OTSN Show Reports (2 Viewers)

[Warrior]

I just spoke with Blake concerning several new samples he has that are spectacular and he is extremely upbeat about the future of NMA and is very excited about what the future holds for his company.

I am amazed that a comment made off the cuff at a show "the shell that tank fired was so heavy they actually needed a crane to load it into the vehicle" lead to someone saying "then why doesn't the tank come with one", which snowballed into "NMA is in financial trouble." Since the conversation took place IN MY ROOM at the show, all I can say now I know how rumors get started. All of this is a load of BS, end of story.

 

[Beaufighter]

Thanks for the follow-up. I have been paging through a few reference books in search of the "crane" in vain!

 

[Louis Badolato]

George,

Do not take the following post as any indication that I am angry about your last post on this thread. You are a great guy, and I did not take your post the wrong way.

That being said, you were not the NMA dealer who told me said dealer had spoken to Blake about 4 separate complaints about the lack of a crane on the Sturmtiger, and who told me that Blake said the crane could not be produced because of "production difficulties".

Further, you were also not present at the source of the other half of the information about NMA production problems. That source indicated that in both an e-mail and a phone conversation Blake inquired as to whether for a fee of $50,000 annually, K&C would produce NMA armored vehicles because they were having production problems.

Now both these reports may be untrue, or exaggerated, and if you say NMA is A-OK, as a friend, I will take your word for it. Again, I wish I hadn't mentioned the issue in the first place, as it seems to be making a tempest in a tea cup.

Your friend,

Louis

 

[OzDigger]

Speaking of borrowing others 'facilities'. I noticed in Carlos post #53 that some K & C figures were using the 'Armies of Middle Earth' (AOME) catapult to bombard the castle. The Orcs will be really annoyed when they find out

I've read that AOME figures are quoted as being 1/24 scale but most of their stuff seems close to 1/32 - 1/30 to me. Btw, AOME also made a siege tower, a battering ram, and a giant crossbow machine which would all look nice with early period dios. Imo the AOME toys were really well made, albeit in plastic, and can be found on eBay if not in stores.

 

[Steven Chong]

Speaking of borrowing others 'facilities'. I noticed in Carlos post #53 that some K & C figures were using the 'Armies of Middle Earth' (AOME) catapult to bombard the castle. The Orcs will be really annoyed when they find out

I've read that AOME figures are quoted as being 1/24 scale but most of their stuff seems close to 1/32 - 1/30 to me. Btw, AOME also made a siege tower, a battering ram, and a giant crossbow machine which would all look nice with early period dios. Imo the AOME toys were really well made, albeit in plastic, and can be found on eBay if not in stores.

AOME is 1/32 scale; and yes, that's an AOME catapult.

 

[DMNamiot]

Thanks for the follow-up. I have been paging through a few reference books in search of the "crane" in vain!

Hi,

Page 138 of the Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two by Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyal has a nice clean picture of the crane,
ISBN:1-85409-518-8 Paper back or 1-85409-214-6 hardback

First published in '78 republished in 99 and 2000.

I hope this helps its a good reference I have others but this one was close at hand at my desk.

Dave

 

[Steven Chong]

Over the next few days, I am going to post photos of figures at the Chicago Show made by small, one person manufacturers. The first is Edmund's Traditional Toy Soldiers of San Francisco, CA. He makes his figures in his house and does all the work, sculpting them, casting them in his garage, and painting them. His style is traditional glossy parade figures, but Ed has his own unique style. His catalog has over 300 ACW sets, Revolutionary War, U.S. Marines throughout history, and U.S. Army and Navy throughout history.

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His newest set, the Alamo

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Another view of the new Alamo set -- unusual in that it has 11 figures

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Ed's newest ACW sets

 

[OzDigger]

AOME is 1/32 scale; and yes, that's an AOME catapult.

Hi Steven, the range was often advertised as being 1:24 scale, I guess because some of the larger figures such as the Uruk Hai and Nazgul are over 3 inches high. The human characters are 2.5 inches high which perhaps makes the range 'officially' closer to 1/30. However their features are fine, especially their heads. Which means that they do not blend well with the chunkier K & C 1/30 figures, and for practicality I would agree with your 1/32 scale claim.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Steven,

I spent some time in the Edmund's Traditional Toy Soldiers room at the show, and I can only say I have never seen better traditional glossy painting, especially the flags. I am ordering a set of the 5th New York Zoaves, because the hand painted New York flag is the best I've ever seen.

 

[Steven Chong]

Ted Deddens of Tedtoys is a small manufacturer who lives in a small town in Kentucky. He sculpts, casts, and paints his own figures. His style is glossy, but in action poses like Trophy figures. A unique aspect of his figures is that each figure in a set has a different head. Ted has an extensive line of ACW figures, including charming camp scenes. He has added a line of modern U.S. marines in parade poses.

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Ted's newest sets of marching Confederates

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One of Ted's older Union sets. Notice the different heads in this charging set.