About Me

My photo
No Fixed Abode, Home Counties, United Kingdom
I’m a 60-year-old Aspergic gardening CAD-Monkey. Sardonic, cynical and with the political leanings of a social reformer, I’m also a toy and model figure collector, particularly interested in the history of plastics and plastic toys. Other interests are history, current affairs, modern art, and architecture, gardening and natural history. I love plain chocolate, fireworks and trees, but I don’t hug them, I do hug kittens. I hate ignorance, when it can be avoided, so I hate the 'educational' establishment and pity the millions they’ve failed with teaching-to-test and rote 'learning' and I hate the short-sighted stupidity of the entire ruling/industrial elite, with their planet destroying fascism and added “buy-one-get-one-free”. Likewise, I also have no time for fools and little time for the false crap we're all supposed to pretend we haven't noticed, or the games we're supposed to play. I will 'bite the hand that feeds', to remind it why it feeds.

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

P is for Plastic Peacekeepers

In that weird, twilight between the end of the cold-war and today's chaotic mess, which is seriously beginning to look like the end of humanity as a viable hope for the rest of the universe to root for, there was; that period where 'The End of History' had been declared, a feeling of hope for the future!

'Camp David' was - itself - almost history, Mandela was out, Kuwait was liberated (for its despotic rulers to continue treating their women, nomads, LGBTQ's and guest-workers like shit) and former Soviet troops stood near if not actually next to NATO forces in the former Yugoslavia, as [shaky] allies, so, with no global war on the horizon (China just made toys and stuff!), a lot of these rack-toy, war-toys, re-badged to the 'new world order' by shoving a 'Peacekeeper' into the set-title!

Airfix American Infantry; Army; Carded Rack Toy; Esci Japanese Infantry; Made in China; Made in Hong Kong; Matchboc American Infantry; Military Men Play Set; No.2088; peacekeepers; Pull Back Friction; Rack Toy; Rack Toy Month; Scenic Accessories; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com; Smart Toys Tent; Woolbro;
Joining the collection sometime in the 1990's, this was one of the last toys I have branded to Woolbro, who I believe are still going, but are now specialising in auto-paints and such-like, rather than the general/household goods - including toys -  they have done for several (many) decades.

An oversized and rather juvenile jet-aeroplane and some Schwimmwagen-limousine hybrid (both with pull-back motors) are no better than the Military Train stuff this post is meant to be helping bury, won't be looked at in detail . . . or again today!

Airfix American Infantry; Army; Carded Rack Toy; Esci Japanese Infantry; Made in China; Made in Hong Kong; Matchboc American Infantry; Military Men Play Set; No.2088; peacekeepers; Pull Back Friction; Rack Toy; Rack Toy Month; Scenic Accessories; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com; Smart Toys Tent; Woolbro;
The figures, in the 25/28mm bracket are interesting for being not only the usual mix of Airfix (3 poses) and Matchbox (2) clones, but having a lone copy of the Esci-ERTL Japanese charging figure, who was appearing - at around the same time - in 50-mil with Hing Fat sets.

Airfix American Infantry; Army; Carded Rack Toy; Esci Japanese Infantry; Made in China; Made in Hong Kong; Matchboc American Infantry; Military Men Play Set; No.2088; peacekeepers; Pull Back Friction; Rack Toy; Rack Toy Month; Scenic Accessories; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com; Smart Toys Tent; Woolbro;
A row of smaller scenics have a lot in common with sets from Kentoy, New Ray and Supreme which were around at the same time, although similar, they do have differences and maybe one day I'll do a detailed comparison of the subtle changes in base type or overall dimensions, but right now I can't be arsed!

Airfix American Infantry; Army; Carded Rack Toy; Esci Japanese Infantry; Made in China; Made in Hong Kong; Matchboc American Infantry; Military Men Play Set; No.2088; peacekeepers; Pull Back Friction; Rack Toy; Rack Toy Month; Scenic Accessories; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com; Smart Toys Tent; Woolbro;
Among the larger scenics are some Airfix 'Forward Command Post' cloned traffic-barriers, a copy of the Smart Toys micro-tent and a rather useful bridge for war gamers with slightly Asian design-lines about it; WWII Burma or Vietnam/Laos, although painted up would look equally at home with Napoleon's troops crossing the Berezina or even in an ACW war game . . . "Doc' - Can you help me live a little more? I expect good news".

No comments: