The Longest Running Toy Line in the World | Britains Toy Soldiers!
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- Опубликовано: 11 июл 2024
- In this video we take a look at the longest running toy line in the world; Britains Toy Soldiers and two of my favourite sets from childhood - the Britains Deetail, British & German Infantry.
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#Britains #Deetail #toysoldiers 
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Which set of Britains Deetail are your favourite?
Paras/Marines/SAS with Berets on
I had a splattering of these growing up , mostly cowboys and Indians ( which by today’s climate would be frowned upon) the royal guard with those fuzzy hats and a few random German soldiers, I do remember wanting the sci-fi stuff when I saw it in the catalogue they would give out
Oh I had a single solitary bugler French foreign Legion guy too that blue was pretty striking
Oh damn I had that pullback dragon from the knights sets too I loved that thing
oh i had the Africa core kugelwagon which was lush BUT my fave was the US jeep with driver and it's huge .50 cal and shooter on the back! ... so much fun driving this jeep tabout occupied sofa cushions ...
Russians were to be added but the low sales of the Japanese the was abandoned. When Toyway gained the contact to sell Deetail I was commissioned to paint samples of the figures in more detailed and accurate colour schemes. I made the Brits commandos and made sure that the officer had his mustache painted on !
Amazing!
❤ Thank you Sir for your wonderfully done job!
It saddens me that in this modern world people forgot how fun and cool analog toys are
I never got hold of any of these sets as a kid (we were too poor), but I used to get the Britain's catalogue from a local newsagents.
I would spend hours looking at the pictures - all the sets were amazing, from the us civil war to space and knights.
It was truly an amazing toyline.
Thanks for the video, gave me a real shot of nostalgia.
I only had a few of the German and British army as they were very expensive.
I had a couple but they really were the preserve of the kids who had a lot of pocket money. I also drooled over the catalogue for hours. Then one year one of the crisp brands (golden wonder kung fuey, I'm pretty sure) did a 'collect 10 empty bags' and send for a free Britains soldier offer for several types. I remember going through the bins at school and collecting enough for 3 soldiers. Posted the bags off waited the regulation 28 days for delivery and I was made up. Trouble was, one was a knight, one was world war 2 and the 3rd was some other era, e.g cowboy. But at least I had some Britains soldiers to trade with my mates for ww2 .
I had some Britain's as a kid. Started with the Confederates and then got the Germans and Brit WW2 figures. I spent an INSANE amount of time as a kid playing plastic soldiers, making forts out of lego or digging little trenches in the garden and even using cocktail sticks to make defences on little hills made of mud. It's funny now because every time I open a new roll of polythene bin bags, the smell reminds me of toy plastic soldiers 🤣
Britains*
8:11 here’s big hugs to both of my WW2 veteran grandfathers. Grandpa Weaver served in the Pacific. He was a combat veteran in the US Navy while my devout Christian grandfather, Grandpa Robberson reluctantly served in Europe as a US Army Medic. The man was no coward. He just didn’t want to kill another human. Our world is a lesser place without these men (sigh)
I was quite fortunate as kid, Britain's had a factory near to where lived and I knew someone who worked there so I amassed a huge toy soldier collection. I remembered coming back from school and spending all evening setting them before bed . During the night, my cat would play Godzilla and there would be piles of soldiers under the rug.
😂 da kitty "be wilding" as them kids say nowadays
I haven’t thought much about these soldiers in 40 years but seeing them again I could feel them in my hands, and the trees too!
Our grandmother took us to buy these always a special treat
My aunt worked for Britains as a home-worker, painting and assembling these. She would always save me a few. As a result I have practically everything including all the farm and space stuff.
Once I arrived at her house and my cousins (who were already adults) were having a battle with about fifty cannons per side.
As an American we had Britains in the early 70's. However, Airfix 1/72 was the normal. Yes, they sold them at a store individual. I am 61 and collect real UK firearms from late 1800's to Cold War. But I still collect and display them with toy soldiers. Many battles were fought and refought in a small dirt spot in the back yard. I have a large Webley and Enfield revolver collection from WW1 and WW2. The Officer holding the revolver sits proud above them. I even have a large lanyard collection. Your post brought back so many memories.
Britains also made farm animals and machinery in the same scale and level of detail. I've still got my Massey Ferguson 135 tractor somewhere.
Still got my series and defender landrovers with trailers
That German ‘running with machine gun’ is actually carrying an anti-tank rifle Tony 😊 Same for that 2nd set, it’s another AT rifle, the PzB39 😊
As a kid I loved Britains toys. They were absolute quality. I was not that interested in various wars, just having two different sets that I could ‘fight’ against each other for hours on end. My Dad (RIP) would also buy cheaper plastic soldiers and he painted their helmets in different colours and that made my army grow, lol.
Britains Farm sets were outstanding too. My Dad was a farmer and we grew up with lots and lots of Britains tractors, balers, that red combine, and loads of farm animals.
My Dad wasn't buying more ammo for the mortars which was lost instantly- so tooth picks were used instead. They fire pretty good. Also he put thing foam strips in the sides of the dingy so it floated.
I had British army and the germans. I also had crusader Knights and the Saracens. My dad built me a big castle out of wood. And use to play my own version of kingdom of heaven. And win because. God will's it !
... the Germans* / God wills* it (third person, no apostrophe)
@@einundsiebenziger5488oh come on😂
GOD WILLS IT! Deus Vult!
In 1982 my parents took us to London and a promise of Hamleys. I spent months saving my money - they were 50p a figure as I recall. I still have about 3/4 of my childhood collection.
I actually remember as a kid seeing these being sold at good toy stores in the States during the 80s. They were expensive, but really high quality. I had several of them and assigned them to combat roles along with my model tanks. Fond memories 😊
I have still got three toy soldiers dating from the 1960s. They are standing on top of the door to my model railway layout room secured in place with Blue Tack! I didn't know all this about the Britains range. Thanks for uploading.
I love this video. I was a poor kid. While all my friends go GI Joe my parents could only afford the American version Green Army men. So I appreciate this video. Thank you....
I remember visiting my Granny in Kent (I live in the US) and saw Britain’s for the first time back in the early 80s. Instantly fell in love and have been collecting ever since.
Growing up I assumed that German soldier running with a ammo box was the machine gunner, but it's an anti-tank rifle he's carrying.
Upon first release the Deetail German and G.I.'s had their metal bases painted red, quickly change to tan, before becoming the green colour we know and love.
Though I did not have Britains Toy Soldiers, I did have MANY standard plastic army men that were made in America during to 70's and 80's. I still have various 1/32 plastic figures from my childhood as well a recent recasts. In all, I have 2 giant 30 gallon tubs filled with army men, space men, divers, cowboys Indians, cave men, monsters, fantasy figures, knights and MORE! They were so easy for me to make paper toys for them. The size was right and no time period was missing.
Great video! Great review! Great memories!
Me too
Simple but brilliant toys. Had these in the 70s & 80s still got some now. The vehicles are second to none
Lived in western Canada in those years, there was one shop in the nearest city (4 hours away) that sold all that sort of stuff and the Britains stuff was eye wateringly expensive with the added import costs. Even the Airfix and Matchbox stuff was not cheap but I was very happy with what I got and it got a lot of use.
I think that in their simplicity toy soldiers are fantastic for world building and to create epic adventures.
They are such a great vehicle to stimulate the imagination.
Britain's soldiers where a massive part of my childhood. I remember getting the knights and cowboys and Indians and all different types of soldiers. Thanks for another amazing video Tony 👍🏻👍🏻
Fantastic nostalgic upload. I had the American civil war cavalry as a kid back in the sixties.My son, loved the farm series especially the tractors.My daughter loved the riding stables set. By the way has anyone ever come across the American revolutionary set that were advertised on the back of their DC comics. That would make an interesting video.
Such a great show, my Brothers and I had all the sets, as well as the American civil war. They were so well detailed and we all had hours of fun with them, only wish we still had them…. Great channel Tony, keep up the sterling work
I had Britains farm toys, and their amazing space range. Absolutely loved every minute of playing with them. Didnt even know they made army figures, but makes perfect sense.
The space characters were i think, plasyic, and had metal bases, which attached to one or both feet of the figurines.
What i especially liked was the ingenuity of the space vehicles, even though it was not possible to put the figures in many of them.
Very enjoyable walk through history, thank you! I was introduced to the Deetail knights in 1980 and have collected since then. The slightly larger Elastolin knights (Which we would pick up during our yearly visit to Epcot Center in Disney World) made for excellent enemies.
Those are some gorgeous toy soldiers,I never saw anything like them in the States as a child,at least at regular retail.Thank you for another great video.
We had a small independent toy store in SE Tennessee that carried them. (Although at the time I didn't realize what they were) They were sold loose, with the store carrying more of the revolution & civil war figures than anything else.
Great trip down memory lane.. I loved playing with my solders!! Thank you for this video
I really loved the Britain's sci-fi line of toys - quite strange and unique.
I think there was a space station set. Love them.
I'm a massive Britain's deetail collector, I grew up in the 1980s and was obsessed with the ACW line but over the years I have put the full collection of all the sets together, Waterloo, ACW, knights Turks, ww2 sets, all military Vehicles, I will never part with them, I'm 48 years old now and love them as much has I did as a kid.
I was just looking at these great figures in Acme Toys while in Birmingham. Very cool to get some history behind them! Thanks Tony!
I used to buy them (one at a time, at great expense - probably $2 each), at the Happy Whale toy shop in Rockport on family summers in 70, 71, 72... My fondest memories; buying toy soldiers on holiday in Annisquam, MA....
$2 each is pretty expensive especially around that time period. They were 12 pence at my local shop here in Britain in the mid 1970s.
@@sergioalmasy8722 I remember being shocked at how much they cost in North America in 1973. Two bucks was money. I don't know why they cost that much even with import duty, shipping etc., In England they were "accessibly priced".
@@johnjackson8783 Yes, $2 was quite a sum of money back then. As you say, transport costs and import duties! Still extortionately priced.
Some of my earliest play memories. I loved the modular SPACE line. Great video Mr Roberts, as always
Peter Cushing was a huge wargaming enthusiast, and apparently had a large collection of metal/lead miniatures that he painted himself. We used to get Britains soldiers in hobby shops and a few department stores in Canada during the 70s.
Thank you for a great show. KayBee toy stores in the USA always had the wonderful display case of Plastic Britains figures. Those stores no longer exist here. I miss those days!
Loved these as a kid. Unfortunately got rid of most of them in later years and only kept a handful 🤦♂️ Loved the WW2 range and the knights.
Great video. Thank you. Though it may cost me money as I’m now keen on repurchasing some of these 🤔 Lol
The was a really old toy shop along Camden passage, Islington N1 , that had a treble fronted window and always a large display of Britain's boxes in the window. Royal carriage, trooping the colour etc etc. Always way out of my price range or anywhere near what I could convince my parents to buy me. It was a lovely old shop, creaking wooden floors and wall to wall Airfix models and train sets. I would normally sort through the discount chest on the floor of damaged boxes at discount prices for a model. That was over 50yrs ago now. I never forgot that shop and even passing now seeing it as a snack bar my mind wonders off on a nostalgic trip desperate as a boy for my own set of Britain's figures. On my 60th birthday last month my wife and kids gave me 12 Britain Royal Guard figures from 1973. That was the first time I have cried since my last grandson was born.
I had a set of the Germans and knights as well. I loved those little soldiers! Thanks for reminding me of them!
This was a GREAT topic Tony, TY! This scale rarely if ever, gets any coverage. While I was not familiar with this line in America, before I got started down the road with GIJoe, my brother and I would watch our uncles have an annual Civil War clash with this scale. It was MASSIVE! They would recreate Civil War battles outside using no less that 2K troops with scaled cavalry and custom artillery that was built to fire bbs. We loved it! For a time, I collected the plastic British, Japanese and American soldiers, hand painting them through my early teens. Great memories man
Ron Cameron, the designer and sculptor of the Deetail range told us how he and Charlie Biggs hired a couple of German and US Army uniforms from Bermans and with an old air rifle, posed in Ron's garden and took pictures. These became the basis of most of the poses
Thank you Tony! I started collecting toy soldiers as a very young adult after keeping all my Britains Deetail toy soldiers I played with as a kid. My very first boxed Deetail set was the
WW2 Germans. I have such a fond memory of my parents buying it for me from a small furniture store here in the U.S. during the winter months, and riding home in the back seat of the car in the dark waiting to go by a steer light so I could see the soldiers behind the clear plastic window on the box. 🙂
Your videos are great and inspiring!
Burt from the USA
This is some really awesome stuff! We don’t have something like this in the United States. If I ever visit the UK I definitely want to one of these up!
Love how detailed and informative your videos are,also so much fun!
Great video Tony, I've played with them and still love them. Nice of you to view this side of toys too. Greetings from Netherlands. 👍
I had most of what you described as were in your collection because my grandfathers and two uncles were in the service o7
Scot’s Guards, horses and some other vehicles were also added later .. I freaking love this channel .. so many memberberries
I had the German and British Infantry soldiers as a kid. But every day is a school day with Analog Toys, because I never knew Britains were 131 years strong! Wow!
These figures were more expensive than the packs of the Airfix 1/32 scale figures but these were painted, which I loved. I attempted to paint the Airfix figures but these were always my favourite. I'd forgot about the mortar sets; I had the British one and the shells really did "ping" some distance from that bad boy! haha! Had the German motorcycle solo but no other vehicles. I also had the Grenadier Guards figures in ceremonial dress but in battle poses!!
I still have a few in my collection but they are the police series figures (surprise surprise).
Excellent video mate. Top top memories.
I really wasn't aware of this line of toys. Really beautiful figures. In Greece, in the 80s we had the SOLPA toy soldier figures, which are now sold quite expensive in Ebay.
I first discovered your channel through your previous video on Britains. Fun to hear you talk about them again!
Most of mine were American Civil War soldiers, but I also had Knights/Saracens and Cavalry/Indians.
These are so cool! Love the video you made here on these!
I found your channel by chance and became a fan within the first few minutes.
Don't stop this wonderful work of bringing back memories of our childhoods.
You will always have my like.
I had Britains tractors but my small soldiers were Airfix sets which I loved , I made so many models with my pocket money , inspired by Ray Cross’s box art, he had his 100th birthday recently !
Holy cow ! That was a wonderful trip down memory lane ❤️ thanks for uploading
Now this is the kind of stuff I subscribed for.
Excellent work.
Had a set of these that ive kept out since I was a kid back in 2012. Just because I always liked the detail compared to the green army men I usually played with. Had no idea there was a long history to those guys, great video!
I had many of the 70's Britians but my fav and one I still have is the Waterloo British regiment. I recall the Herald models as well.
Thanks for the history lesson.
In the early 1970's got a W Britains 4.7 Inch Naval Gun and a 25 Pdr Gun, loved them. Read the 1913 book "Little Wars" by H G Wells. Now my collection is rather big, and I have a multitude of pieces going back 110+ years.
I love the detail line! I only have two, but they have to be some of the coolest antiques I own! (Amazing video by the way!!)
Cool video Tony I never had any of these .Cool to see that this is still being made😊
Awesome video! I loved these as kid. I had lots of British Ceremonial, Knights, cowboys and US Cavalry, etc. My first set was a gift from my dad's now-deceased best friend. He was in the US Navy and picked up a Trouping of the Colors set in the UK in 1987 or 88. Still have it and still love it. I was surprised how expensive many of these have become recently.
Such happy memories, thank you!
I live in Massachusetts, all our local malls, and several mail order catalogs had Britains miniatures when I was a boy. Though coming from divorced parents,I never had the money to get much,I did get a few over the years. I had their kettenkraftrad with the 2 figures on it. I had the British quad gun tractor truck with the limber, the scout car you showed,and some single figures. I still have one ww2 German left after all these years, throwing a stick grenade..yes, it still has the helmet decal! .it's definitely one of the detail ones...I also still have the scout car, although the bren gun is gone, and it's been repainted. The rest were lost by my son when I passed them on to him. Evidently, as an adult, he simply threw them all away.
Thanks for a really great video! I still have the Deetail German mortar team and side car combination that I got as a child in my box of carefully saved toy soldiers. The rest that have survived are the slightly earlier Swoppets that include two 109" Land Rovers, a British dispatch rider on his Triumph, several infantry and even some earlier lead Mounties. This group of veterans fought many battles 50+ years ago and are now tucked away in peaceful retirement. Your video brings back some great memories. Cheers!
Oh, mate, you've just unlocked a whole lot of memories for me right here. Also have a big remembrance for the space range from the early 80s.
WOW! This was a nice little blast from the past! Thanks again Tony! I actually do remember these figures from my childhood as well! There was one small store in my area, growing up, that sold a lot of Corgi and Dinky die-cast toys as well as the BRITAINS figures. Come to think of it, I think the owner was British as well. I think I may have had a set of American soldiers and a set of Germans. But I can't remember if they were in my collection or my friend's collection. I do remember MANY a sandbox battle play time with them!
Always loved these toys. There is an amazing vintage video online of the old factory making the lead cast figures back in the day.
A wonderful video. It made me feel young again.
Great video - I had almost forgotten about the mortar teams, esp. rapidly losing the mortars and having to make do with matchsticks! 😀
My local toy store had a few of these lines when I was growing up. Being in Tennessee and surrounded by Civil War history, the American Civil War figures were always my favorite. Although the knights were a really close second.
Heading to a toy show this Saturday, I may add a couple of these to my BOLO list and see if I can come home with anything. As always, a great video - thanks for sharing!
Man this really takes me back, great video! I ad a ton of these back in the 80’s. My Dad would have to travel to England all the time and he’d bring back all kinds of these sets. I still have a few but I wish I still had all the ones I had. I do remember some of the men braking of their stand so I would use those as bodies on the battle field. Could you do a video of all the different berets? If I remember correctly there were green, red, brown and gray.
Excellent Sir. I recently visited a toy Dept. God it's changed not a patch on when I was growing up. The store was full of Airfix,Scalextric, Hornby, Star Wars etc. Now just a small section of trains & models mixed together. Got me thinking I'd love to be about 10/11yrs old again and one last look round. Better times.
Used to have a few of these sets as a kid. Fantastic!
I had one Britains Deetail German figure. The machine gunner in the crouch position. I imagined he was the veteran Sargent super solider as I played him along my Airfix clone Afrika Corps plastic soldiers battling my Timmee plastic Vietnam War soldiers. Great video. Keep up the good work! 👍
That was great Tony. Had no idea of these. Thanks. My Dad was in the War and talked of it many times. My Great Uncle Les, however, he was in Burma -- and NEVER talked of it
Those Burma Star recipients had it rough man!
I had all of the British soldiers , most of the Germans and also some vehicles , I sold them on e bay just a year or two ago as they had just sat in a box for 40 years but I was sad to see them go , so your video brought back some great memories .
Wonderful video
Great video
Very nice. As french we had different soldiers in the sixties and seventies. I did not know that beautiful brand. Bravo for your video.
Fantastic!
It was so exciting to go to the toy shop knowing you were going to buy some more for your collection. The question for me was “Should I buy a knight on horseback or two on foot?”
Oh wow, what a blast from the past! I had the brits and germans as a kid. I would spend hours with these!
Great video. thank you. I received a set of US infantry Christmas 1971. Grateful though I was, I would have preferred British Infantry only to learn half a century later that they didn't exist.
I’m not even really into toy soldiers and found this video by accident and your video is so well made I found it very entertaining and subscribed 😃
Thank you
Great video on one of the best toy lines ever. I’m in the US. I have the civil war soldiers and some WW2. I also grabbed some civilian stuff like horse back riders. My favorite of the line would be the French foreign legion. They look amazing. Thanks for the video and history lesson!
I remember buying Britains toy soldiers in The Red Triangle toy shop in the corner of the covered market in St .Helier in Jersey in the early 1970's👍, on summer holidays happy days I miss !
80s kid here.
I forgot I even owned a set of these, watching your vid activated long lost memories!
I remember that I was able to move the arm on my German radio operator dude, so I could swing his hand up when he 'talked' while playing.
Anyone else notice that at 6:16 the rifle on the back of the motorbike rider is actually a Garand?
Great stuff! My brother and I had a bunch of these,plus the cavalry and Indians,Union and confederate troops. I also remember some more modern British ones with sand and green berets. Our local toyshop in the early 80s was called Boormans and my dad joked that it was Martin Boorman of 3rd reach fame,hiding out as a toyshop owner. This was also why he mainly sold german Britain's soldiers!😂
As I was born in the late 70s I definitely remember playing with these but couldn’t tell you which ones! Fun times
I am a collector of Britain's Deetail and have every figure and vehicle from the range in my collection. I have a number of the boxed sets also but don't believe I have them all. I feel in love with Britain's Deetail from the first time I came across them. I am so lucky as I was buying them up when they were quite reasonable. I think the Napoleonics are really expensive now. My favourite Deetail are the Africa Korps set and vehicles.
Great video. My mum bought me the Britains civil war soldiers and the Cow boy and Indians when she could afford one or two., and that was only as a treat after being good after a visit to the dentist or for birth days.
I remember that double person submarine thing. Another interesting video.
Wow that blast from past and with airfix too. I had many fun time creating battles.and even football matchs with them.i miss them days of imagination
Just as Action Man was the British counterpart to G.I. Joe, Britains Toy Soldiers was the British counterpart to the little green plastic army men. Looking at these toy soldiers with this level of detail, it's easy to see why Palitoy's Action Force took off. Action Force could have easily been considered a logical next step of the Britains Toy Soldiers concept.
Anyway, I'm amazed that a toy company has managed to last this long, especially in a world where a lot of smaller toy companies had been bought out by the likes of Hasbro and Mattel.
Oh definitely played with these! First set was bought by my Dad when I was around 6 or so. They were the Turks set in black with lots of purple, gold, etc. later on I had both batches of Jerries, the mortar, the kubel, the bikes, the ketten, and the AT gun, plus the Dinky equivalents too. I had all the Brits save the scout car and dispatch rider. Yanks had the jeep, also had the frogman team, the ACW figures, 7th Cav, Indians, cowboys, knights and legionnaires. Ok I was spoilt. Haven’t got anything left now.
07:26 The German here is an Anti-tank rifle gunner (that's a Panzerbusche 39 he's carrying). I had a small number of Germans and Brits, but was lucky enough to have the Daimler Dingo scout car as well. That was a great little vehicle.
My Hobby is restoring old toy vehicles like the ones made by Britains. One can pick up the Deetails Vehicles relatively cheaply in a rather battered condition. It takes several weeks to dismantle, strip the paint, clean with dental tools, wire wool and Brash Brushes. After a wash in methylated spirit the paint is finally applied. After market stickers are relatively easy to come by, along with spares. Once finished I display them as new. Dinky Aircraft are also in my sights, especially the WW2 Fighters. However, my main focus is the TIMPO range of Swoppet figures dating back to the 1970s. Brittle Plastic Syndrome, Plastic Rot and Play has left a huge challenge for restorers like myself. Nevertheless, perseverance pays off in the end. One must pay a premium for mint condition, or Boxed specimens, so I invest my time and effort into turning old trash into brand new display pieces.
Seeing your crammed display cabinets made me think that I am not as insane as my family think I am.
I was quite fortunate and had loads of Britain's sets, alas all handed down and mostly destroyed by cousins and nephews.
I first owned the British Miners with plastic bases and wild west sets which came with a fort and a wigwam for Christmas, I also had Coldstream & Queens Guards on foot and horseback, . I caught chicken pox and to keep me entertained my grandfather bought me all the Napoleonic range and then I started collecting Knights and Saracens.
I then acquired Foreign Legion, WW 2 Americans, British and German sets. I really loved the Africa corps models.
I remember having an Italian torpedo boat with frogman and that got tons of play.
I finished my Britain's collecting with American Civil War models, they had beautiful cavalry models in my opinion those were the best cavalry they produced in that range. The play I got out of these toys was ridiculous as I was obsessed with them.
I found a few figures from the Space range at a toy specialty shop in the 80's, beautiful toys. Always wished they were more widely available in the US.