JohnBee and the Ancient War Game

 

Don't think I've ever posted these pictures before - some JohnBee Egyptians I got off ebay years ago.

The fact that JohnBee figures were basically Airfix conversions is pretty obvious in these photos...

However, the main use purpose of this post is an id question. I'd always thought that the Egyptian infantry in the Ancient War Game were themselves direct Airfix conversions. Now I'm wondering if some of them were actually JohnBee figures...

At the very least, this lot are based on Airfix. Are they JohnBee? Don't know - poor quality picture, some may (may!) be carrying another javelin in their left hand but... So don't know, but seems reasonable.

On other things, starting a Shem army. The S&S Range figure don't quite fit the description of Shem soldiers but the Assyrian Range does. So I'm painting up a 24 figure unit of 25mm Garrison Assyrians - and it's slow work! Glad it's not a 48 figure unit.

Next, re Black Tree - after the figures arrived I sent a 'figures have arrived Email and asked, well, actually 'Hi John Figures arrived safely today thanks. Should I order more figures, what would the normal expected delivery time be? Thanks'. Guess what? Two weeks later, still no reply. I won't be ordering any more figures from them until I get a reply. Might send another follow up email, they have a lot of figures I would like but...

I've got more Byzantine cataphracts than I thought...

 Many years ago Harry Pearson sent me a tin of figures containing 'JohnBee' figures. It's one of those 'must look at sometime' projects that was filed apart from a couple of photos. As a result of the last couple of 'S' Range posts I thought I'd look at the box again...

Found these...

Quick comparison and they're 'S' Range! Strangely, does seem to be minor variations across all of them as far as tail and helmet plumes go, don't know if these represent casting issues, more than one master used or updates during the lifespan of the figures - can never tell with Minifigs!

So checked the other cavalry figures. The cataphracts (mostly - see above!) have the 'typical' 'S' Range tail. the other figures don't.The last figure has to be JohnBee - smaller than the others, But look at that second figure.

So compared that Hun-type figure to the Assyrian 'S' Range horse archer... similar tail (not all the one piece figures seem to have the typical tail), similar head, rider a similar size. Differences horse body not as deep... that's it, really. So is this an early one piece 'S' Range figure of the 'Gaul or Hun horse archer? On balance I think it is closer to the 'S' Range figures than the JohnBee figures! But not certain.

 

So went to look at another one of the 'boxes-in-waiting' - 'S' Range Gauls. Found 6 'Gaul Lancers' in there, turns out they were one piece castings as well. Again, the known 'S' Range figure is a bit heftier than the '?' figure. So still haven't the faintest idea - has to be one of the two, balance of probabilities probably in favour of 'S' Range, but far from certain.

Ain't Minifigs wonderful!