Possibly the best value out there (1 Viewer)

[Currahee Chris]

You know, I have tried to fight off the urge to get into the FOV vehicles but, well, i just love em. I really have to think that they are the best value out there, across the board, for the toy soldier collector's dollar. The troops are improving, you get tons of various little accesories to customize the vehicles, heck, they even did a wargame for all of it!!

I got the Abrams and Stryker today at the GBurg show from two wonderful vendors, who sold them to me at sale prices. I am stunned what these pieces are going for anymore. I have decided to go forward with a modern armored assault diorama and I could probably do it, scenics included for the price of one or two matte vehicles- it is really odd- as the prices of these FOV vehicles decreases, the prices of the other companies increase.

I think I have found a new vehicle niche.

Also, I like the little grunt packs- for the most part, I give the grunts to my kids and just save all the other little diorama accessories for my King and Country or whatever scenes.

These guys just can't be beat.

 

[Wraith]

And, they're one of the few companies doing any modern stuff.
Over the past couple of years, I've built up my modern fleet to 4 Abrams, 2 M60s, a Bradley and a Humvee (+ a 1/48 Blackhawk, which I'll try and sneak in to a background shot somehow), all for peanuts off ebay. They go nicely with the Figarti Iraq era figures.

 

[Currahee Chris]

Funny thing Wraith- I just won the Iraqi T-72 on EBay for $39.

I got the Stryker and 2003 Abrams today and they look brilliant!! I am rolling that Stryker all around the house

They need to do a M113 APC carrier in 1:32nd scale- that is such a workhorse of the army- it could work for Nam through today.

 

[graycap]

You say you picked up a Stryker model. I thought FOV had cancelled that model, which I thought was a great pity because I was looking forward to getting one? Or is it the LAV model you've got?

 

[Currahee Chris]

You say you picked up a Stryker model. I thought FOV had cancelled that model, which I thought was a great pity because I was looking forward to getting one? Or is it the LAV model you've got?

All apologies- you are correct- I have the LAV-25 for the USMC. I always just call them Strykers but you are correct.

According to the FOV website, they discuss the 1:32nd model but then discuss "accurate 1:72nd scale accesories" go figure. I do hope they do it. I also saw some other APCs as well on the website under the "vehicles" section.

Hope that clears it up.

 

[binder001]

They need to do a M113 APC carrier in 1:32nd scale- that is such a workhorse of the army- it could work for Nam through today.

Did you know that 21C had an M113 out for a while in 1/32nd plastic? There was an ACAV version that I saw personally and it didn't look bad at all (I just don't have money or space to add VietNam to my collection)

Gary

 

[Currahee Chris]

No Gary, I wasn't aware of that. That thing must have slid in under ther radar. You could've probably stretched it into a Persian Gulf 1 dio as well.

According to the FOV website, they do have a TOW M903 floating around out there in 1:32nd scale. I can't recall ever seeing it.

 

[L Flowers]

There is a TOW m113. I think I bought it at Toys R Us. Desert camo.

 

[Currahee Chris]

Cool Larry- now, is that the 21st Century one???

Also- you and I both know that thing is WAY WAY WAY too clean to be a 113!!! That family of vehicles have to be the ugliest, grittiest, dustiest, mo-fo's out there!! You should probably put it outside your house during hurricane season.

Oh Larry- you'll probably appreciate this- got a speeding ticket in the mail the other day, courtesy of the Rockvill Md police department- guess they nabbed me via camera!! They even provided me with a web address and password so I could go online and see myself!! It was pretty comical- there is my big dome behind the wheel of my wife's lincoln motoring on down the highway!!

Cops rule- you guys got all the cool toys!!

 

[theBaron]

You know, I have tried to fight off the urge to get into the FOV vehicles but, well, i just love em. I really have to think that they are the best value out there, across the board, for the toy soldier collector's dollar. The troops are improving, you get tons of various little accesories to customize the vehicles, heck, they even did a wargame for all of it!!

I got the Abrams and Stryker today at the GBurg show from two wonderful vendors, who sold them to me at sale prices. I am stunned what these pieces are going for anymore. I have decided to go forward with a modern armored assault diorama and I could probably do it, scenics included for the price of one or two matte vehicles- it is really odd- as the prices of these FOV vehicles decreases, the prices of the other companies increase.

I think I have found a new vehicle niche.

Also, I like the little grunt packs- for the most part, I give the grunts to my kids and just save all the other little diorama accessories for my King and Country or whatever scenes.

These guys just can't be beat.

Very true, Chris!

When I first saw Forces of Valor, and 21st Century Toys, on sale in the discount stores like WalMart, and in other stores, I thought to myself that these toys represent a new means to get the next generation of collectors interested in the hobby. They were relatively well done, for reasonable prices, and you wouldn't mind buying a set and giving it to your kid and letting him play with it. Let's face it, if you buy it for you kid, but put it away or otherwise don't give him access to it, he's not as likely to develop an interest in it, that will return after he goes through his "wild oats" phase of high school/college-girls-marriage-establishing a family. But if you give him something that he can touch and play with, he's more likely to remember it, and to come back to it later in adulthood. Think about it--most of us, if not all, have had similar experiences.

I don't have kids, but if I did, I would give them these sets, and plant the seeds. Blue Box, too, those were great little sets, and what a wonderful way to introduce kids to toy soldiers. "Go ahead--beat the heck out of them, they're only ten bucks"

Prost beianand!
Brad

 

[L Flowers]

Chris
That M113 is FOV. I like FOV and 21st Century especially when on a toy budget imposed by higher authority! My wife!

And you are right about M113s being dirty. Fun to drive even though I didn't feel too safe crossing water.

And yes cops do have a lot of cool toys. I especially like the taser but I did not like to be on the receiving end of it. It at least gives me knowledge of what it is to go through a long 5 second "ride".

 

[L Flowers]

Here are some 113s sporting OPFOR markings. This is West Berlin 1987 heading out to "Doughboy City".

 

[L Flowers]

Chris, Here are some more modern plus a photo of the 21st Century 113.

 

[kilted vampire]

I look at those pictures of the Armour and think that one would have to be crazy to get inside the real ones. I am clausterphobic to boot. But are these plastic or hybrids? They are really detailed aren't they? A very good value it would seem.

 

[Currahee Chris]

I look at those pictures of the Armour and think that one would have to be crazy to get inside the real ones. I am clausterphobic to boot. But are these plastic or hybrids? They are really detailed aren't they? A very good value it would seem.

Yeah but you learn to adapt- much like submariners do I suppose- I had a heck of a time wiggling into the drivers hatch of the 113's- my shoulders were just too broad. These vehicles were designed to destroy the warfighting capabilities of anything in their path, not creature comforts unfortunately.

If you are clausterphobic, the Abrams isn't for you though. Lots of newbie drivers would freak out when they got rolling in those things- it is quite nerve wracking the first few times with that 120mm RHEINMETAL over your head.

Hey fellas!! Just got the Iraqi T-72- the weather is clearing up quite nice- will post some new outside dios with it and some of the new vehicles.

 

[binder001]

Cool Larry- now, is that the 21st Century one??? [/SIZE]

Larry showed us the M901 ITV from FoV, the 21C version was put out as a VietNam-era ACAV (Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle). I remember seeing one at a WalMart but didn't get it. I don't have soace to display the WW2 so I don't pick up the modern stuff (except I HAD to have an FoV Abrams!). The FoV rocket launcher on the FMTV chassis looks interesting.

Gary

 

[Currahee Chris]

I really do not believe there has ever been a more versatile AFV than the 113 family. When I was with the 3/3 (later 2/5) ADA, they sported the Vulcan antiaircraft mg's (20mm I believe they were).

They served in numerous C&C rolls as well.

I think I may have shared this story before but one of my good friends was with the 1st Armored in Gulf War 1- he drove his 113 right over a landmine- the thing blew skyward as it detonated right underneath him but he was just fine. A lot of guys cursed and hated these things but he swore by it.

 

[Col. Hesler]

I even bought a Stug III for just $20!!!!! Thats the best value out there. Guess what, Stugs are not being produced by many manufactures.

 

[Currahee Chris]

I even bought a Stug III for just $20!!!!! Thats the best value out there. Guess what, Stugs are not being produced by many manufactures.

Yeah, I have seen those Stugs- very cool looking indeed- I have been sorely tempted........

 

[gk5717]

I remember seeing those VietNam 113 setting on the shelf at WalMart for a lousy $15 and I kept passing them up, knowing full well Figarti was coming out with 1-32 VietNam stuff.
Now I can,t find one anywhere, for $15 I could not have gone wrong!
Gary