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

[Jesse James]

They just now ventured into DAK so I'm not hopeful for a glut of Soviets soon, much less French resistance and whatnot.  Not any time soon.

Anyway more interesting 1:18 news...

BBI figures and stuff at Target, 21st stuff going to TRU as well as WM...   But equally great?  Power Team Elite back at Big Lots this year including Command Centers and the famous "Bridge Playset".  I'm stoked.  PTE rocks all, and was a FAST mover at Big Lots last year before X-Mas...  I can't wait for more then.  I missed out on a lot because of $$$ at the time but I'm stoked for more.  Especially since I have neither the command center, nor the bridge (nobody has that though).  Outstanding for us with Big Lots stores.

[Jesse James]

Some Power Team Elite photos...

These are amazing "cheap" toys that are sold at various spots, but Big Lots seems to be jumping on more for 2007 (they got tons in for 2006).  They make SWAT, Marine, Army, Spec. Forces, SEAL, and other sets...  Tons of vehicles that make great fodder bases for custom vehicles, or with a little work very realistic "to-scale" vehicles for mlitary toys if you're into that.

Their figures are a little weak but can be used as great fodder if you want (heads/hands are their weak points really), and their weapons make Hasbro's look downright rigid by comparison.  That said, the crates, barrels, boxes, and 90% of the other accessories are all high quality rigid plastic.  Perfect for Star Wars dioramas and things.  Who's to say there aren't simple metal barrels in SW right?  Or wooden boxes.

And for actual military set-ups you cannot go wrong here.

Anyway, 3 new things coming in the PTE 1:18 (they do 1:6 scale too) line to Big Lots this year are:

Command Center playset:

The Command Center is simply a nice size building, and it seems the new one is the same old one with a TON more gear.  You got the folding chairs, table, stand and that stuff before, but now you get a lot more gear as well it seems.  The building has a cool sci-fi-ish look I think, or a modern look, and I'm down for buying a number of the CC set.

Bridge PLayset:

Like the Command Center set, you seem to get a lot with it, however the bridge was never released to my knowledge, so this is a first for that set and it's really one a lot of people have been waiting for.  For military fans, it's fantastic...  Sci-Fi's a little harder to fudge with this one I think, but hey, why not right?  Gotta cross rivers somehow in Star Wars too, and not every vehicle has the legs to do it.  I'm definitely getting multiples of this set too though, if for no other reason than my military figures will display great on it as they ford a river I think.

A10:

This jet just showed up, it's an A10 Warthog...  Not to-scale (I had no idea the A10 was as massive as I was told, so this is really tiny by comparison), however there's obvious customizing potential with it in Star Wars terms or GI Joe fans must simply be going ape**** for a fighter like this.  I know I would've back when I was a kid since Wild Weasel basically flew a modified A10, so these would make amazing wingmen planes for WW.

In general I cannot say enough positive things about PTE...  The company makes bunk beds for god's sake...  bunk beds.  And foot lockers, and working tents, and pieces of broken buildings you can interlock, and kickass tool accessories, and fences, and buildings...  I whipped up a speeder out of a dune buggy I got last year for like $7.  You know you love the possibilities.

[Jesse James]

I picked up this tonight...  Not bad.


$30 at Big Lots...  Had several more but the playsets are gonna be gone before long I'm afraid.  There's more good news in the world of 21st Century Toys/BBI though...

-TRU is carrying 21st Century Toys again, and boy howdy are they getting cool stuff.  The Pak-40 Hanomag is so far only being seen at TRU, and looks quite sweet.  At $30 though, it's a bit pricey compared to Hanomags at Wal-Mart, so that should piss everyone off a little bit.

Also, the Wave 1 D-Day figures are being repainted and sent to TRU as well...  The German in camo smock is now in a regular pair of trousers and a pea-dot (Paul, I think that's it, not sure though) camo smock/helmet.  Very cool repaint on that one.  The U.S. figures are a little different too I think but TRU was 100% sold out of US figures when I got there.  The DAK Germans are completely new though, and both feature I believe later-style DAK uniforms (all tan outfits).  Very cool though, much nicer looking IMO than the Series 1 D-Day DAK figures looked.

-Target is carrying BBI for sure...  Figures are $4.99 and $5.99 (Paras), and vehicles prices vary.  I got a BBI for $30, Apache's are $30, Abrams tanks are $25 (got one of these too), LAV's are $20, and I cannot recall prices on Humvee's but woodland regular and Desert Super Humvees were both spotted.  Need a Super Humvee actually...

For figures, they have modern basic figures, and WW2/Modern Paratroopers.  No WW2 basic figures yet, but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping because BBI did some great infantry figures.

Anyhoo though, onto the Big Lots story... 

I saw:

-$12.99 Howitzer Cannons (excellent, accurate piece)
-$20 Bridge Playsets (really neat, great for GI Joe, Military, or Star Wars IMO)
-$30 Command Center Playsets (Got one, had few of these)
-Watch Towers
-SWAT Boats (great for Special Forces teams like SEALs and whatnot)
-Figure 3-packs (Marines, Army, Rangers, etc., as well as Firemen, and 2 SWAT Sets)

I didn't see:

-Figure 1 or 2 packs like the bunk sets, the tents, the SWAT sets with the pieces of wall and such.
-Humvee's
-Littlebirds
-Blackhawks
-Tanks
-Planes

I'd like more of some of the above, but at the end of the day I've got a TON I can spend on of the things I did see.   I can't wait to get back up there actually, as I was in a hurry and had to take off real fast with only one thing.  Had to be a playset though...  Fantastic piece it is.

[Nirvana]

Yeah, I saw the BBi stuff at Target and the 21st Century stuff (just figs, no vehicles, then again, maybe I'm not looking in the right place0) at TRU on Sunday.

They didn't have anything interesting at TRU, just stuff I already have, but at Target I hit the jackpot. Got some cool vehicles, and it looks like they are re-releasing the Marines in the newer packaging. Also found some Stormies in the SW section.

[Jesse James]

The figures at TRU I guarantee you don't have if you haven't bought TRU figures yet...    They're repaints.  There's actually I guess now 3 Camo patterns on the Sgt. Otto figure...  Pea Dot is what i have, but there's anotehr being sold at TRU, and then the original all-camo sniper-style outfit at Wal-Mart.  Definitely unique though.

The DAK are both repainted as well, and very different to the original figures.  I'm not so sure on the D-Day U.S. figures though...  And didn't see any, as the Monroeville TRU was cleared out of any US figures.    Sucked to be me I guess, because I wanted more Rangers and riflemen.

[Nirvana]

Yeah, all I saw at my TRU was 2 of the same figure- the DAK officer who I already have.

[Darth Slothus]

I picked up a really cool camoflauged ME262 32X at TRU 2weeks ago. I didn't realize TRU was selling 21st stuff again. It's displayed on my den wall with their other 3 32 scale WW2 German fighters.

...still waiting for the anticipated bombers to be released in stores
So far their site only mentioned the B25 Mitchell but I ecxpect other twin engine models as well like German and Japanese types.

[Jesse James]

If we're talking 1:18 (The Mitchell), I wouldn't count on TE German/Japanese just yet...  It took ages just to get a zero out of someone and then it was BBI who did it, not 21st who do most of the planes.    German has better chances but still, TE planes are really a risky investment.  I think the Mitchell's being treated as a litmus test to see how it'll sell.  I'd expect a D-Day paratrooper plane next if anything, or glider perhaps, before other nationalities...

NOw, if we're talking 32X stuff I think that scale has really a much broader chance of seeing other nationalities of TE planes.  Or any TE plane really, or even 4 engines like the B-17.  1:18 Mitchell's a real dream come true though...  They're reluctant to do a friggin' A10 though which, to me anyway, seems like a no-brainer choice given their sort of "popularity" and all.  Jets are big though for sure.

[Darth Slothus]

Yeah, I was reading backlog news on the 21stcenturytoys website one day and found an article about them bringing bombers to us soon in 32x and 18x scale. The bomber they mentioned was the Mitchell, though. I really don't see it too hard for them to do it..being a smaller bomber only 2 engines and all. I mean if they can do a P38 then what's to stop them doing a B25 or P61(which I'd like!)? A twin mstnag would be cool also, though not very popular so I doubt it. They 21st seem to do alot of the same planes over and over with new paint jobs rather than new sculpts/models. I mean heck, in 32X I'm still waiting for Hellcats, Spitfires, torpedo bombers of various types, several more types of Japanese fighters, russian Yak fighters ect.

Seriously, where's are Yak fighters from Russia? English planes? ****, if they can do Italian, German, American, and Japanese planes where's the other WW2 participants'?

DS

[Vator]

Seriously, where's are Yak fighters from Russia? English planes? ****, if they can do Italian, German, American, and Japanese planes where's the other WW2 participants'?

Soviet Union = No-No still, I guess. I suppose NKVD figures would be pretty tasteless.

[Jesse James]

I don't think anything is off-limits save for likely Waffen SS items...  So honestly I wouldn't doubt that we'd see some Russians and things at some point, but for now I think it's mostly a matter of tying these in with more "popular" themes.  The DAK are slipped in with D-Day figures, because DAK's less recognizeable I guess, and thus it seems to sell less too unfortunately.  I could use more myself though.

Anyway, on a 21st Cent. find, I was at WM tonight and they had new D-Day figures out including the 3rd repaint of Sgt. Otto...

For the curious, Otto was the S1 figure with the brown camo outfit that few Germans wore on D-Day I guess...  (Paul if you're reading, correct me here or any info you have would help).  Basically he's gotten repainted in what I THINK is P-Dot camo (found at TRU), and now an autumn pattern.  The brown-camo S1 figure has reddish hair and darker skin.  The S2 P-Dot has brown hair and a more flat/clean skin tone.  The autumn Series 3 seems to have blonde hair, possibly a scar, and a lighter skin tone I believe...

Saw lots of S3 Otto in Autumn camo and repacked tankers (removable helmet one that's real popular), Officers and stuff at WM tonight.  I really could use more S1 D-Day infantry and rangers though more than the tankers and stuff.  I'd take some tankers too, but seriously I need 29th Riflemen and D-Day Rangers galore.

[Jesse James]

The "Platoon" line of figures is revealed...  Painted now.

Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger)

Sgt. Elias (Willam Dafoe)

Johnny Dep's character?  Not really sure and the close-up image link is broke.

Charlie Sheen?  I think...  Again, a little tough to tell.


Outstanding sculpts in general I think, even if the likenesses are not exact...  Add to that, that now you get pre-posed arms, pre-posed LEGS (hooah!), and poseable arms/legs as well, and I think 21st is really again raising the bar with action figures in this scale...  And yes, they will be paying a license fee for these and likeness rights, and yes they're a relatively tiny privately held company...  So yes Hasbro could probably do better by us.

[Paul]

I(Paul if you're reading, correct me here or any info you have would help). 

I haven't seen the pics...any links?

[Jesse James]

Paul, this is the Series 2 repaint of the DAK showing up at TRU now.  Many like it better, however, I'm not sure how/what the differences mean or denote...  Like, this one does look better to me (more like the IJ DAK outfits), while the S1's didn't seem quite right, but I'm not an expert by any means.  I guess both are legit uniform designs, but I didn't think the DAK changed uniforms I guess.


(Left is Wal-Mart Series 2 Otto, Right is TRU Otto)
And this is a comparison of the two Otto repaints.  One is showing at TRU, one at Wal-Mart...  WM guy has blonde hair, TRU guy has brown.

The Series 1 Otto is in an all-camo outfit (pants and coat), but it's a lighter brown.  The first one's been confirmed as a uniform in the Normandy area around D-Day...  One of the above designs is peadot camo, isn't it?  The other one (The one showing up at WM with the blonde guy) is a mystery to me somewhat.  It looks like a variation of peadot, maybe autumn colors.

[Paul]

Ok keep in mind, this will now sound like nitpicking on toys....And this will get REAL boring for alot of you.

The 2 Ottos you have pictured are pretty good representations of Waffen SS troops from 1943 to 1945.

Hopefully this figure came with a K98 since he is wearing K98 pouches on his leather gear.

The WSS has 5-6 major camo patterns with variations in almost every run.  The names of the camos are mostly the invention of post war collectors/dealers as the Germans just called it "Tarn" or camo.

The guy on the left looks (and I don't have one in hand) like they are going with "Oak" pattern.  And this looks like it has Fall side out.  As you know all WSS camo was reversible (with the exception of 44Dot aka PeaDot).  The one on the right looks like it is "Blurred Edge/Burred Edge/Smoke"   

This uniform is not unique to DDay (especially if they are wearing Fall side out) it would have been pretty standard on all fronts the WSS served on AND were in combat.

If there is a soldier figure out there with this camo on his pants as well, while that is not never seen in photos, it is rather "unique"  Camo pants were not issued unit 44Dot uniforms were made.  BUT the old hands in a unit could snag an extra Shelter Quarter (Zeltbahn) or two and get the unit tailor to make some pants for a price.  I've seen original copies (at least purported originals) that were made of a lighter material, but oddly it was not reversible, more like the heavy winter suit material, but without the lining.

Brown boots are correct too, contrary to what Hollywood has told us all those years ago, low boots are the norm for Germans after 1943.  In fact it was pretty much known that in 1942 Rear area troops were told to give their Jackboots back so that they could be sent to front line troops on the Eastern front....and if you didn't want to give your boots up, you could go Russia with them on.  These low boots were issued in a "Blonde" kind of roughout leather, only through time and use did they turn darker brown.  Individual soldiers would also blacken them.

Bored yet?

I'll give you a couple thoughts on the DAK guy later today...