T is for Two - 'Army Men' Artillery Appliances

In the pile of 'Army Men' vehicles from Peter Evans, was two artillery pieces, one of which was problematical in that (or 'a') uniquely Hong Kong/China fashion, I fixed the problem, taking a few shots as I did so, so that's the core of the post, but I've stuck the other on the end for the hell of it.

Vaguely showing its heritage in a hundred copies of the old Dinky 25lb'er and similar, but simplified to the point of futuristic/air-droppable howitzer . . . of a sort! The maximum elevation is shown - great for firing off a castle-wall, but bugger-all use on a battlefield, even against crumbly, modern, stick-weapon army men!

A quick inspection revealed that two flat plates coming forward of the trunions was the core of the problem; fouling the shield, it was only 'right' or comfortable, if pointing at the grass in front of it! Indecently - from the clear 'CHINA' mark in that sqiudged sans-serif, it appears to be from some of the larger bagged sets with the same figures as those Halsall/HTI sets we've looked at.

A bit of surgical engineering and bob's-your-uncle; all that was needed was to cut off those two flat ears of plastic. But one wonders how the hell it ever got out of the factory, I know it's a cheap rack-toy and I know I've made the same point in the past, but the tool costs the same, a trail-fit at some point, ten minutes with a burr or welding-rod,  or a combination of the both could have prevented it? Weird!

Fixed, it's still not pretty, but a bit of paint and it'll do for lawn war-gaming?

This was in the same lot, and it's an odd one, because it looks like the New Ray piece, but is pretty-poor quality, now, I'm only going on memories of catalogue images, and catalogues which have been in storage for over six years, but I thought the finish/build-quality of the New Ray models was better than this which is quite naff, really!

But then maybe I'm being unkind, its main problem is the flashy mould-lines right round the middle of the gun and the floor-tray of the mounting/trailer, the real naffness is the lack of detail to the underside, but then that's hidden from view. The 'chrome-plated, mag-alloys' (which I'm sure the New Ray one desn't have) don't help, but they are a problem with a lot of cheap toy vehicles.

I will check it with the New Ray's in time, but thought I'd chuck it up here as a box-ticker! And again; a bit of paint and you've a nice piece for cold war-ear smaller armies - Argentine commandos used similar units.