Small Scale Military Headquarters

Must not buy another watchtower. Must not buy another watchtower. Must not buy another watchtower. Must not buy another watchtower.

I'm usually a sucker for any kind of wall, sand bag or blown-up building pieces but I am on the fence regarding the new bunkers. I did buy a few of the small wall sections a few months back and they are nice little pieces.. I'd really like to set up a small dio outside with GI-Joe and PTE stuff and take a few pics, but the fire ants just aren't to scale, I think they are more 1:32.

On another note, PTE just loves that damn grenade launcher don't they. Give us some .50 cals!

i'm with you on the bunkers. It looks better in grey, could be used as a destroyed building/ruin. The trench thingy is not too useful. I have no idea what i'd do with the Mutt and trailer. The only thing that really interests me in that whole set is the tan coloured tower and the peaked roof on the other tower; could make a nice stalag guard tower out of that combo.

You can pick up at a JCP store no problem.

Does PTE make Littlebirds that don't have the miniguns and rocket pods? Been looking for an MH-6 that's slightly cheaper than the BBI.

Nugget wrote:Does PTE make Littlebirds that don't have the miniguns and rocket pods? Been looking for an MH-6 that's slightly cheaper than the BBI.

Not that I know of, but both the rocket pods and miniguns slide off with minimal trouble.

B17Fortress wrote:

Nugget wrote:Does PTE make Littlebirds that don't have the miniguns and rocket pods? Been looking for an MH-6 that's slightly cheaper than the BBI.

Not that I know of, but both the rocket pods and miniguns slide off with minimal trouble.

Yea I already have one of the AH6s, I was thinking about heading to Big Lots and getting another one or two for a dio. Might just have to make custom benches that attach to the top of the weapons racks on the AH6. Just wanted to be sure my efforts wouldn't be wasted if I could just buy one with benches.

Nugget wrote:Does PTE make Littlebirds that don't have the miniguns and rocket pods? Been looking for an MH-6 that's slightly cheaper than the BBI.

Yes, both with and without doors, but I don't think they've been released in years.

Ta-152 wrote:

Nugget wrote:Does PTE make Littlebirds that don't have the miniguns and rocket pods? Been looking for an MH-6 that's slightly cheaper than the BBI.

Yes, both with and without doors, but I don't think they've been released in years.

I actually think I know which one you are talking about, I used to seem them at TRU a couple years ago. One came with a raft and some of the dive suit equipped SEALs.

After going into a few BL's over the past couple of weeks, I've noticed that these stores have not restocked what they had. If you're on the fence about getting anything, I think I'd get it now as this may be all they have.

I am really hoping for a big Christmas build-up like they've done in past years. I've got my eyes out for one of the sets with bridge and a bunker set.

Dak, My local Big Lots has the build up...it was half an isle of everything but the jets..which I was looking for...but they had a ton of everything else

Really? Mine only have a very small section in toys - maybe 4-5 feet. A few tanks, black helicopters, the Patrol Boats, and a lot of the four wheel vehicles among the mid/larger sets.

I'd love to see some of the other past sets and/or new items. I was really excited when I stumbled across the Ground Patrol Units/Mutt Jeep - I finally have a jeep now. While the Ultimate Soldier WWII jeeps go for a hefty price on Ebay, it was great to find a much less costly PTE jeep.

I usually check once a week.

I'd love to see the J-10 or the Su-27 show up. But that seems unlikely.

Yeah I like alot of them...def affordable....If I had time to customize...a lot of potential in this line...

I think this is the X-Mas build-up, no? Around me, they never really replenished past November IIRC. It was even rare past October to see PTE built back up in the aisles.

My stores got in some new, like the Mutt/Trailer set (It is a Mutt, no?), more of the mid-size playsets...

I really miss the bunks. How have those never come back out? Also the full tent set. Where are these at ya know?

Yes - I really need the full tent set. I like the well also. The set would go nicely with my Americans.

No Jeep/Mutt in my AO.

If you have more stores in your city, you might try another. I find that different stores carry different items. I only found the Mutt in a couple stores (not all).

On a side note, I picked up the black raft set yesterday (just for the raft). I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet, but it make for a nice night raid.

Karl Dak wrote: On a side note, I picked up the black raft set yesterday (just for the raft). I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet, but it make for a nice night raid.

Those little CRRC-type boats go back to WWII I think (e.g. Marine raider units) and current iterations are used by lots of spec ops forces. I think PTE's is a bit under-scale, but still very cool.

PTE makes such a well-balanced variety of items that most others neglect (boats, crates, barrels, bunks, ladders, ATVs, camels, horses, sandbags walls, artillery, etc.). Now if only there was a more reliable US distributor for their full line!

parrish333 wrote:

Karl Dak wrote: PTE makes such a well-balanced variety of items that most others neglect (boats, crates, barrels, bunks, ladders, ATVs, camels, horses, sandbags walls, artillery, etc.). Now if only there was a more reliable US distributor for their full line!

ha...10 minutes after having said that I found this:
http://www.joecustoms.com/forums/viewto ... 10&t=31376 (linking to http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=1558).

Pricey compared to Big Lots and JCPenney, but a way to get things often not available! Esp. the two new jets (J-10, SU-27).

nice to see Power Team branching out. The more stuff they sell, the more stuff they'll make.

parrish333 wrote:

Karl Dak wrote: Those little CRRC-type boats go back to WWII I think (e.g. Marine raider units) and current iterations are used by lots of spec ops forces.

Thanks for the info Parrish. I was thinking about posting a separate topic relating to these rafts. I actually saw an image of one with some WWII German soldiers (from a model box I believe). The raft wasn't quite the same; more along the old GI Joe blow-up variety, but I think it demonstrated how the raft could be incorporated into a WWII scene. I was thinking about using it for a special ops raid, but my diorama is more of a desert scene (although my mat does have a small river). I wasn't sure how my WWII Americans would look with the black raft. I may just have to try it.

Thanks for sharing that PTE link. I'll keep checking my Big Lots for those items that are "coming soon". I really want to get my hands on the bridge. When I was a kid, I remember seeing pontoon bridges pictured in Army Men playsets. I always wanted a real bridge but never had one.

Karl Dak wrote:Thanks for the info Parrish. I was thinking about posting a separate topic relating to these rafts. I actually saw an image of one with some WWII German soldiers (from a model box I believe). The raft wasn't quite the same; more along the old GI Joe blow-up variety, but I think it demonstrated how the raft could be incorporated into a WWII scene. I was thinking about using it for a special ops raid, but my diorama is more of a desert scene (although my mat does have a small river). I wasn't sure how my WWII Americans would look with the black raft. I may just have to try it.

I got thinking more about this, and I read up on it a bit more - see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRRC - that's obviously what the PTE boat is going for. I don't think that U-shaped type Zodiac came into use until after WWII though. I think WWII use was more of this type:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCRL -or-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bunde ... ergang.jpg

So if you're more strict on details, then a modern dio fits the PTE boat much better. Either way though, I think it definitely gives the flavor, WWII or otherwise.

i've never been able to find a true wwii era shaped raft. Back then, rubber rafts were oval shaped. The more modern shape is oval at the front but has a cut out at the back where the motor goes, giving an overall sort of U shape it. No rafts back in wwii had that shape.

So you can either not worry about it or find some way to hide the back of the raft or graft 2 front halves together.

aferguson wrote:i've never been able to find a true wwii era shaped raft. Back then, rubber rafts were oval shaped. The more modern shape is oval at the front but has a cut out at the back where the motor goes, giving an overall sort of U shape it. No rafts back in wwii had that shape.

So you can either not worry about it or find some way to hide the back of the raft or graft 2 front halves together.

This is getting the thread off-topic, but yes, oval-shaped is oddly hard to find in 1/18! There are some very nice examples in 1/6.

I had this old A-Team set (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1983-te ... 43ab4c5122) and the yellow raft is about the only item I have left from it. It's a bit small, but gives the basic shape. I suppose if I painted it OD or black it would work better.

Also, I think this is for 1/6 but looking at the ruler in the pic I think it's actually very close for 1/18?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hasbro-GI-Joe-A ... 336ef49420