Vintage Airfix Toy Soldiers At It´s Best!!

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

I have my Fan Art T-shirts online now. Pick your favorite officer. 10 for now but will be adding more. One shop for Europe and one for the US. Europe: toysoldiernostalgiaseu.myspreadshop.net/ US: toysoldiernostalgiaus.myspreadshop.com/

[@london19657]

In 1972, I was ten years old. Myself and two friends would each bring in an Airfix box of these soldiers and battle it out before classes started. I had some Tommies, one friend had these Afrika Korps and the other friend turned up with Japanese infantry. I remember where we were in the playground and everything. Thanks for bringing back that memory. Cheers.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Glad you enjoyed it. Cheers

[@jeffholt9437]

Used to take my 1/72 soldiers round to a school friend's back garden - he moved decades ago but I keep thinking of jumping over the garden wall with a trowel......

[@alansmall3653]

I think you are right, the Afrika Korps set is one of my favourite airfix soldier sets too, perfect in a sandbox diorama!

[@stevenpeiper5538]

Love this, like a portal to my childhood

[@whiteyguitar666]

Memories, Birthdays Christmas soldiers is all I wanted lol

[@ChristopherLightfoot-zu3kb]

My Father would paint my figures before giving them to me as a present. His detail was very accurate. I remember having German Paratroopers, British Paratroopers and many others. I wish I kept all of them. My Father loved models and his mini railway and the living room always smelt of those little tins of modelers paint and glue. That was a real treat to get boxes of soldiers for my Birthday and Christmas presents.

[@mickmo4700]

Best prone machine gunner, best grenade thrower and my second favourite officer. I prefer the British paratrooper officer although I admit the Africa Korps officer is more dynamic. All of the figures are excellent!

[@davidthefirst6195]

I liked the British 8th Army vickers machine gun crew and the US Marines dinghy and crew

[@Historybuff1776]

Great detail on these figures. The creases on their uniforms are very well done. Great video, thank you. 👍

[@Α.ΜΑΝ.324]

I have too this set for me is not just toy soldiers is art work. The artist had done very well job.

[@thecallow2381]

Had all these sets in the 70s ,spent hours painting each one

[@tomsenior7405]

Wonderful stuff. Thank you. I tend to agree with you on the point that these figures are probably the best sculpted from Airfix, but then again, I am somewhat biased. El Alamein was a major turning point for the Allies in WW2. I table-top wargamed my way through desert battles for years in several scales. Of course I am bound to appreciate the quality of Airfix above other manufacturers. There wasn't much else when I was a child.

[@ewmhop]

HAD THIS SET AS WELL AS ALL OTHER AIRFIX SETS IN BOTH SCALES.MY BROTHERS AND I COLLECTED THEM IN THE 70S.THEY WENT WELL WITH OUR AMERICAN MADE SETS LIKE MARX'S.STILL HAVE MOST OF THEM IN MY COLLECTION. TAKE CARE AND SOLDIER ON SIR.

[@dla7674]

I got the 1/72 set of these and the 8th army for Easter one year. Personally my favorite figures from airfix

[@Uncle_Neil]

An excellent set. Quite a difference between the early series with soldiers using their weapons that changed into poses that are doing nothing. Love this set.

[@Roberto-tu5re]

So many memories and looking back maybe one of the best sets going. Always thought the grenade throwing guy should be pushing something, but thats just me .................................... great video.

[@paulbriggs906]

The water bottle sculpts were really done well and look separate. Much better than the gas mask cases. I liked that it drew attention to the water bottles, for soldiers that were fighting in the desert.

[@dieternowatius5062]

My favorite to play with in childhood next the british paratoopers 👍 Plastic Soldiers in natural poses never die 😉

[@jameslynch-h8q]

I had lots of 1/72 and 1/32 ? Soldiers as a kid. From ancient times to WW2. They were brilliant.

[@svensvensson2724]

Definitely one of the best sets. I still don't see any beating the second version british paras. That was a prestige project.

[@unclegargameldgargameld4888]

love your enthusiasm for the figures

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Thanks :)

[@conorduggan6682]

These were my favorite Airfix set in both 1/32 and 1/72.

[@cbradfordgorby3237]

I was in the 5th grade when this set released, and I bought 2 sets - absolutely LOVED 'em. Used them as part of school project about the Afrika Korps along with my Tamiya Panzer 4 and Panzer 3.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Very cool!

[@cbradfordgorby3237]

@@toysoldiernostalgia Yep, I could never ever have enough German military troops when I was collecting that stuff, and the Afrika Korps was my favorite probably in large to how much I enjoyed the TV show "The Rat Patrol" way back when.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

@@cbradfordgorby3237 the ww2 german army just had the best looking uniforms and coolest gear.

[@dansharpe2364]

Funny you mention Star Wars stormtroopers as when I was 9 years old in 1975 and pre-Star wars, I painted my Africa Korps uniforms silvery grey and used them as space troopers after watching the classic movie "Forbidden Planet".

[@jeffholt9437]

And a couple of plastic plates for the C-57 saucer? 😊

[@RickManderscheid]

Nice set , what does a plain box go for?

[@jonathancole833]

These were the first set of German soldiers that I bought. I soon moved on to several boxes of standard German infantry, and started to prefer German troops and equipment generally. After all, they had stylish tanks called 'Tiger' and 'Panther', while the British had ones with names like 'Matilda' !

[@SlumberBear2k]

they're awesome.

[@dermashy]

I always preferred the German toy soldiers as a child , my mother was a bit concerned I think bless her 😂 . Loved the weapons and uniforms , very smart .

[@SuperOthello2]

No doubt about it. My favourite. I still have a couple kicking around but sadly most long lost in the garden of my parent's house.

[@dunc0127]

Another great video...I had thisset as a boy...and I think it may have been my first toy soldier set....lol xxx

[@manweller1]

All your vids help me to time travel for a brief moment. Happiest days of my life

[@AirfixMonster]

Excellent video as always, and for me the best set and the first set i bought as a child

[@glenrich-uu9zr]

My choice is British Infantry Fire Support Unit, posture is great and natural, the engravings is realistic, many asscessiores such as mortar, ammunition boxes, digging tools, and the price is same.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Great set and the first set I got when I was a kid.

[@caw25sha]

5:17 Rommel wore a pair of captured British gas goggles. His most famous order was "never mind about capturing Tobruk, go and capture a pair of goggles." 😅

[@jonathancole833]

I think that he used to plan his campaigns from a captured British 'battle bus', too.

[@caw25sha]

@@jonathancole833 AEC Dorchester I think.

[@ropeburnsrussell]

I'm an HO scale guy, but this is a superior set of soldiers.

[@WarmasAsunnedcat]

Loved this set. I think it’s the set with the most action poses.

[@cheezycatnip8352]

I loved the Airfix German Afrika Korps, I had two sets in 1:72, 1: 1:32 set which was so cool and part of my every day play as a kid (Grenade thrower being the best out of all of the sets - felt realistic). I think I did prefer the German Mountain troops 1:32, but that is because: skis and a horse, just made it different (I will go see if i can find if you did a vid on that)...Love watching all these posts, thankyou for giving me a peak through to simpler times!

[@cheezycatnip8352]

p.s. found the mountain troops vid from around a year ago...brought big smiles...

[@davehallett810]

I had boxes and boxes of these when I was a kid, I absolutely loved them and still do 👍

[@robertbrice2108]

These were my favourite! Thanks for this

[@jasonmussett2129]

They are one of Airfix' s better sets. I bought these for 50 p when I was a kid. Happy days😊

[@ArminDiel]

I had these as child as well! And I liked them better than the german infantry - which I also had - because of their cool caps! And when I had to serve later on, we had a similar cap! Of course I liked it better, than our steel helmet ( Hurra Tüte in german) 🤗

[@faeembrugh]

I'm pretty sure Airfix did a set of US soldiers (and possibly others) where you had different torsos, heads, arms, legs, weapons, equipment etc and you could make up your own figure to suit.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Yes that were the multipose sets. Gear toward scale modellers.

[@johncarroll772]

I would never swap my cherished childhood memories of playing with Airfix figures for any modern computer game

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Me neither.

[@keinkein510]

The Grenade is too all, anyway its a great set.

[@mmascitti]

I had this Afrija Korps set together with the British when I was a kid in the late 70s. 👍

[@peterprow6093]

I work for a model company, really huge and cutting edge. Yet even now, these figures rival anything we make

[@jeffholt9437]

Pete - can you suggest 1/72 Star Wars, Lord of the Rings or Gerry Anderson shows? 😊😊😊

[@zaynevanday142]

It’s a shame the machine gunner didn’t have a No2 Loader like the normal German infantry sets did 🔥

[@pathwaystomodernity7716]

I always thought it looked as if he would choke himself once the belt round his neck started feeding through.

[@jonathancole833]

The only problem with No2 Loaders was that if you happened to lose the machine gunner, they were redundant!

[@OBWanKenobi]

​@@pathwaystomodernity7716he had a separate ammo box when new

[@andrewholt5659]

Brilliant set. Loved the MP40 and prone machine gunner as a kid.

[@jonathanmarsh5955]

​​@@OBWanKenobiI was going to say, when I got a box of Airfix Afrika Korps in 1/32, just before Xmas 1971, they came with a sprue on which were 4 rectangular type ammunition boxes. I'm pretty sure the box was one of the early sandy coloured ones, too!

[@iggystoyparadesoldierrevie1092]

Jerry, another solid review! Thank you!

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Thanks. Great 1960s Airfix you got in your latest video :)

[@MillwalltheCat]

Great stuff. I picked up a mixed lot of Airfix 1/32 figures recently. The British Infantry Support set was my favourite.

[@StephenLyons-tl8ie]

Excellent models and presentation, Mr G.

[@marcelomendoza881]

Very good colection congratulations

[@alexbaumans6493]

I think this was the first set I ever got

[@monkeysa43]

Another interesting video Jerry I’m glad you pointed out about the 1976 box. I have the other two so now on the hunt for the slightly different colour variation.

[@cyberleaderandy1]

Afrika corps are defo my overall favourite set. Do like German, Aussie and British Para officers perhaps more but the set overall is great.

[@chrissanchez2998]

I have these in 172 scale and yes in my opinion they are awesome better than the mountain troops and the regular infantry and yes I like the German paratroopers from airfix to

[@marklatchford9557]

Great video as ever - I'd never even heard of a MP41 before, I always just assumed the sculptor messed up a MP40. Thanks for putting me right!

[@TheMasterNo6]

I have the reproduction version of this set. Its identical in rvery way to the originals. I bought it from a dealer called Drum and Flag on eBay UK at least 8 years ago. He also sold me a reproduction set of Airfix German Paratroopers but in grey. Same quality as the originals. This was before modern Hornby - Airfix started making the hard plastic versions as they wanted the moulds back. I can't recall the brand name Drum and Flag sold them under in loose zip loc bags back then. He also retired from selling a few years ago. Its a favourite set alongside the Matchbox 1/32 DAK set.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

I´m not sue but maybe CTS made them for a while.

[@philipcroft9857]

Brilliant video gerry had these in early 70s

[@1960christos]

Still have this Afrika Corps set ! Back from the 70s

[@pathwaystomodernity7716]

Awesome set the uniforms are probably too tidy for serious modelling types but great for toy soldiers. The 1/72 version mixes caps and helmets which is more realistic. One of the reasons its probably the best set airfix made in that scale.

[@manuelmaggioli9077]

Super set.....

[@73reider]

I had them, Would have bought them circa 1981 so not sure what version i had, Didn`t get the ammunition boxes with the set.

[@mikasammallahti1272]

Airfix toy soldiers are the best looking🤩

[@robertgraves8843]

Airfix seem to have had a strange history. When you look at figures like these. (and their 1/72 counterparts), the designs are superb. The same goes for so many of their figures. But they seem to have taken their ranges up to a point and no further. Think what might have been. I know the time period we're talking about here is about 1970 ish, but considering the popularity of these figures and of the multi pose range, Airfix could have gone a lot further with these. I'm talking specifically about the 1/32 Napoleonic range. I found a bagful of Imperial guard and Highlanders in a charity shop and am currently painting and basing them. Now, I'm on the hunt for more.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Napoleonic cavalry and artillery would have been awesome.

[@rupprechtschippenstiel9495]

@@toysoldiernostalgia Yes, to the sculpting standard of the 7th US Cavalry.

[@DavidEast-u7m]

Excellent film. You have got me collecting Airfix and other 1.32 toy soldiers 😊 One point... There are versions of granade througher with a beard.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Thanks. Never seen that figure 😀

[@DavidEast-u7m]

I'll e mail you a picture 📸

[@DavidEast-u7m]

Did you get my pictures?

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

@@DavidEast-u7m that´s right I forgot to check my channel email. Checked and it looks like a beard but I´m sceptical it´s on purpose. Must have been something wrong with the mold at the time or something. Airfix is not known for changing up things like that. Would be interesting to find out how it happened.

[@DavidEast-u7m]

Been told there's a lot about! Maybe just one mould was faulty or altered?? Best check your sets😊

[@chriswalas9891]

One of my all time favorite sets. Matchbox didn’t match Marx, IMHO, but they were an amazingly close second place. And the Airfix stuff had more character going for it. Love this set!

[@eltenda]

The mg34 gunner running could have been cool

[@olivier3847]

as would all the other additional 1/72 poses if they were upscaled

[@MU-TH-UR]

Those were amongst my fave ever (along with the Matchbox 8th British Army) BUT they lack the hemelts wearing soldiers that are in the 1:72 version

[@josephd27]

Cool looking figures

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Yes they are pretty awesome :)

[@Floreal78]

Another good thing about this set is that since none of the soldiers are wearing shorts it is possible to use or paint them up as german late war infantry in Europe.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Great idea.

[@1bert719]

A friend used a mix of these and standard infantry for German home guard, the cap wearers he used as Hitler youth in the unit's.

[@Pfaltzgraf]

My first set. A Christmas gift 1974.

[@quasar8898]

Great set. I have some of these as recasts from (Hong Kong?). Love to get a few vintage sets. I had these in 1/72 as a kid, loved them. Would have been great to see more poses in 1/32- surrendering, running w/ammo, digging w/shovel.

[@eisbaellsche175]

Funny, that anyone wears a helmet like the matchbox ones. But its nice to remember, that these caps were so present in my childhood because it seemed a lot of former soldiers brought them back from war. Usually common in green a lot of farmers in the 80s here in germany wore them! You can see the options they came with. The sides could be flipped down so your ears could be warmed in winter time... you can see that feature with the africa korps soldiers too...😄

[@creativetimewasting]

Great stuff Jerry 👍

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Thanks :)

[@modrevival168]

Great set, remember thinking their caps were very large 😂

[@instantbadass]

I have clones of these poses that have helmets instead of caps. They served as my Tan elite troops for many years. Need to get the real deal ones sometime.

[@Ianshandle999]

Yes, so were the 1/72nd version

[@jefthing]

No, but they are a very nice set. First time I saw ‘Lost Command’ I wanted to paint them up as French paratroopers but my dad wouldn’t let me do it!

[@jefthing]

Just checked and that would have been March 1974, just 3 months after Christmas when I got them. No wonder my conversion request was refused…😂

[@Emdee5632]

I have the 1/32 scale 29 figures target box (and the 1/72 scale box as well). A fantastic set with amazing details, one of the best! However I do have a couple of things to say. None of them are wearing helmets (I'm fine with that). The smg is a bit weird, a real MP41 looks slightly different. or maybe it's sharing elements of the Italian Beretta M38/42 which were available to the DAK. I still have no idea which of the two smgs this one is. The machinegun is impossible. The barrel is from the MG34 but the receiver is completely wrong. The receiver should be longer, with a pistol grip, not this rifle type of grip. Oh well... Can't remember how often I've let them fight the British Eighth Army set. Sometimes I would add the Japanese Infantry set and let them all occupy and defend a large round rug in my bedroom, and had all my green coloured soldier sets attack them. Most of the time my yellow army won. 🙂

[@pcojedi]

Great video as always. I did not know that Waco TX had a packaging center. I grew up on Fort Hood just 45 minutes south of Waco. Now I need to dig up my Africa Korps box and see if it says Waco.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Let me know it it did.

[@GenghisVern]

mine were 1/72 scale Airfix, sold at a "hobby shop"

[@jonathancole833]

Certainly, 1/72 scale soldiers seemed to have a bigger range of accompanying accessories, i.e. tanks, planes, etc.

[@celtic2405]

In terms of design and level of detail, these are at least the best German Airfix figures. German mountain troops were also very good.

[@muskett4108]

8th Army were their match; great set too. I prefer 1/72 scale.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

8th army is the next video :)

[@johnclarke25]

Have often thought about chopping several figures about to give the afrika korp shorts and helmets to give a bit of variation,mind you havnt done it yet in 52 years so maybe stick with what iv got.

[@englaso54]

Fantastic my all time favorite set from Airfix, many a hour playing with these back in the day. That would be funny seeing you talk out your ass...😅

[@leoncsorba9085]

Excellent video sir 📽❤

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Thank you :)

[@Twirlyhead]

I think the addition of the helmeted figures to the 1/72 version of these really added a lot, particularly as we know all of this set wearing forage caps in combat poses is unrealistic. Great set though.

[@pigeonguardgames507]

It was my first set of Airfix soldiers. Overall, probably the best poses.

[@kevcall]

It used to wind me up that the kneeling rifleman aimed slightly downwards in this set, otherwise yes a favourite.

[@jasonmussett2129]

Some of Airfix' s poses were a little weird 😮

[@ronaldmcdonald8303]

I grew up in the 90s, so I don't remember the 70s or 80s. Do you have any soldiers from any other decade? I kinda miss the 90s, more fun. Today everything good is not allowed anymore. The 90s was sort of a golden age of entertainment games and toys.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

I have some from the 80s but not much from the 90s.

[@ronaldmcdonald8303]

@toysoldiernostalgia Cool. I used to have a computer from 1993, but my dad threw it away when I was 12 in 2001. Never been so upset in my life!!!! I'm trying to get hold of an old floppy 💾 game, but their hard to find.

[@robertpearce2244]

My only point to note is the K98 ammo pouches, they should be two sets of 3, not two sets of 2… Agree on the MP41 pouch too. Another great video, thanks for sharing 😊

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Yes you´re right. Just learnt that today about an hour before reading this. Read through the DAK set reveiws on plasticsoldierreview when researching for another video.

[@wumao6797]

A pity the Matchbox and Esci versions are not in production anymore. Would love to collect all 3 sets.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Did Esci make a 1/32 DAK? I need to get one of those :)

[@eltenda]

A gorgeous set ...frequently " bootlegged"

[@mimmopolichetti2057]

When do the ammo cams were moulded separately from?

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

I´m not sure I understand what you´re asking :)

[@mimmopolichetti2057]

@@toysoldiernostalgia I 'm not sure I understand your answer.

[@DennisRice-h3x]

If I were interested in selling my several different boxes of mine, what would be the best way to do so.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Ebay or local vintage toy show if you have one close.

[@armymenbrazil7798]

Yes, Airfix is the best

[@niallbyrne6853]

Box Art is great but Afrika Korps uniforms were not Tan, Airfix had a set years ago with Brilliant box art in the Correct Olive Green colour , now I know these faded in the Sun and washing etc but these soldiers on the box look pristine so not weathered.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

They are toys so they didn`t need to be historically perfect. I think the set of multipose is what talking about as far as the box art having a different colour uniforms.

[@niallbyrne6853]

@@toysoldiernostalgia Yes I get that, I think I was remembering the HO/OO scale set.

[@davidwong4]

Grenade-throwing guy - perhaps he's throwing downwards from the top of a building or sand dune? If he was throwing normally he'd be leaning back.

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

That´s a possibility.

[@olivier3847]

was the mp 41 actually issued to the afrika korps?

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

I have no clue :) But probably not.

[@privatechannel8462]

Yes

[@privatechannel8462]

No, seriously I mean YES

[@jeffholt9437]

04:10 Wow - hard plastic? Please show these in your next video! - I didn't know these existed and Airfix recently responded to a question I asked - could they do the toy soldiers in hard plastic - by saying the molds weren't suitable?!?! Of course, this may be true of 1/72.....🤔 BTW - thar captain figure is ace and the general sculpts are very high quality - just a shame that these sets are always limited, pose wise....

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

The sets that are available from Airfix right now are hard plastic. Go check out their website :)

[@jeffholt9437]

​@@toysoldiernostalgiaThanks - been and had a look but can't find anything specific - we are talking figures and not multiple? Need to sneak a look ar the hobby shop! 😉

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

@@jeffholt9437 just regular figures not multipose.

[@caw25sha]

3:42 Looks ridiculous. Is he stepping over camel droppings or something?

[@toysoldiernostalgia]

Very strange figure indeed.