roco minitanks

[Bandit]

Hi, Anyone collect Roco military stuff? I did when I was a young and liked to play with the models. Was thinking about making a model Army base in HO scale and was checking out stuff to see what I'm was getting into.
Guess you could use 1/72 scale if you wanted more detail models. Roco did not looked too detailed by the pictures on the web and I can't recall how much detail they had but 1/72 wouldn't be in scale.
There are some HO military building and alot of military train cars.
ideas anyone? Maybe Roco is only for wargamers.

[Light.Inf.Scout]

Did when I was young. I really liked them...still have most of them somewhere.

[binder001]

I started buying Minitanks back in the 1960s. There was a brief period that they were mass-marketed, I can remember a local drug store carrying a display of them. Shermans were a quarter and the big Tiger IIs were all of 39 cents. We would play with them, sell them or trade to each other. The earlier Minitanks were kind of loose in scale and by current standards were not well detailed but compared to 1/35th models of the same time period they were just fine. The accuracy and detail got better over time. I still have a few Minitanks stuck away in the stash but most ave been replaced by newer 1/72nd models with better detail.

Now the 1/87th collector can add plastic models from Priesser and Trident to the line as well as resin kits from Heiser's Models. With the lines of European buildings available in HO scale one can either wargame or set up large scale battle scenes. Only in small scale can you show companies or even platoons in combat.

I was glad to see that Herpa picked up the range and is getting a lot of it re-released. Even if I don't buy much they are still great to look at!

[billgiff]

Speaking of Rocco, the connection that i had for the 1/18 BBI cases also had a bunch of the Rocco vehicles. He will return from vacation in March. If anybody is interested, I'll see what exactly he has and the prices. Let me know. Bill

[lightning2000]

Ah, Roco Minitanks. My first experience collecting these little honeys must have been in the late sixties, when they were heartily displayed at Toy City here in Bayside, Queens. I guess I was around 12 or 13 when I first started acquiring these brutes, then I remember coming across a mail order house that seemed to stock the entire line.

I still remember planning on placing a massive order for about 50 different vehicles (which, at the time, must have total around $25 or so) only to have my mom find out and nix the whole idea.

I proudly displayed them in my bedroom cabinet alongside my Bahamiam parade band, which were starting to lose some of their articulating arms and instruments.

I think the whole kit and kaboodle got deep sixed when I moved out in my early twenties to get married. Sniff...

Lightning2000
www.themotorpool.net

[[CAT]CplSlade]

My experience was a decade later than the other guys (70s), and I do remember the mass-retail to a smaller degree - I guess the idea was losing steam by then.

All I have currently is a Kubelwagen, which I got to supplement my VW collection. I have a Schwimmwagen in the same tiny scale but I think I got that from Priesser or some other RR accessories company.

Jan's Hobby Shop in the Upper East Side of Manhattan still has quite a few.

[AMERICAN_GRENADIER]

brings back some good memories! my friends and i would trade back and forth. when i left for the Marines my mom gave them to my little brother they didnt survive