New Custer Figures (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter eborris
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Jim5615
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They are really well done. I was able to see the Custer figure at a show last month and was bowled over. They are actually produced by Andera Models.
I believe that the Custer figure is one of the most beautiful production figures ever done. Granted as the US distributor I am a bit biased but as a collector I can honestly say the photos do not do the figures justice. I do not think anyone will be disappointed with this line. The figures are designed and sculpted by Andrea Miniatures of Spain (Black Hawk is their new independent toy soldier line). Anyone familiar with Andrea will know that they offer some the finest historical figures ever produced. With the backing of this esteemed company look for high quality, historically accurate figures that will compliment any collection.
Rick Berry
for Black Hawk/Old Northwest
Rick Berry
for Black Hawk/Old Northwest
Hey Custer fans - I received Blackhawk's "Shot Down Trooper" today from MTSC. I have other Andrea figures and this is a very nice piece, (the facial expression is actually great; it actually looks like "I've got you in my sights Injun"), however the soldier appears to be more like 50mm scale, which is disappointing since Blackhawk advertises "TRUE 54mm." The question here is what is TRUE 54mm??? I have a diaroma with K&C "The West" figures 60mm and WBritains ACW Union Cavalry Privates 54mm and the Shot Down Trooper has noticably smaller hands and head then the WBritains 54mm size figures. Y'all may want to wait and see these figures at a show or your favorite shop before spending your money, because they aren't cheap. Now every one who reads this go over to the K&C thread and petition them to expand their "The West" Series. I have it from a reliable source that Andy Nelson is a big Custer fan. The K&C guys love the WWII stuff, and for good reason, but war doesn't get any more mystical than Custer's Last Stand. K&C has improved their horses 100% since "The West" series originated and a new improved set of 7th Cavalry is what this world needs.
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eborris
First Sergeant
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Well, I finally saw the Blackhawk Custer figures up close and personal, they are really nice figures, I especially liked the Cooke figure which comes out in October. even though I'm not a metal man, I bought the four figures that were available at OTSN.
eborris - Glad you made it to the show. I have not seen the figures, but as I mentioned I did buy the Shot Down figure. To me that trooper is smaller than Britains 54mm figures. Since, you bought the four figures available can you comment on how they compare in size to other makers of 54mm figures?? I know you said you are not a metal guy but alot of plastic is 1/32 or 54mm. When figures are seated or lying down I compare head and hand sizes to judge the scale.
UKReb
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Hi Boyer
That's a hell of a question you ask "What is TRUE 54mm". I have been trying to ascertain that for years-one old-timer told me once that the 54mm or 1/32 scale is the measurement from the feet to the centre line of the eyes of the figure- but I gave up on that a long time ago because all the manufacturers who state "true 54mm" appear to have their own set of parameters.
I collect ACW metals and have approaching 1000 displayed in a dio. I have bought-without viewing up close and personal- practically every manufacturers sets who all definitely stated true 54mm. They aint!!!! metal kits such as Andrea/Shenandoah/Pegaso/Hinchcliffe/Wolf are closer to 50mm 1/35 scale with the majority wearing small heads and "kids" hands. Trophy, Tradition and Frontline mass produced metals also state 54mm, they aint!!!! they all have the're own peculiar smaller size and even the old Imrie Risley-the original 1/32 scale Aint!! Just compare the horses-Indian pony size. I've adapted all of mine as corpses/casualties or put them way way back on the field because when displayed they just aint right when you put them with Britains/Original Conte/ONWT figures.
Now if a collector just stays with one manufacturer or just collects toy soldiers per se it doesn't make a lot of difference to them but it sure does to us dio boys when we collect multi-manufacturers products with the intention to mix & match. Now some might ask why do I state Britains/Conte etc as being the true 54mm size? To be honest I'm not sure they are as there is no standard specification you can use to to scale them against, primarily I based it on the old Britains hollowcast or Deetail figures which were -pre metric- the original 1/32 scale and measured 2 and 1/4 inches high. When Osen released for Britains the first ACW matte metals in the early 90's he used this original sizing swiftly followed by Conte using the same yardstick when their figures appeared on the market.
Britains then went completely awry after Osen left and the sizes of their ACW sets modelled by the Chinese went from 54mm to 60mm to 50mm back to 60mm. These sets contained in the same box tiny matchstick thin figures to large overweight/fat Confederates (historically incorrect as there never were any plump Rebs-only fat re-enactors) and figures with melon sized heads and goggle eyes. They were absolutely dreadful and the company was inundated with complaints from furious collectors who just stopped buying them which most probably culminated in the selling and purchase of the Company by the new US owners. With Osen back as the chief modeller the new sets which are excellent, are spot on to the original 1/32 54mm scale.
Consequent to this gripe the majority of my collection is therefore Britains and Conte and then what happens Conte release their new sets "Sons of the South" blazoned as 54mm. They sure aint!!!!! regardless what Richard Conte says "that just a couple of the figures in the series are a bit on the large size." No Richard They are all on the large size because I bought all 34 figures Dammit! and all you need to do to prove that is just look at the size of the Springfields they are carrying! That's big big guns in their mitts!. So why doesn't he admit they are 60mm 1/30 scale because they fit perfectly when put alongside K&C ACW figures and K&C at least advertise their sets as 1/30 which lets the collector know what he's getting. (Although I have now noticed that all the major toy-soldier retail stores are now quoting NB These new Conte figures are 60mm not 54mm. Wake up at the back Richard these are expert retailers and it's about time you changed the size scale on your web-site).
I too would have liked to collect the Blackhawk Custer sets to add to the Britain's Custer figures I have to maybe dio them in the future but I won't now thanks to your notification, however, I am filled with dread as I await my order (if it ever materalises) of Collectors Showcase ACW sets who I had been reliably informed align with Ken Osen's Britains and ONWT sets which I consider are the "true 54mm scale" just because they all look so right.
If they aint there's going to be a lot more dead men on my Gettysburg field.
All manufacturers (if advertising their product as true 54mm) should be made to produce figures to a true and accepted 54mm standard specification as they sure as hell would never get away, with what they are doing now with toy soldier sizing, with any other engineered product they were selling to Joe public!
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eborris
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I compared the Custer figure to the plasitc Conte Ben Martin figure. Discounting the stand Custer measures 2 1/4 inches tall, Ben Martin is the same height if measure from his foot instead of the bottom of the stand. Custer has the thicker stand so in a side by side Custer is taller. All the features look right on to me with the exception of the head, while the length is pretty close, Custer has a wider more rounded head, quite a mellon he has there compared to Ben. Even with the thicker stand Custer is shorter then a Conte metal Alamo defender, but the hands and the head look right on.
UKReb - Thanks for sharing your experiences in collecting "54mm" figures. I have always wondered if molds could shrink/expand under certain conditions, as it seams that manufacturers do get proofs to "approve" before going into production. Then again, maybe it is just different artists or carelessness that results in size variations. Quality Control might get lost when you communicate 1/2 around the world and in different languages. There are always reasons maybe Andy or some other manufacturer could enlighten us??
I would like to see pictures of your dio, that is an impressive sounding battle you have going on at your place. Have you ever been to Gettysburg? It is a great place to visit!! I am in Fort Worth, Texas and you made me LOL with the bit about no fat Rebels. Made me think of a tradition here that dates back to the Civil War. People eat "Black-eyed Peas" for good luck on New Years Day, a throwback to the Civil War when the Rebels considered themselves "lucky" to have something to eat. Apparently, Yankees did not bother burning or looting the cow pea fields, because humans did not typically eat, cow peas. The Rebs were hungry and with a little spice or bacon fat for flavor "black-eyed Peas" are tasty. I would hate to have to survive off them.
Thanks for the info, I appreciate you taking the time to give us a comparison.
UKReb
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Hi again Boyer,
Thanks for the history of black-eyed peas, I never knew the origin of them, fascinating, just lurve those old Southern legends!. When I first visited the States I decided to try "grits" Oh! man sure wished I hadn't but then after many more visits to the South I now always have a "plate of grits" with my breakfast. So I can perfectly appreciate how those Johnny Rebs got used to a diet of b/e/peas, I kinda believe that when Bobby Lee undertook his two invasions of the North it was more of "Lets feed the army" rather than just being an offensive thorn in the Yankees side.
Yeah! I have been to Gettysburg and apart from a million overweight senior citizen visitors and a million regimental monuments all over the field it was indeed a very humbling experience to walk such hallowed ground. Funny thing though most of those "extremely large" American tourists, (who unfortunately emphasise their size by always wearing stretch shorts. Why is that?) immediately went to either the Round tops or the angle so I went to McPherson's Ridge and practically had the area to myself. This prompted me to undertake a dio of July 1st as I had seen plenty of dios of the 2nd and 3rd but never one of the first day and in particular the desperate initial fight between Harry Heth's Reb regiments and the 1st Corps Iron Brigade.
If you want to view some early photos of part of my dio I posted some a few weeks ago on this Tree-Frog board. Go to Manufacturers-Conte-Civil War Sets and scroll to Page 2. One of the pics shows those BiiiiiiiiiiiiiG 54mm??????Conte figures I mentioned in my previous post. Feel free to comment back on this board.
Oh! yeah and by the way I have now received my Collectors Showcase ACW sets and am pleased to say they are spot on and therefore compatible to the rest of my 54mm assembled troops. PHeeeeeW!!!!. When I get around to introducing them to their regimental colleagues I'll shoot some more pics and post here.
I think you are right about Lee going North. Man, you Brits are tough if you can stomach grits. I found your picture on the other thread, WOW impressive, I have never seen so many "stars and bars." I saw the Conte figure, yeah big, but glad to hear about the Showcase figures, do post more pictures. This forum is great because I had no idea people where doing such miniture reinactments of battles and working so hard to capture the historic detail. My collection is segmented into different time periods, but I do have two different dios of 100 ACW (multiple manufactures) and 100 arabs/foreign legion (all old WBritains) and that many figures is impressive to the eye. I can hardly image 1,000 figures, mind blowing! Oh, I meant to ask you if you have any pre-1966 figures? All the figures in the picture looked new, new figures are much more realistic looking. About 60% of my collection is pre-1966, but that will change as those figures are costly, hard to obtain and not as realistic as new figures. By the way, in the other thread you asked about interest in the Civil War here in the states. Well, I took my 8 kids to Vicksburg to expose them to it and all but one loved it, and the one that did not, took a bad spill on a rebel fortification, messing around. I have a son John, and we found a union casualty with his exact name, and from a Wisconsin regiment, where my side of the family lived. My wife is a Texan and she thinks the "good guys" lost the war. No pro-slavery, just pro-Texan. I do think in the last 20 years there has been less interest in the war, and southern pride has diminished some as symbols like the "stars and bars" have been religated to the status of a Nazi swastica. Schools can not use "rebels" as a mascot and I think all but one state flag has dropped the "stars and bars" as a component of their state flag. The confederacy is identified with prejudice against blacks, and rightly so, and that is something we are getting over in most places here in the states. It is amazing that my kids do not describe people by their skin color. Maybe once racism is conquered, and nerves are not so raw, the Rebels will be viewed in a different light, just a society willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their heritage - right of wrong. Some times I wonder if the war would have even happened if the cotton gin would have been invented sooner. Slavery was not going to survive one way or the other. In Texas, I use to see bumper stickers that said, "Secede" which translates to "leave the union." I suppose if the British Empire can break up, so can these United States of America. History does repeat itself. And with that I will stop rambling. P.S. Please put me in your will, and I will take care of the troops. LOL
UKReb
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I did have quite a few early ACW figures in my stash but once I got hooked on the new matte figures I sold them on to a collector at one of the London shows with no regrets as the mattes were so realistic for building a dio- have been a keen collector ever since. However I did keep all the old Custer/Seventh Cavalry sets as I am a bit of a buff on George Armstrong and have just finished a superb book on The Little Big-Horn entitled "A Road We Do Not Know" which is taken from something Bloody Knife one of his Cree scouts said to him just before the final fight "Goodbye old friend you and I are both going home tonight by a road we do not know" If you haven't read it do so you will not be disappointed- it's superb.
Thought you maybe interested in the attached which I had posted before on another thread. I believe he was originally a Crescent or JoHill can't remember but I picked him up in a nickel and dime store on a visit to New York in the 80's he was painted in bright red and blue about 1/4" thick and stayed that way for many years until stripped and repainted in the "new matte style" a couple of years ago. And I think you'll agree he didn't turn out too bad
Thought you maybe interested in the attached which I had posted before on another thread. I believe he was originally a Crescent or JoHill can't remember but I picked him up in a nickel and dime store on a visit to New York in the 80's he was painted in bright red and blue about 1/4" thick and stayed that way for many years until stripped and repainted in the "new matte style" a couple of years ago. And I think you'll agree he didn't turn out too bad
Toy Soldier Brigade
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Looks like a painted Imrie Risley Miniatures Custer Kit #C-204
UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
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Yeah! Similar but when this one was stripped of all it's original paint it was definitely a solid dense metal figure (no joints on the limbs or head) and extremely heavy like lead.
I am pretty sure it was Crescent stamped on the base-since removed- so I can't be 100% sure. However I have seen this figure in his original "clown" paint job come up on eBay every now and again.
I did have quite a few early ACW figures in my stash but once I got hooked on the new matte figures I sold them on to a collector at one of the London shows with no regrets as the mattes were so realistic for building a dio- have been a keen collector ever since. However I did keep all the old Custer/Seventh Cavalry sets as I am a bit of a buff on George Armstrong and have just finished a superb book on The Little Big-Horn entitled "A Road We Do Not Know" which is taken from something Bloody Knife one of his Cree scouts said to him just before the final fight "Goodbye old friend you and I are both going home tonight by a road we do not know" If you haven't read it do so you will not be disappointed- it's superb.
Thought you maybe interested in the attached which I had posted before on another thread. I believe he was originally a Crescent or JoHill can't remember but I picked him up in a nickel and dime store on a visit to New York in the 80's he was painted in bright red and blue about 1/4" thick and stayed that way for many years until stripped and repainted in the "new matte style" a couple of years ago. And I think you'll agree he didn't turn out too bad
UKReb - I too am a Custer Fan and have enjoyed reading about his life, but I have not read "A Road We Do Not Know." Sounds good, I will look for it. You know it seems to me that the Scouts knew that an attack would be futile and fatal. It is truely amazing how close the three cavalry columns came together to confront the indian tribes. When I first read of the plan to bring three columns from different directions I laughed. Please post more pics of your Custer figures if you can. Nice paint job, did you do it yourself?