The full-colour box-art holds some clues to
dating the set with uniforms more colonial than modern-war, a tank from the
1920/30's and a paratrooper who looks more Soviet or German than British, both
those nations (along with Italy) having done the early-work on parachute
troops?
One of the figures seems to be a French
colonial, but may be intended to represent our Indian forces in their 'best
kit' . . . Delhi Durbar? The feeling is it's a war-time set, produced after the
material rationing had been introduced, but before the Army had modernised to
D-Day fitness, like most of these pumice sets?
Two sets have turned-up; No 125 Machine-Gunner Set and an
unknown-numbered 'Paratrooper'. The
inset holding-card is the same for both sets as are the contents save for
either four prone Vickers' gunners or four parachutists in the same cavities.
Again, the paratroopers look more Soviet
than anything else, even to the sub-machine-gun, while the tank is trying to be
a mid-war, lend-lease Grant; sans hull-gun in sponson, while they all have the
look of US dime-store figures.
If I had to choose a date I'd say 1942?
Thanks to Adrian at Mercator Trading
for letting me shoot these; the lighting was poor, so they've been worked a bit
in Picasa to get the colours back.
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