Airfix Romans get a very poor write up regarding their accuracy, poses and quality. That said, I had a few kicking around and thought I would slap on some paint just to see how they turn out.
The figures are quite poor and the weapons and armour are a bit weird, however, after a bit of painting they begin to improve. The question is, do I continue with the Airfix figures or try something better?
They look nice painted and I loved them as a teenager ….. especially with the fort and if course, they did have that ……… chariot!
ReplyDeleteThanks Norm. I have a couple of chariots, maybe one for a general figure? I am beginning to warm to these figures.
DeleteThey aren't terrible figures, but I much prefer my HaT Legionaries, both Republican and Imperial.
ReplyDeleteThe HaT figures are nice, especially the Republican range. I may have a go at a Republican army some time downstream.
DeleteWith a project like this I think the charm is more important than the accuracy. I say carry on!
ReplyDeleteWell said !
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
I have to agree as nostalgia plays a big part in my old Airfix projects.
DeleteLovely to see these old friends, splendid!
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Thank you, I am enjoying the process too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alan. I did enjoy painting them and watching them come to life.
ReplyDeleteNostalgic me would like to see more of these Airfix Romans painted please
ReplyDeleteMessage received. I do have enough for one more unit!
DeleteAs others have commented before me, this is all about nostalgiaa, and the Airfix Romans have that in Spades. Even the frustration with the poses takes me back, especially the the way they try to avoid their shields coming anywhere between them and the enemy. Then of course there is the chariot, every Roman army needs chariots... NOT!
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking about moving the shields around to the front. I will give it a go if I can find the right glue to keep them in place.
DeleteI doubt glue will do it, bend the arm and hold a soldering close (not too close - always better to be too far away) then hold it in place under a cold tap. Alternatively use a pin with a head similar to a shield boss through the shield to hold it firmly in place. All this talk of modifying Airfix figures... someone's bound to mention banana oil for hardening plastiscene - never found any, was stocked by the same outlets that sold tartan paint?
DeleteI meant "soldering iron" or heated pin (I used to heat them in a candle).
DeleteSome good tips there. Thank you. I like the idea of the pin through the shield boss. I will try that. I do remember references to banana oil and in the past I have put a needle through a cork and heated that over a candle for removing flash.
DeleteI fondly remember Bob O'Brien's articles "Romans, Friends and Foes" in Airfix Magazine. He suggested that trick with a pin through the shield to hold it in a more realistic position. He also replace the pila with pins sheathed in small gauge wire insulation and added cloaks made from Plasticene hardened with banana oil.
DeleteAh! Another reference to banana oil! i wonder where you can buy the stuff. There were certainly some super articles on how to get the best from the little plastic soldiers. Old John sent me a series of articles on how to create all of the armies from the Crimean war using Airfix ACW and WW1 figures - ingenious.
DeleteSplendid Bob…
ReplyDeleteThese certainly bring back some memories…
All the best. Aly
Another vote from me for the nostalgia value. Back in the mid 1960's I loved building plastic kits of aircraft, ships, spacecraft, etc. Then at Christmas 1967 I was given the Aurora Roman Bireme warship kit, along with a box of Airfix Romans as crew, my first ever 1/72 / 20mm figures. I had no idea what to do with them so I borrowed Donald Featherstone's "Tackle model soldiers this way" from the local library. The rest is history.
ReplyDeleteLooks like heart will rule over head! I will attempt another batch and I quite like the look of the archers.
DeleteI once bought a model shop's entire stock of Airfix Romans - all 6 boxes. Took me years before I finally painted them up. Actually they aren't all that bad in my view, but I played around with them some. The Syrian archers I sold off/ gave away. A few got a 'below the Waist transplant to become light and heavy cavalry, others got drawing pin round shields to become velites and auxilia. I also scratchbuilt a rather overlarge catapulta crewed by a couple of figures.
ReplyDeleteMy one regret was that I didn't keep the chariots. For some lapse of imagination, chariot racing never entered my head, until long after I had lost 5 of them.
I have had in mind for some time a 'campaign' series of battles, 6 units the side, based upon the Roman Civil War between the Optimates and the Populares. If I ever do put something together, it will appear on my blog...
Cheers,
Ion
Cheers,
Ion
For decades I have not done much with these figures but I am so glad I dug them out. After a dubious start they sprung into life with a bit of paint. At some point I plan to take on the Airfix Ancient Britons. The idea of a mini campaign is interesting.
DeleteMy late brother converted a box of these Romans to Zulus back in the day. I still have a few of them.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like quite a complex conversion project. It was amazing what people achieved back in the day using the basic Airfix sets.
Delete