Airfix Toy Soldiers: The Whole Collection

Airfix has been well known for its high quality model kits since the 1950’s, as they are loved by kids and adults alike. Their range of plastic army men toys includes small 1:72 models as well as larger 1:32 scale versions. They are a great option to use to create your kids toy army as they are almost indestructible – a much needed trait in boys army toys.

There are many different Airfix toy soldiers to choose from covering British, German, and US Paratroops and Infantrymen and many others. With the military of so many countries represented, you can recreate the great battles from history with these army action figures and their accessories.

The original versions are now very collectible with collectors being particularly interested in the slightly different features between sets. As well as army toy soldiers, Airfix also make army vehicle and building model kits. These include tanks, dioramas and battlegrounds and are equally well made and collectible. The best place to find the more collectible items is on .

For those parents interested solely in the play value of these toy army soldiers though, brand new sets have recently been released. These more up to date versions have set the bar high with the plastic toy soldiers being increasingly accurate and paying minute attention to detail. With the use of precision mouldings, sophisticated techniques and modern materials, scale models have truly arrived in the 21st century. Gone are the days of messy glue fingers and fiddly stickers.

Airfix Toys Soldiers 1:72 Scale

For around £5, you can buy a number of Airfix 1:72 scale models. These sets contain the smaller versions of army men toy soldiers (approx 1″/2 cm tall) but come with 40-50 pieces. Despite their small size they are highly detailed and durable. They are easy to put together, having the lowest skill level of the Airfix kits (level 1). They contain accurately modeled soldiers from a number of different armies. Both officers and infantry men are included along with weapons such as swords and rifles. The figures come in a good mix of poses and with the size of these sets, your child will be happy to play for hours. They do require painting although their small size makes this a tad tricky! The Classic Kits contain figures using the designs originally worked on in the 1960’s.

Prices for US visitors.

Airfix WWII British Paratroops Figures Classic Kit Series 1
More than ever with British Paratroops you imagine action and this set allows great action scenes to be created. The pieces include collapsed parachutes, suppy containers as well as a mortar and crew.

Airfix British Commandos

Just right for role playing amphibious operations, this exciting British Commandos set contains scaling ladders, grapnels and an assault canoe.

Airfix WWII British Infantry Figures Classic Kit Series 1

The models of British Infantrymen who served in Western Europe during WWII include riflemen, machine gunners, and radio operators.

Airfix Gurkhas Figures Classic Kit Series 1

The Nepalese Gurkhas were part of the British Army who fought in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East.

Airfix WWII US Marines Figures Classic Kit Series 1

Create action scenes with these “Leathernecks” – choose US Marines with bazookas or flame throwers or even an inflated assault boat.

Airfix WWII German Infantry Figures Classic Kit Series 1

German infantry soldiers ready to do battle with the British. Weapons include grenade throwers and an anti-tank gun.

Airfix Afrika Corps

Afrika Korps toy soldier figures.

Airfix Japanese Infantry

Japanese army soldiers from the Pacific. Weapons include swords, buglers, rifles, sub-machine guns and grenades.

 

Airfix Toys Soldiers 1:32 Scale

For around £6, you can get great value for money from the Airfix 1:32 toy soldier sets. These are a better size than the 1:72 models being around 6cm tall but you only get 14 pieces in a set. They are still easy to put together, only requiring a skill level of 1 but do need painting. There is a good range of poses on offer, but the only downside is that the contents of the box may vary so you could get a few of the same or not the one you are hoping for.

Airfix British Commandos Figures Classic Kit Series 2

British Commando figures.

Airfix British Paratroops Figures Classic Kit Series 2

Paint these British Paratroops in their maroon beret and distinctive shoulder patch before sending them into battle.

Airfix British Infantry Figures Classic Kit Series 2

British Infantry soldier figures.

Airfix British 8th Army Figures Classic Kit Series 2

The Eighth Army soldier figures represent those who fought in the North African and Italian campaigns.

Airfix US Paratroopers Figures Classic Kit Series 2

US Paratroops figures.

Airfix US Infantry Figures Classic Kit Series 2

US Infantry soldier figures.

Airfix German Paratroopers Figures Classic Kit Series 2

Figures representing the German Paratroops who invaded Norway, the Netherlands and Crete.

Airfix German Infantry Figures Classic Kit Series 2

German Infantry soldier figures.

Airfix Afrika Korps Figures Classic Kit Series 2

Defeat these Afrika Korps figures with the set of the British 8th Army.

 

James May’s Toy Stories: The Airfix Handbook

For true Airfix fans, James May, the well known co-presenter of the BBC’s motoring show, Top Gear, has written an Airfix Handbook just for you. It is a fascinating insight into how each scale model comes into being from starting life as just a drawing.

 

Airfix plastic toy soldiers offer great value for money in their 1:32 and 1:72 scale model kits. They will certainly add some variety to your child’s collection of traditional green army men toys. They offer a huge amount of detail compared to the bag of 100 soldiers you can pick up for 99p so are well worth this small investment. Don’t forget to collect vehicles, buildings and landscape kits to create very real battle scenes.

Top Army Toys For Kids Brands

There are many cheap and cheerful army men toys and army playsets available online but if your child plays with kids army toys a lot, you may want to consider some of the better quality versions on offer. Whether they are toy soldiers, army toy tanks or role play toys, those from the following brands will typically offer larger, more detailed and more durable toys to last the test of time.

Army Men Toys

For large scale detailed army action figures, GI Joe will probably spring to mind and rightly so. The range of toys was revamped in 2009 following the popular GI Joe movie and so these articulated military style army figures are as popular as ever. They can be played with following the movie themes but also offer great imaginary play for any army scenarios. They are aimed at children four years and over, who can act out mini battles and ensure good triumphs over evil. There are numerous different size army men figures, as well as vehicles, so you will be sure to find one that suits your budget. They are well made as you would expect from the toy giant Hasbro, so you can be assured of spending your money wisely. The smallest army figure stands 3.75″ tall and starts at around $10, whilst the 12″ figures go for around $20. Even the smallest come with weapon accessories but for the extra money you get real clothing and electronic sounds.

==> Click HERE to see the full range of GI Joe army action figures <==

Parents in the UK have another good choice of army men action figures in the recently released HM Armed Forces toys range. These large scale plastic toy soldiers standing at 10″ tall cost around $15 and are extremely detailed versions of members of the British Armed Forces. They sport life like military uniforms and weapons and are fully poseable.

Army Toy Tanks & Other Vehicles

For detailed models of an army toy tank and other vehicles, your best bet is the Unimax range of toys. They offer many different styles of toy army tank, battleship, helicopter, airplane and other army vehicles. Their models are either 1:32 or 1:72 scale models and start at around $16 going up to over $500. They are made from die cast metal and plastic and are very detailed. They are probably best for children aged at least 7 years old and are even suitable for serious collectors.

==> Click HERE to see the full range of Unimax vehicles <==

Army Lego

Unfortunately Lego does not have a range of modern day warfare sets. Of course, you can build anything with Lego and you just have to look online to see what serious Lego builders can achieve. But if you are after army building block sets for your child you will have to look elsewhere. The Mega Bloks Probuilder range is well thought of and includes many military models. There is a good range of toy helicopters, ships, airplanes and tanks suitable for children aged over 8 years old. They range in price from about $20 for the 343 piece Gromitz Minehunter Boat to closer to $300 for the 1,700 piece USS Kittyhawk. As you can see from the number of pieces they are very detailed and quite advanced building block sets but come with easy to follow instructions.

==> Click HERE to see the full range of Mega Bloks military kits <==

Role Play Army Toys For Kids

Moving onto role play army toys for kids, Hasbro’s Nerf seems to lead the way in blaster style toy guns. Whilst not exactly military issue replicas, for some good shooting and battling fun, they are ideal and receive rave reviews. One of the hot picks from last Christmas, the Nerf N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS-35 Dart Blaster, is still a top choice and can be bought for around $30. For more covert operations and night time fun, EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Binoculars and Goggles are well thought of but are top end toys. Toys may in fact be an over simplification as these bits of kit feature real night vision technology allowing you to see up to 50 feet away. They are not cheap though starting at $50 for the binoculars.

==> Click HERE for reviews of these night vision binoculars <==

So if your child is army toys mad, then it may be worth investing in some of the better quality military toys, rather than the cheap plastic junk you can find in most dollar stores.