Vickers WW1 Machine Gun, Somme, 1916

[PropBlast]

I've always had a fascination with WW1 (indeed my Great Great Grandfather died at Ypres). The bravery, sacrifice, and the conditions these men had to endure were a testament in this new industrialized war where the fell in their thousands.
To me one of the most iconic images is of a British Vickers machine gun on the Somme in the summer of 1916 in middle of the bloodiest battle in British military history. It's a complete mystery to me why no producer of miniatures has ever been compelled to offer this to the public. Sure we have loads of German WW1 miniatures yet British one's are still relatively thin on the ground in comparison.
Look at the images below and I think many of you will agree with me -

 

[valiant]

I agree with you here, but the answer is simple - British subjects don't sell as well as German ones -simple economics!!

 

[billyturnip]

I agree with you here, but the answer is simple - British subjects don't sell as well as German ones -simple economics!!

It's a kind of consolation for losing the war.

 

[Henry Schmidt]

I've always had a fascination with WW1 (indeed my Great Great Grandfather died at Ypres).
It's a complete mystery to me why no producer of miniatures has ever been compelled to offer this to the public. Sure we have loads of German WW1 miniatures yet British one's are still relatively thin on the ground in comparison.

WW1 holds my fascination too. My Dad was a Gefreiter in Army Group Rupprecht, 9th Corps I think. My grandfather an Unteroffizer until he was wounded, then a Quartiermeister when transferred to the Marinekorps Flandern. I wish there were more German figures. To me it seems like its all Storm Troopers in masks and the Red Baron. I guess its all a matter of perception.

 

[Mirofsoft]

Well all this exist in 54mm ( since many, many years ) including a machine gun drawn by dogs in the belgian army, side car with Vickers in the UK army, carriages, pigeon loft, MK tank , bicycles, equipments ... British, German, Belgian, French, American
https://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/World_War_One_1_32_scale___Grande_Guerre.html

 

[PropBlast]

While we are on the subject of WW1 does anyone know to get sets of a number of 1/32 54mm British steel helmets?

 

[Mirofsoft]

https://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Army_Equipment-p3.html

 

[Nap]

This is a great subject and would make a fine piece ......providing its commercial of course

Perhaps Tommy's War might do something

Nap

 

[PropBlast]

This is a great subject and would make a fine piece ......providing its commercial of course

Perhaps Tommy's War might do something

Nap

We can only hope someone from Tommy's War is watching this thread or has seen it.

 

[Mirofsoft]

 

[Tommys War]

We can only hope someone from Tommy's War is watching this thread or has seen it.

Someone? There is only me! ;-)

You'll be pleased to know that the Vickers is being sculpted at the moment (digitally, from the original plans) in 1/32 scale and will form part of a release in 2019. The set will be in the 'specials' range and consist of the gun and associated kit, a scenic base plus two figures. The scene will be action and I'm planning on providing head versions with and without gas mask. However, only the machine gun is commissioned at the moment so its all subject to change. I'm hoping to have this available for May for Euro Miniature Expo.

I wish there were more German figures. To me it seems like its all Storm Troopers in masks and the Red Baron. I guess its all a matter of perception

I'll be releasing further German figures in addition to the six Germans already in the range in September 2018;

• TW32CP07 – Grenadier, 11th Assault Bn, Ukraine 1917
• TW32CP08 – Pionier, 5th Storm Bn Rohr, Verdun June 1916
• TW32CP09 – Leutnant, 44th Flieger Bn, Champagne, October 1915
• TW32CP10 – Hussar, 17th Brunswick Hussar Regiment 1915
• TW32CP11 – Leutnant, Fusilier Guards Regiment Ukraine 1916
• TW32CP12 – Oberleutnant, 3rd Guards Reg, Queen Elizabeth, River Sambre 1914
• TW32CP13 – Musketier, 1st Landsturm Bn Deutsch Eylau, Tannenberg 1914

This will take the German range to 13 and while this will make 3 Stormtroopers there is a fair selection of more unusual subjects. The reality is that Stormtroopers are popular subjects and I have to balance the commercial aspect. There will be a further 6 German releases (no Stormtroopers) late 2018/early 2019 to follow taking the German range to 19. There will also be an Italian Marine in September and in 2019 there will be American subjects.

British subjects don't sell as well as German ones

I find the German subjects sell about the same levels as the British. It does depend on the subject, Western Front outsells Gallipoli/Middle East subjects every time, dynamic (action) poses outsell static subjects.

It's always worth checking my blog for information; Tommy's War blog

 

[PropBlast]

Someone? There is only me! ;-)

You'll be pleased to know that the Vickers is being sculpted at the moment (digitally, from the original plans) in 1/32 scale and will form part of a release in 2019. The set will be in the 'specials' range and consist of the gun and associated kit, a scenic base plus two figures.

Thank you for such a comprehensive reply. Look forward to all the new releases. Will the Vickers gun and kit be available as a stand alone as without the scenic base and figures?

 

[Tommys War]

Will the Vickers gun and kit be available as a stand alone as without the scenic base and figures?

I've not really thought that far ahead, I don't see any reason why not though.

 

[PropBlast]

I've not really thought that far ahead, I don't see any reason why not though.

Now that would be great! Although I'm new to this modelling lark I do know what I like. I grew up reading the superb Charley's War comic strip and that was (and still is) a massive influence on me. It superbly portraits the grim futility of the war in every sense of the word and I can see myself in the future concentrating on the darker subjects and horrors that the men had to endure.