Interesting!

[steve_pickstock]

Some people have a nerve.

In the way these things happen, I had an advertisement come up on my Facebook page for Ali Express and a model R/C truck. It's something I have been looking at for some years now - they're a kit of parts that makes up a WW2 style US truck, and I'd like to make one up into a WW2 British Bedford to go with my Heng Long Sherman.

So while I was looking at it my attention was drawn to a couple of sprues in a thumbnail and lo and behold it was the old Esci/Italeri Zulus. But when I clicked on the advert they wanted £20 for them.

No box just the sprues, but twenty bl**dy quid?! That is taking the p1ss.

I clicked on the shop - Salad Miniature Model Store - and then on their 1/72nd section. They have a lot of stuff you can't get here in the UK in their store, there was a lot of Caesar Miniatures and obscure other sets.

I even saw the Caesar Journey to the West set. It was £12 for 5 figures but it's a set that has always intrigued me and I might even have spent that much to get a copy, but I want to convince Mrs P to let me get one of the trucks for a Christmas present for myself.

Salad Miniatures may be of use to someone.
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1102815075

[Ochoin]

Steve, people will charge for what they can get.

I was interested in adding a fantasy element to my medieval gaming, so Dark Alliance figures were of interest.
On AMAZON, they're around $50 (A) a box! I bought from a Ukrainian supplier for $12 a box which included P&P.

If we lived in a Communist society, we'd all be given 3 figures (no more, no less) whether we wanted them or not.

donald

[PaulRPetri]

Steve I would be very leery of that site. It looks like a scam to me. But that could be my old policeman's brain. Hard to say. I was scammed a few years back on some Peter Pig figures I tried to. order from a site like that one. Use caution.

[steve_pickstock]

Oh, don't worry Paul, ain't touching that at those prices.

I did get my Heng Long Sherman from either here or Wish and it was worth it, bout forty quid or more cheaper than I would pay for it in the UK even with shipping. So we'll see how we go on that one.

This is the Sherman after my friend made some modifications to it for me. Now a Sherman 1C Firefly. I bought the barrel and a couple of other bits, he added the rest in sheet styrene.

[steve_pickstock]

Mrs P said I could have the truck for Christmas, so it's been ordered. The plan is to convert it so that it looks like a British Bedford QL or even a QD, I may even take one of the axles off it to make a 4x4. Don't know.

[PaulRPetri]

WOW!! Cool toys Steve!!

[steve_pickstock]

WOW!! Cool toys Steve!!

The Sherman still needs some work.
I want to use Mr Surfacer to simulate the rough cast of the turret and then it needs painting.
My area of special interest is the British 11th Armoured Division - you guys had an 11AD as well. This vehicle will be from one of the three regiments in 29th Armoured Brigade - either 3rd battalion Royal Tanks, 23rd Hussars or 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry - I'm inclined to 2FF Yeo, because the other two always get the glory.
One feature I got my mate to do - the bases for the aerials (the non-functioning ones) are fitted with magnets so that if the aerial gets banged or knocked it will breakaway without damaging the tank.

[Ochoin]

Magnets are a great idea. I just use thin plastic rods that bend.....or break off, sometimes.

donald

[steve_pickstock]

Magnets are a great idea. I just use thin plastic rods that bend.....or break off, sometimes.

donald

In 1/72 I use nylon brush bristles but 1/16 gives you a lot more space to work, and different problems too, after all this is an outdoor/undergrowth model.

[Michael Robert]

Hello,
also saw the many ads from AliExpress and some interesting figures. So I decided to give it a go, but it was quite conclusive to me. First of all, they have this way of showing many figure groups and you obtain just one of them by chance - obviously it was by far the least interesting in my case. Then, I saw the knock-offs from Alex figures. So this made me think that many of the others might also be knock-offs.
In short - never will try again. I prefer to place my money to real creators and their shops. It is the only way to maintain our hobby.
Greetings
Michael

P.S. Long time since I last posted, but was missing it.

[Santi Pérez]

Hello,
also saw the many ads from AliExpress and some interesting figures. So I decided to give it a go...P.S. Long time since I last posted, but was missing it.

First of all, nice to read you again, Michael.

And secondly, I too have been tempted by AliExpress...and fell for it.

This weekend I've picked up some 1/72 and 1/32 scale figures for them. I hope to receive them in a couple of weeks with no problems

When they arrive (I hope they do) I'll let you know what condition they're in. Wish me luck!

Santi.

[Santi Pérez]

I have finally received the order I placed with AliExpress. The truth is that I have been pleasantly surprised in all aspects: the reception time has been as expected (approximately a couple of weeks), the tracking has been the most complete I have ever seen and, most importantly, the quality of the figures has exceeded my best expectations.

I bought two separate lots: firstly, a 54mm figure of a 1st century BC Roman officer (actually a portrait of centurion Lucius Vorenus from the TV series Rome). It's a very high quality resin copy of a white metal original from Andrea Miniatures (they haven't even bothered to remove the original manufacturer's logo from the bottom of the base).



However, there is a huge difference in price: while the original figure costs 33.60 euros (VAT and shipping excluded), the copy cost me only 12.32 euros (all costs included).

https://www.andrea-world.com/es/1/catalogo-miniaturas-andrea/135/roma/1546/sr-01-centurion-i-bc.html



The second lot consisted of a total of 12 figures (a centurion, 5 legionaries, a guardian and 5 slaves) and some set pieces simulating a fragment of a Roman road. All of them are in 1/72 scale and are made in resin. Unlike the resin of the previous 54mm figure, these are very fragile and some of the finer pieces (sword blade and scabbard, pila, shield) broke, despite my careful handling.

Although I imagine they are also copies, I haven't been able to find the original figures anywhere on the internet.

The price was very good: 17.60 euros for the whole lot, VAT and shipping included. Here are a couple of pictures of the set, as well as a close-up of the centurion, where you can appreciate the great quality of the details.

...In short - never will try again. I prefer to place my money to real creators and their shops. It is the only way to maintain our hobby...

While I share Michael's view, it's also very important for me to compare value for money. Since my first experience has been so positive, I think I will do it again, but only in the case of exorbitantly priced original figures or figures that I can't get on the normal market.

Best regards!

Santi.