WWI Tropical Troops

In the 1930s until the 1970s stories about Europeans and American in "jungle" lands were very popular.

Not just Tarzan, but Lance Hale, and Ka Zar and others were popular stories in those days.

Often they were in or near British colonial possessions.

And so having a few troops for those regions is a must for any collection that contains the Airfix Tarzan set.

The brave British lads arrive just in the nick of time to save the safari from certain destruction by the leopard men.

Or Tarzan arrives at the fort to save the troops from certain destruction at the treacherous hand of Abu Zymbal.
 

HaT Set 8293 British Infantry (Tropical)

These are First World War British Infantry in the tropical uniform by HaT.

They are all wearing the Wolseley helmet and short pants.

In the first half of the 20th Century US forces in the Philippines wore this helmet.

Normally this set comes in tan plastic but apparently it is now molded in green.

There was no flash and all the troops were molded perfectly.

It is likely that at least a few of these will become US troops in the Philippines and some may also end up as civilian big game hunters or adventurers.

These are WWI troops but I think they would work well enough for British troops as late as he mid 1950s in tropical regions.
 

Robots and Robots

The imposing robot.

The battery fires off one more round before they are destroyed.

Or how do they look against Japanese robots?

The dog seems interested!

Three robots four guns.

Danger and excitement.
 

The Enemy Attacks

 

The battery is firing rapid fire.

The enemy is closing.

The pace is furious, as the barrels begin to glow!

Still the enemy keeps coming!

He's here!

Behind the scenes showing the Iron Giant, the photo studio, and the lighting.

WWI Battery Firing

In WWI US Troops often served in British units and wore British uniforms.

I use the HaT WWI British Artillery figures to simulate this.

Here are some of the WWI British and WWI US mingled together to form a battery.

I think they look good together.

The British set gives you four sets of crews with two extra heads with caps and two extra heads with Wolsey helmets.

Serving the guns.
 

M1 Helmet with Puttees

I am removing the heads of some World War One British Infantry and that has left me with some headless figures.

The heads are being glued onto Airfix World War One American Infantry.  The US Army wore that kind of visor had in the Interwar years and I am making some of those Interwar troops using the British heads and American bodies.  I am also using some WWII hard plastic American bodies to receive the Airfix World War One American Infantry.

Those World War Two American heads then got glued onto the Airfix WWI British Infantry.

I am not actually sure what that makes these guys.

They do look a little like early Cold War Portuguese troops. 

Puttees on the legs and M1 helmets on their heads.

I suspect there may be a US State Guard unit that wore such a uniform and helmet.

But so far, no actual evidence of that, yet.

I have done a few more than a dozen of them, so far. 

Airfix Americans and British

I have been working on cutting figures off the sprue.

And then trimming the tiny film of flash around the mold line.

I am working on HaT / Airfix WWI British...

And HaT / Airfix WWI Americans.

The color is butterscotch.

I am planning on doing some head swaps.

This group of figures will be complete head swaps, so the British will become Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Americans will become 1920-1940 American Army.  They US Army wore a hat similar to the WWI British hat, even in the field.

More Strelets British Cavalry

The Strelets WWI British Cavalry.

Not a bad set, several will pass as officers.

They have good surface detail.

There are twelve in the set, the little unicorn horn is for the gas mask for the horse which comes as a separate piece. I don't intend to put that one, it's such a tiny bit and the soft plastic does not hold glue well so it's not worth the trouble.

I like the set, they will mix well with the late war British Cavalry Strelets makes.