I was interested to read in the comments to my last post the information that the Airfix Ancient Britons were based on an illustration in a Funken book. That was fascinating news to me. Can anyone help us track down the aforementioned picture?
I look forward to finding out more re the Funcken book…
The Ladybird books + Airfix figures = A great deal of my childhood!
ReplyDeleteMine too! We were fortunate to grow up then.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
That Ladybird book was only one of a whole slew of those history books we had as children but this one was perhaps the one that had most influence on me. It's decades since I've seen a copy but I remember every illustration. I wanted to be like the young Agricola on that cover. What a memory.
ReplyDeleteI hope someone sends you a picture from the Funcken - it's not one I've got.
Stephen
I have a few from childhood. The Roman one was my favourite followed by Alexander the Great, especially the Gordita’s knot illustration.
DeleteIt obviously has imprinted itself on your mind. Another source of well remembered illustrations were the colour ones in King James Bibles . They were terrific.
Alan Tradgardland
There aren't many Britons in the Funcken book. One warrior and a dramatic chariot. The Funcken chariot is based on the same reconstruction as the Airfix one but with the correct spoken wheels (shown in a blur of speed). The main "British" elements other than the chariot in the Airfix set are the Battersea shield and Waterloo helmet, both of which would be well known to the sculptors.
ReplyDeleteThe Funcken "Arms and Uniforms" volume Ancient Egypt to the 18th Century could have been available to Airfix researchers in time to be used for the Ancient Britain set, as the French edition was published in 1967 but it may have been touch and go. Plastic Soldier Review dates the Airfix sets original release to 1969.
Interesting information. I wonder why the solid wheels? Ease of mouldings, a deliberate anachronism to show that the Britons were indeed ancient or a Funcken misreading. 🤔
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
The image is not in my copy of Funckens.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this information.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Ah yes! My first WRG 3rd ed Ancients games were played with Airfix Romans and Britons. (Slowly upgraded to S range Minifigs). After that.........
ReplyDeleteThe rest is history…
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
I don't have access at the moment, but I think there's some discussion on Benno's Figures Forum about the accuracy of the Roman uniforms and quite a bit about some illustrations - not originally Funcken - apparently relied on by the sculptor. Sorry I can't be more specific, but if you google Benno's and Airfix Romans (and Funcken) it may show up.
ReplyDeleteTried it to no avail.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Those catalogue pictures were so tantalising, back in the day. And interesting to see the reference to Morningside Road on the Bulldog (?) pic - I do recall a model shop up there a long time ago, but can never be sure nowadays where exactly it was!
ReplyDeleteYes that is indeed the Morningside Toy Shop you are thinking of. On a corner, more recently it was a travel agent. I grew up in Craiglockhart so remember it well. Do you remember the Toy Tub in Raeburn Place ? It was a great haunt from my teens onwards…
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
http://m.bennosfiguresforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5549
ReplyDeleteCan’t get the link to work.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
And (with apologies) see the comments below this one: https://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2010/11/airfix-romans.html
ReplyDeleteMost interesting, thank you. I have the Saxtorph Warriors and Weapons on the shelf and always thought the back cover was odd even as a boy, guess seeing lots of Roman stuff was the reason growing up.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
If we want to go back to source, the legionary figure ultimately derives from the gravestone of Caius Valerius Crispus of Legio VIII, who died in Mainz around 75 AD. See first image in this blog entry https://legioxiiisl.blogspot.com/2013/11/soldiers-grave-stones-source-for-study.html
ReplyDeleteThe gravestone is in a museum in Mainz. Sometime in the 19th century, it seems a reconstruction model was made. Illustrations based on this followed. It was common in the 20th century for illustrators to copy earlier images without proper attribution (the Funckens, for example).
Unfortunately, the original reconstruction assumed the armour was leather and this followed through all the way to the Airfix set. These days, it is more likely to be seen as mail, the sculptor not going for the fiddly task of representing the texture but relying on paint.
The gravestone is in a museum there
Interesting to see where it all began , thanks for the link, not to mention the subsequent discussion.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
"Can anyone help us track down the aforementioned picture?" https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en-US/kenney
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ladybird' books were excellent and much of their illustrations collection are timeless classics.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Good to see I’m not the only one who kept their 8th edition catalogue! I’ll pop a photo of the Funcken pic on my blog later.
ReplyDeleteJeffers can you add a link to your blog?
ReplyDeleteHere ya go: https://battle77.blogspot.com/
DeleteI'm.very excited about the upcoming Airfix re-releases of the Roman Fort and Sherwood Castle. Absolutely back to my wargaming roots.
ReplyDelete