From a Norwegian online second hand market I recently bought a lot of 46 toy soldiers for only about £8/$10/€9. -That's pretty cheap in Norway. They're mostly Airfix knock-offs in 'the lower end of the 54mm-ish scale'. Except for some odd figures, all of them seems to be about the same size, so perhaps they're from the same set or something?
I actually bought this lot for the Australian Infantry, as I would like to convert them into mercenaries for my Congo Crisis wargames. I know they're 'small' but I don't mind as my
UN-troops and Katangan Gendarmerie is too (being around 50mm)
Some Africa Corps figures, which can be converted into regular Wehrmacht, or perhaps one or two of them into mercenaries for my Congo wargames.
A couple of the 8th Army can also be converted into mercenaries from the Congo crisis. I've seen photos that some of them were wearing shorts.
It seems like you can't buy a second-hand lot without getting some occasional Americans along with it. -It seems like there is a kind of
'Murphy's Law of Wargaming'...And finally some odd pieces and figures. The broken Germans seems to be Airfix and Matchbox originals.The 2 blue service men I don't know the origin of. -Perhaps any of you do?
The price I paid for these knock-offs are quite acceptable in Norway, and lots like these are not that common either. The figures are 'small' but I plan to use them along my UN and Congolese figures which are small too, so I actually don't mind. So within 2025 it seems like I can make some mercenaries to add to my Congo crisis wargames.
The blue figures look like Atlantic figures. They could as easily be Congo mercenaries, and one could be a medic. Ever since I read Wilbur Smith's novel and saw the film version, Dark Side of the Sun (starring, Australian, Rod Taylor) I had a fascination with the 1960s mercenaries. The mercenaries and Belgians were with the breakaway province of Katanga. If I recall, some of the Belgians were 'settlers' rather than veterans. There was a later phase of the Congo war when Katanga was reintegrated and the mercs worked for the central government against rebels such as the Simbas and also the communist Cubans. Other Cubans, organized by the CIA, worked for the government as pilots against their red brothers.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the mercenaries, at least in the later stage wore green or red berets. They tended to not carry a lot of gear as it was in their jeeps.
The Airfix knockoffs are serviceable and, due to their cheapness are open to conversions with any failures being acceptable collateral damage. Would you prefer to work with the originals?
If you ever do the Simbas that is a VERY rich field for conversions!
Apparently there were some Katanga soldiers in almost Napoleonic looking cavalry uniforms, similar to French ones. I'd love to know if they wore them in battle or just as dress uniforms!
Thank you James!
DeleteI haven't read the book by Wilbur Smith, but I've seen the movie 'Dark of the Sun' several times. I think it contributed me to do Congo Crisis wargaming amongst other things; like I've served with one of the Norwegian UN veterans from this mostly forgotten conflict and the father of a good friend of mine served there as well. It's a new movie out now about UN Secretary General Hammarsjöld which the plot is during the Congo Crisis.
I would like to work with the originals figures, but I think these knock-offs will do just fine. I don't plan any heavy conversions, and I will perhaps re-arm the Australians with SLRs. I do also plan to convert some of the 8th Army figures, and give them berets made by putty as you suggested a while ago. I'm not making a hughe units, just a squad or two.
My comment, previously, would only publish as anonymous. James of Quantrill's Toy Soldiers. A couple of years back I did a post on my blog, about a Congo game.
ReplyDeleteThis happens to me often; That I can't log on to Google to comment others blogs even if I'm logged in at my own blog. I remember you miniatures and battle report! I like your scenario!!
DeleteYet another comment from James. The Americans could also be used in the Congo game. Strangely, a lot of government Congo troops wore only the plastic grey liners.
ReplyDeleteOne thing with the Airfix and matchbox Americans is that those with rifles can be converted into late 19th and early 20th century troops. The Germans can also be converted, especially into dismounted cavalry.
'American' WW2 Infantry are very versatile figures as they can be used for a lot of different other nations due to much American surplus which was used to equip armies world wide. what kind of dismounted cavalry were you thinking of?
DeleteHello Roger, I picked up about twenty very poor 50mm copies of Airfix WW2 Germans on a market stall for £2. The helmets were really quite strange, and the uniform implied standing collars. Perfect! They actually looked more like Dutch 1939-40 infantry. I'm rather pleased how they eventually turned out. Also, nothing wrong in using 50mm figures, many gamers mix 1/35 and 1/32 scale figures and kits. Using these acquisitions for some Congo conversions seems a great idea. Look forward to seeing how this project develops.
ReplyDeleteMichael (Wargaming with......)
Thank you Michael!
DeleteDutch WWII troops are also an unusual subject (like your recent Indians Freiwilligen. About mixing 1/32 figures with 1/35 figures is something that happens in 'the model railway world' too, as many model the trains in 'Gauge 1' and use military models in 1/35 scale. The layout presented first in my blogger post about Fazsination Modellbau in Friedrichshafen in October shows such a scale combination; 1:32 scale trains and 1:35 scale carloads and figures.
Excellent purchase full of possibilities. I look forward to seeing what you do with them…
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Thank you Alan!
DeleteYes, I think they'll be a 'fun' project to do.