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Toy Soldier HQ 1/72 Sales Lists
Airfix is recognized as the number one "HO" 1/72 figure manufacturer of the 1960s-1970s. Their figures were the first to be mass produced and sent around the world waiting for kids to find them in hobby shops. I still remember waiting for new sets to come out. It was great to be a kid in the 50s-60s. Now the many box variations are eagerly sought after by collectors. Airfix was sold in the late 1970s to a conglomeration (CPG CO) then on to Heller and Humbrol. Humbrol has released a few sets over the last 15 years. Also Heller, HaT Industrie, and IMEX have released Airfix 1/72 sets in their own packaging. Please use the above link to visit Eric Williamson's Airfix web site. This is the best site of its kind and there is much information to be absorbed and enjoyed.
TYPE ONE BOXES WITH FRONT WINDOWS
NONE.
TYPE TWO BOXES BLUE EDGE WITH RECTANGULAR LOGO. SOME OF THESE BOXES MAY HAVE A REAR WINDOW AS NOTED (RW = rear window) boxes have black rectangle on end flap.
NONE
TYPE THREE BOXES BLUE EDGE WITH ROUND LOGO on side and end flap.
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TYPE FOUR BOXES WHITE "STRIPE" DATED 1974-78 At this point some distributors started shrink wrapping the boxes.
NONE
TYPE 5 BOXES TALL BOXES AFTER CPG TAKE OVER CIRCA 1980-82
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TYPE SIX BOXES MPC ISSUE BOXES 1982-84
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TYPE SEVEN HUMBROL BOXES CIRCA 1980s. When Humbrol put out figures they used up the stock on hand in the factory and then made the figures in new colors. Hence yellow Waterloo figures are hard to come by in these boxes. Then about 1990 Humbrol started using even more new colors.
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As you can see several companies have had access to the old Airfix molds. Currently (2008) Hornsby is putting some sets out again (unfortunately including the old ESCI WWII British in a box now marked AIRFIX!!!). We will list the sets by their old Airfix numbers, keeping in mind that some of the later makers used their own numbering system. Figure colors may vary almost by random.
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15.00 0863 Series No.3 American Infantry Battlefield Diorama Kit, sealed, 1/76.
7.99 72017 Half-orcs set3; 40 Figures in 10 poses (4 sprues). Made in grays. (2 IN STOCK)
7.99 034 Orcs Catapult; 8 Figures in 4 poses +2 catapults, Made in cream. (1 IN STOCK)
Here are scans of the various box styles ESCI used in the approximate order of their appearance. Please note that at some point about half of the sets were put in a red box and half in a green box. No one seems to know why two different styles were used at the same time.
2. Red Window
3. ESCI/AMT
4. ESCI/ERTL
5.A Toys
6. Red
6. Green
7. China
Picture courtesy Plastic Soldier Review.
10.00 ESCI 218 box Napoleonic Polish Lancers (3 GREEN BOX GRAY IN STOCK)
Picture courtesy Plastic Soldier Review.
10.00 ESCI 230 box Napoleonic British Cavalry, (2 IN STOCK)
9.00 515 Mexican Cavalry- The set has 14 Cavalrymen in 6 poses + one pack team leader + 14 horses in 6 poses and 4 donkeys in 2 poses; (1 IN STOCK COLOR MAY VARY).
10.00 6067 Napoleonic Prussian Infantry, Three identical sprues as seen above so 48 figures in 16 poses + 3 horses. Made in light tan. (6 TAN IN STOCK)
Lucky Toys is an Italian firm whose figures are made in Russia.
14.00 Lucky Toys 0005 Austrian Uhlans, 13Rgt. Von Trani 1856-66 - This set has 16 figures in 4 poses and 16 horses in 4 poses (4 identical sprues). Like the other new sets the figures are thin. Made in light gray. (2 IN STOCK)
12.00 Valdemar 001 Medieval Army on the March; 14 figures (mounted figure represents Robert the Bruce) + 1 horse and 20 accessories. Made from two molds we have sets with the horse sprue in gray and the other sprue in greens and blues or the horse sprue in darker green with the other sprue in green. So no set will have matching colors throughout. Also there is no box or packaging. Care will need to be taken when cutting the pikes & lances from the sprue as they are tight against the massive sprue ( see inset picture above lower right). Still a nice effort for a company that has been making only resin figures until now.(1 IN STOCK)
12.00 8031 Carthaginian Numidean Cavalry; 17 Figures in 5 poses + 17 horses in 3 poses. Light tan.(3 IN STOCK)
12.00 Zvezda 8072 Dragoons of Peter I, 1701-1721; 19 Figures in 9 poses, 3 foot poses, 6 mounted poses + 16 horses. Made in gray.(1 IN STOCK)
12.00 Zvezda 8079 "Black Hussars" of Frederick the Great; 19 figures in 9 poses + 19 horses in four poses. Made in gray. Picture courtesy Plastic Soldier Review. (4 IN STOCK)