My Favorite Army

Happy New Year!!

Down at the Post Sutler........(click to enlarge)

Close in action!!!

An old favorite 

A Day, or two Late

Dec. 25th 1776 - Washington crosses Delaware & surprises & defeats 1,400 Hessians

Now wait a minute

When the Colonist gathered on Lexington Green not one Minute Man was present.  Lexington had no such contingent but rather they had Militia called the Training Band.  This is one historical error will most likely we will never see corrected.  Do not look for Barzso to change his boxes LOL LOL

Is it really over ?

Dec. 25th 1868 - Despite bitter opposition, President A Johnson grants unconditional pardon to all persons involved in Southern rebellion (Civil War)

Music

Dec. 25th 1896 - "Stars & Stripes Forever" written by John Philip Sousa

More Christmas....Marx style.

1. .............................Click to enlarge

EBAY Dealers

You know how much I love EBAY dealers who are ...ah silly.   I even have a TAB for them.  Here is a new story.

One has an Atlantic Davy Crockett set listed.   It is listed as USED but in the description he states it is MINT and has  only one missing  piece and this is MINT ?   The set actually came with  several  more pieces.   I have been told by an acquaintance (no, not one of MY very good friends) that the seller has been NICELY notified of his piece count error  and was even offered one of the missing pieces!!!  Still he has not changed his auction details.  This is NOT a new dealer either but rather a self proclaimed  plastic expert.  He also recently listed some accessories from Cohn I am told as excellent and in the details stated except one is cracked.    So beware of silly dealers from Pennsylvania.

Sticks and stones.......

Dec. 23rd 1862 - Union General Ben "Beast" Butler is proclaimed a "felon, outlaw & common enemy of mankind" by Jefferson Davis. 

Christmas

13 Followers !!!

No, no, no!........ Such a bad number !!!   There must be a 14 out there somewhere LOL LOL

Buildings

I am not a big fan of foam.  Not sure why.  Perhaps I just do not feel it will hold up well.  I don't know.  In any case I do like plastic buildings and they are few and far between.  The Cabin below from the Marx Yogi Bear Playset is a great piece.  Works well in many areas such as Fort Quarters, Pony Express/Western, and more.  Lately it seems to be available again and in a new color.   My friend purchased a dozen of these years ago in a nice brown that matches the Fort Apache stand alone Blockhouse.

Riding Shotgun or more properly riding with a shotgun

Ok here is a picture of what a shotgun would have/should have looked like during the ACW and yes mainly Rebs carried them early in the war.  After that Union Cavalry arms were easy to come by.
So please cut down that silly full size TSSD shotgun  they got their Cavalrymen carrying.  LOL LOL Thanks.  I don't care for this man's hat but that is another rant.  And the fact TSSD and Paragon have poses with the reins in the wrong hand is also another rant. LOL LOL

ACW 54mm Cavalry

I have always felt my ACW Cavalry to be lacking.  The fault partly mine and partly the manufacturers.  Imex made IMHO some great Union cavalry and Rebs .  Italeri did the same in reverse.  A great set of Confederate  cavalry but no run in blue.  I have all of them  and of course added a few Marx and a BMC pose or two.  But I never felt satisfied,  I even added the Airfix 7th and a few Britians deetail cavalry.  Then TSSD released  ACW cavalry in both colors but in that new larger 54mm size that just didn't match in my mind.   But know if reports are true the new Expeditionary Forces (aka Xforce) seem to be an answer to filling out those regular 54mm ACW Cavalry.  In fact one reader tells us that the horses match the Italeri ones quite nicely.

What  do you do with the TSSD Cavalry ?  Why Custer of course,  but you may have to sacrifice other cavalry you have been using for Custer era such as Airfix, BMC etc.  Do not forget Paragon.  This were intended specially for the Indians Wars and not meant to embrace the ACW as TSSD intends for their ACW/Indian War Cavalry.  

Mount up!
Column of Twos
Column Left
March ........

Random Indian Photos

On the Plains and in Arizona. (Click on Photos to enlarge)

 Apache Raid on a small town..............Paragon Scouts work well as enemy Apaches too.........

 Guard the Mule Train....................... (Marx  and Replicant Pack Mules)

New Ray Building

New Ray is the company that has turned out some nice WW2 vehicles at reasonable prices.  ON EBAY I recently ran across their Country Life series.  The item picture is Item B, Shed.  It is 1/32 scale and quite detailed.  Each side has a window and one side has a working door.  The front doors are large because this building is meant to house a tractor or in my case a wagon.  Check it out!

A bit confused

This year Arizona is celebrating its centennial, or 100-year anniversary, as a state. Arizona became the 48th state on February 14, 1912.

I like the State's views on Gun Control and their  handling of illegals and criminals in general. I do not understand the all the interest the OK Corral fight draws.   Heck Earp was not even a native son.   I do like most of the movies except perhaps Lancaster/Douglas one and the I never cared much for the TV Show. 

One thing this anniversary  has done in our hobby is sparked  interest in Wyatt Earp.  TSSD has churned out a line called "Tombstone" (Buildings and figures).  It includes the Earps and Doc vs. The Clantons so one can set up the OK Corral Fight.  Very nice figures that we label as part of the new 54mm scale.  In other words they are big.  Both sets will see double duty in the new TSSD Cavalry set.  The first will be Pinkertons/Spys and the second will be Drovers. 

Replicants to me has had the Pinkertons and  for that matter the Earps covered for years.  These figures are labeled as Pinkertons and Bounty Hunters.  When I first saw them I thought The Earps and Doc.


PM  Marx set coverage in the recent issue is a bit disappointing.  It didnt even contain a current photo of the actor Hugh O'Brien who the playset was named after.  PM claimed it was the only set to have the actors name in the title  (and also had the longest title of any playset) Seems to have over looked that Ricard Greene also has his name in title,,,,,,,