Attached is a pic of the new Japanese lined up under the old Hing Fat Japanese. I found there to be 15 poses of the old style although there might have been a 16th (a copy of the Airfix knee mortar man). On the left you see that they did copy a few of the Airfix poses in both sets. The new guys are a touch bigger and definitely thicker, on good bases. In general the poses are improved, although on a few figures like the crawling pose, the sculpting is not as good. I’ve discovered 13 poses in the new group. Since I only got 2 tubes, I’m sure there is a few more out there. Color-wise, they are close, but the slightly yellower green is not too bad if you don’t want to paint them. These guys have grown on me.
Actually, the HING FAT copies have been lifted from the set of 1:72, ESCI Japanese.
The old set is too small for 1:32 compatibility, but the new set are 1:32 and will be mine!
I’d heard that, but have never seen the Esci guys to compare. I think the Italian poses that are not Airfix copies are also Esci 1/72 copies. Looking at the box art on the box of the Esci guys seemed like some of these poses are in it. The new Japs are a little bigger, but being stouter makes a difference, too. Being they ARE Japanese, the size issue is tolerable to me.
The figures are knockoffs of the ESCI poses – there are a lot of ESCI knockoff poses in these sets – but as ESCI never got into 1/32 scale figures for most of these sets I suppose it’s not a big issue. If these guys are at least Marx/Accurate/Italeri compatible I could live with them – once I find a good source to buy them from.
I sent some size comparison pics of old Hing Fat, new Hing Fat and Airfix originals, side by side. I also painted them all a matching mustard color, which makes them look more like they belong together. I’m sure it’ll be up soon. Now that I’ve done this, I’m keeping the old ones, too.
Greg, pose kneeling with shovel and rifle and last two poses on first upper row of the picture are direct copies ESCI HO ,rest of poses are mix copied from airfix 1.72 sets and matchbox/rebe/ESCI l japs of 1.72 or HO scale sets too.
The company name DGN,CH)=sets also sold under HF has poses with rectangular bases. As show in second row pictures. Others above are from a total different Chinese company set/mold factory been sold in the 90’s still recast still around . Please notice difference on bases.Thank you..best regards..Erwin