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All figures are supplied unpainted (Numbers of each pose in brackets)
| Date Released |
Unknown |
| Contents |
32 figures, 2 canoes |
| Poses |
14 poses |
| Material |
Plastic (Medium Consistency) |
| Colours |
Green |
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Average Height
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22 mm (= 1.58 m)
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Having already produced a successful set of Commandos, Airfix decided to completely redesign and retool the figures to bring them up to the standards of the day. The result was the type two set, which is discussed on this page. The type one set was quietly retired, like all the other type one sets. However for some reason the type two set subsequently stopped production, and the type one was brought back. It would seem likely that the mould for the type two set was badly damaged or lost, but whatever the reason, these figures are now quite rare.
As might be expected, the type two figures are much better than the type one. The detail is much better and the figures are much more realistic. The Commandos wore normal British battledress, and this has been correctly sculpted here. The only exception was the comforter cap which all these figures wear, and which became the trademark of the Commandos as they conducted their various raids. The webbing too is correct, with a minimum amount of kit to allow greater freedom of movement during action.
The poses are closer to the generic poses seen in many World War II sets than the type one set. Now we have the standing firing figure, and one advancing with bayonet. Some of the good poses from the first type have been lost such as the man with the knife, but there is an improved man with a grapnel, who is holding it as if about to swing it. There is a crawling man with submachine gun and knife, which is a good Commando pose, but Airfix have still insisted on a figure with an anti-tank weapon, which does not fit well with the fast and light raids that these men would be performing.
The weapons are well done, with rifles augmented by Thompson submachine guns and a Bren machine gun, both popular weapons. Both the canoe and ladders have been reproduced from the first set with little modification, though the figures for both are much better detailed and a considerable improvement. The canoe is a nice touch and again very evocative of the subject.
As with some of the other retooled sets, those poses which were also used for the 1/32 scale set are a little thicker and of a slightly different style to the rest, but the difference is not that apparent. The quality is very good, though we felt that the poses were not as exciting or animated as those of the first type. Still this is nice set, and it is a pity that the mould for these figures has apparently been lost.
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Historical Accuracy
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 9
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Pose Quality
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 8
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Pose Number
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8
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Sculpting
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8
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Mould
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 7
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