ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST!

THE WILD WEST

Over the years lots of manufacturers produced

Cowboys and Indians as well as Cavalry and 

American Civil War figures.


The Airfix 1/32 Series

Cowboys

A superb set that even had a few horses thrown in!

Indians

A great set also with horses!

7th Cavalry

It don't get no better than this!

Here is a few photos of a typical western play set

that you can get in any toyshop today. A mixed bag of 

Cowboys, Cavalry and sadly only one Indian!

Other stuff includes (not pictured as I mainly concentrate 

on the figures) six horses without riders, a stagecoach 

and some rocks! The figures seem to be made of a soft 

plastic similar to elastolin and they are manufactured 

in China of course!

The Significant Seven!

Bring on the Cavalry!

He comes in peace!

Poor quality Airfix Cowboy clones!

Poor quality Airfix Indian clones!

MATCHBOX 1/32 UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!

A closer look at the great Matchbox 1/32 scale series.

GERMAN INFANTRY

BRITISH INFANTRY

AFRIKA KORPS

 

BRITISH COMMANDOS

AMERICAN INFANTRY

BRITISH 8TH ARMY

ALTERNATIVES!

If you want to be more adventurous, you can pick up

odd figures on the internet and paint them as you like.

Here is a collection of alternative paint schemes.

German Stormtroopers!

Monty and his men!

PAINTIN' 'EM!

PAINTING IS THE FUN PART!

One thing is for sure, painting can bring a piece of green plastic to life
if done with a little care and patience! I do not claim to be the Leonardo Da Vinci
of figure painting, everyday I see other modelers work online and I am both

in awe and often blown away by of some of the results!

Painting an Airfix British Paratroop step by step.

1. Slap on a black base-coat.

2. Paint the flesh

3. Paint the trousers.

4. Paint the gaiters.

5. Paint the jacket the lighter colour of the 

three for camouflage.

6. Paint the green camouflage.

7. Paint the brown camouflage.

8. Paint gun butt and waterbottle. There is a pistol

holster on his left side too. Paint it! 

9. Paint webbing and pouches.

10. Paint helmet and leaves.

11. Touch up boots and scarf.

The scare can be green but I prefer the black!

12. Metalize the gun. 

I see a lot of weapons painted in silver. This may look

good but gun metal is usually black or dark grey. I add 

silver to make it look worn from handling.

13. Give him some ground to stand on and 

he's off to the bridgehead!

Note! 

This method is just one of the ways to paint figures.

There are lots of techniques I'm sure!

DIORAMARAMA!

DIORAMAS & BUILDINGS

No figures can be complete with out some bombed buildings.

There's not a lot for 1:32 Scale available on the market and then

you are stuck with what you buy. What's the answer to the diorama 
dilemma? Good old D.I.Y. that's what. A few pieces of old wood, some 
nails, glue and basic tools and your all set to build! You can build
whatever you like, there's no limit! Here are some 

I made myself over the last few years.

Ruined House #1

This Mediterranean style two story house is built on a plinth,

has a flat roof and large arched window. This model has

been screwed together. 

Ruined House #2

A European style two story house with and attic. 

No plinth this time only a flat floor but screwed together.

Ruined House #3

This is an old two story farmhouse with a garden

and wall. I usually stick a tree in the garden for effect.

Built on a plinth and screwed together.

Ruined House #4

Another Mediterranean style house with flat roof

built on a plinth and screwed together.

Ruined House #5

This is a small two story house built without a plinth, 

tacked together and then glued along the seems.

Ruined House #6

This is the remains of a three story with a flat roof 

that's built without a plinth, tacked together and then 

glued along the seems.

Ruined Bunker

A solid looking bombed bunker on a plinth that is

screwed together.

Street and Wall

This matches the bunker as it is also built on a 

similar plinth and screwed together.

Command Post

A very simple little job that is tacked together and

then glued along the seems.

Rocky Ground

The stones are real and glued to the wood 

base then it is flocked.

Low Damaged Wall

The wall is painted wood and the base is flocked.

The broken wooden beams are left natural.

Bunker

This is made of clay. I picked it up cheap in a

model shop.

Bunker

Side view of the bunker.

Jungle Bunker

Wood, flock, twigs and sea sand.

Rocky Ground #2

The stones are glued to the wood 

base then it is flocked.

Desert Ruin #1

Sand, wood and stones all glued to cardboard base.

Model railway scrubs are also used as dry bushes.

Desert Ruin #2

A close up of the ruin.

Desert Ruin #3

You can't beat real stones and sand!

Wall of Ruin

Flock on wood! Model railway bushes.

Wall of Ruin close up

Observation Point

Flock, wood, bushes, real palm tree!

Observation Point close up #1

Observation Point close up #2

The two Dioramas joined together

I like this photo as it reminds me of

Band of Brothers!

European Ruin  #1

European Ruin  #2

Back view

Plan view

Stone Bridge

Front view