Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (2 Viewers)

[ucla1967]

These are stock photos of the four sets of Hiriart's Spanish Civil War series that I have, but are not on display due to space limitations.

ES10 Artilleria Anticarro de la Legion

ES15 Escuadron de Lancers

ES17 Artilleria de Montana

ES35 Ametralladoras de Caballeria

Most of the Spanish named sets are easy to figure out, not so much so with the last set listed. It is actually a cavalry machine gun section. At some future date, I may order SCW Republican Infantry using the Adrian helmet figures in set ES17. All it would take would be to add a red star to their helmets and a Republican flag bearer .

 

[ucla1967]

This is a new Philippine mahogany World War II warbird from Toys & Models Corp. that I recently acquired on eBay. It is a Luftwaffe Junkers JU-88A-1 twin engine schnell bomber in 1/36 scale with a 21 7/8 inch wing span and a length of 15 7/8 inches. This is the version with North Africa or Mediterranean camo. There are four different camo versions of this JU-88A-1. MY first choice would have been the one with two shades of green and black camo that has a blue edelweisse symbol under the cockpit; they were available but too pricey.

 

[ucla1967]

Four more photos of the Junkers JU-88A schnell bomber. I have literally run out of room to display these mahogany warbirds. So I am going to order five of the medium 11 inch wall mounts and see how they work out; it is either that or store them in the garage.

 

[ucla1967]

Almost two weeks ago, I said I would go over my Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion display. Better late than never here we go. Andrew Rose's Bastion Models from Great Britain made traditional 54mm glossy toy soldiers in eight figure sets; he was also responsible for the Wessex line. One Bastion series featured regiments in 1900 uniforms from various European countries and was numbered A1, A2, etc. A second series was based on the Boxer Rebellion and was numbered B1, B2, etc. I believe he retired maybe 15 years ago or so and these sets, unfortunately, are becoming harder to find.

Once again, here is a photo of my entire Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion bookcase shelf with 25 sets on display in set numeric order. The Chinese Gate is by King & Country and it is not crooked although the camera angle makes it look that way. The first 20 sets, B1 through B20, are all marching and more or less represent the major combatants involved in the Boxer Uprising. Sets B21 through B25 are "in action" versions of some the first 20 marching sets or are different Boxers all in one color (e.g., brown). There are also two artillery sets in this series, C1 and C2. I am not aware of any other sets, but there might be. The bases of the figures have a stylized "AR" mark with their being no space between the two letters.

 

[ucla1967]

Here are close-ups of the Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion sets with their catalog number and descriptions, from left to right:

B.1 U.S. MARINES from the battleship Oregon and the cruiser Newark.

B.2 GERMAN MARINES from the elite 3rd Seebataillon based at Tsingtao.

B.3 FRENCH MARINES wearing their short lived and unpopular denim uniform.

B.4 ITALIAN BERSAGLIERI famous light infantry from the volunteer battalion that was sent to China after fighting had broke out.

B.5 RUSSIAN INFANTRY in white summer caps and tunics equipped as they would be four year later against the Japanese.

 

[ucla1967]

The Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion display continuing...

B.6 JAPANESE INFANTRY in the uniforms they would be wearing four years later against the Russians. They also had the largest contingent in the Allied Forces.

B.7 AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN SAILORS from the cruiser Zenta.

B.8 FRENCH SAILORS from the cruiser D'Entre who defended both the French Legation and the Pei T'ang Cathedral.

B.9 GERMAN SAILORS from the East Asia Squadron protected the German Legation and formed part of the Relief Column.

B.10 RUSSIAN SAILORS were unique among the European powers in that they had dark green rather than blue as its basic uniform color.

 

[ucla1967]

Oops! On the previous post, I should have said B.8 FRENCH SAILORS from the cruiser D'Entre Casteaux...

 

[Al Fisher]

Nice, Mike. I have a few Bastion sets, but not enough . . .

Bosun Al

 

[ucla1967]

Nice, Mike. I have a few Bastion sets, but not enough . . .

Bosun Al

Thanks Al, they are nice for those of us who collect traditional 54mm glossy toy soldiers. Unfortunately, we are a minority both here on the Forum and in the toy soldier collecting world, in general. Except for the sets I bring to the West Coaster, I haven't seen them there in years. I am always on the lookout for them, especially the higher number A series sets.

 

[ucla1967]

The Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion display continuing...

B.11 1ST SIKH INFANTRY was the senior infantry regiment in the Punjab Frontier Force and, along with the 7th Rajputs, were the First Allied troops to enter besieged Peking.

B.12 H.M. 1ST CHINESE REGIMENT was raised to protect the British possession of Wei-Hai-Wei and was present at nearly all the major actions during the Boxer uprising.

B.13 ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS 2nd Battalion landed from the H.M.S. Terrible and was the only regular British Infantry Regiment involved in China.

B.14 IMPERIAL CHINESE INFANTRY while their officer is wearing a Mandarin costume, they are dressed in Europeanized uniforms and are armed with Austrian Mannlicher rifles.

 

[ucla1967]

The Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion display continuing...


B.15 CHINESE IRREGULAR INFANTRY showing the variety of custom worn by Chinese troops in 1900.

B.16 CHINESE BOXERS or the I Ho Chuan secret Society, which translates as "The Fists of Righteous Harmony," whose aim was to preserve China from the influence of foreigners. They mistakenly believed that they could make themselves invulnerable to the foreigners' weapons.

B.17 ROYAL MARINE LIGHT INFANTRY who defended the British Legation are wearing their tropical white uniforms.

B.18 ROYAL NAVY blue-jackets wearing uniforms typical of those who fought in China.

B.19 ITALIAN SAILORS from the Italian cruiser squadron helped protect the legations and the Pei T'ang Cathedral.

B.20 ROYAL MARINE LIGHT INFANTRY wearing their blue serge undress tunics.

 

[ucla1967]

The Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion display continuing...


At the rear of the shelf, behind the first 20 sets, B.1 through B.20, are five additional sets from left to right as follows:


1st photo: C.2 IMPERIAL CHINESE ARTILLERY with a modern Krupp Field Gun. Typical of Chinese artillery in this time period, the gunners are wearing a blue turban, yellow vest with a red design over a dark blue shirt, and light blue trousers. However, the officer is wearing a traditional Mandarin costume.

2nd photo: B.24 RUSSIAN INFANTRY in action.

3rd photo: B.21 CHINESE BOXERS with brown uniforms in action .

4th photo: B.25 JAPANESE INFANTRY in action.

5th photo: C.1 5 INCH B.L. HOWITZER 1896 which was designed to use the new "Lyddite" high explosive shell. This howitzer equipped medium field artillery batteries up to the First World War. The crew is wearing khaki Foreign Service Dress.

 

[ucla1967]

The two Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion sets that I don't have are B.22 CHINESE BOXERS with white uniforms in action and B.23 CHINESE IRREGULAR INFANTRY. Again, I am not aware of any sets numbered above B.25. I'll try and locate photos of those two missing sets.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is what the two Bastion Boxer Rebellion sets that I don't have look like:

B.22 CHINESE BOXERS with white uniforms, in action

B.23 CHINESE IRREGULAR INFANTRY

 

[Wolfgang_UK]

The Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion display continuing...


At the rear of the shelf, behind the first 20 sets, B.1 through B.20, are five additional sets from left to right as follows:



Hello Mike,
appologies in case I have overread it but where does the back drop piece come from ???
Very nice collection indeed.
Kind Regards
Wolfgang

 

[ucla1967]

The Bastion Models Boxer Rebellion display continuing...


At the rear of the shelf, behind the first 20 sets, B.1 through B.20, are five additional sets from left to right as follows:



Hello Mike,
appologies in case I have overread it but where does the back drop piece come from ???
Very nice collection indeed.
Kind Regards
Wolfgang

Hi Wolfgang,

Thank you for your kind words regarding my collection. It was easy to miss, but on post number 1364, on August 20th, I mentioned that the Chinese Gate was made by King & Country. It is all metal and the gate's doors open; it is approximately 15 inches wide by 10 inches high by 3 1/2 inches deep. I bought it on eBay a while back. It came in a plain brown cardboard box with no set number indicated, but it did have a round, gold colored K & C sticker on it. I also mentioned that the gate is not crooked or defective, it was just the camera angle that made it look that way.

Mike

 

[Wolfgang_UK]

Hi Mike,
thank you very much for your detailed answer. A very nice piece looking brilliant as a background. Will keep my eyes open to find one for myself. {sm2} This is a wonderful thread and I will follow with great intrest, thank you very much for sharing.
Kind regards
Wolfgang

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike,
thank you very much for your detailed answer. A very nice piece looking brilliant as a background. Will keep my eyes open to find one for myself. {sm2} This is a wonderful thread and I will follow with great intrest, thank you very much for sharing.
Kind regards
Wolfgang

Wolfgang, thanks again for your kind words. It wouldn't be much fun to have a collection and not to be able to share it with as many other collectors as possible.

 

[ucla1967]

While the make over of my toy soldier room displays continues, I am still adding to my WWII Philippine mahogany warbirds collection. I recently picked up this Italian Regia Aeronatica Macchi MC.202 Folgore (Thunderbolt) fighter on eBay. I finally broke down and got it in 1/28 scale although all my other fighters are in 1/32 scale, but it was either this one or nothing since no one offered it in 1/32 scale. It has a wingspan of 17 1/4 inches and a length of 14 1/2 inches. This model was originally sold by Pacific Aircraft in Arizona. However, I prefer the models made by Toys & Model Corporation in New York because they seem to have glossier, higher quality paint jobs than Pacific Aircraft's models.

The Macchi MC.202 Folgore replaced the Macchi MC.200 Saetta (Arrow) in front line service with the Regia Aeronatica in 1942. The Saetta had a 14-cylinder, air cooled, Fiat radial engine developing 875 HP while the Folgore had a Daimler Benz DB 601A-1, 12-cylinder, liquid cooled 1,175 HP engine made under license by Fiat and Alfa Romeo. More than 1,100 Folgores were built. The Folgore could hold its' own against Allied fighters although it was initially armed with only two 12.7 mm machine guns which fired through the propeller arc. Later production versions added two wing mounted machine guns.

 

[ucla1967]

Some more views of the Macchi MC.202 Folgore Italian fighter.