BMC Future Releases Collection Time, Jeff Imel will be releasing two items in the near future that collectors will like. Then we will go through the collection again.
BMC Future Releases Collection Time Reissues
These Plastic Army Men accessories were first produced in 1963 by LOUIS MARX AND COMPANY for their legendary Battleground Military Playsets and were included in numerous sets spanning many years. The original version was spring-loaded and was later changed to this non-firing version to comply with safety laws. The original barrel tip is not part of the original mold so this reissue uses a custom made piece that is a straight instead of the original molded barrel tip. These are some of the most iconic plastic army men accessories of all time, and this new production is manufactured using the original PL-1213 mold.
This is a set of real American Made plastic toys, meant to be set up, knocked over, picked up, and played with for many years to come. Packed in polybag bag with insert card and recommended for ages 5 and up.
MPC Germans in Tan
From the CLASSIC ARMY MEN COLLECTOR SERIES, BMC Toys brings back another classic set of figures from the golden age of army men. This bag of 36 GERMAN PLASTIC ARMY MEN is proudly manufactured in the United States and features 8 different figures. Troops are approximately 1:32 scale and stand up to 2.4 inches tall. Made from slightly flexible LDPE plastic with good details and some flashing.
These troops were originally introduced in the 1960s by MPC, also known as Multiple Toymakers, Multiple Products Corporation, and Miner Industries. The figures originally had 1/4 inch holes in the bases that would plug into various accessories. For this reissue, the holes have been closed up so they match other figures better. These were later produced by other companies and even included in a Marx Battleground Playset revival in the 1990s. These will make excellent troops for a variety of setups for your WW2 Green Army Men.
This is a set of real American Made plastic toys, meant to be set up, knocked down, picked up and played with for many years to come. LITTLE GREEN ARMY MEN has even been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Packed in a plastic bag with insert card and recommended for ages 5 and up.
My Thoughts
I like what Jeff has planned for these two classic items. The German 88 had been reissued before, but the previous have been minus the barrel section. Jeff has gone the extra mile to replace it. On the MPC Germans, it is amazing that MPC never did them in another color. I am sure these items will be welcome.
Collection Time
Interesting cool news in recast but i have few doubts/questions here.
I got MPC Germans in light tan , caramel brown and grey two shades,dark grey and light grey ,so they had been made in other colors before .The playset sold under Toy street have then in tan.
What extra barrel the Marx 88 mm will have?
The Marx 88 mm i have have like the one in photo ,i have one in black and other in light grey with not firing mechanism , sold as recast to me at a show ,front barrel is exact same or alike if not mistaken ,simple extension barrel and they look as fresh made recently to me .No vintage …I need pull mine and compare to see
So who made it ?
best
When the Germans were out by MPC they were always in gray. Miner did them in a blue. I had not seen the latter colors.
As Jeff said the barrel extension had to be redone as the original was missing.
I saw the 88 versions with the shorter barrel; I think I even got a couple in a larger ebay auction. I’m not fond of the short barrel version, remembering and having a couple of the original. I am a big fan of Jeff’s version – as I am of about everything he’s trying to do.
As far as the MPC Germans in alternative colors I know MPC only did them in gray; I have two various tones, one a bit lighter than the other. I remember getting them as a kid from the local “Sav-Mart.” I bought some recasts in the 90s, with a toy set that had the MPC mountain, tanks, and MPC GIs. But I think back in the 90s someone came out with a “recast” in a dark tan – I have a set or two of them. But it’s been so long I can’t even begin to tell you who did them or where I bought them from. I hope it helps.
Yes i know MPC did then in two shades grey ,light and dark first or originally made under MPC first
I meant to say had been done in other colors as well by others of course using same mold of course.And the later recast colors are very abundant around still .
Jay Horowitz who took over most molds recast then in 80s ,sold under Alpha playset or other names play set till 90s in two shades tan – light brown and also in light grey again .
Also distributed-sold under DURHAM before
KBT sold then as well TRU till late 90s along BMC playsets .
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HILL-TOP-Alpha-Action-Military-PlaySet-Tanks-Soldiers-MPC-RETRO-ARMY-SET-SEALED/184338577216?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225086%26meid%3D5e19d287fabc4c2093c3a449dde734d3%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D164244239259%26itm%3D184338577216%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A8fa32842-b75c-11ea-b161-74dbd1805881%7Cparentrq%3Aeea7d5d61720a9e8f3348c34ffee3ec4%7Ciid%3A1
I just check my 88 mm and have same exact redone barrel in one i have..
Any ways never fun of Marx 88 mm .does not lower in static elevated position one direction howitzer firing ,just rotate .
my thoughts..
The MPC Germans were the 1st set of Germans I got when I went on a Summer trip to Seattle,seem to remember they came in a Plastic case.Was thrilled to finally have some “REAL” enemy troops but even then I wasn’t too thrilled with the poses and even then wasn’t chuffed with what the sub machine gun was supposed to be but they were Germans eh.
Talking about the MPC German with the machine gun I could never work out what the Airfix German infantry figure with machine gun was meant to be carrying. All the other figures weapons were fine looks to me like a modern Italian machine gun.
Airfix pose with LSMG was a BIG screw up by maker and not first made ,It appear the maker try-intent depict the rare USM42 LSMG. Never used by Germans of course but supplied to some partisan units during war .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Defense_M42
Funny part is the Airfix German infantry original set box-pack or large box show soldier with right MP40 advancing in action in art painting while next in left corner a image of figure with wrong weapon .!?
Same in HO set .Only later 14 figures packing and Humbrol/others Airfix release cases omit wrong figure weapons depicted in front cover .
Airfix again made another mistake in the Airfix DAK set ; they did again by portraying one pose with what appear to be a MP 41 never issue to the DAK as produced very limited and less reliable for regular front line action .
Bhttps://modernfirearms.net/en/submachine-guns/germany-submachine-guns/mp-41-schmeisser-eng/
Britain “deetail” made again the same mistake in infantry set with a pose using the rare MP41
Only Airfix alpine and paratrooper Germans set did depict the M38/40 but very small made versus figures as if were toy children guns .
Airfix made several other errors in other sets weapons such US paras with British weapons .
Matchbox did then well in the DAK set but depicted wrong in regular infantry set again with too short barrel MP 40.
It appear British maker could not get it right in what were mean to be historical toy soldier or TOY soldier models as packing says in printing .
While Marx ,mpc ,lido were sold as simple “toy” soldiers figures x kids and the historical detail not taken in consideration much .
Airfix ,Matchox and Britain advertise- sold then as models and or historical figures.Two of then as to be paint with even often correct painting images guide.
I think they did not do much historical simple research when making these figures ,a simple research with few war images will clear show the MP 40 corrected depicted and massive used by Germans where they could had made a correct weapon for the figures.
ESCI figures were far ahead better made as historical figures with very well done weapons and uniforms in most .
Oh well..
my thoughts
You got to wonder sometimes where the toy designers got their ideas from. Depicting the very common MP-38 / 40 should have been a no-brainer, but it got messed up time and again. Britains also did a load of figures with an off-the-wall rifle. Then there’s the mass of Bren Guns that showed up in so many figures like the Cherilea Russians. Another thing that gets me is how often weird prototype vehicles ended up being selected as toy production for WWII vehicles. Stuff like the Timmee armored car (XM-800, I believe) and the MPC tank (M-60A2). I guess it makes for good blog fodder among toy soldier collectors.
Britain’s did a Cowboy firing a Garand!!And their German Motorcycle driver has a Garand strapped to his back,well I guess he could have captured it but a Garand shooting Cowboy??
I think that came out of the sculptor’s imagination. I like that figure and I do my best to ignore what looks like a rolling pin with some bent curtain rod for a weapon. Pretty much all the MPC figures (minus him) have rather nondescript weapons so that they look OK in so much as you can’t see anything really wrong. The Germans, like the Russians, have a few dumb poses though. That one with his hand up and rifle across his waist looks like he’s singing, “Du, Du…liebst mir im Herzen….” Cut his Schnapps ration NOW! A nice standing firing pose would have hit the spot.
Erwin had a good idea on how to use the sword swinging Cossack; giving him a grenade, I might do a few like that. Lowering that arm and putting a rifle in his hand wouldn’t be too hard, but it’s more work than I want to do for that figure. In my MPC/Marx soviet unit, he is used as an Artilleryman or Towed AT Gunner. The Soviet wearing the Budinovka (Dunce cap looking headgear) carrying an AK (another mess up) with his leg up, is another figure of limited value to me. I have gotten some broken ones and turned him into a kneeling figure. I might have shown those conversions/ resurrections on this site long ago. I’m not sure.
Greg, Mars just released their 54mm WWII Russian Infantry & Russian Assault Troops (Heavy Weapons) for your Soviet Army. They also released Finns.
The original MPC barrels were made from wood.
Scroll down on this link to see wooden barrels.
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/toysoldierhq/MPCww.html
I remember the wooden dowels that came with the MPC tanks. Painted silver. When I bought that set in the 90s I just bought some dowels at Lowe’s and spray painted them the suitable (not silver) color.
I remember mine coming with unpainted wooden barrels. I guess I really got cheated!
The Supreme British Infantry are copies of a 1/72 Italeri set:
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1188
The British cavalry are Italeri Dragoons:
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1241
The Marx ’88’ (Flak 36 / 37) had a different, overly complex barrel on it. The ‘short barrel’ was just the toy without the separate cast end piece glued on. It had a weird little nub there and it was rather a cheat to sell it that way. Toy Soldier depot was selling the recasts with their own piece of plastic extension for it, but it had some odd rings on the plastic, at least on the example I saw, that resembled sewer pipe. The new barrel is a simple tube which actually looks more like it should for the gun.
The MPC Germans were done in tan. I have about 80 of them and they match my AF (CTS recasts) DAK guys perfectly. Pics of these guys made it on this site when I was showing the SPGs I’d made. These were sold by ATS Toys.
Thanks Greg you found x me who sold the 88 marx recast w barrel.
No wonder I hot two.
I’m glad u show u MPC in tan too.
Best .
Found the post. The link should take you to the thread. In the pic there are a few MPC Germans in tan.
https://www.stadsstuff.com/?p=3062