Search found 51 matches for 1

Fantastic find - great addition to your Matrix set-up. I definitely enjoyed the #1 story best, although #2 Trinity on that Ducati 996 would be fantastic, if a bit tricky to source in 1:6? Great photos!

Guys, do you think these neck pegs will work on Rukawa's head? Which one do you guys think is the best option?


Peg #1


Peg #2

GubernatorFan wrote:Why couldn't they call her Volcanic Warrior or something?

Maybe they did call her "Volcanic Warrior," and then it's another of those Google Translate things (though I suppose Google wouldn't introduce a geographical Proper noun).

Irony #1 is that the only connection whatsoever to Pompeii/Volcanic is the lava ground in the promo pics, and yet this is the one time (thankfully) TBL didn't make a base, so any connection fails entirely. Irony #2 would be that there can't even be any awareness whatsoever of Pompeii in any time period that would be consistent with her sword/shield/gear. It would have to be pre AD 79, or post 1693 (rediscovery), and nothing inbetween.

Inexplicable figure, with no feature (to my taste at least) that would engage me. The Orange version has a very Assassin's Creed look to my eyes -- was there maybe anything in those games about Pompeii?

ACE
Playgirl Series - U.S. Vietnam War Play Company
--
Noted: Depicted on a SD Suntan bust (=Tbleague new suntan)

ACE Playgirl Series #1 by Randam Hajile, auf Flickr

ACE Playgirl Series #1 by Randam Hajile, auf Flickr

Brand: mmmtoys Name: Iron Sentry Tower Item No.: M2207/M2208 Weight: M2207A: 3960g M2207B：3800g M2208: 1940g (subject to the actual shipment of the factory) Material: metal, resin, wood Size: L/W/H: M2207: Oil Drum: 5.5×10×10cm Wood plank: 32.5 × 50× 1.5cm Main body of the iron watchtower: 30×50×20cm M2208: Plank: 30×30×1cm Main body of the iron watchtower: 18×12×30cm Cut-off time: June 27, 2022 Shipment time: Q4 2022 Note: Windows and doors can be opened and closed List: M2207A: Oil Drum×1 Planks × 1 Brick × 10 The main body of the iron watchtower × 1 M2207B: Plank × 1 Brick × 10 The main body of the iron watchtower × 1 M2208: Plank × 1 Brick × 10 The main body of the iron watchtower × 1



















#newproduct #mmmtoys #IronSentryTower #1/6&1/12 #accessory #diorama

GubernatorFan wrote:Very gnarly indeed, great weathering. It does have the added benefit of creating more association between the cloak and the armor.

Cheers! Well it was fun to do and does what it's meant to since his base is going to be kind of the battle field of the last united stand/war thing but mixed in with the volcano of Mount Doom/Amon Amarth/Orodruin hence the black and grey ash in the weathering.

Ovy wrote:I think the light reflection on those red eye lenses make him look very interesting, nice contrast between rough heavy metal and  even perfect round red baubles. Gives him some soul.

Speaking of heavy metal, ringwraiths and Sauron #1 looke very HËVY MËTÜL \m/

I haven't used lenses at all, that's just the LED reflecting in the eye sockets, pretty cool effect though! And with you talking about Heavy Metal (I've been a Metalhead since I was eleven so 35 years?) it reminded me how much this version of Sauron looks like DIO's iconic devil used on most of their album covers (like Eddie for Iron Maiden).

BRILLIANT ALBUMS!!

I think the light reflection on those red eye lenses make him look very interesting, nice contrast between rough heavy metal and even perfect round red baubles. Gives him some soul.

Speaking of heavy metal, ringwraiths and Sauron #1 looke very HËVY MËTÜL \m/

Ovy wrote:Awesome, especially like what's happening in the background of pic #2, quite some dynamic in there, also the punch and flying in #1.

I love how Buddha is keeping his calm next to them. :p

Thanks Ovy! At this stage Dax, is fighting to stay in that jeep! BUddha on the over hand looks less than impressed!

GubernatorFan wrote:Excellent photography and poses. Daxter looks great in action, and the M32 body works very well, especially fully clothed, although I still prefer the M33 in general. I just noticed (again) that M33's arms are overly long, but that this is true for other TBLeague male bodies too, though perhaps a little less apparent. The bad guys are nicely done too. The head sculpt of the guy in the white suit and Hawaiian shirt looks familiar but I can't quite place it -- what is it?

Many thanks Ian! I will agree the 33 is a much more muscular body and probably my fave too, but the 32 works well for soldier types like Dax . As for the head sculpt, that came with a 1940's style adventurer set. That set was out probably at least fifteen plus years ago (Yikes!)

TravelGuide wrote:Some great action pics here

Thank you!

Xavion2004 wrote:Always a treat!  I made a similar comment on ElBundy’s ongoing thread, but you also have a gift for creating compelling kitbashes of figures.  None of them look random to me.  They all seem to be assembled with their personalities and backstories already in place.

That is so kind to say, I do try to work out my characters before I show them.

Stryker2011 wrote:Excellent action shots. The composition of the photos is excellent.

Cheers Mark! really pleased you enjoyed them!

Awesome, especially like what's happening in the background of pic #2, quite some dynamic in there, also the punch and flying in #1.

I love how Buddha is keeping his calm next to them. :p

Diana wrote:

BAMComix wrote:Dax is on a M32, less bulk as the 33 but nicely toned.

HE IS???
I actually have one in the box that I haven't used, because the Bruce Lee body seemed very specific. I had no idea he could look like this!
I guess it's time to take him out of the packaging after all!

Yeah, the M32 is more versatile than one might think. I think the promo pics focus too much on Bruce Lee and he is often posed with straight T shaped shoulders, but if you let him relax a bit, especially when you let the shoulders hang down, it becomes universally athletic.

I use is on the "Southern Warrior" for example and shaped the armor onto him and ReverndSpooky is using it for St. Crow for example wearing a biker vest, looking very lean. The Latissimus is still exploding but seems way less extreme.

This story is just, like, Coolsville, man![/quote]

Yay!! Thank you davidd for the high praise. Nothing better than Coolsville.  

GubernatorFan wrote:Rocket Man... how appropriate! Very nicely done. Love the rocket pack right after the "four hours later," the uselessly pacifist alien, and the convenient delay in the attack of the critters.

Hehe, thanks Ian. There were some other songs on my list, but I thought that the most obvious well-known choice. The other option would have been (to accentuate davidd's comments):


I had to find a reasonable excuse for Val'Turr's (current) limited posability. Maybe he will have no choice but to get more mobile in a future installment.  

Diana wrote:

That was awesome!!! So he's a tinkerer, too!
And what a great reveal! Beautiful shots.

Yes he is! I tried to emulate the same process I myself went through while putting that thing together - and how much of a fun mess it was! Thank you again, happy you enjoyed.

Ovy wrote:Val'turr (of course there has to be an apostrophe) might be one of the cutest things I have seen yet in 1/6 and I have seen all those gophers, baby pigs and baby Yodas. He looks so sleazy and cool with that open jacket and green Cantina band guy head. Propably a smooth jazz version of Cantina Band #1 plays as his theme song. Or a western version once he has that hat (very fitting) I hope you make him a recurring or core character with an Expansive backstory we learn bit by bit.

Those shots were Cadeus is just standing there with his jetpack ready to take off look really epique, you could turn them into a movie poster. And of course the backpack has a baby backpack.

See you Space Cowboy...

Well sir, I am honored that my most random creation yet made the list for cute critters alongside the likes of Baby Yoda! You are indeed right about the hat, though his head is so huge it's difficult to find a proper-fitting one without a strap of some kind. If anyone has seen the movie Paul you know where I got the idea...


I see what you mean about the 'epic movie posters' idea. And nice example, of course I'm a Cowboy Bebop fan too, I even kinda enjoyed the new live-action Netflix adaptation. I'm gonna play around with some caption ideas for the next photos, though my skills and cleverness in that category aren't quite on the level of GubernatorFan with his romance novel covers.

Theboo-bomb wrote:Cade looking like a space cowboy is so good, that rocket pack is really good too. And Walter is such a chill dude.

Thank you, it is a suave new look for him, huh? And of course Walter has to be the zen one to level things out. Glad you're digging them both and their new gadgets, more to come soon.  

BAMComix wrote:Awesome stuff!

Thanks man, I appreciate you checking it out!

Stryker2011 wrote:Ha! That was fun. Love the blown up hand as the reaction to the venom. That jet pack is something else. And I’m impressed with how you used the old Hasbro Cantina band parts to make Val’Turr.

Haha, I have been waiting a long while for the opportunity to use that goofy oversized hand in an actual project. I am also pleased it fit in so well for comical effect.

So I am really glad of how well the jetpack turned out and has been received. I've been wanting a jetpack to implement into some flight scenes for some time now. I was considering buying one off of Ebay (probably would have been a Mandalorian/Boba/Jango Fett version), then I decided I wanted something more unique and started sorting through my junk box. Ended up using some Transformers scraps, bendy straws for the pipes, glued to an older backpack I had for the base. Then a repaint and light weathering.

Val'turr (of course there has to be an apostrophe) might be one of the cutest things I have seen yet in 1/6 and I have seen all those gophers, baby pigs and baby Yodas. He looks so sleazy and cool with that open jacket and green Cantina band guy head. Propably a smooth jazz version of Cantina Band #1 plays as his theme song. Or a western version once he has that hat (very fitting) I hope you make him a recurring or core character with an Expansive backstory we learn bit by bit.

Those shots were Cadeus is just standing there with his jetpack ready to take off look really epique, you could turn them into a movie poster. And of course the backpack has a baby backpack.

See you Space Cowboy...

That's insane. I am actually planning/working on a knight with a pigfaced Bascinet and a breastplate or brigandine covered in blue fabric with silver studs. A bit similar to knight #1 Although the rivets feel oversized.

I think the tilt of the Bascinet is an optical illusion because of the tip's length, in frontal view it might look even. Was interested to see how detailed the attachment of aventail to helmet rim was, but they kinda cheated there with no holes to attach it.

The green one's helmet looks out of place.
Dolph Lundgren?

I kinda like the Vincent D'Onofrio with a stache. The pig face is cute and I like the armor overall, again with the fabric covered cuirass, although not sure how it is attached.
And history had much cuter smiley helmets.


The last one I don't really  like. It's awesome he has a metal plated coat, but the large flat rivets look weird, like Neodymium magnets holding the metal plates.

Chainmail on all of them looks kinda fluffy, but 1/6 chainmail is 1/6 chainmail. And some weird weapon choices, agree.

GubernatorFan wrote:A sleeping guard... might be like an inside joke like those cartoons in manuscripts... I can't swear to it, but I think I have seen something like this somewhere before, but not the same.

I am not sure, didn't some robin hood figure wear one?
Well and there were quite a few lamellar suits, especially on eastern warriors.
And there are these Chinese eight banner uniforms, which are made to look like they are older plated coats but are actually cosplay dress outfits for 16th century Qin dynasty parades, with no metal plates but just the rivets for fancyness.

Oh an look, these medieval builders were real jokers, hiding astronauts.

shazzdan wrote:How come these figures always have flails with a chain just long enough to crush the fingers that are holding it? A little shorter or a little longer and it would be fine.

I generally wonder why flails are so popular but we see so few other blunt weapons.

So, let me get this straight. Finally we get a BttF (1) Doc Brown (as opposed to BttF II) to go with the Marty and the DeLorean they sold me, like, years ago. Still suffers inexplicably from the exaggerated facial expression, so HT must think that he kept it non-stop through all the movies. (I'd love it if it was one of a 2 head set, but too limiting to be the one and only, esp same on two figures).

But if I get this Doc Brown Deluxe, then HT will have received from me my Marty(#1) $ + my DeLorean $ + my Doc Brown Deluxe $, and yet, I don't get Einstein? unless I buy Marty again??? And they even rub it in by giving Doc Brown a chronometer that goes on Einstein. Boy, they're not thinking fourth-dimensionally.

Product：VSTOYS
Name：The Queen's sofa
Scale： 1/6
No/size/Weight：
21XG78A/B/C/D：21.5*16.5*24CM ：1KG
21XG79A/B/C/D：25.5*19.5*35CM ：1.3KG
21XG80A/B/C：28*28*13CM ：1KG

Material：resin

Perorder is available before：September 13, 2021
Release date：Fourth quarter of 2021




























Product：VSTOYS
Name：The Queen's sofa
Scale： 1/12
No/size/Weight：
21XG75A/B/C/D：13.5CM*10.5CM*15CM ：0.18KG
21XG76A/B/C/D：16CM*12CM*21 CM ：0.3KG
21XG77A/B/C：17.5CM*17.5CM*7.5CM ：0.6KG

Material：resin

Perorder is available before：September 13, 2021
Release date：Fourth quarter of 2021







#newproduct #VSToys #GoddessChair #base #furniture #accessory #1/6&1/12

1 plus TOYS AT-003 1/6 West Chu Bawang Item Feather Black Gold Edition and Black Copper Edition and Deluxe Edition 3 AT-003A Black Gold Edition is scheduled to send a Ding AT-003B Black Copper Edition is scheduled to deliver a Ding AT-003C Deluxe Edition is scheduled to deliver 2 Dings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 plus TOYS West Chu Bawang's Feather AT-003 Item feather (232 B.C. - 202 BC), Tang and Song classics recorded for the Zhou Wang people of the descendants of the state, leaving behind four-faced churn Hongmen banquet overlord Becky broken kettle sinking boat Wujiang self-confessed and other historical deeds of the feather god Yong is no different





















========================================
Product, Brand: 1 plus TOYS West Chu Bawang Xiang Yu Name: Name: Black Gold Edition Feather Scale scale: 1/6 No. No. No.: AT-003A Weight Weight: Material material: Metal resin PC ABS size size: The puppet is about 36 cm tall Perorder is available for interception: September 15, 2021 Release date shipping date: Q4 2021 Notice Note: Adult toys over 12 years old (Ding booked to send one) Selling point selling point selling point: Xiang Yu (232 BC - 202 BC), Tang and Song classics recorded for the Zhou wang people of the descendants of the state, leaving behind the embattled Hongmen banquet overlord Becky broke the kettle sinking boat Wujiang self-proclaimed and other historical deeds of the feather god Yong is no different List list: 1. Head carving X1 2. Body X1 3. Hand-shaped five 4. Metal sword × 1 5 MetalLica gun ×1 6 Metal Baron Ding (booked to send one) 7 Overlord Flag X1 (Metal Flagpole) plus (Epoxy Base) 8 Black gold armor X1 set (including metal swallowing shoulder beast and metal swallowing waist beast) 9 Octagon bracket platform X1 10 Cape X1 11 Yellow and black robe X1 12 crown×1 Uniform official price: RMB1240




==============================
Product, Brand: 1 plus TOYS West Chu Bawang Xiang Yu Name: Name: Black copper version of the feather Scale scale: 1/6 No. No. No.: AT-003B Weight Weight: Material material: Metal resin PC ABS size size: The puppet is about 36 cm tall Perorder is available for interception: September 15, 2021 Release date shipping date: Q4 2021 Notice Note: Adult toys over 12 years old (Ding booked to send one) Selling point selling point selling point: Xiang Yu (232 BC - 202 BC), Tang and Song classics recorded for the Zhou wang people of the descendants of the state, leaving behind the embattled Hongmen banquet overlord Becky broke the kettle sinking boat Wujiang self-proclaimed and other historical deeds of the feather god Yong is no different List list: 1. Head carving X1 2. Body X1 3. Hand-shaped five 4. Metal sword × 1 5 MetalLica gun ×1 6 Metal Baron Ding (booked to send one) 7 Overlord Flag X1 (Metal Flagpole) plus (Epoxy Base) 8 Black copper armor X1 set (including metal swallowing shoulder beast and metal swallowing waist beast) 9 Octagon bracket platform X1 10 Cape X1 11 black robe X1 12 crown×1 Uniform official price: RMB1240




=============================
Product, brand: 1 plus TOYS West Chu Bawang Xiang Yu Name: Name: Luxury Edition Feather Scale scale: 1/6 No. No. No.: AT-003C Weight Weight: Material material: Metal resin PC ABS size size: The puppet is about 36 cm tall Perorder is available for interception: September 15, 2021 Release date shipping date: Q4 2021 Notice Note: Adult toys over 12 years old (Ding booked 2) Selling point selling point selling point: Xiang Yu (232 BC - 202 BC), Tang and Song classics recorded for the Zhou wang people of the descendants of the state, leaving behind the embattled Hongmen banquet overlord Becky broke the kettle sinking boat Wujiang self-proclaimed and other historical deeds of the feather god Yong is no different List list: 1. Head carving X2 2. Body X2 3. Hand-shaped five sets of two 4. Metal sword × 2 5 MetalLica gun ×2 6 Metal Baron Ding X1 (booked to send another one) 7 Ancient Houses X1 8 Overlord Flag X1 (Metal Flagpole) plus (Epoxy Base) 9 Black gold armor X1 set (including metal swallowing shoulder beast and metal swallowing waist beast) 10 Black Copper Armor X1 Set (including metal swallowing shoulder beast and metal swallowing waist beast) 11 Octagon bracket platform X2 12 Cape X2 13 Yellow and black robe X2 14 crown×2 Uniform official price: RMB2480




#newproduct #1+Toys #XiChuBawang #XiangYu #male #Chinese #military

FreakinLobster wrote:

Xena Warrior Princess vibes!

Your photo is amazing and captured the grandeur and fierce presence this figure has... and it made me regret it so much for not grabbing it in time. It's getting harder and harder to get the figures out of pre-order season, because the prices do go way up way too fast.
Kudos for the shot and curse you for the temptation.

My #1 go-to local guys, Toy Square, apparently still have a Black Commander and a Silver Commander at $179 US:  https://www.toys2.net/tbleague-black-spartan-army-commander.html . I think I got their last Golden Commander.  Store is totally reliable.

This may be a bit of left field comment -- but just for fun, one of the uses of a too-underscale Barbie or Sindy vehicle would be to "Mad Max it up."  Obviously because of the wheels you couldn't just increase the height as you might for a sofa (without drastic surgery).  But the underscale factor kinda recedes if you slap machine guns, ballistas or war drums on them, and paint war stripes in the Mad Max style, and the whole overall effect is kind of tongue in cheek. And cheap enough to do for kicks.

One other use that I can see would be to have these vehicles be props in some kind of superhero fight diorama, where again, the size imprecision deficiency is less important.  I don't think I kept the test pic sadly, but I remember one time I had Superman lifting some Barbie-ish car that was Green (and not otherwise stylistically suitable) in the manner of Action Comics #1, and I thought it looked cool.

Brand: VSTOYS
Ratio: 1/12 1/6
Size : 1:12 = 25CM*13CM*13CM
1:6 = 35.5CM*18.5CM*18.5CM

Item No.: 1:12 =21XG70A-1/2/3
1:6 = 21XG70B-1/2/3

Weight: 21XG70A1/2/3=0.3KG
21XG70B1/2/3=0.4KG
Material: Metal/Cloth
Cut-off time: April 20,
2021 Shipping time: Second quarter of 2021

Selling point: pure handmade metal production

Product: VSTOYS
Scale: 1/12 1/6
No:
1:12 =21XG70A-1/2/3
1:6 = 21XG70B-1/2/3

Weight:
21XG70A1/2/3=0.3KG
21XG70B1/2/3=0.4KG

Material: metal
size:
1:12 = 25CM*13CM*13CM
1:6 = 35.5CM*18.5CM*18.5CM

Perorder is available before: April 20, 2021
Release date: Second quarter of 2021
The 1/6 version is as follows:




















#newproduct #VSToys #wroughtironhangingchair #furniture #accessory #1/12&1/6

Diana wrote:That looks like tons of fun!! Great videos!

It certainly was fun. Glad you enjoyed it, too and thank you.

Gizems nice Kittens wrote:Great video of white water paddling. He lost the technique a bit in the last part.
Did you build the paddling equipment yourself, or is it something you can buy?
The second video is also great, but I have a special connection to paddling.

Thanks for the view and reply, GnK. Yep, technique kind of lacking the whole way down, really.  
The kayak and paddle was part of a set one of my kid got years ago. Once they outgrew them, they were appropriated by yours truly.
...purely for posterity, you know...

davidd wrote:The kayak video is totally awesome! Suddenly I feel nine years old again thinking that is the coolest thing ever!

Which was the whole point, right?

Many thanks, davidd.
Really happy the vids could take you back. Of course you're right...if it ain't fun, what's the point?

collectorofmany wrote:

Nice vids!! I actually hadn’t thought of shooting these types of videos before. The first thought that comes to mind is stop-motion animation, which can be both very time consuming and labor intensive!

That zip-line one was fun!! Did you use a GoPro Hero or Action for the POV angles?

Btw, you have a nice, serene backyard!! I’m also in the Deep South! South Mississippi to be exact.

Thank you, collector. Good to hear from a neighbor.
My brain works funny, so I come up with some strange stuff. Hopefully, when the idea comes to me, I also come up with a way to shoot it.
Used a GoPro Hero for the zip line and edited the whole schmear with Wondershare Filmora. It's a pretty nice, capable suite of tools.

Stryker2011 wrote:Cool videos. I remember doing much the same with running water like that as a kid. Very fun.

Howdy, Stryker. Good to hear from you. Hope you've been well and thanks very much.
I wish I'd had a good kayak when I played with toys the first time around. No such thing then (I'm frikken old). Fortunately, I had kids.

I trust someone's manning the bar while I'm away.

A Man wrote:

davidd wrote:Suddenly I feel nine years old again

Deep inside, aren't we all?

If we aren't, might want to keep opportunities open for other hobbies.  

Ephiane wrote:Hey Dadrab ! Great to hear from You ! That are wild rides, both The camera ride is a fantastic idea. Thanks for the entertainment ! What a idyllic river and i see a comrade sitting around and watch the ride

My friend, Ephiane. Thank you for stopping by. Always good to hear from you, too.

Yep, there are a couple of old friends (guys from the yard) sitting around the pond. The one on the right is behind a big rock. He is visible, but barely.

Glad you like the pond. Worked on that damn thing for a solid month in the blazing Augusta summer heat.

AlKelAstra91 wrote:Fun videos with your figures. The only thing that could've made the paddling one better was running alongside it with the camera, or rolling next to it on some wheels like the big Hollywood directors do to capture moving action scenes like that. lol

The momentum and speed of the zipline is great, though! I still want to try that in real life sometime!

Thank you, AlKelAstra. Glad you enjoyed them.

I ain't much director and I won't deny it. Rolling along side of the kayaker would have been a mighty fine idea...wish I'd had it.

I have done ziplines. It's a hoot. Give it a whirl.

GubernatorFan wrote:Those videos were a lot of fun. Impressive that all this kayaking down the drain did not result in tipping over despite all the turning around. And I wish you had put up a pillow at the zip line stopping point. The pond looks great, hope you use it as a setting for some of your photos. Glad to see you back, don't be a stranger.

How are you, GF? Thanks much for looking and commenting.
The site looks great. You all are doing damn fine work. Thanks very much for that, too.

Ovy wrote:Nice to hear from you again and bringing the hobby closer to the young.

That yard looks like a paradise!

Greetings, Ovy. I appreciate you looking.
I figure, if we don't take the toys to the kids, who will? Got to get them while they're young
I thank you, too, for the comment on the yard. I've worked really steadily on it the last couple of years. When our kids were younger, we spent waaaaaaay too many weekends sitting around a pool (son #1 was a swimmer) or a baseball diamond (son #2). Years of neglect meant I had a ton of work to do just to get back to "even," so to speak. It's getting there.

BAMComix wrote:That is so cool!

Much appreciated, BAM. I'll do more when I get inspired and have some time.

GregT wrote:lol, I was scrolling through these pics for my wife, pausing only at #1 and #6....
she thought it was real-size! congrats on presenting something so lifelike,
and the ladies are ultra-cool, retro-chic. I always enjoy your posts!

Hey GregT! Great to hear from you! Haha! I'm glad to hear your wife like the shots! My wife does too. She complains when I buy the props but then always like the photos!

lol, I was scrolling through these pics for my wife, pausing only at #1 and #6....
she thought it was real-size! congrats on presenting something so lifelike,
and the ladies are ultra-cool, retro-chic. I always enjoy your posts!

I had the opportunity today to go to Marcel Laurin Park and it's big pile of rocks and waterfall and shoot some photos>  I brought along more figures than I have in the past; five in total though I only used four. The objective was simple:  just shoot a few photos of the figures with the latest additions their gear which is slowly trickling in, on average two months after I order it. So let's get started.

The Sola Topi or India Pattern Sun Helmet

Captain Glynnis Penny-Farthing, OBE, retired. by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

The India pattern helmets were worn by British troops in the far east from the early 20th C into the 1950's when they were declared obsolete.  The name Sola Topi comes in part from the material from which they were made, the pith of the roots of the sola or shola plant, whist "topi" is derivative of the Hindu word "Tope," which means hat.  Because of the material with which they were made, they were very light, and very comfortable. The India pattern is easily distinguished from the other major type in use by the British in this era, the "Wolsely pattern" by the flattened top of the crown and the distinctive shape of the brim. Generally, the top part British sun helmets were covered in khaki cloth, while the undersides were covered by green cloth, and I've never seen either a Wolsely or Sola Topi that didn't have a puggaree (pagri) wrapped around the base of the crown.

Captain Glynnis-Penny Farthing, OBE, Retired by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

As one can see from the photos, Captain (retired) Glynnis Penny-Farthing has also acquired herself a Thompson submachinegun someplace to replace that old, very un-British German Mauser rifle.  She will also acquire more weapons as time goes by and retain her bush has shown in a previous post on DIY hats and alternate between the bush hat and topi.

Kamiko Takahara: Her Inner Samurai

Kamiko Takahara: My Inner Samurai 1 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr


Next are a series of Kamiko wearing a kimono over Kamiko body #2.  This is my second Kamiko body #2; the first having been eventually used to create Erika von Stroheim.  I keep two bodies because it's a giant pain to undress Kamiko body #1 with it's tall boots and tight pants every time I want her in a different outfit.

What's really new here however is that Kamiko has acquired a sword, technically a WWII era Type 94 Shin Gunto, or new military sword, but since many of these were in fact katana's made in the traditional manner and equipped with a metal scabbard, I've decided that Kamiko's gunto is exactly that; a 17th century blade with a 1930's scabbard

Kamiko Takahara: My Inner Samurai 2 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

The model sword itself is a DiD Shin Gunto parted out from the Captain Sam, 77th ID set and purchased from Monkey Depot. It's all metal and has two metal scabbard rings as Shin Gunto's were required to have, though the lower one was only used for ceremonial purposes and the sword was normally hooked to the belt using only the top ring. Since this represents a captured sword, it didn't come with belt or hangers and I fashioned a hanger and brass hook to hang it from the sash on Kamiko's kimono.  

Kamiko Takahara: My Inner Samurai 3 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Though Kamiko considers herself American and much prefers firearms and doesn't usually carry a sword in combat, her inner samurai sometimes gets the better of her and in her off duty time, she often wanders off base wearing on a kimono, a sword and her Walther PPK.  She refuses to tell anyone what she does during that time, but the photographic evidence suggests she plays with her sword.

Kamiko Takahara: My Inner Samurai 4 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr


Kamiko Takahara: My Inner Samurai 5 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr


Kamiko Takahara: My Inner Samurai 6 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr


Mutant Hunter and Rocket Scientist

Next, Dr. Laura Neville, P.Eng has become a full-fledged member of "K" (Kimono) Troop, Pinup Patrol, and as such has been re-quipped with mode modern weapons than she previously had.  The flashlight equipped MP5 SMG is meant to be a modern equivalent to the improvised flashlight equipped Smith & Wesson SMG sometimes carried by Dr. Robert Neville (Charlton Heston) in The Omega Man. She's also gotten a Glock 9mm to replace her old S&W .38, not to mention a hand grenade. She is Kimono Troop's resident expert on hunting mutants, as well as their "Ms Fix It," whenever anything breaks. She is after all, an aeronautical engineer.  

Laura Neville 2 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Laura Neville 3 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Laura Neville 4 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr


Luna Kabooma

Finally, a few months ago I received an S23B body and coupled it with a Kimi Toys KT005 head and named he Cynthia because I found itreminded me a lot of the first girl I ever had a crush on, way back in elementary school. Cynthia's last name is "Luna" and she's originally from Santiago, Chile, with prior service in the Chilean military.  Because she's a heavy weapons specialist, her barracks mates have nickname her "Luna Kabooma."

Luna Kabooma 1 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

The bazooka is a ZACCA model of an M20A1 3.5" rocket launcher or "Super Bazooka" first used by US troops in the Korean War.  Overall, the model is not bad for the $4.99 I paid for it at Monkey Depot, but for some reason, the Japanese manufacturers thought it would look better with black plugs firmly glued at each end of the barrel than open as it should be. I don't now what they were thinking.  Not satisfied with this, I drilled holes into the plugs with progressively larger drill bits, though my largest bit was still smaller than the bore of the weapon and I had to ream out the excess with sharp knife. It's isn't visible in the photos, but I now have to sand the inside of the bore with some sandpaper to smooth out the rough edges left by the reaming.

Luna Kabooma 2 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Luna Kabooma 3 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

As you can see from the photos, the Bazooka is quite large, quite true to the original.  This, and it's diameter caused a lot of problems for posing with a female figure as the females are smaller than the males. To boot, the figure's  firm silicone breasts tended to interfere with the weapon's shoulder rest.  I'm not sorry i bought it; I like the obsolete retro look of the thing, but had I known the problems with posing, I would have gotten an RPG-7 instead. It does break down into two pieces, just like the original and the real one, properly used could penetrate 11" of steel armor, so it could knock out any tank of the 1950's and most 1960's tanks as well. They were used in combat by Argentina as late as the Falklands War.

Luna Kabooma 4 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Luna Kabooma 5 by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Well, that's all for now. I plan to head out again to Marcel Laurin Park and my favorite pile of rocks either later this week or next (I'm on holiday and have nothing better to do) so more photos to follow. As always, please feel free to comment, critique or ask questions.

Ovy wrote:Did you do something to his eyes in #1? He looks like he is daaanciing with has tears in his eyes.

I didn't do anything to his eyes in this instance, it's all the natural lighting of the original photo. The only editing on that part of the image is simply imposing him onto the background [which is itself a composite of a screencap of the Battle of Coruscant and some random stock image of light streaming through clouds]. In fact, my whole aim with that one was to try to capture a particular emotion without using any kind of FaceApp, only the existing expression on the headsculpt shot from certain angles. So, ah, yeah, really glad to know it came across as being so 'emotional'. Makes me think a bit about that effect ReverendSpooky was mentioning on your thread the other day. :') 

Ovy wrote:Have to agree with what was said about that..star border...universal...across the stars picture, it's so beautiful in his silhouette...ness. like some real people there! 

Wow, thanks! Great that it brought 'across the stars' soundtrack to mind. And there are many instances of Anakin and Padme as 'silhouettes', so maybe it's fitting to them... :')

Ovy wrote:
There is so much potential in this, like that balcony +skyline on a screen you plan. Really like that orange silver Coruscant dawn light. They really mailed it in that old 'Old Republic' game.

Hope to be able to do that at some point. Need a big enough screen. Would love something like this... just....sooo pretty: 





And yes, I didn't play the Old Republic game, but I had friends who did so I know a bit what you mean. I love views of Coruscant like that... in the PT films... in the Clone Wars... etc. In those, you get these gorgeous sunset scenes that evoke the era itself... the 'Twilight of the Republic', indeed:

Ovy wrote:I get a nice early 2000s 'homepage' vibe from the sparkle gif.  <3

Hahaha, yasss. If you couldn't already tell from the title of the thread, my nostalgia for the 2000s is showing....   

Did you do something to his eyes in #1? He looks like he is daaanciing with has tears in his eyes.

Have to agree with what was said about that..star border...universal...across the stars picture, it's so beautiful in his silhouette...ness. like some real people there! 
There is so much potential in this, like that balcony +skyline on a screen you plan. Really like that orange silver Coruscant dawn light. They really mailed it in that old 'Old Republic' game.

I get a nice early 2000s 'homepage' vibe from the sparkle gif. <3