Official 1:18 Military Toys Thread (21st, BBI, FOV, etc)

[Vator]

That will be hanging from my ceiling.Put the Republic gunship to shame!

[Jesse James]

I hear that DCF!

The thing is huge...

BBi's also releasing:

1:18 dune buggy (Delta Force scout/recon vehicle? with driver and maybe 2nd figure, I forget)
1:18 dirtbike (Delta Force vehicle again with rider)
1:18 littlebird chopper (with pilot)
1:18 Humvee (They're out from the 1st series but I hear a redo of them is going to be made available, which I'd like because 21st's humvee is lacking)

Coupled with the Marine 3-packs in desert camo, and the machine gunner 2-pack in woodland green camo.

Good BBi year...  

[Vator]

I think I'll have two little birds flanking the blackhawk,Ala my two Jedi star fighters flanking my gunship.God I love military stuff.

I also have an idea about the :cough:Afgan warrior coming out(the RPG one).I'll set up a mini display where this guy is trying to take out the blackhawk.Sounds cool huh?Ahhh,I might do that at somepoint,but with a move coming in the next year,I'll leave it for the new house,just like my larde scale SW dioramas.

[Jesse James]

Oh man...



Go to GP's site for more...  There's a thread about Comic-Con out in San Diego, and one gentleman there snapped away quite a few photos, and member "Laughinggravy" was there talking to 21st Century, and got to hold the 2.5 ton truck...  

Good reporting from the crew over at GP's site (And their respective sites as well).

[Vator]

That is a fine jet IMO.

[Jesse James]

A quick update to things...

the BBi Elite Force 1:18 figures are cropping up at Toys R Us stores as of now...

Their dune buggy (Special ops), Humvee (With lame decal) and the Littlebird chopper (Amazing) are also showing.

The figures have improved quality plastic (Sturdier) and the weapons are also sturdier.  The figures out are supposedly the U.S. Special Forces (Desert Tan) with standard Kevlar helmets and new head sculpts too...  Or so I'm hearing.  I've yet to make a toy run to find these in my area, but the guy that reported said he found them in PA so they must be everywhere by now.

Sounds good to me anyway, and at $4.99 a figure, $14.99 for the buggy, and $20 for the Humvee you cannot go wrong really.  Scrape the damn decal off even!  It's still cheaper than 21st's Humvee and you'll likely FIND a BBi Humvee too (And a better pack-in figure...  21st's Humvee driver is easily their worst figure ever).

Now if only that HUGE blackhawk would hit shelves alongside those U.S.M.C. 3-packs!  I'm itchin' to fill one of those blackhawks with some leathernecks, that's for sure...  A few U.S. Spec. Forces guys in close support, of course.

These are great figures, don't pass this stuff up!  They're on par with 21st Century in quality, and they even outperform in poseability (Though I'm not wild about the elbow joint, but you take what you can get).

If I were little, these guys would litter my back yard right now!  Ah, to be young again.

[Jesse James]

GP's site sees a glowing review for the BBi Littlebird.

I guess it has multiple weapon configurations, and the pack-in pilot looks like "Dubya".

Not that I'm a Republican, but having a "Dubya" head should make for interesting customs.  Like now I want an Imperial Admiral "Dubya" and a Rebel General Dubya, or a pilot Dubya...  Oh and a stormtrooper Dubya.

I guess the pilot's a great figure though, and it's confirmed that the figures and their weapons ARE a more rigid plastic.

I'm hearing the BBi Humvee's suck compared to the 21st Century ones though.  I can speak from experience that 21st's isn't much to write home about though, and the BBi one IS cheaper.  I think it may be in better scale as well, and possibly just needs a good paint job.  Just my early (Non owning) opinion right now.

[Jesse James]

I hopped by TRU today and they had some BBi stuff low and behold.

They had shelf space for the Little Bird but all were gone.  They had all the Navy Seals, but only one of select figures, and they had the weapons set.

Also, they had the Humvee, which while some sorta b!tched about it over at GP's site, I'd say it's as good as 21st's Humvee...  It DOES say "Humvee" on it on the back fenders which is dumb looking.  They paid for the rights to "Humvee" though so they're milking it I guess.

The vehicle looks slightly less detailed, but a bit more sturdy than 21st's (And slightly larger).  The pack-in driver is 10x 21st's pack-in driver though, and is in desert tan jump suit.

No dune buggy,  no dirtbike, no choppers, and no U.S. Special Forces or Marine 3-packs...

BUT, One guy at GP's site got the Blackhawk, and gave it a GLOWING review.  Said it's worth the hefty pricetag.  One pack-in pilot though, so we're doomed to find a co-pilot somehow, or hope BBI makes one carded.

[Jesse James]

OH MAN!!!!

It's freaking great!

I got 2 of the U.S. Special Forces Army figures, the 2 weapons packs, and the Littlebird helicopter.

I cannot help but praise these.  THey're freaking amazing toys, and you guys GOTTA grab these.  

Be careful with the figures, as limbs are breaking because they're sticking.  Heat them in hot water if necessary, and dismantle the arm then rebuild it so you don't have this problem.  At the first sign of too stiff to turn, do this.

The weapons are TWICE as good as before, because BBi actually listened and used stiffer plastic!  They're great now!  The pistols with tracers are my favorite weapons I think though.  My army doods replaced their old pistols with these ones.

The figures have some bad paintjobs if you aren't careful, so watch the eyes mostly.  I got a cross-eyed breacher.    He's still got a bitchin' buzzcut though and is a great sculpt.  Far superior to 21st Century headsculpts or even Star Wars.

The Helicopter is the highlight of my night.  An all-new pilot with removeable helmet and unique head, the helicopter has multiple configurations, opening doors, turning rotors, FULL painted detail inside.

This thing is freaking flawless.  And $20...  Yes, $20 for this compared to the cheap rehash TIE from Hasbro for $30 at Kay Bee toys...   Feel a lil ripped off by Hasbro yet?

I also saw the Dirtbike, recon buggy, and Humvee as well as all the Navy SEALS and the other U.S. Army doods (I Only got 2), but I was a bit too poor last night to buy more.  I wanted to so much though, these figures are simply flawless if you ask me.

The articulation at the elbows still bothers me, and I wish BBi would go to hinge joints instead of the 45 degree pivoting joint for elbows, but I can deal with it and it does work well.

These army guys rock!  They're gonna fly off shelves I think, but the SEALS aren't as interesting because they've got the sculpted on ski masks and such.  I like how each head is unique, and while sort of expressionless the guys don't look "blank" in the face either.

THESE are the ultimate army builders!  Even removeable belts on them!  Come on Hasbro, catch up PLEASE!

[Jesse James]

Wow, I got some more stuff going now...

I have all the SPec. Forces and am ready to do a little army building now...

I also have the strike vehicle (dune buggy), the little bird, and the dirtbike...

I saw the Blackhawk, and as much as I wanted it, I held off because I don't have the room nor do I have $60 to blow right now...  I still want one though.

And a note of news...

BBI says the Marines are ont heir way to the TRU warehouses I guess, so those should be arriving soon!  Whee!!!!  They looked like some really great figures.

BBI has also now said they're trying to develope a World War 2 line...  I am hoping for figures, and a select few vehicles at first, but mostly figures...  I want some nationalities other than U.S. forces and German forces...

Where's the brits and Canadians?  Australians?  Italians?  French Resistance?  Russians?  Japanese?  And then more Germans and U.S. too!

[Jesse James]

New stuff, new stuff, new stuff...

1) The U.S. Marines in both Woodland and Desert Camo are hitting shelves around the country...  I cannot wait to find some of these.  One headscupt resembles everyone's favorite Die-hard star, Bruce Willis even.

I'm already geeked to make a Bruce Willis as Rebel or Imperial Officer custom.

Keep your eyes pealed...  For note though, the Marines do NOT have the ankle ball/socket joint anymore.  I'm bummed personally as I loved that joint and it made for MUCH more dynamic posing of the figures.  Send in your feelings to BBi if you liked it too so they maybe go back to using it.

Also, the pistols appear to NOT be removeable from their holsters ont he Marines, but rather they have the hanging holster that the Recon bike rider has...  I hate that, and personally may just pop their belts off because that looks like crap if you ask me.  Again, drop BBi a line if you dislike that kinda stuff.

Beyond that they look good though...  AMAZING headsculpts, boonie hats, helmets, goggles, removeable backpacks WITH real straps, and pretty much just as heavily articulated as ever.  Can't argue with that.

2) Dragon has finally shown a little life beyond their Michael Wittman w/Crommwell Turret figure.  That Wittman looked like, as the Germans would say, shite.  Blah...

The new German figures (What, you expected Dragon to make some new Allied guys?  hah!) are woodland camo dot pattern figures from Arnhem circa 1944.  Damn fine paint jobs on these guys so you may want to pick them up just for that.  

Easily the best sculpts of any toy line in operation today, Dragon's figures are impressive to look at, but much like the figures of the 3-packs from Hasbro they're NOT very poseable.  Sporting 10 points of articulation, they are pretty pre-posed (Or VERY pre-posed as in the kneeling soldiers case), but the sculpt and articulation are wonderful.  If you have a diorama set-up you wanna do they're great for it.

My first series Grenadiers are in the French Farmhouse in an "Ambush" set-up with some 21st figures.  Like they're waiting a column to come along and open up on them.  They look sharp but I won't be playing with my Dragon figures anytime soon, while my 21st and BBi figures get "posed" every day it seems.

[Jesse James]

few more small things of note...

21st Century, who have all but dropped off the retail map, have recently shown new items, but only airplanes.

P-47
P-40
Winter Messerschmit (Wheee!)
etc., etc...

Images are up at GP's site if you check in the forums...  I'd dig up a link, but at this point I'm too lazy to do so, and 21st's sorta pi$$in' me off with their constant barage of airplanes that  don't sell because they're outrageously priced.  

However, 21st DID MENTION (not show, which to me the proof is in product photos but whatever) their troop carrier, which will be based on the trucks that had the front end of the Dodge Command Car basically...  Heavily used in the Battle of the Bulge.

They also mentioned that they're trying to get the BoB figures out, which I hope that means OUT IN FORCE because I have army building to do with those and 21st's doing a poor job of getting the troops deployed for EITHER side (Damn I want those Germans but I need a whole slew of U.S. guys too!)

They also mentioned the Japs and Marines are on their way eventually, but I forget when.  I'm thinking they said next year...  Oh Joy!  That means 5 years from now in 21st's concept of time/space.

Still, if the Japs are half as good as those Leatherneck's prototypes looked then we're in for something special.

I hope 21st gets their head out of their collective rear-end and finally realizes (After this next onslaught of planes) that PLANES AND BIG TICKET ITEMS DO NOT SELL AS WELL SO STOP PRODUCTING SO MUCH OF IT AT ONE TIME!?!?!?!?!?!

I'd much rather they just put out 2 or 3 planes a year total, and an equal # of land vehicles, and then on a monthly or bi-monthly basis crank out new waves of figures.  

If we got new figures constantly, the line would be so much healthier.  The way they clog shelves with high-end items though, they shoot themselves in the foot.

It's like Hasbro putting out new $40+ ships en masse and wondering why there's no shelf space for anything else.  Blah!

Damned if 21st needs a wake up call right now.    Thank goodness BBi's been there to keep the interest alive in 1:18 military stuff.  Hell even Dragon's more on the ball than 21st lately.

[TopJedi]

Hey Jesse, great to se a familiar face here from another site......I'm GungHo Brian from GP's site    I'm a military figure kitbasher and collector....but also a HUGE Star Wars fan as well

I'm HUGE into XD and the new BBI stuff.......GREAT items!

[Angry Ewok]

I'm AngryEwok @ the GP site, I think... Haven't posted there in ages - just don't got the cash to buy any more.

[dustrho]

Hey Jesse, great to se a familiar face here from another site......I'm GungHo Brian from GP's site    I'm a military figure kitbasher and collector....but also a HUGE Star Wars fan as well

I'm HUGE into XD and the new BBI stuff.......GREAT items!

Wow, a once regular finally posts here again.  Glad to see you're still around Brian!