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| 54mm Timpo plastic toy soldiers. These are "recasts" of the original figures. |
I found a source for Timpo 54mm toy soldier size (1/32 scale) figures to add to my Union American Civil War forces. Timpo has been out of business for ages and someone(s) have recast new plastic figures off of the original toy soldier figures. I am assuming that there are no copyright issues with the figures. One can find plenty of Marx recasts on the open market too.
The figures are a little bit rough on the heads and the thicknesses of the muskets since the moulds were likely made from some of the original plastic figures. I didn't want to spend the time trying to clean up the mould lines on the plastic figures as it's just not worth the additional time and effort. Besides, en masse, the figures look good once they are painted and based.
Here are some more pictures of the Timpo figures. I have also found a few Harold recasts (soldier with trumpet and officer pointing his sword) that I painted and added to the regiment. Timpo didn't make any officer or command figures, save perhaps with the soldier aiming his pistol. So I will have to use figures from other plastic ranges for my officers and flag bearers. I did find a set of four Herald ACW figures (officer pointing sword and holding a pistol, trumpeter, soldier standing firing and "leaning into" the shot, and one soldier advancing with his musket held pointing forward at a 45-degree angle. To my mind, I think that the Herald-Britains plastic figures were some of the best toy soldier figures that were ever made, particularly in it Civil War figure range.
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| Timpo figures in the front. Notice the old Herald Union trumpeter and officer with pistol and sword. These are likely recasts as well, although the originals can still be found on eBay from time to time. |
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| Timpo figures in the front unit and CTS figures in the second line of Union figures. |
The Timpo poses are limited to the following: rifleman standing and firing; soldier with one foot on a rock; officer shooting his revolver; and soldier lunging forward with his bayonet. The lunging pose is rather useless so my Union regiment consists largely of the standing firing and foot on a rock poses with a couple of the firing pistol figures thrown in. The firing pistol figure could be converted into a flag bearer by cutting off the pistol and then drilling a hole throw that hand so that it can hold a flag pole.
I used to have a lot of Timpo ACW plastic figures when I was a young lad and so it was a bit of a thrill to be able to find enough of the figures to build up a 30-figure regiment.
Post Script
This will be my last blog post of 2023, bringing my total posts up to 80 for the full year. My goal each year is to have at least 100 blog posts, but this year I fell short of my goal by 20 posts. In some years I add a number of "fluff posts" to pad the final number, but making up ground on 20 posts was too much to take on, so I resigned myself to the idea that I would not hit the 100 post goal this year.
On the other hand, early in 2023 I passed the 2 million page views milestone! I don't recall when that actually happened or else I would have devoted a post to the achievement of the 2 million views accomplishment. I am honored that so many viewers have taken a peek at my blog over the years.
I have a number of the Timpo Confederate regiments either shooting or charging. Some regiments are Union made from the same charging figures.
ReplyDeleteI’m thinking about painting a Confederate regiment of Timpos too
DeleteJim, I think they look just fantastic.
ReplyDeleteEric
Thank you Eric.
DeleteThe volume of figures I dreamed of as a kid. I think I have 1 or 2 figures somewhere in box of old figures.
ReplyDeleteI gave a birthday present of a box of Britains Grenadier Guards to one of my friends. 8 figures total. Then his grandmother bought him the Britain’s 300 piece Changing of the Guard boxed set. Grrrr. So when we played toy soldiers at his house, he was always the King and I was a lowly Earl because he had the most figures. His granny then kept giving him all kinds of wonderful Britain’s set. Was I envious? You betcha, but I appreciated his growing collection. He let me command all of the Highlander units. I especially liked the Black Watch charging figures.
DeleteWe would have floor wars with the Metal figures (the Good Guys) versus the Plastic figures (the Bad Guys). Good times.
Thanks for all the posts, it's been a real pleasure to be a frequent visitor.
ReplyDeleteYour project is nostalgic for me because ACW in 54mm was my first serious collection in the hobby. The Timpo figures I remember were bot multipart and the plastic was pre-coloured so there was no need for them to be painted - though most other figures on sale were painted. It meant the colour couldn't come off.
All that's left of that collection is a CSA Standard bearer, I think a Stadden, I suspect we bought at a BMSS Show in Manchester and my father painted.
Perhaps in 2024 he'll come out of storage.
Stephen
Yes, I remember those swoppet style figures too. I wanted to have a 30-figure regiment of the old Heralds/Britains plastic soldiers but they are hard to find.
DeleteThanks for everything Jim, its great to read your progress.
ReplyDelete