TSSD has finally announced that they are doing Vietnam. They have on their web site a photo of one of the proposed figures an African American Marine and will be doing Marines, North Vietnamese soldiers, weapons , soldiers, buildings, etc. You can look about the details here at this link TSSD Vietnam
As we get more news we will pass it along
Well about time some one in US break the ice.I will like to mention Stengel, but so far other than sets prototypes shows at Chicago I had heard nothing else from him or any collectors with the preorders from Stengel.
TSSD may do well with this. Viet Nam was ironical the war that brought the anti war toy culture to North America if I’m not mistaken. Forgotten heroes and foes are at least brought back so long after but indeed for many from the generation of that war. Thank you once again Stad for posting FIRST the news. Hope we got some pictures soon from TSSD site as I think they had not post none yet.
Erwin
TSSD is suppose to have one photo up, but I am getting a blank. The Vietnam war put downward spiral on “war” toys. GI Joe was hit the worst and had to go into adventure sets.
Apparently a B/W picture that will be used in magazine soon shows one picture of the first US marine figure soon to be done, it is test shot!
you may look at TSSD link .
Erwin
the photo was missing for most of the day.
Great news! Looking forward to these guys.
Yeah if the sculpting is as good as their other figure sets and the “proper” size should be a Bobbydazzler!And there are lots of sets they could add on to for Vietnam such as,Australians,Viet Cong,South Vietnamese,Seals,Green Berets,Montagnards,ROK Marines and lets go crazy and do some figure sets from the French-Viet Minh War.
Base in TSSD scale figure should be 60 mm in American, hope Vietnam are a bit smaller. Australians were done already by another company and I heard they still trying to sale the first batch produced after so many years, on top of that no many battlers were fought by then and after 13 years plus service out of 60 000 deployed barely 571 died and less than 3000 wounded or sick only. No taking credit off from their involvement and bravery at all, but honestly I don’t think they(TSSD) will invest in it for long if ever. The ROK and south Vietnam regular army in other part were much heavily involved during entire conflict.
Erwin
I will be surprised if TSSD does any more figures beyond the 16 they are doing for this set.
The Australian Company was Gun-Ho. They made Australians in Vietnam, 7th Cavalry and Apaches… They are not trying to sell the first batch (the company doesn’t exist anymore).The sets have been sold very quickly and now are very hard to find. I remember the company made also some US grunts in Vietnam and Vietcongs in metal…
Yes.Gu ho.thanks.Correct the don’t exist any more.They went out business long ago.The faster they come the faster they went out.The Australian sets appear on eBay often very low price .They never sold good here
Few dealer have then x years at shows
The were underscale also .
and they did an set of Viet Cong too in metal never released in plastic. Their western figures were a bit taller..two dealers at last Toy show in Hackensack have few metal sets painted and unpainted plus few plastic. Either because they do no look American or else the Australian plastic soldiers did not sold here fast. They still around at shows.
They are only planning the 2 sets as far as I know & infact with Nicks health issues! I fear these might be his swansong figures. Although I hope I am wrong.
Brian
As I said with Erwin I do not see TSSD doing the figures you mention. This goes back to the cost to make figures.
One can dream eh!
The sculptor of the gun ho figures was a brit living in Australia. the Same sculptor did Steve Westons “South of the Border” Mag 7 western figures.
Viet Cong
and NVA should be covered sepratly.
Well looks like I was right all along.
Yes, you were, Brian. I distinctly remember you putting forth your suspicion that TSSD’s secret project was going to be Vietnam. I guess TSSD had to deny it at the time because they wanted it to remain secret until now.
In any event, I think it’s a great choice. TSSD has already shown it knows how to do modern armies, with its excellent WWII line. So I’m really looking forward to seeing not only 1960s U.S. Marines, but also opposing Viet Cong and NVA.
Pre-20th century has always been my favorite, probably because it was less mechanized. But I’m now ready for both Korea and Vietnam.
And for lack of a better place to take note of this: LOD’s website now shows samples of it’s new Trojan Gate, to go along with the wall section and end-towers. The pieces all look pretty neat, and I’ve taken advantage of LOD’s special pre-release price to order the complete set, which Ken assures me will likely be shipped the first half of this month.
Don I see that TSSD is taking preorders for the LOD Trojan gate at $72.00
It will be interesting to see how the response is as for some people the Vietnam war is still a negative.
Looking forward to seeing these sculpts. Hope they are in the style of Austin miniatures Marines. The NVA hopefully as well sculpted as First Legions. Future plans include helicopters which hopefully will be a nice plastic affordable 1/32 Huey! The small arms will be nice for conversions too. Would like to see a 1/32 Apocalypse Now style fast boat.
Tom
we will have to see if the helicopter is new production or someone esle’s product.
Tom, TSSD has a long line of plastic toy soldiers from various periods. They are all well-sculpted, in a high-quality soft plastic, with attention paid to historical accuracy. I’m sure the new figures will be of comparable quality in “style” to their previous releases, without the necessity of copying either Austin Miniatures or First Legion, or looking to someone else for inspiration. Have you seen TSSD’s WWII U.S., Germans, Japanese, and Russians? They are all quite good, and there’s no reason to be worried about TSSD’s new releases.
I have seen or have most of the TSSD sets. The sculpting is very good in my opinion on most sets but the WW2 Japanese heads were too big for their bodies and just look unrealistic. With the Marines there were no undercuts on the helmets unlike Conte and Austin. Although I like maybe 80% of their sets the heads tend to be a little on the large size that’s why I hope they are sculpted along the style of First Legion, Austin, Conte, or Eng. Bassevich. TSSD is owners are nice and numerous sets I like as in the Barbarians, Longcoat Germans, U.S GI’s, wounded Cavalry. I will buy the Nam sets regardless but just hoping they are well proportioned.
Yes I agree the heads/faces were a bit too pumping for those Japanese.I know Japanese ,specially towards end of war look skinny with large heads as very underweight and in hunger, but the heads of those figures were very bulky and round. Funny looking. Some weapons looks odd and rifles a bit too short for Japanese type.
Again this is been extremely demanding and getting to max detail view.Overall the figures look much better than many others done by many factories ,included the MARX ,MPC ,Lido BMC ,Puchol,Jecasn,Airfix,Comansi, DGN and other Japanese sets in my opinion.
Austin has a big problem w heads too, specially in the cavalry
I think he’ll do more of this series if the first sets sell well. Everything depends on how well they are received I would think.
With the increase in mold making and all the other associated costs, does anyone know roughly how many sets will need to sell to make this a profitable range?
John it depend in the cost of the sets and amount company had decided to invest plus way doing it.
Sample and not knowing what TSSD had paid please!!!
A $11-12 000 plus mold with first 2000 batch shots sets cost plus shipping and customs fees As coming from China factory, round to $17-18 000.They need/want to recover that soon to gain enough. But the problem is most first large sale will be wholesale sale that reduce considerable the price per set unless you want to sale it all and not else.
In this hobby most producer take longer to recover first production as try to recover all from first production ;in other words they try to recover from $0 to last penny invest in first mold to start
If you take that time, it will be very long depending in demand.
WW2 Main armies sets such American, Germans, Russian , Japanese and British are number one sale.
Rest sets/armies and eras are partially and according to time and demand.
Large very powerful investors such Expeditionary Force do not wait in recovery mold as they use a bank investment, in other words they star the business with enough money to waste first 1-3 yeas losses that every business usually has till well stablish. They just producing and selling they do not think in recovering the first 2 to 6 sets ever done any time soon and put those first mold as wasted money.
This is a very low and very poor profit business. If you have a lot extra money could play with out much hurt, if not has to do it very ,very,very slow or will burn off very very quick.
For retailers is also hard as they/we have to wait till products sale off or come new come and still invest more to recover as well. So it is always a hard game in a poor profit business world.
Demand do not come by season as regular brick building has so is more unpredictable as other business. Buyers are regular (but) money come in more than 50% from retirement pension and else ,others from own hard living salary.Few in the plastic toy soldier collectors-hobby world are rich.
Gamers-hobby=Non collectors ;are been introducing and taken over some purchase of about 20% plus in the hobby according to toy soldiers shop stores retailers. Still they are younger generation and come with different mentality and some no well coordination between the two different hobby groups some times bring miss information .Few main retailers such HB are direct involved in the business with them by attending their shows and conventions some times if I’m not mistaken.
Conclusion :Technically if I sale 500 sets for $23.00 each I will make $11500.But how long and quick this will be, depend in all above and that x sure will not cover any 8 pose single mold plus other expenses such shipping, first batch and else cost incurred; so definitely need to sale way more.
Talking about Viet Nam figures. Does any body know about the Stengel production any more, if continued or does who ordered like then !?
Erwin,
I ordered John Stengel’s Viet Nam figures at the Columbus, Ohio Toy Soldier Show in October. I am still waiting on their eventual arrival.
WOW!!That is long wait, hope all goes fine soon to enjoy the figures. I will like to see some one with pictures of their figures next to others x compare .
Thank you much Jack x your information and update.
Has Mr. Stengel offered any explanation or apology regarding the (seems like very) long delay? Jack, can I ask if you paid at the time of order? This doesn’t sound good at all.
I have done business with John for many years. I trust him. I did pay for the order up front, but I also had to do that for my son’s new letter jacket.
He did mention completing the OTSN order run first. It was suggested that the figures could be completed between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think his mould process takes awhile, and then there is the figure assembly. He is not using China, but is doing this solo in Brooklyn. So, I will wait and, when the figures arrive, I will be pleasantly surprised.
Jack, thanks for reply. Sounds better than I wondered. Hope you get your order soon.
Thanks Erwin, yes, there is quite a bit to it. I hope it works out though as I’m keen for TSSD to make more things. It seems the business model he is using here to raise the funds is working reasonably well. I wonder whether announcing a next range first (a likely to be popular one, like German paras or a recon set with motorbikes) would enable him to raise funds even more successfully?
Any word on your next vehicle Erwin? I have your Jagdpanzer set up with TSSD Germans and G.Is in my cabinet. There’s room for more…..!
Glad you like my first armor and enjoy it.Will heard soon John ,but not yet. I take some time and chances .
I rather be precautions than get crazy and then let all down x ever. I rather not talk till my hands are full.
I think the business model used by TSSD will work as far is supported ; so if many producer start using this ,it will be more to what most ask and demand logic,=smart way to produce the most desired if correct following the percentage majority feedback .Still will depend in given money to invest, so will be slow as usual in this hobby. Quality in sculpture is not a problem x TSSD. We can not rush in this hobby, releases of long run production usually are from 6 to over a year in between .Those w a lot money could do faster and waste, still there is point where they have to stop. Some main producers are gone because of many reason, others used other excused but stop producing long ago. Either find out not worth, not much profit, too much waste and not fast recover, or personal/heath problems- else.
None in this hobby investing should come rushing and thinking will sale like sandwich their toys. It is slow going and need to be very cautious. Even for the short production as Russian sets been done now. Their sets sale but slow too
Don’t know how much his kick stater program will help defray the costs of making this set, I imagine some, because those TSSD bucks he offered could be spent on existing stock rather than new product, if nothing else it should help offset some of his initial outlay. In the end the cost should be the same I guess, it just depends on what pocket you reach into to take out the money.
Been maker and retailer or store seller of others brands is a double game too.It is done by many of us to bring more in order to produce.But when u bring same as others the competition is too much in so limited hobby world.
I am THRILLED with this decision. I was actually in THREE units during 1971. 18th MP Bbd; 1/20-11Bde AMERICAL; 2/502 STRIKE 101st Airborne (Airmobile). maybe this collection will be useful for my PTSD therapy?
And here is the LINK to the TSSD page: http://sdsoldiers.com/coming_attractions.htm
‘
( Photo – Unfinished African-American U.S. Marine Sculpt )
Paul – I think you know my toys really help me to deal with the bevvy of ‘wonderful experiences’ I’ve got in my coconut. I don’t like to ‘get close’ to it, so I stay in previous conflicts. For a long time, I wouldn’t even do North Africa because it was in a desert. Maybe jumping right in works for you. You seem excited about it, so it just might.
Everyone is different, you just more so! 😀
I find my toy soldiers are cathartic, as are certain war movies. Some are tough on me though. I bought the DVDs to “Platoon” and “Black Hawk Down” after seeing them at the theater, but have never been able to watch them. I think my son finally opened up Platoon one time when he was home.
I don’t think anyone who has been through the kimshi emerges unchanged by it; it is how we deal with it – or not – that makes the difference. We each deal with it in our own way.
One of my preferred movies of Vietnam is The Siege of Firebase Gloria with Ronald Lee Ermey a veteran from same war that actually act in others movies of Viet Nam war too and as actual adviser as well TV and documentaries.
He performed the voice of Sarge in cartoon movies series Toy story as the commander of green plastic figure toy soldier of ironical Viet Nam era and loosely base in Tim Mee style design/uniforms. I had the figures and are quite good x the collection too .
So for one odd reason and interesting fact the only resent cartoon portraying toy soldiers has been that of Viet Nam era type with the voice of actual Viet Nam veteran. The same war that brought down the popularity of army war historical toys.
Last but not least.
In (we were soldiers)Sam Elliott try imitate Lee Ermy style a lot but to not that good I guess.
Erwin, Sam Elliot was actually doing a portrayal of the real Command Sergeant Major Basil Plumley an old-school tough as nails Command Sergeant Major from the day when SGMs walked and the ground shook and they didn’t die but merely ascended or descended (depending) to give some discipline to the ranks.
Plumley served in the 82nd Abn in World War 2 (thus the 82nd combat patch on Elliot’s left shoulder in the movie) – he made ALL four of the combat jumps the 505th PIR made in the war, Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, and Holland (the 505th of the 82nd is the only PIR to have made four combat jumps in the war – the 504th, 82nd, made three having missed Holland). Plumley then went on to serve in Korea, making his fifth combat jump with the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment (Rakassans); Vietnam was his third war.
I never had the privilege of meeting CSM Plumley but I have been present at 82nd events where he was and he was one of the living legends of the Division when I was there. And I had more than one First Sergeant and Command Sergeant Major who reminded me a lot of him. Some of my buddies and veteran friends who did have the honor of serving under him and knowing him pretty much agree Elliot was a good choice to play him and nailed his performance.
I thought you might appreciate a bit of history concerning the movie and Elliot’s performance.
BTW: “Full Metal Jacket” is one of my favorite war movies, if only for the Boot Camp segment; I also like the Boot Camp scene from “The Boys in Company C” an earlier Vietnam film that also has R. Lee Ermy in it. He could be the brother of one of the Drill Sergeants in my company in Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood and my wife shakes her head when I bust out laughing when Ermy is putting those boots through their paces – I just tell her it makes me homesick for Ft Leonard Wood.
Thing is, there were a lot of guys like CSM Plumley and Gunny Ermy; cut from the same cloth, who took us snotty-nosed kids off the street, and put a size 11 boot up our butts when we needed it to make us men. And a lot of us are still here because of them. That could be why there were similarities between the two performances.
The movie we were soldiers is not my like at all.Too far from true.Acting was ok,sound effects and footage too .Action way too close.The film took the body count fact that was pure propaganda.
I said Elliot try imitate same style as Lee as acting style.No the real veteran.
I never had the honor to know PLumey either.Wish had.
I do not like full metal jacket movie either.Not my style .
It’s a matter of taste, to each his own; just thought you might be interested in the story.
Wayne,of course it is.
Agree on his performance and character style may had been very well close to as your personal experience as well,not doubt.
Just I said it base in actors only. In fact Elliot said he watched and study Lee Ermy in his performance to try to understand the way Plumley may had been.
Yes I had red a lot about Plumley and it said his performance has a lot too do with the hard stand during the battle because of his extraordinary qualities as you mention.
I guess it is a norm to many boot camps bee like that, Never been in any. Sorry your experience and that of others is more value. Mine what I heard and read.
The one part I do not understand is the so laud screaming among many others and it come back from old Prussian school teaching of Baron von Steuben training the first Continental army
To Erwin,
No problem, I hadn’t read where Elliot said he had studied Ermy; thanks for sharing that, it’s interesting. I did know he had met Plumley, Plumley only died a year or two ago – boy did that prompt some discussion in the community; as I said, he was a legend.
As to your question on the screaming I had a lot of time to think on that and hope I’m not boring anyone. And I will try to keep it short. One of the things I learned in my twelve-plus years in the Army (cut short by injuries) was there was a reason for everything done. Maybe it wasn’t always a good reason and maybe I didn’t agree with it, but there was a reason if you looked into it.
I heard a Drill Sergeant say it one day when I was in Basic; it’s kind of funny and poignant at the same time. He was frustrated because we were behaving like recruits and after a particularly eloquent stream of curses he said, “Don’t you —– know what a hard job I have? I only have EIGHT WEEKS to unf—- your heads from all the damage your mamas did!”
Kind of funny, but true. I read a review of “Full Metal Jacket” that steamed me once, it read, “Marine recruits survive a sadistic drill sergeant and go to Vietnam.”
There was nothing sadistic in what Ermy’s DI did to those troops. He was trying to save their lives in combat – and he had twelve weeks, but that was very little time considering most of those kids were going to war as soon as they left Paris Island. He had to do whatever it took to get their attention, he also had to weed out the weak who couldn’t handle combat – with Private Gomer it was an extreme break.
We had a couple when I went through. And as sorry as I felt for them back then – and still do – I realize now after years in and having been shot at a couple times it was better for those kids to break at Ft Leonard Wood or Paris Island than in a combat zone where they would not only get themselves killed, but maybe some others with them. One of the things our Drill Sergeants used to scream at us was, “YOU ARE EATEN UP WITH THE DUMMIES! YOU’RE GOING TO GO TO VIETNAM (I used to wonder if anyone told them the war was over, or so we thought) AND GET KILLED! WHAT’S WORSE IS DUMMYS LIKE YOU DON’T GET KILLED ALONE – YOU TAKE OTHER GOOD MEN WITH YOU!”
They put us through mass punishment drills when someone screwed up; after all we were supposed to be a team now – in combat your life depends on your buddy. They dogged us constantly and called us everything but our given names and then one day a Drill Sergeant called us soldiers and we were proud.
You might say, “What is the point?”
Self-discipline.
Face it, if you can’t handle a Drill Sergeant with bad breath (I think it was intentional and used to wonder what they ate to give them all the same smell) telling you your parents weren’t married how could you handle the stress of a fire fight or a mortar attack?
I can’t begin to tell you the times that self-control I learned standing at attention at Fort Leonard Wood has saved me from losing my cool in my lifetime when someone was in my face and every fiber in me wanted to haul off and take their head off. One time in Germany a sergeant stood me at attention (wrongly) and cursed me for ten minutes, I had to stand there and take it. He was wrong, but if I had done anything at that time I would have been wrong and could have gotten in trouble. As it was, the next duty day my First Sergeant called me in to his office. He had heard what happened and was angry at the sergeant and told me he was proud of me for keeping my cool. He then asked me if I wanted to bring charges against the NCO for abuse of his authority.
I let it go. After all, the guy was a decorated Vietnam vet who had issues. Why destroy his career over one bad night? I think I got more satisfaction over the sergeant finding out I had let him go when I could have busted him. I also was grateful to all my drill sergeants who instilled that self-discipline during those miserable but great days in BCT. And I could tell several more stories like that.
I’ve always wanted to shake the hands of my drill sergeants. I did get to see my Company Commander at Ft Bragg years later.
We were doing a big Command Post Exercise at Ft Bragg. That’s a huge wargame where the Generals and their staffs get together and work out on paper (now computer) various battle plans without having to put all the troops into the field. I was working with XVIII Abn Corps G-3 (plans and operations) who was running the show as chief of security. Basically, that meant I checked ID badges and made sure no one got in the building we were using without proper authorization.
So I’m checking ID’s and issuing security badges when a major comes up. I read the name and it’s the name of my company commander from Basic. I look up and there he is, a few years older.
“Sir, were you ever at Ft Leonard Wood?”
“Yes I was, Sergeant.”
“And you commanded Charlie-”
“2-2”
“Sir, you were my company commander in Basic Training.”
Now, there are all these brass standing around, colonels, a few generals, a few sergeant majors, you get the idea – and all are grinning.
“I remember you telling us our first day that we had better never ever end up in front of your desk because you hated everyone of us and would rather shoot us than look at us.’
I remember his smiling at that, “I guess you never ended up in front of my desk then?”
“I avoided it like the plague.”
Then he looked me over, saw my rank and patch, “Staff Sergeant, 82nd…” and nodded approvingly. It’s crazy, but I felt as proud as if my own dad had congratulated me for graduating high school.
I know it sounds crazy to some; my wife shakes her head when I talk about it sometimes. And I know not everyone needs the cauldron they put us through. From my son and nephew who are currently serving I understand BCT is a lot less stressful than it was when I went through, but I can’t complain about the results when I see these “kids” serving today. I guess they don’t need to be as tough on them as they were on us knuckleheads. But I know I am grateful for the experience, even if I wouldn’t take a million bucks to go through it again.
Sorry I ran so long here; just reminiscing and hopefully some of it will make more sense.
Thank Wayne for sharing all the great experience with us. Would not written better, it make me feel by reading that I was there watching it.Well expressed and written.
Make me understand better the way of training at camp boots.
Thanks x your explanation and Service .
No doubts owe the life to harsh teaching. It been lost for long now. I would be probably punished many time back when young as not able to understand that way or else, may be not as I was very obedient when young and keep cool, but never been in your pants at all.
I understand most as I had heard, read and see-watch on movies;the face to face screaming is the hardest I will able to take. You were smart in doing that way.
And is true many of these officer are either veteran that had seen too much, tire and some time they themselves over burn and press by their superior. Still many owed their live as you said to their method, So to hold and let then some times annoying as not too constant is the best .
Back to Stengal. First let me say I really like John and what he is trying to do. Now the part I really don’t like. About 6 weeks ago I called him and enquired about the Viet Nam sets I paid him for at OTSN. He said he had shipped some sets and he would check on mine. He called back the next day and said mine had not shipped that he would ship it the next day. He even said he would include 2 extra converted figures. I thanked him and told him I appreciated what he was doing. Well 6 weeks later I have got nothing. I asked a few dealers I know who also said none of their customers received their orders either. I even contacted one of his 3 so called distributers and he said he has received nothing further that Stengal won’t even return his calls. Now here is my big problem. DON”T LIE! If he is having production problems which I personally think is the case just tell me, no problem I’ll wait. But DO NOT LIE! Should I say it again? If someone can add anything to this I’m all ears.
Gary
TSSD has a whole page of “Coming Attractions” if anyone is interested. He has other Viet Nam prototypes pictured if you scroll all the way to the bottom. He implies the actual release dates are anyone’s guess.
http://www.sdsoldiers.com/coming_attractions.htm
Those figures at the bottom of Coming Attractions are Stengals prtotypes from 2 years ago at OTSN, they are not TSSD’s. Further TSSD announced the new VietNam won’t be out until OTSN 2016.
So is this the record for the most comments on a topic or what??LOL’
Brian J
It has a lot of comments. It may be the one with most comments, I have never looked at that aspect before. I am glad for the responses as that is what we want to hear from everyone.
Viet nam has not been touched before in this way.Plastic toy sodiers collectors were wating x it.
It was the largest conflict ever fought.Many collectors serve w proud x the county.I like to hear their personal tale and comments.
I enjoy it as well I enjoy w talking w veteran and I apreciate and value their service.
This war and Korea had never been touched in this scale w detail.I think we should thank
CTS and TSSD x their efforts.
Even if take longer.
Most of today collector belong to both war era generation.
TSSD has a photo up of a NVA soldier prototype.
Thanks Tom!!!. So far I only saw the blue print image of Vietnamese and the actual US prototype figure that I think looks great. Hope when done the weapons do not look that bulky.So far pose ,anatomy and uniforms/gear are great.
The Vietnamese need less neat uniform if in battle field in my opinion. But once again , this is just a blue print image that usually is the first sent to producers from artist before fix detail and proceed to actual do first prototype carved. So still in long way to go. Keep the good job.