Blue Box World War Two Russian Figures Erwin Sell is back with a look at a hard to find set Blue Box World War Two Russians.
Blue Box World War Two Russian Figures Background
The Blue Box World War Two Russians were first made in 1960s and sold until the early 1980s. These figures are original designs by Blue Box. While most other Blue Box sets are in the 48/51 mm range. The Blue Box World War Two Russians appear to be 54/55 mm as pictures show with other brands.
Some poses may looks a bit alike other brands yet they have their own original flavors.
Two Blue Box Russians flank Esci and Airfix Russians
The Blue Box Russian compared to the Marx Russian. Note both figures both figures are point their pistol in the air.
Here we have the two Blue Box Russians by two Oritet Russians. The Oritet figures were done in Russia. They also did modern Russian police.
Blue Box World War Two Russian Figures Details
The set has six poses as all modern World War Two Blue Box sets.
These are one of the hardest to get from Blue Box brand for some odd reason. I like how well they match with Marx 52mm copies of the 12 inch Marx poses Marx poses figures as well ESCI and Atlantic plus others. Another hard to get Russian set very similar in scale are the solid poses which Aurora included in some of the Aurora armor kits. What is interesting the amor kits 1/46th scale. The figures with the kits are 1/35 scale.
Unfortunately I have not found yet the other two Blue Box World War Two Russians poses. I had save these figures from my childhood. Once I do find them, I will post them here. I will sharing more of the Blue Box World War Two modern series of these interesting sets in future articles.
Blue Box World War Two Russian Figures Update
Markus Lecksheid has sent us photos of the two missing figures.
Blue Box World War Two Russian Figures Second Update
Markus Lecksheid sent us another photo. This time comparing PZG-ZSP to Blue BoxThe question is who copied who. Markus wondered if PZG-ZSP knew about Blue Box or the other way round.
The guy running with the sub machine gun is pretty close to the Marx pose of their 54mm Russian.
Yep as I stated above…Some poses from BB resemble the poses from other brand,artist most had take idea from or otherwise.
Another detail is BB same as in German took the detail to mark the helmet and had ensign,such stars .
The other two poses, one is running with LSMG at waist but not exact as Arifix,the PPCH41 is better designed than ugly small Airfix one.
I forgot other pose#6 how is…I still has to dig it out and not clue why missing then off entire set ,but I had transfer set loose figures from so many boxes many times that I get this happen. Some of my storage space has poor light too..
There is one picture I supply where show the BB Russian next to German BB and you can see the size difference too.
Too bad BB did not made all these series in same scale as Russians.
I did saw in 80s some copies of then but down scale(45mm!?), they came from china in bags. I should had got then too, but I skip off..
best…
Of course you did, I’m just illuminating which ones.
Funny I just realize the pose is like Marx but as left handed..
Interesting!!!
The sculptor must be a pacifist, no firing poses!?
May be.I guess many marx artists most had been too.
Any how…not every body fire a gun in action from aiming pose.
The one w LMG have hand in trigger. You can fire as that easy.
The advancing (not show here) same way.I may be wrong but last pose most be firing pose w rifle or w grenade.
I have dig it out and least over 20 years not see it .
I dig these out other day just to find out other two were not with.So once I get then I will post.
It is actually a miracle I kept then as half my childhood sets were lost.
But x sure very hard to see around today.
Best….
I have an update of the missing two poses from Markus Lecksheid. Also in the Almark posting we have added a photo of the blister card with metal weapons.
Thanks admin and Markus.
See I was close.there is an aiming firing pose.
The BB Ppsh41 is better in scale magazine else versus Airfix and Marx….
Well nowvi still has to find mine now. …is now important x me too.
Dying to see that lost Waffen SS pose from 21st CENT TOYS!
I guess is long line post before from admin and other collectors wating to be show here too…
When it get it turn it will.
The only pose that seems completely original is the guy running with the LMG (Dp-28). Even the prone firing the SMG is the Airfix MG man with a PpSh-41 placed in his hands. I think I’m actually going to make some of these with some broken AF MG guys I have laying around. The running pose next to the prone firing pose has a helmet that looks more like an East German steel pot. Having dumped all this criticism out, I’d still like to own a set. I bet they go for a lot when they show up, though.
If that is the case then Airfix copied BB.This set come before Airfix Soviets .
In my opinion the officer and that pose in guard are original too ,not see many as that till much posterior to BB release(I’m talking age made).The officer all do have an arm up and appear to the Marx down cloned pose of 12″ look to me new as long coat and not quite same legs arm pose, beside the pistol is very well done.
The arm up firing pistol is iconic pose from propaganda war era film photo take.
ESCI made it too as well many others …
Yet the prone pose and advancing looks and appearance with Airfix just with better PPSH41 done
But there is one interesting question …
Who would be who copy the pose idea from first !?
BB WW2 Russian first come in mid to late 60s least .Wile Airfix WW2 Russian are list as 1970 first set #BR BOX1735 .
Unless Airfix made in 1969 exact and not release till after.
Still if that would be the case I think some how it was AIRFIX who got the pose from BB and not other way around as by 1969 the BB was already been sold around.
My set was bough before 1968 specifically as it is belong original to my older brother ,then pass to me. .
In the guard pose ,I can think of Atlantic copied, but again WW2 Atlantic Russian come release in 1975.So again looks like either original or base in other brand!?
The running like Marx, just weapon arm switch is out of my count as do not know when Marx release the Russians first…..But definitely very close pose to Marx just reversed, A pose used by Atlantic twice with PPSH41 in one hand loose but not exact as MARX and some how repeated with ESCI hand up w weapon.
(By the way very unrealistic ,the PPSH41 is a very heavy front weapon with the big round 70 bullets mag to be carry easy as if were an Sten gun in one hand)
About the set price, it is up to the one selling or listing if in eBay I think…
Till now I had not see a single set list on eBay or shows here in US, wile abroad I check often too and nothing ,is one of less common BB sets sold and I do not know why as many others were contemporaneous but more abundant today-(American,Japanese…)
Unfortunately BB some times are list as simple HK and mix with other too, so it could be the case one day you find then easy …
For me looks an interesting set as well rest of BLUE BOX line ….
my thoughts..
Yes, I could see the ‘standing guard w/ SMG’ pose as original. The officer pose is common enough. The running w/ SMG in one hand is most definitely Marx ‘inspired’. It looks VERY similar. As you stated, it is not a comfortable pose for that particular weapon, due to the large capacity magazine that the Soviets so loved. It’s possible and likely enough for a 3 second rush to cover, though. The similarities of the prone firing SMG to the Airfix prone firing LMG are just too much to ignore. The creasing of the uniform around the belt is even close, the leg positioning is near exact, the arms in near the same position. Somebody copied somebody. I like the LMG man even if that Dp-28 looks like a scaled down version in .22 Cal.
Agree,wile they did the PPSH41 in scale and pistol too, the Dp28 looks a bit underscale ,but I guess it had happen in many others, if look at AIRFIX PPSH41are under scale too, specially the magazine ,too small.
If look closely to the DGN Russian they had the best PPSH41 done in proper size scale and magazine in my opinion.
I made a photo compere about it not long ago with 10 different brand in circle ,so u can see then very well, if had chance will send it direct.
Again weapons in these figures are always an issue as artist usually do figure first then weapon last and end making it with out scale perception many times.Airfix have many with that were like the German Paratroopers too…
So I guess we have to deal with ,specially in old toy soldiers brand sets.