LAUGHINGGRAVY'S
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         As a boy, I was always known to carry a pocketful of plastic men wherever I went. Whether World War II soldiers, Cowboys and Indians, Knights, or even Astronauts, I was ever ready to break out into intense play action whenever I grew weary of the adult happenings around me. I kept all those men of mine. Never chewed, blew-up, melted, BB shot, lawnmowered or any of a multitude of tragedies that can befall these brave warriors in the Real World. Granted, some few have been lost or stepped-on inadvertently, but most are still with me. These have been retired to spend the rest of their days in peace, discussing long-gone days of yore. When pitched battles were raged at the whims of a small yellow-haired boy who would never forget his loyal little friends and companions.
            Today, as a man, I still collect the originals that made up my forces as a boy. There are, however, many companies that manufacture newly sculpted and designed figures today. These are defining this "new-age" of plastic soldiers and figures. The quality and detail available on these new pieces is, for the most part, superlative. In addition to these newly available figures, some current companies have acquired the original molds from many of the old and defunct manufacturers. Now, newly cast figures from original molds are available at a fraction of the cost of originals.
           
            Some of the companies providing the newly sculpted figures and vehicles(WWII)that I personally endorse for quality and detail are;
          
            21st Century Toys - Nice painted figures, but the real asset to this company is its exquisite line of detailed vehicles. By far THE BEST vehicles around.
           
            Conte Collectibles - Specializing in movie-themed playsets, including buildings and figures. Without a doubt the best detailed plastic figures ever produced. They also carry an incredible line of metal soldiers as well.
          
             Classic Toy Soldiers ( CTS ) - Not only do they carry an extensive line of other companies' products, but they provide nice representations of combat figures. CTS also produces nicely made WWII vehicles. The source for Airfix re-cast figures.
           
             King and Country - Beautifully painted metal figures, and near perfect vehicles. These are for serious collectors; a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for.
          
             BMC - A nice selection of figures and basic playsets. The quality and detail perhaps don't rival other makers, but BMC offers an affordable and varied assortment of figures and playsets for many time periods. A great choice for beginners or children who want to play in the backyard with dad.
           
Here are some links to great sites;
Fetco - Tom is one great guy and carries many hard-to-find items in 1/32 - 1/35 scale. This is also one of the funnest sites around!
TSSD - Toy Soldiers of San Diego. These are one of the biggies. Any kind of figure you could want. Lots of stuff.
GroundPounder's XD and 32X fansite - A site devoted to 21st Century's 1/18 and 1/32 lines. Lots of knowledgeable folks in this forum. GroundPounder is a gentleman of the first degree.
Patton Society Homepage - A nice site devoted to one of the United States' most famous Generals.
Armymen Homepage - Everything you ever wanted to know about plastic armymen.
Collecting Toy Soldiers - Fantastic background on popular themes and a little bit for those who like something different. A great site by Brian Carrick.
Cinco de Mayo - A wonderful site full of different period-based toy soldiers. Lots of painted examples. My favorites are the football/sports figures.
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