spare" set.

It is true that I haven't produced anything in a long time, but that doesn't mean that I can't be "induced" into returning to limited production.

You may wish to discuss these issues further, off line.

Regards,

Bob