ESCI British Camp Rest Area?

MGM;

The ESCI set represents the British or for that matter any Commonwealth Unit (To a certain degree) mostly for 1939-1945 World War II specifically. However most Commonwealth countries and some wartime Allies kept the Battle Dress Uniform until well into the 1950's. If you were to build a Korea UN diorama this would work. The "Brown Beret" with the fuzzy ball on top....lol... The actual name of the head dress is a BALMORAL (Ball-More-Al) it is used specifically by Highland Regiments with a Battle Dress Uniform instead of the Dress Uniform Glengarry (wedgecap with tails) Check out the web for units like the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada or the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa these units have readopted the balmoral as head dress to be worn with the CADPAT camouflage uniform of today's Canadian Army.

If you want a "modern" UN figure set try any of the Dragon or DML series some come with the figures with a beret already attached.

I hope this helps you with your project direction.

Cheers;

Gregory

I think the brown vests are leather jerkins, widely worn in the British army up until the 1960s. The rifles are Lee Enfields, so that makes them OK for any period up until the early - mid 1960s when they were replaced with SLRs.

I would suggest, therefore, that they could best represent Scottish soldiers (or British ones if you were to remove the 'fuzzy ball', though that would be a shame) either in the last Autumn/ Winter of WW2, or in Korea, these being the only 'cold weather' operations that the British army engaged in during the period for which the uniform is correct.

Chris.

Thanks guys. yes i was going to remove the "fuzzy ball". i just haven't decide on wher to use them in a dio with with my Quad Gun tractor or make UN gues out of them. if I remove ther "fuzzy" and painted the vest and cap blue they would look just like UN guys. I have seen many picks of Un soldiers in blue vests and blue barrets. Of course i'd also have to paint the boot covers black to match the boots to hide them.

Not really sure if this is a good idea. The kit you have there is quite rare, but there are lots of sets of figures that you could use for UN soldiers (look at the DML modern stuff for inspiration, or sets like the Academy French Foreign Legion or Tamiya modern US infantry) It seems a pity to waste them.

If you want figures to use in a Quad dio, try to find the Tamiya 1/35 25pdr. gun, which comes with a crew, or the excellent Tamiya 1/35 Btitish Infantry on Patrol set. Dragon/ DML have also recently released something similar
http://pmms.webace.com.au/reviews/figures/dragon/dr6212.htm

Chris.


Chris.

I did't know this set was rare or even sought after for the matter. I got them in a lot I won off E-bay!lol I have about three sets of the Tamiya modern infantry that i am using for UN guys for another dio. ESCI I know esci went under so I guess that would make them rare. What I liked about these figs was the fact that they had on berets. I do have a britsh 6 pounder gun with crew n the garage I may have to ake a second look at them as well.

QUOTE: Originally posted by MartianGundamModeler I I do have a britsh 6 pounder gun with crew n the garage I may have to ake a second look at them as well.

If you do have the Tamiya 6pdr, it will have a crew dressed in shorts, some with shirts, others with bare chests. Not really suitable for North-West Europe Also, the Quad's a bit big to be towing a 6 pdr. MOre often towed by an ordinary GS truck, or maybe a Universal (Bren) Carrier, of which Tamiya also do a nice model.

BTW, berets are easy enough to make from Milliput, and are much preferred, even in action, to steel helmets by British soldiers.

Also, some Esci stuff isn't all that rare. Italeri appear to have the moulds, and a lot of ESCI 1/72 figures, 1/72 and 1/48 aircraft, 1/72 military vehicles and even 1/8 motor bikes have been re-issued by them

Chris.

thanks for all the info! Actuall I was just going to use the 6 pounder crew with the quad gun and 25 punder in a dio. i just have to take a look at them i haven't opened that box in months!lol