Accessories

One of the interesting aspects to ring hand figures is a small number of poses can be used to make many different figures.  This basic figure in a basic pose is usable for many things.  I often use him to man artillery, or to crew a boat.

Given a rifle and a life vest, he is suddenly a landing party member.  Note the gold color figure.  Ring hand figures often came in a variety of colors.

Give him a carbine and a helmet and now he's a regular G.I..

This rather worn soldier gets a belt.

Add a helmet, bipod, BAR, and belt to this figure makes a nice BAR gunner.

Accessories

Helmets, belts, life belts, even holsters and pistols.

I liked to give each figure at least one weapon or tool.

More important figures got two items.

They had plenty of different rifles.

Important figures got three, even four accessories.

BMC / Lido Re-Cast Figures

As I kid I got these figures from Lido and several other sources.  Recently, I have been buying used ones on eBay and at toy soldier shows.  Now BMC has obtained the molds and is re-casting them as brand new figures.

These are 60mm plastic army men.

In a forty figure bag, you get four each of the ten poses.

Figures like this are made for outdoor play.

There is a tiny about of flash on these figures, but nothing substantial.

They stand up perfectly on a smooth, flat, level surface.

But they work best outdoors in the dirt.

Artillery

Artillery, the queen of battle.

Light field howitzers ready for firing.

The crews ready at their guns.

Other soldiers standing by to advance.

Motorcycles the modern horse cavalry.

MPC ring hand figures, Tim Mee Cold War figures, Tim Mee Combat Patrol Jeep and cannon, 60mm.

60mm Tank

The announcement is made that the new vehicle is ready for service.

The General thanks those who built the new machine.

Machines like this one will replace unarmored Jeeps.

They have NBC protection and a small cannon.

An important vehicle for the US Army, in 60mm.

Recon Tank

A new armored recon vehicle is unveiled for the first time.

It uses the turret from the Tim Mee armored car.

It uses the body from the MPC light tank.

The Timpc Armored Recon Vehicle!

Guard Shack

This is the metal guard shack I repainted.

They both turned out very nice.

They look good with the 60mm Marx guard.

I have two and so can secure one gate really well, or two gates!

Guard Shacks

Months ago I went to the West Coaster Toy Soldier Show and got one of these guard houses.

I got my first one there several years ago, shown here with a 60mm Marx recast figure.

I soaked them in Simple Green to remove the paint.

Then I sprayed them with $1 white spray paint from Wal-Mart.

It took a couple coats to get the coverage I wanted. 

 Better two thin coats than one thick one.

Then I painted the guard shacks with Rust-oleum.

Deep Forest Green is pretty close to Olive Drab.

They came out okay I think.

Epilogue

Just a few steps and a few sweeps of the tail, and 25 good men were dead.

26 men were wounded, and evacuated soon after attack was driven off.

The commander visits the troops.  Lending a word of praise or encouragement. 


The Monster was played by a vinyl Godzilla that I have had for about ten years.  The troops were mostly from first series WWII era Tim Mee 60mm American troops.  Others, like the flamethrower men were last series Tim Mee troops with Cold War era weapons, including M14's.  Other troops included figures from Lido, and a few from Marx, in 60mm and 54mm too.  The battle took place in my backyard.  With the drought in California, I have let most of the lawn burn off.  The resulting terrain is sandy with a few scrub plants.

Flamethrower Men

Dozens injured or killed.

Yes, but there were still many who were saved.

All of them still alive owe their lives to the flamethrower men.

Stalwart flamethrower men who were still alive and ready to defend against the monster again, if necessary.