I am reading Grant's book "Battle" (1970), and I have to say I am blown away by the standard of painting on the cheap soft plastic Airfix HO&OO figures.
You have to bear in mind that in that era, the figures were regarded as "toys" and both hands and faces were "blobs".
Even "chin straps" on helmets are represented . :o
I think having more time to devote to probably just one or two armies allowed this attention to detail to occur. Nowadays we all seem to have quite a few/many armies and other distractions in our daily lives; I know I do.
Quote from: Sunray on 01 June 2020, 12:00:56 PM
I am reading Grant's book "Battle" (1970), and I have to say I am blown away by the standard of painting on the cheap soft plastic Airfix HO&OO figures.
You have to bear in mind that in that era, the figures were regarded as "toys" and both hands and faces were "blobs".
Even "chin straps" on helmets are represented . :o
There was actually a lot of variation across the Airfix ranges.
I had a set of WW2 Germans (one of the earlier releases) and the figures were just as you describe, like featureless shop dummies.
Compare with the Waterloo 10th Hussars, resplendent with facial hair, chinscales and uniform lace.
I remember some other duds in my psoession were the ACW infantry (A pity since the poses were among the better selections for gaming).
Charles Grant and his figures were absolutely inspirational.
Why were Airfix British Hussars at least twice the size of the French Cuirassiers? :-\
Why did half the US Marines have no weapons? :-\
These are questions that have bothered me for many years.
Cause Airfix figures were designed for use by railway modelers - 1st 2 boxes - Civies and Guards band.
I think the same could be said for the Regiments shown in the other classic wargame
ruleset, "Charge !". Some lovely figures.
They would have been painted in oils wouldn't they? Never tried that myself but will happily tilt my shako to anyone who has.
Any example pictures for those of us who weren't around in the glory days? ;)
Quote from: fsn on 01 June 2020, 01:36:14 PM
Why were Airfix British Hussars at least twice the size of the French Cuirassiers? :-
Why did half the US Marines have no weapons? :-
These are questions that have bothered me for many years.
You are not alone Nobby.
Size variation - Yes, I surmised at the time that perhaps a different sculptor was used ? But in some cases the size variation was in the same set.
The US Marine bazooka loader dwarfed a lot of his comrades. The Senior German Officer in the 1st issue Afrika Korps was a superior sculpt and larger than the troops.
The US Marines (set 1)had a lot of passengers. Dead and wounded apart, there were a few just splashing through the water?
Airfix HO&OO range began as complimentary to railway figures - the Guards and Band were lovely sculpts. But then then the new additions were first marketed as toys. The Plastic Soldier Review is worth a visit. It charts their evolution into wargame figures.
The Plastic Soldier Review website is great for nostalgic trips, but quite often you realise how poor some of the sculpts/ranges were.
All that! And tiny bases on the figures that would not stand on their own. And horses - did I mention that slots in the bases that did no fit the points on the hooves?
But its the Blue Hills Remembered for a lot of us of a certain age. Airfix figures at 2/= per box (10p in today's money) got us started and Grant, Wise and Asquith at al showed us what could be achieved. :)
And Pendraken has shown us how much more can be achieved. Gentlemen, to our hosts!
Quote from: FierceKitty on 02 June 2020, 11:54:39 AM
And Pendraken has shown us how much more can be achieved. Gentlemen, to our hosts!
+1
Quote from: Sunray on 02 June 2020, 11:46:28 AM
All that! And tiny bases on the figures that would not stand on their own. And horses - did I mention that slots in the bases that did no fit the points on the hooves?
But its the Blue Hills Remembered for a lot of us of a certain age. Airfix figures at 2/= per box (10p in today's money) got us started and Grant, Wise and Asquith at al showed us what could be achieved. :)
Gentlemen, at this point I think it is obligatory to mention Plasticine and banana oil.
Quote from: fsn on 02 June 2020, 01:38:43 PM
Gentlemen, at this point I think it is obligatory to mention Plasticine and banana oil.
... and spears made from iron (not steel) pins with heads hammered flat and shaped to a lethal point?
Quote from: fsn on 01 June 2020, 04:52:32 PM
They would have been painted in oils wouldn't they? Never tried that myself but will happily tilt my shako to anyone who has.
There was always an old-timer at the club who'd swear by "oils for painting your horse models".
The closest I got were some leftover browns fomr Grandparents painting by numbers sets.
Took several days to dry, so the horses sported a quite prominent "fingerprint" finish.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 02 June 2020, 01:41:23 PM
... and spears made from iron (not steel) pins with heads hammered flat and shaped to a lethal point?
Iron, we 'ad t' make do wi' stretched sprue!
What's a 2/-?
Yours, Gen X
Quote from: Last Hussar on 02 June 2020, 06:20:48 PM
What's a 2/-?
Yours, Gen X
It's the Two Bob emoji ... doesn't your phone have that one? :-)
Quote from: Ithoriel on 02 June 2020, 06:34:36 PM
It's the Two Bob emoji ... doesn't your phone have that one? :-)
My phone might have emoji's too but I would never dare use one :)
Quote from: Ithoriel on 02 June 2020, 06:34:36 PM
It's the Two Bob emoji ... doesn't your phone have that one? :-)
What's The Two Bob? A old comedy duo?
Yours,
Gen Y/Pesky Millennial
Quote from: mmcv on 02 June 2020, 07:26:30 PM
What's The Two Bob? A old comedy duo?
Yours,
Gen Y/Pesky Millennial
Bob was slang for one shilling (5p). Funny enough it was never spoken in the plural. 10 shillings was 10 bob, On price tickets 10/=
The 10 Bob note was our smallest Bank of England paper currency. It was retained in the Isle of Mann for many years.
Here's a very old story (true). It will show a bit about inflation.
When I first started work (just out of school) there was a stag party for one of the guys. I went to it and the kitty was 10 Bob.
I got hauled into the bosses office the following Monday morning asking if I was in the pub last Friday. Yes I said ( I knew I had been drunk but didn't think I had done anything wrong). Did you forget anything he said, no I said, here's your change from the kitty - 2 Bob.
Can anyone guess what year that was?
Late mid sixties ? 1968 ? :-\
Cheers - Phil.
Sorry? Change from a kitty? At a stag do?
Definitely not a rugby club involved.
Quote from: fsn on 03 June 2020, 05:23:12 PM
Sorry? Change from a kitty? At a stag do?
Definitely not a rugby club involved.
Nor any Miner's Club stag do I attended in the early 70's
1932?
Quote from: jimduncanuk on 03 June 2020, 05:04:12 PM
Here's a very old story (true). It will show a bit about inflation.
When I first started work (just out of school) there was a stag party for one of the guys. I went to it and the kitty was 10 Bob.
I got hauled into the bosses office the following Monday morning asking if I was in the pub last Friday. Yes I said ( I knew I had been drunk but didn't think I had done anything wrong). Did you forget anything he said, no I said, here's your change from the kitty - 2 Bob.
Can anyone guess what year that was?
How many drinkers in the stag party? In 1966 a pint of bitter was around 1/10d (12d in 1s)
In 1959/60 it was on average One pint for a bob. 8 shillings = 8 pints.
Mild beer was around 8d a pint. Beer tended to be cheaper in areas of mining or heavy industry.
Quote from: Last Hussar on 03 June 2020, 06:42:06 PM
1932?
Oooooh !.....That's
so mean..... ;D ;D ;D.
If Jim was in the hostelry at one day old...and had started his first job, at the same time..........
Cheers - Phil ;)
Not forgetting there was a whole culture of conversions. Cut a figure at the waist with a razor blade, (no craft knives in those days) , stick his top on a cavalrymans's bottom. Use drawing pins for shields, needles for lances. How to do articles in Airfix Magazine. I miss the innocence of it all sometimes.
Quote from: Techno on 03 June 2020, 05:17:56 PM
Late mid sixties ? 1968 ? :-
Cheers - Phil.
Best answer!
It would have to have been between June 1968 and January 1969. Can't see it being at XMAS as who ever gets married at XMAS.
It was in the upstairs room of the Buccleuch Arms, quite a big room, certainly as large as the public bar and lounge bar downstairs.
It was demolished recently to make way for even more student accommodation.
QuoteNot forgetting there was a whole culture of conversions. Cut a figure at the waist with a razor blade, (no craft knives in those days) , stick his top on a cavalrymans's bottom. Use drawing pins for shields, needles for lances. How to do articles in Airfix Magazine. I miss the innocence of it all sometimes.
I loved those articles in the magazine and have many fond memories of one day hoping to be able to do the conversions as shown. Sadly I never was able to get around to any of them, other than our own home grown hapless attempts.
Quote from: grahambeyrout on 04 June 2020, 10:46:59 AMUse drawing pins for shields, needles for lances. How to do articles in Airfix Magazine. I miss the innocence of it all sometimes.
I remember drawing pin shields, and a painful "pike block" injury from needle spears...
Quote from: jimduncanuk on 04 June 2020, 11:35:38 AM
It would have to have been between June 1968 and January 1969. Can't see it being at XMAS as who ever gets married at XMAS.
My parents got married 21
st December. A colleague at work has his anniversary on the 22
nd.
Quote from: grahambeyrout on 04 June 2020, 10:46:59 AM
Not forgetting there was a whole culture of conversions. Cut a figure at the waist with a razor blade, (no craft knives in those days) , stick his top on a cavalrymans's bottom. Use drawing pins for shields, needles for lances. How to do articles in Airfix Magazine. I miss the innocence of it all sometimes.
I ended up (circa 1968) with an Airfix "Japanese " army. Not popular, but some really good sculpts for the mid 1960s. I used WW1 British for HMG and mortars, ROCO T34 tanks, German A/Cs, 105 howitzers, Airfix 6pds. The Minitanks range was light on early WW2 models.
And yes, the figures running with rifle aloft were converted to cavalry. I used US Cavalry - gluing the horses to bases was a challenge.
Quote from: grahambeyrout on 04 June 2020, 10:46:59 AM
Not forgetting there was a whole culture of conversions. Cut a figure at the waist with a razor blade, (no craft knives in those days) , stick his top on a cavalrymans's bottom. Use drawing pins for shields, needles for lances. How to do articles in Airfix Magazine. I miss the innocence of it all sometimes.
In my loft there are about 15 years worth of Airfix magazines starting in the early 1960s. When I'm up there I often get side tracked and have a look at them. I haven't got the heart to chuck them out.
Quote from: Raider4 on 04 June 2020, 01:17:40 PM
My parents got married 21st December. A colleague at work has his anniversary on the 22nd.
I stand corrected.
QuoteI haven't got the heart to chuck them out.
I wish I'd kept my Dad's copies from the late '60's and early '70's as they had some great info and are full of nostalgia. They are available on Ebay but often at silly prices.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 04 June 2020, 09:33:06 PM
...as the masochist said.
Was actually slouching at the time.
Quote from: fsn on 02 June 2020, 01:38:43 PM
Gentlemen, at this point I think it is obligatory to mention Plasticine and banana oil.
I think you need to keep your personal fetishes to yourself Nobby. :D