discussion My Airfix 1/12 Scale Figures from the mid 70's

[Neil Merryweather]

As mentioned in my French Imperial Guard thread I have just found a bunch of these guys that I painted in my teens.


Most of us have long since lost all our adolescent model beginnings, but unlike many mums mine couldn't throw anything away, and I found these when I had to clear her flat after she passed away years ago. So I thought it might be good for a laugh to see what I thought was state of the art when I was about thirteen to sixteen.
I aspired to the likes of Max Longhearst and Bill Hearne,(remember his 1/9 scale BMW crew?) although I knew I had a long way to go.
They are very dusty so I will post them bit by bit as I clean them up.
This is the first one I made, aged about 11, and he won me an Airfix Flying Fortress in a model making competition at the local newsagents .
I repainted him in my later teens.

Happy nostalgia, folks!
Feel free to post your own tyro work here, too,if you have any
cheers
Neil

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Ok, here are a couple more.
Julius Caesar-note the subtle shading effect........

Henry VIII - lost his dagger


Oliver Cromwell - there must be a wart in there somewhere

cheers
Neil

 

[Guest]

So good to see these Neil - such a nostalgia trip, and you're lucky to have them, as my parents threw away everything (attic, fire hazard etc.). And for what it's worth, they are far better than anything I could have done at sixteen. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Neil
A great memory. I'll bet you had as much fun back then as you do with your current work.
Jim

 

[Neil Merryweather]

And for what it's worth, they are far better than anything I could have done at sixteen. Thanks for sharing.

Oh Peter you say ALL the right things, but that's very flattering. Thank you.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Hi Neil
A great memory. I'll bet you had as much fun back then as you do with your current work.
Jim

Cheers, Jim.
In some ways I wouldn't mind a return to that unthinking, unquestioning frame of mind where I just threw the Humbrol at it and was very chuffed!
Now I'm a lot more critical, self-critical and aware of the gulf between my abilities and my aspirations; and of the far superior talent of many others.
But I DO enjoy it, absolutely!

 

[Andy Belsey]

Great trip down memory lane!
Andy

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Welcome aboard Andy!
here are a couple more.

Note the blood on the bayonet :rolling:

what a dull subject this one is!
Thanks for looking
Neil

 

[johnm93]

Fantastic. Was Queen Elizabeth the 1st and Anne Boylen in that series? I remember trying to paint them in about 1976...

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Fantastic. Was Queen Elizabeth the 1st and Anne Boylen in that series? I remember trying to paint them in about 1976...

yes , I did them both but I don't have them now

 

[SimonT]

Great stuff Neil

Looks like all the mouldings were a bit duff really - kind of glad I never managed to buy them apart from Henry and Anne

Henry - I remember texturing all the fur and feathers on mine with the pyrogravure. It was also an early foray into using oils for the flesh trying to follow Shep Paines instructions

You do have Anne Boleyn - she is in that box anyway at the top of the post. Slap bang in the middle with a lot of gold. I seem to remember the actual scheme was dark blue with gold swirly pattern but the pattern was so badly engraved to the point of non existence that you had to try and make it up. There was ivy climbing up the sundial - remember that

Who's the headless wonder on the right?

Poor old Bony looks like he has stomach ache - explains the hand in the shirt :smiling3:

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Yes Ann is there and the headless wonder is Henry, but they are much later attempts at getting my young daughters interested in model making. They didn't bite.......
The Ann Boleyn and Elizabeth I made are long gone.

 

[Dave Ward]

Neil,
those certainly bring back memories - Richard the Lionheart was one of my favourites - the Black Prince, as well, although I was never sure about the large lion on the top of his great helm!
Some of those 1/12 figures must be real collectors items now - Joan of Arc & Queen Victoria - I can never remember from the 70's, and looking on ebay, I see that they fetch high prices....................
Dave

 

[Steve Brodie]

Love them all - eyes are excellent on them nice and central. but my fav has to be Bonaparte's happy expression, and name change :smiling:

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Neil,
those certainly bring back memories - Richard the Lionheart was one of my favourites - the Black Prince, as well, although I was never sure about the large lion on the top of his great helm!
Some of those 1/12 figures must be real collectors items now - Joan of Arc & Queen Victoria - I can never remember from the 70's, and looking on ebay, I see that they fetch high prices....................
Dave

Absolutely, Dave, they were my favourites too-I think it was the separate helms as much as anything.
As for the Black Prince's helm, I may be wrong but I think it actually exists somewhere.
And guess what-?
Those two are the Grande Finale of this stroll down memory lane.
Ta Dah!

Richard I

and a conversion to a crusader (who's lost his lance)


And finally...... The Black Prince



well that's all folks! I hope you have enjoyed the nostalgia trip.
Cheers
Neil

 

[wotan]

Great nostalgia Neil. I really like the look of that crusader he almost looks like a medieval church statue.

John

 

[Guest]

Re the Black Prince. His tomb is about a mile away from where I'm typing this. His 'funeral achievements' ie his armour etc is displayed in a case nearby and replicas hang over the tomb itself:

View attachment 387096View attachment 387095

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Re the Black Prince. His tomb is about a mile away from where I'm typing this. His 'funeral achievements' ie his armour etc is displayed in a case nearby and replicas hang over the tomb itself:

View attachment 387096View attachment 387095

Thank you, Peter. I thought it would be you who would oblige!!

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Great nostalgia Neil. I really like the look of that crusader he almost looks like a medieval church statue.

John

cheers John.
I think he's probably from my later teens

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Love them all - eyes are excellent on them nice and central. but my fav has to be Bonaparte's happy expression, and name change :smiling:

Thanks Steve.
The eyes remind me of Russian or Greek orthodox icons.

and to be fair to my teenage self;

Napoleon - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte born Napoleone di Buonaparte was a French statesman and military leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution

I was at least partly correct, although he had clearly changed his name by the age at which he is represented in the model.