P is for Plasty's Plastic Pole!

Just a quickie, I found Plasty's Totem Poles from Germany a while ago, and got one, there are several colourways I think, and while cursorily like Timpo's, they are actually plug-together, rather than over-moulded.

I was back on the original totem-pole post again the other night, getting frustrated by the inability to correct or add anything, due to its conflict with subsequent rule changes on Tag-limits, and I think I'll break-it down to three posts, but I will leave them on the same date, which is a bit of a cheat, but one we can legitimately call an 'edit'!

B is for Airfix!

I said Bachmann were next, and this is next, so Bachmann it is, except it's really Airfix! In fact, let's get that out of the way first, I have read, several times, that these figures are "Airfix copies" or "copies of Airfix".

 

But in point of fact, Airfix during its heyday, had irons in many fires, including a foam-fabricator in Potter's Bar, and among its properties was the German Plasty outfit, who had got close by importing Airfix in the early 1960's, so it's no surprise that as part of the general toy range, we find Airfix imported the Bachmann Mini-Planes and joint-branded them Plasty Airfix.

This (left-hand images) is the 1969 announcement flyer/leaflet, and they would continue on in the toy catalogues for a while, while on the right is the Bachmann booklet from late 1971 (an earlier issue had announced the Spring '71 new releases), these aircraft - which my brother and I had about four of, and really enjoyed, even though they were very delicate - ran through both makers catalogues, at the same time as Bachmann's listing of the Airfix Figures.

The figures therefore were almost certainly either licenced, or more likely from tool cavities supplied by Airfix under a share-deal; "We won't re-export yours back to your territory, if you don't re-export ours to here" type thing. The heavy, glossy paint on PVC makes the Bachman versions resemble the PZG output (which were piracies) from Poland, and I've seen them confused in that manner, but the bases are the thinner Airfix originals, not the thick ones from the East.

 

Packaged in three's and singly in true rack-toy style hanging-cards, this is not the same as the previous post's image, but it might as well be, not many ways to photograph something like this while avoiding reflections!

The full range, as seen in Bachmann's 1974 catalogue, 24 figures, with the 'British Infantry' being taken from the 2nd version Paratroops, as the lack of actual British Infantry was a bone of contention back in the old country, at the time!

 

These vac-forms however, were all Bachmann, if they existed? It states they were sold unpainted, and I don't think I've ever seen one, but they run through the catalogues, so I guess they must have been, I've seen something similar to the machine-gun nest, but Atlantic and Dulcop both produced similar stuff in approximately 1:32nd, so it could have been either of them?!

The two on the left are actually 1:76th, and I was going to leave them out, but what the heck, the only thing of note is that Eidai, Nitto or Fujimi (?) copied the strangely two-dimensional dragon's teeth, as polystyrene solids a few years later!

The 1976 catalogue crams them all on to one page, which suggests they were winding down the line, but it's a smaller pocket leaflet/flyer than the A4 magazine catalogue of '74. I also have half an idea that they were sold briefly in full sixes, but that may be a false memory, and I'd have to check the other files!

I is for I Forgot One!

Racing myself to get the previous post out before midnight (now gone!) I forgot I still had one purchase on the camera! So a bonus follow-up in the matter of yesterday's/Saturday's London Toy Soldier Show plunder!

This is the beast and technically it's an 3¾-inch action figure accessory, and not really something for the Blog at all, but, three things bring it here with my blessing; 1) it's by Plasty, and we like them don't we with their swoppets? 2) The wigwam's base-plate and packaging are marked Airfix and they are a cornerstone of the hobby, or the UK's corner of it at least and 3) it's almost the same size and design of the Britains vinyl Teepee/Tipi, which is one of the most sought-after items in the hobby, among those who don't eschew Wild West, shock-horror!

You get six long and two slightly shorter poles, a vinyl tent, pre-stitched at the lower join-line with a piece of kitchen string (it's heat-welded above), a base-plate, which is marked Airfix underneath, and a five-part camp-fire in a separate bag, plus box and instruction sheet (vorn = front).

It lacks the finesse of the Britains ones (there are three or four print designs on the vinyl-sheet of the earlier ones), but equally it lacks the handfull of pesky and easy to lose tent-pegs of that better-known one, but nevertheless it will look lovely with a few 54mm figures, albeit with a rather high entrance-hole!

The range was given various names, in the UK the line was known as Airfix Eagles, leading to rarities in the UK (and elsewhere - Spain) and I don't know if the wigwam was included, but they definitely manufactured the base-plate!

Plasty is for Ri-Toys is for Rado Industrial Co.

I think we looked at the first set back at the start of the Blog, but it may have been earlier - and only in black & white - in Plastic Warrior's stable-mate One Inch Warrior? Anyway, we'll look at it again with the juxtaposition of the donors own-branded set!

This is the Plasty set; a resting foal or pony, three sheep in two poses, ex-Britains farmer (reduced to around 40mm) and a goat, along with piracies of Merit's fencing in white plastic with rustic artwork of a generic European nature, the hanging-card being more Franco-Spanish, the inner-liner having the look of Northern Europe or the Low Countries.

The horse replaced by a cow in the Ri-Toys original, these (the cow and horse) are better examples than some, but only equal in finish and decoration to the wider-found Blue Box mini farm sets they are - basically - pretending to be. There's also a third pose of sheep; a ram, all three based on Britains sculpts, as are the cow and pony/foal.

This is one of those posts that reveals the wheels-within-wheels that is the toy industry, with everyone seeking a slice of a small, finite pie which peters out earlier and earlier with each generation, they will happily get into bed with each-other for a shekel . . . as Airfix probably already owned Plasty by the time the upper set hit stores (the two sets aping the earlier sets by Blue Box, as supplied to Marx), yet they (Airfix) had their own small-scale farm set which Plasty could have used? With or without paint!

C is for Cacti; G - Z

Missing from these posts are the Playmobile cactus, which is huge, and in two parts, I have a top half which I will base one day and what passes for a cactus from Lego, which was first issued with the underwater sets and then as a tropical plant in a Star Wars / Naboo set, it's a sort of four-fingered thing which can approximate a cactus! On with the tour...

Left to right - Gemodels, Manurba, Quick and two HK copies of the Quick version. Gem did make several cacti but so far the others have eluded me!

A selection of the Timpo cacti, with various base styles and plastic colours. The small one in the middle was made in the darker green, but rarely turns up, also the left hand one of the two has the thin hollow base which is quite unusual.

Left to right again; Plasty/Airfix, an unknown one which sneaked into this photo? Starlux, Una. The last three, being the same design as the marked Una one will be Kentoys, Speedwell or VP, but your guess is as good as mine as to which is which!