Kelloggs Warriors of the World and 50mm scale
In 1968 Kelloggs release a wonderful set of silver plastic toy soldiers. They were a little small next to 54mm figures and I never got enough to make whole armies. What was interesting was the wide range of eras covered and the range helped to further stimulate my interest in history.
These figures were among the first toy soldiers I ever painted, some time between age nine and twelve. I did some basic paint jobs with a limited palette but generally managed to keep it neat. In my later teens and twenties I again had a go at painting the figures, with the goal of painting a whole set of sixteen figures to show uniforms through the ages. I nearly got there, with only a couple to go. I also converted some figures, swapping heads between William Tell and a Spanish conquistador and adding trousers to a bare legged Viking and also cutting off the helmet horns and giving him a better sword. Now I am dusting them off and completing the project with some more paint jobs and some more conversions. I am also including other 50mm figures from other series.
Below is the unaltered Viking. I figured he looks like a Bronze Age warrior from Mycenaean Greece or that region and I painted him accordingly. Many Aegean warriors from the period are depicted with horns in their helmets. The Ancient Egyptians called them the Sea Peoples.
Also shown is an astronaut, fancifully painted in gold. He was not from this series but he was a hard plastic kit figure from a cereal space series. His scale fits with the Warriors.
The Viking has been modified to look more like a real Viking.
The crusader in front is actually a Cherilea figure, which is slightly smaller again.
Below are three recent conversions - Confederate, Roman with brass spear and another Bronze Age barbarian with sandals cut from the Viking 'Ugg Boots'.
Below: Anglo bandit or adventurer made from the Mexican with the US Cavalry head.
Above: Russian Napoleonic Grenadier made from the 18th century British grenadier.
These figures were among the first toy soldiers I ever painted, some time between age nine and twelve. I did some basic paint jobs with a limited palette but generally managed to keep it neat. In my later teens and twenties I again had a go at painting the figures, with the goal of painting a whole set of sixteen figures to show uniforms through the ages. I nearly got there, with only a couple to go. I also converted some figures, swapping heads between William Tell and a Spanish conquistador and adding trousers to a bare legged Viking and also cutting off the helmet horns and giving him a better sword. Now I am dusting them off and completing the project with some more paint jobs and some more conversions. I am also including other 50mm figures from other series.
Below is the unaltered Viking. I figured he looks like a Bronze Age warrior from Mycenaean Greece or that region and I painted him accordingly. Many Aegean warriors from the period are depicted with horns in their helmets. The Ancient Egyptians called them the Sea Peoples.
Also shown is an astronaut, fancifully painted in gold. He was not from this series but he was a hard plastic kit figure from a cereal space series. His scale fits with the Warriors.
Included below is a conversion of the crossbowman to make him into a conquistador in quilted armor. The Zulu is the biggest figure in the set.
Below: Turkish conversion with removal of the silly tiny pistol and addition of a tiddlywink shield.
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Below: Made in China cheapo knights slightly smaller than the Warriors of the World figures but with the crusader for comparison.Above: Russian Napoleonic Grenadier made from the 18th century British grenadier.
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