Wednesday 28 November 2012

AIRFIX - THE WAY IT WAS

WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE!

Here is a look at the sets showing the boxes,
the number of poses and the typical plastic
colour they came in. Also for a laugh I shall
point out artwork troops that do not
exist in plastic!

The running MP40 man on the box does not exist!
Great pose and I wish they had actually sculpted it!

See the guy with the machine gun on bottom right?
He's just an artists impression!

The Aussies are more or less true to form!

The Yanks are spot on too!

The charging 'actual size' man is inaccurate!

The charging 'actual size' man is again inaccurate!

You can't argue with the Russians, can you?
But the 'actual size' man is not accurate plus can you 
spot the man running with the rifle on the box?

The Paras are alright too!

D.A.K. are pretty accurate!

These guys need to sort out that mess!

So are the U.S. Paras!

Gibirsjager MG42 is fed the other way on the box 
and the skier has one stick raised!

I always liked this artwork. Great set too.

The box says 'Ghurkas' when it should be Gurkhas!
Nevermind, at least the set is great.

This is where the boxes got boring! 
Bring back the 'Target Box' Please!

This is where the box is elusive and expensive!


Wednesday 14 November 2012

W-W-W-W-WATERLOO!

WATERLOO

Yes, Abba won the Eurovision with their song Waterloo in 1974,
but on a more serious note, Waterloo was the most important
European battle of the Napoleonic era, as this is where the French
Army was defeated and his empire destroyed.

Airfix produced four sets of Waterloo 1815 in the early 70s,
British Infantry, Highland Infantry, French Infantry and French Grenadiers
of The Imperial Guard. The sets are well sculpted, the poses are 
superb and once painted they look great and lastly, flocking
the bases make them look that bit more realistic.
Battalion Charge!


BRITISH INFANTRY
This is an absolutely superb set with every pose being
very natural. The detail of the sculpting is very sharp and 
this makes them easier to paint. The men with the bayonets 
are excellent and very lifelike in their stances. The kit is well
detailed and correct. They look great unpainted but once 
you paint them they look amazing! This is without
doubt one of the greatest Airfix sets of all time!

7 Figure Set

In their painted glory!

Box Front

Box Rear


HIGHLAND INFANTRY
This set is also excellent and in tow with the usual high 
standards of the series but I would have preferred to see
a charging man instead of a man carrying a fixed bayonet.
The detail is superb again and the poses very
natural.  

7 Figure Set

After a laborious paint job the laddies are fighting mad!

Box Front

Box Rear


FRENCH INFANTRY
This set is well sculpted with detail sharp and crisp.
The officer is superb as are the riflemen but the charging
man is the weakest pose of the bunch as he looks slightly
awkward along with the man about to ram his rifle.
These figures let this set down but it's just a 
minor quibble!

7 Figure Set

After a lick of paint!

Box Front

Box Rear


FRENCH GRENADIERS OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD
Napoleon's own guards and don't they look grand. 
This set is fantastic and offers an amazing 15 poses!
The detail is superb and there is a flag bearer and a drummer 
in their too along with some great action poses. The only 
figure I dislike is the man clubbing with his rifle which 
is a pose I dislike across the board!

15 Figure Set

The Full Imperial Set


Box Front

Box Rear

FRENCH IMPERFECTION!

Airfix was great at doing oddball things, and as you
will have noticed all the sets are 7 figure poses except these! 
There was going to be 16 poses with the addition of a second 
officer but this was disputed by a rival manufacturer for
being too similar to their own. Also, it is the only box
that does not say 'Waterloo' in the title.

The missing unmoulded officier
from the set was later produced by CTS.

OTHER EDITIONS

CTS Edition British Infantry

CTS Edition Highland Infantry

CTS Edition Imperial Guard

CTS Edition Imperial Guard again!


PAINTING 'EM!

This is my first shot at Napoleonic era figures and yes,
they are tricky and time consuming to paint. Still, I am
impressed with the results and now I feel like doing some
more from the series. I just got to find the time!


Highland Infantryman



British Infantryman



French Grenadier of the Imperial Guard


French Grenadier of the Imperial Guard Officer


French Infantry Officer
 



British Infantry Officer


British Infantry painted as 95th Rifles or
 'Green Jackets" as they were known as!



IN THE FIELD
The men in action!


Where's the party?

It's in that farmhouse over there!

Yeeeeaaaaaarrrgh!

Mind the horse!

Let them have boys!

Hand over the pastries Anglais!  





WATERLOO 200 STAMPS
These were done as part of a project I recently 
undertook. They are mock postage stamps and
maybe in 2015 we may see some real ones!
The image processing was done in Photoshop
and are the figures displayed above.