Tradition Kits (1 Viewer)

[theBaron]

Just wondering, where do you purchase these kits? I go tho the chicago show but never see kits for sale. I have painted 20mm in the past and would love to paint 54mm to go with my trophy figures.

Hi, Hawkeye, if you follow Jeff's tip about checking the retailer list at Traditions website, I'll add that I get mine from Dutkin's Collectibles, www.dutkins.com. They're located in Cherry Hill NJ, and go to most of the shows here in the East Coast, I don't think they get out to Chicago, but I'm not sure.

Hobby Bunker sells the finished sets:

http://www.hobbybunker.com/categorylist.cfm?body=mfg&ID=23

but it's worth a call or email to Matt to find out if he could get the unpainted kits.

There used to be a couple named Ed and Miriam Studer up in Michigan, too, who were Tradition dealers, but the last time I bought anything from them was in my pre-Internet days, around 1995. But I still have my catalog from them, with all of the ranges Tradition sells listed in it, including the catalog of classic Stadden 54mm castings.

The Tradition ads in Old Toy Soldier and Toy Soldier & Model Figure also include contact info for dealers here in the states.

The figures are very much worth the effort to track down.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Davout71]

For those who are interested in the progress of my work on the FIW kits I had bought please take a look at the painting section.
I have been really impressed with the kits and intend to buy more. The only problem I found is that the 2 grenadier privates don't stand very well. Before the painting process I filed away to try to fix this but it didn't make much of a difference. The only way I have resolved it is by gluing tiny strips of cloth to the base of the figures. You may be able to see this in the picture. It also accounts for the chip as the guys kept falling until I added the strips I am intending to fix the chips).
Has anyone had this issue and know how to deal with it?

Michael

 

[theBaron]

For those who are interested in the progress of my work on the FIW kits I had bought please take a look at the painting section.
I have been really impressed with the kits and intend to buy more. The only problem I found is that the 2 grenadier privates don't stand very well. Before the painting process I filed away to try to fix this but it didn't make much of a difference. The only way I have resolved it is by gluing tiny strips of cloth to the base of the figures. You may be able to see this in the picture. It also accounts for the chip as the guys kept falling until I added the strips I am intending to fix the chips).
Has anyone had this issue and know how to deal with it?

Michael

Hi, Michael, I had a little bit of that, with the mold part line, I think it was, but filing corrected it. I placed the file on a flat surface, then moved the figure back and forth over it, instead of holding the figure and moving the file.

Were the figures perhaps out of plumb with the base, that is, they were bent at the ankles, so that they weren't standing up straight? I've seen that with some castings at times, though not with the Tradition castings. That can happen as the casting is removed from the mold, and the metal is still warm enough to be bendable, not rigid. I usually correct that by careful bending, until the figure stands straight (not pitched forward nor backward).

Hope that helps, prosit!
Brad

 

[Davout71]

Thanks for the advice Brad. I already painted the affected figures but may consider a repair job. I couldn't correct by filing but perhaps I should have tried as you suggest.
The figures on appearance seem fine but probably needed to be carefully bent forward at the ankles as they just seem to fall backwards. Just too much weight in the rear. I had thought about doing that but was worried about damaging the figure. But will give it a shot next time.

 

[Davout71]

I have been working on the next set - the artillery (along with my wife) and took Brad's advice and bent the figures so they would stand correctly. I also did this to the 2 we had already painted with no problems. Initially I was worried I would just snap them but found the metal quite flexible (with some care of course).
Out of interest 3 of the artillery set have the hand etched signature of A Stadden at their base so when I was filing I made sure to leave it visible. Has anyone noticed this before. I am speculating if this adds some kind of extra value to the figures.

 

[Obee]

Michael,

Yes I have also seen the 'A Stadden' on the bases and thats because Andrew Stadden, son of Chales Stadden is the scupltor of those figures, and many of the more recent ones made by Tradition. He also did some for Sarum Soldiers, and they look very similar, as I have both Sarum and Tradition British Infntry Grenadiers from the 7 Years War Period, and you can see the similarity here.

SARUM

Tradition
regards,

John

 

[Shyguy151]

I like their largerbsize figure kits. They are nice and lend themselves to painting. I wish Steve would bring some of the older sets back.

 

[Shyguy151]

Try Bart Bryerton at bryerton's military miniatures. You can email him at Bart@bryerton's.com.

Hi, Hawkeye, if you follow Jeff's tip about checking the retailer list at Traditions website, I'll add that I get mine from Dutkin's Collectibles, www.dutkins.com. They're located in Cherry Hill NJ, and go to most of the shows here in the East Coast, I don't think they get out to Chicago, but I'm not sure.

Hobby Bunker sells the finished sets:

http://www.hobbybunker.com/categorylist.cfm?body=mfg&ID=23

but it's worth a call or email to Matt to find out if he could get the unpainted kits.

There used to be a couple named Ed and Miriam Studer up in Michigan, too, who were Tradition dealers, but the last time I bought anything from them was in my pre-Internet days, around 1995. But I still have my catalog from them, with all of the ranges Tradition sells listed in it, including the catalog of classic Stadden 54mm castings.

The Tradition ads in Old Toy Soldier and Toy Soldier & Model Figure also include contact info for dealers here in the states.

The figures are very much worth the effort to track down.

Prost!
Brad