The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

Every time I mention building figures, I get some responses about figures being squarely inside the territory marked "here be dragons". Rather similar to the common response to vacforms.
A few years ago, we had a rather successful vacform GB, which had the explicit purpose of luring people into this mysterious uncharted land. So I was wondering, would a similarly exploratory GB for figures be of interest to anyone?

A quick question. Would this be for just a figure or would something like a bike and rider be ok? I do admit I am interested in this one either way.

All the best,

Greg

Gregers wrote:A quick question. Would this be for just a figure or would something like a bike and rider be ok? I do admit I am interested in this one either way.

Just probing for interest right now, so the 'rules' are anything but fixed.

My first impulse would be to say that anything that has one or more figures as a primary component would be in. The question in answer to your question then would be, is the bike an accessory for the rider, or the rider for the bike? Only you can answer that.
Both Miniart and Masterbox have some (motor)bike and rider sets that would be excellent candidates.

Hi Rob.
It's the Tamia WW2 German bike and rider kits I had in mind. I have some to practice figure painting on . I also have a box of German army figures that may suit. All are 1/35 scale.

All the best.

Greg

I'd be interested

Gregers wrote:It's the Tamia WW2 German bike and rider kits I had in mind. I have some to practice figure painting on . I also have a box of German army figures that may suit. All are 1/35 scale.

I'd say they're welcome.

I should point out though that early Tamiya figures are a bit undersized, and don't give you all that much to work with. The riders are a bit basic, but should work well enough. Many of the figures from most of the early Tamiya sets are hard to turn into something satisfying though. Personally, I'd recommend some more modern and/or helpful plastic for a first attempt, but the reverse of that, not practicing on higher quality material, also has some merit.

fredk wrote:I'd be interested

Welcome aboard.

I don't have anything suitable in the stash, but there is a Bandai Storm Trooper somewhere between Japan and Milton Keynes with my name on it if that would count?

iggie wrote:I don't have anything suitable in the stash, but there is a Bandai Storm Trooper somewhere between Japan and Milton Keynes with my name on it if that would count?

I have to say I'm not too keen on that. By all accounts a marvellous kit, and certainly a figure, but it does kind of defeat the exploration of new techniques part, since the stormtroopers are designed to have nothing human or even organic visible. Externally, they're artificial and mechanical, like a vehicle.

By figure, would you include busts ?

If so, would you allow a 'started' one, where I have put on an undercoat/primer but done nothing else to it ? Odd thing I was thinking about digging (literally) that project out of my stash today.

If we can do Braille Scale and/or 35th and above, I would be interested. Would be a good reason for me to dust off a pile of figures in both scales.

jRatz wrote:By figure, would you include busts ?

If so, would you allow a 'started' one, where I have put on an undercoat/primer but done nothing else to it ? Odd thing I was thinking about digging (literally) that project out of my stash today.

That would certainly qualify, on both counts.

gnomemeansgnome wrote:If we can do Braille Scale and/or 35th and above, I would be interested. Would be a good reason for me to dust off a pile of figures in both scales.

I see no reason to be fussy about scale. Let the dust fly

Figures, eh? Aye, I'll try my hand at that

Purplethistle wrote:Figures, eh? Aye, I'll try my hand at that

dun dun duuuuuun!!!!