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Re: Lost Strelets Sets

Gerd
Hello Asher,

yes, there are such sets that were never made.

As a boy, I only knew the figures in 1:32 and 1:72 from AIRFIX.

In the last active years of AIRFIX before the first bankruptcy in 1981, they reworked many of their old figures from the early 70's. These significantly improved sets first came out as 1:32 versions, but were then mostly quickly brought onto the market as 1:72 sets as well.

Because I'm from Germany, I was absolutely thrilled in 1976 when the 1:32 set "Modern German Infantry" was released, which depicted soldiers from the German Bundeswehr.




However, since I was collecting 1/72 figures at the time, I've been waiting for the 1/72 set to come out for years.
Every 2-3 weeks I stopped by our local toy store and checked the shelves to see if the set was out. Because there was still no internet etc. where you could look it up.
The shopkeeper was an elderly gentleman who always comforted me. He always said: "My boy, you have to be patient. You often have to wait a long time for the most beautiful things in life."

I only found out about the bankruptcy of AIRFIX in 1981 years later, because the shelves in the shops were still full of kits and figures from AIRFIX until around 1988.

And so the never manufactured 1:72 set of the "Modern German Infantry" has become the "lost set" for me.
Ah! que de souvenirs avec mes premiers kits Airfix. Pendant des années, j'ai eu les même gestes que vous. Attente, attente et encore attente (comme vous le dites sans internet). Mais aussi que de bonheur, lorsque le kit tant attendu se trouvait dans la vitrine, proposé à l'achat . . . . . . Merci Gerd pour ce rappel . . . . .

Hervé

Re: Lost Strelets Sets

It's great to hear from both of you Gerd and Zouave! Unfortunately I was not apart of this pre-internet world, and missed out on such experiences as this. As for airfix, being that they are still a very active company it's a shame that they do not produce figures anymore. A lot of lost opportunities for sure. Along with your Modern Germans, I should add that I was pretty disappointed when they cancelled their new WWI sets for the centenary several years back.

Re: Lost Strelets Sets

Dear Asher,

I have followed a similar path to you with Strelets' figures for the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–8. I only got 'into them' in their own right in past couple of years. They are wonderful figures aren't they?

I saw that listing of the never-completed Romanian infantry on one of the boxes for the extant sets. Another of the 'plans of mice and men', to adapt Yuri's oft-stated point on this forum...!

For my own purposes I have settled on fill-ins or conversions for the Romanians:
• Strelets M053 Sardinians as the Romanian chasseurs;
• Strelets 108 Russian Hussars with peak removed and bag added; on Airfix British hussar horses as Romanian cavalry;
• HaT 8200 WWI German Infantry with helmets cut to hats as Romanian line infantry/Dorobanz;
• either the Russian or American Civil War artillery will be fine for the gunners.

I have some of the infantry, undercoated and ready to be 'brought to life' in my long painting queue.

Cheers, James

Re: Lost Strelets Sets

I like those ideas James. I might just have to explore them myself. Can I ask what you’ve used for your uniform sources? And have you done any Bulgarians yet. I think you may have inspired me to get back into this period

Re: Lost Strelets Sets

My missing set would be set#/Code 129
Napoleons General Staff set 3.

Been listed as in preperation for a long time now. Maybe its even more unlikely perhaps, with things being the way they are now.

Was hoping it would be a mounted set of "named" generals for the 100 days/Waterloo. D'Erlon, Reille, Lobau, Donzelot, Marcognet, Foy, Jerome, Bachelu etc. Maybe some cavalry division commanders too like Milhaud. Throw in a couple of ADC's just to complete the set!

Utilising the new standards in sculpting, such a set would of been fantastic. Especially as there is a lack of comprehensive Napoleonic mounted general staff in 1/72. Only place I have seen such a set for French, British/Allied or Prussian staff is in Newline metals in 20mm, but they come up small compared to most 1/72 figures.
The Waterloo 1815 1/72 Prussian staff set seemed to promise to help the Prussian contingent......only to be made completely out of scale! 😠

Re: Lost Strelets Sets

Roger, i find remounting the Newline generals on horses from the various Italeri command sets, works well, the smaller size of the figure is less obvious on the larger horse.

Re: Lost Strelets Sets

I have several of the Newline generals (in addition to infantry and cavalry figures). Like them all.

Nice idea Bob. Another option that I use is to 'pump up' the stands. I add a piece of plastic card below the metal stand before affixing them to my plastic card bases. This raises horse and rider up to the level of a 1/72 figure.

Cheers, James

Re: Lost Strelets Sets

I get what you guys are saying in regards to the Newline figures, and I have indeed put them on different horses in the past or given infantry a "booster". I too like the general staff sets that Newline sell. I have a good few of the British light dragoons too. Brunswick artillery also are in my collection. I have also used kneeling at the ready poses to help make up shortfalls in kneeling figures for infantry squares.

But its the proportions as a whole which just seem to make them look awkward if put among proper 1/72, different horses or not.
They are ok if placed among themselves or among a mass of troops, but if you have something like a general thats a sort of centerpiece, with various ADC's, line Colonels etc around them, it can end up looking a bit like a "take your child to work day"!!

But yes, in the absence of anything more suitable, my Newline generals will have to keep serving for now.

Re: Lost Strelets Sets

For me it is Hat's set of 1812 Russian infantry that never came to be. Mind you, if they had been produced along the same lines as their helmeted Austrians and Peninsular cavalry, it was probably for the best and saved me some disappointment. But, we'll never know now, do we?

Re: Lost Strelets Sets/Interview with Anton Derbilov

Here is an amazing interview with our favorite sculptor: https://gwaramedia.com/en/from-miniatures-creator-to-national-guard-soldier-story-of-anton-derbilov/

If I am not mistaken, he may have been the sculptor for Strelets, Linear-A, Redbox and the nice recent Mars sets. His entire future work and life lost. A huge loss for our hobby, devastating like a nuke. A much bigger loss for mankind and his family.

Re: Lost Strelets Sets/Interview with Anton Derbilov

If I am not mistaken, he may have been the sculptor for Strelets, Linear-A, Redbox and the nice recent Mars sets. His entire future work and life lost. A huge loss for our hobby, devastating like a nuke. A much bigger loss for mankind and his family.


Hello Jan,

There are so many valuable human lives that are lost there forever...

It really is a shame at a time when we have long since recognized that only peaceful cooperation can help the peoples of this earth.
And I had hoped that this would have gotten into the minds of politicians worldwide...

Re: Lost Strelets Sets/Interview with Anton Derbilov

Dear Gerd,

the current war is most unfortunate, and I am heartbroken about every human being who is harmed by the violence.

Once the war is over, I hope that Strelets will be able to fulfill Anton Derbilov's wish and honor him with an Ukrainian army set, and many other sets dedicated to the men and women in uniform who were ordered or volunteered to fight in this current war. I would love that. Currently you can only find painted resin figures from China for $40-80 per set on ebay.

' Have you come up with ideas for future work during the service?

Of course. From the beginning of the full-scale war, I was asked, “Maybe when the war ends, you will start making soldiers of the Ukrainian army?” Of course, I will. But the war has to be ended first. Then I need to return home and return to the profession. I really hope that then everything – both hands and eyes – will be with me.'

To the immortal soul of Anton Derbilov, the genius artist, brave warrior and true hero, who now resides in the afterlife: I bow my head to you and I wish that peace, friendship and harmony may soon return to the people of Europe, and that your loved ones may always remain safe and unharmed.

Re: Lost Strelets Sets

Ha! Isn’t that the truth Thomas. I never did understand how HAT was so inconsistent. They’d produce beauties like the Peninsular British Infantry and then proceed to release sets in the quality of the Peninsular cavalry as you mentioned. Very hot and cold.