binder001
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2005
- Messages
- 2,729
It's been a few weeks, but nobody has mentioned these yet.
At OTSN 2011 Classic Toy Soldiers released their second set of WW2 plastic GI figures. Each set has 16 figures in eight poses. In a really nice surprise, four ofthe poses are "combat" poses - prone BAR, standing with "grease gun", kneeling throwing grenade and on guard or on patrol with a rifle. Not bad, but the surprise comes with the other four poses - one kneeling "offocer" or "forward observer" talking into an SCR 536 "handie-talkie", one standing figure talking into an SCR300 radio, one handling an artillery shell and one that is meant to be operating the breech of a cannon. "Redlegs" in plastic 1/32nd!!!!! Long overdue condidering the number of plastic and metal guns that have come and gone with no crews for them. How many of us used to pose the old Marx "knife guy" for a cannoneer?
The figures are decently sculpted and posed. No they aren't as nice as Conte, but they aren't bad either. I think they can work OK with Marx sized figures, and possible Conte sized also. The M1 rifles on the two guys so armed are crappy representations, but the BAR is acceptable (the parts of the weapon forward of the handguard could be replaced to look better). The M3 SMG ("grease gun" is interesting - for the first time in plastic (and maybe metal, too) the gun is shown with the ejection port dust cover open (essential to fire the actual gun) and the wire stock is extended the the firer can actually aim the gun. Pretty cool! The only complaint might be that the ammo pouch is not right. The US Army used a web pouch with five pockets for 20-round mags for the Thompson, or a three-mag pouch for 30-rd magazines for the Thompson or M3, or mags were carried in a slung ammo bag. The plastic figure has a four-mag pouch that sizes out for 20-rd mags, not usable with the M3. The guy with the SCR536 radio has a holstered .45 and carries binoculars in a case - hence my assessment of "officer" or "forward observer", he can also be placed by a mortar team. The "patrolling" rifleman and the BAR gunner have ETO-style camo nets on their helmets. The infantry figures are all wearing the M1943 field jacket (although these could be painted as HBT fatigue jackets for Normandy scenes).
The last three figures are clearly a gun crew, in fact CTS now offers their plastic 105mm howitzer with these three figures as a set. The "loader" carries a shell that would appear to be "usable" for 57mm AT gun through 105mm howitzer. He wears a "patrol cap" (could also pass for a USMC "utility cover") and his shirtsleeves are rolled up. The "gunner" or "breech operator" (#2) wears a steel helmet and also has his sleeves rolled up. The standing "gun captain" is on the radio, he wears a steel helmet. For trivia, most artillery in WW2 had the guns receive their orders by wire (field phone) from the Fire Direction Center, the FDC had radio links to units and/or observers. One could trim off the SCR300 back pack radio and leave this man on a field phone. A neat thing about these three "artillery" figures, they have shed their field jackets and web gear, just like real artillery crews did when working. For the figure converters, these fellows could also be modified into mechanics for various tanks and trucks, and other such non-combat poses.
Not a bad value for the money in my opinion. I obtained mine from Minutemen Toy Soldiers ("Warrior" on this forum)
Gary B.
At OTSN 2011 Classic Toy Soldiers released their second set of WW2 plastic GI figures. Each set has 16 figures in eight poses. In a really nice surprise, four ofthe poses are "combat" poses - prone BAR, standing with "grease gun", kneeling throwing grenade and on guard or on patrol with a rifle. Not bad, but the surprise comes with the other four poses - one kneeling "offocer" or "forward observer" talking into an SCR 536 "handie-talkie", one standing figure talking into an SCR300 radio, one handling an artillery shell and one that is meant to be operating the breech of a cannon. "Redlegs" in plastic 1/32nd!!!!! Long overdue condidering the number of plastic and metal guns that have come and gone with no crews for them. How many of us used to pose the old Marx "knife guy" for a cannoneer?
The figures are decently sculpted and posed. No they aren't as nice as Conte, but they aren't bad either. I think they can work OK with Marx sized figures, and possible Conte sized also. The M1 rifles on the two guys so armed are crappy representations, but the BAR is acceptable (the parts of the weapon forward of the handguard could be replaced to look better). The M3 SMG ("grease gun" is interesting - for the first time in plastic (and maybe metal, too) the gun is shown with the ejection port dust cover open (essential to fire the actual gun) and the wire stock is extended the the firer can actually aim the gun. Pretty cool! The only complaint might be that the ammo pouch is not right. The US Army used a web pouch with five pockets for 20-round mags for the Thompson, or a three-mag pouch for 30-rd magazines for the Thompson or M3, or mags were carried in a slung ammo bag. The plastic figure has a four-mag pouch that sizes out for 20-rd mags, not usable with the M3. The guy with the SCR536 radio has a holstered .45 and carries binoculars in a case - hence my assessment of "officer" or "forward observer", he can also be placed by a mortar team. The "patrolling" rifleman and the BAR gunner have ETO-style camo nets on their helmets. The infantry figures are all wearing the M1943 field jacket (although these could be painted as HBT fatigue jackets for Normandy scenes).
The last three figures are clearly a gun crew, in fact CTS now offers their plastic 105mm howitzer with these three figures as a set. The "loader" carries a shell that would appear to be "usable" for 57mm AT gun through 105mm howitzer. He wears a "patrol cap" (could also pass for a USMC "utility cover") and his shirtsleeves are rolled up. The "gunner" or "breech operator" (#2) wears a steel helmet and also has his sleeves rolled up. The standing "gun captain" is on the radio, he wears a steel helmet. For trivia, most artillery in WW2 had the guns receive their orders by wire (field phone) from the Fire Direction Center, the FDC had radio links to units and/or observers. One could trim off the SCR300 back pack radio and leave this man on a field phone. A neat thing about these three "artillery" figures, they have shed their field jackets and web gear, just like real artillery crews did when working. For the figure converters, these fellows could also be modified into mechanics for various tanks and trucks, and other such non-combat poses.
Not a bad value for the money in my opinion. I obtained mine from Minutemen Toy Soldiers ("Warrior" on this forum)
Gary B.
