1970's Marx Fort Apache Playset Sears Exclusive Review

[@jamesmonahanmusic]

These Marx cavalry soldiers were the best cavalry figures that Marx every made. I am your newest subscriber.

[@davydigger708]

The detail is incredible on these figures, especially considering how inexpensive they were! Not to mention - they are tough as nails! Mine may be getting a little bit brittle with age - but these were difficult to break when new - much better than most of those cheap plastic figurines you buy for a dollar today!

[@jamesmonahanmusic]

Wonderful video. 😊

[@davydigger708]

Thanks for complementing!

[@BladeStar-uq6xe]

I had a Fort Apache from the 1960s. I never could get those Guard Houses to stay on the wall. I bought one for my son in the early 90s, but of course the Soldiers were all different sculpts except the mounted Saber and Bugler guys. Ironically, this sparked an interest in the Civil War in my Son, so I bought some 'Gettysburg' Soldiers for him. Then, on his own, he began using Birthday and Christmas money on Diversifying his units! For the Confederacy he found some Dismounted Cavalry and some Tan Confederates. Union he got Green Irish Brigade, about 20 Iron Brigade, and he found a Custer set. He also found some Gatling Guns from a well known Toy Soldier store. He has plenty of Infintry and Artillery, he never was able to get much Cavalry. Most of what he found was dismounted sets.

[@davydigger708]

Cool! By the way, there’s this company called BMC toys that makes all sorts of toy solders and figurines from different eras - some are even based on former Marx molds! I’d recommend checking them out. It’s cool how a toy can spark an interest in a person! I just wish they still made toys like this - I was really fortunate to find this set in such good condition for its age!

[@davydigger708]

Was this one you got in the 90’s new or used? Was it Marx? Marx originally went out of business in 1980, but American Plastics Equipment, or whatever it was called, bought the right to Marx, and tried to recreate the company the 90’s, even bringing back updated versions of some of their old toys from the 50’s through 70’s - though it didn’t last long and ended up going bust a second time.

[@BladeStar-uq6xe]

@@davydigger708 Ah yes, I check out BMC frequently. I'm now buying for my Grandson. He especially likes all the different Timmee colors that are out now. He currently wants White, Yellow, and Purple. He has divided his Armies into Allies and Evil Alliance. Allies; Green Timmee: American's Light Green Timme: American Marines Tan Timmee and British: British Dark Green WW2 Style: Canadian Light Green different WW2 Style: Australian and New Zealand White Timmee: Israeli Japanese: Japanese, after 70 years and Godzilla movies they are now Allies Blue Timmee and Police: SHIELD Evil Alliance; German and Grey Timmee: Arab Coalition Black Timmee: Cubans Red Timmee: North Koreans Russian: Russian Pink Timmee: Hydra, because in my Grandsons words, it's the Sissy color. I also used to own the local Comic Book Store so he's looked at a lot of Captain America and SHIELD comics as well as seen the movies where Hydra runs or surrenders. He only has a few of the White Timmee. Yellow will probably be Chinese, I don't know what side Purple will be on. He has plenty of Timmee Tanks and Armored cars, he wants more Artillery and Air Power.

[@davydigger708]

My brother and used to love playing with his Tim Mee and BMC army men - we played for hours and had all kinds of fun battles - we used to take them other places and have battles in the car or at other people’s houses - or even on vacation as well! We used Lego’s, Lincoln Logs, blocks, etc. to create fortresses and battlefields indoors, or we would sometimes battle outdoors with them as well. I may pick up some for myself sometime. My dream, however, is to get the Marx Battleground playset, although it is a little pricey these days…

[@BladeStar-uq6xe]

@@davydigger708 I got it new. My Grandson has them now. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Marx as they didn't look anywhere near what my 60s Fort Apache looked like. Exception being the mounted Saber and Bugle Troopers.

[@carausiuscaesar5672]

I added to my set with Confederates and more cannons. Many Indians fought for the Rebels including General Stand Watie’s men. Please read the excellent civil war book Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith published in 1957. This book won the Newberry Prize for literature.

[@davydigger708]

Thanks for watching! Did you have the Sears version, or the more common retail version?

[@carausiuscaesar5672]

@@davydigger708 Both and i added more over the years. Got a great group of tall muscle bound six pack stomach injuns in bags made in China labelled CaveMen.

[@davydigger708]

BMC toys makes some great figurines in this style.

[@BladeStar-uq6xe]

​@@davydigger708Ah, that's where my son got his Gatling Guns for his Union forces. Also, my son had a, unique, play pattern. He also got some Alamo Mexican's sets as well as more Native Americans. He would do battles inspired by the movies Cavalry Charge and Major Dundee. Union, Confederate, and Cowboys vs Rogue Mexican Army teaming up Native American's to take back the Southwest. The Native American's usually have very few guns so the Mexican Army and cannons evened the odds a little bit. Mexicans and Indians still all died like 10 times each. The Gatling Guns were just too much.

[@davydigger708]

Sounds like he had a good time!