Kit opinion(s), Please.

[GARD9]

Hello All,
I am considering a purchase of the following kits and would like to hear your ideas and experiences with them.
Keep in mind that I like to spend the majority of my time painting as oposed to engineering, filling, filing, pinning, etc.... so ease of assembly and good fit is what I'm interested in here. Though I would like to hear if there are other (historical) inaccuracies.
Here's the list......
Harton; Tribal Elder bust.
Poste Militaire; Pawnee bust.
Poste Militaire; Mandan bust.
What have you seen, heard, or done of kits?
Thanks in advance.
G9

 

[Guy]

Hello John,

I am working on the Poste Militaire bust now of the Mandan. Excellent fit with only light sanding of a seam line on the back.

The Poste Militaire Pawnee bust was also an excellent casting and I did one several years ago.

The Harton Tribal Elder bust requires a little more clean-up of seams but nothing outlandish.

I've done all thress and you have chosen excellent kits.

 

[Anders Heintz]

Only have the Pawnee bust, and like Guy said, it is a fantastic bust. Very few pieces and minimal cleanup.

 

[dArtagnan]

Ooops, sorry, forgot to log in, my mistake,

Eddy.

 

[GARD9]

Thanks,
I thought the Poste Militaire pieces would be highly rated, just from what I have read here and some of the other forums. A friend of mine did "Rainy Mountain Charlie" and it was SUPER (both the kit and his work). It would be great if someone bought the molds and reissued these busts (especially Rainy Mountain Charlie).
I was not too sure about the Harton piece as I have not heard much about the kits themselves. I know the blanket on this figure would be difficult for me to paint. I am not fond of the look on the figure's face either. Of course, I'm comparing him to Rainy Mountain Charlie and there is no comparison but, the Harton kit is still available.
I couldn't paint the blanket on Rainy Mountain Charlie either.
Since they are not in production and still highly rated and sought after.....
Is it safe to say that if I found some of the Poste Militaire pieces at or below retail price
that there could be something wrong with them or the deal? ..... Caveat Gyp
G9

PS. Could you tell that I really like the Rainy Mountain Charlie kit? :lol:

 

[nagashino]

Hello John

I understand that a majority of Poste Militaire moulds have been bought by another UK outlet, and are due to be produced and marketed, still under the PM name in the near future. Whether this extends to the busts I don't know, but I'm pretty sure the big-scale Napoleonic figures will be reproduced first.

Maybe Charlie will appear again sometime.

Cheers

Phil

 

[Paul Kernan]

Phil:

I believe Elite has issued the Franco-Prussian figures (Derek Hanson) from the PM line. Not sure about the busts though.

Paul

 

[nagashino]

I believe Elite has issued the Franco-Prussian figures (Derek Hanson) from the PM line. Not sure about the busts though.

Thanks Paul

I learned today that all the PM busts, plus the Native American subjects have been retained by Ray Lamb, with a view to doing something with them. Yes, some of Derek's pieces have been re-issued by Elite. So it looks like the big-scale Napoleonics etc will be seen again soon.


Phil

 

[GARD9]

That is great news on the PM busts! I have heard so many good things about them.
I hope Ray Lamb is planning to release them soon.
I think prices have gone wacky on these based on the "collectible" value.
If these kits are going to be available in the future then, there is less reason to pay
the inflated "collectible" price. So, prices at or near regular retail are not so suspect.
I may have a chance to botch Rainy Mountain Charlie yet. ;-)
Thanks to all of you for your insight.
G9