Bunker Talk

Airfix and Matchbox Figure Conversions

2026-03-16T09:11:00.031-05:00

Airfix WWI British Infantry. They are donating their heads to be used to make US police officers for the 1918 to 1958 period.

This Matchbox WWII US Army soldier, center, is next to receive a new head like his other two comrades have received.

These Airfix WWII US Army Air Forces figures donated their heads and in turn received the Airfix WWI British Army heads to become Interwar US Army Air Corps men.

These Matchbox WWII US Army troops have been converted to police. They lost their grenades and helmets. They got police batons, billy clubs, in return and a Airfix WWI British Army hat.

The Matchbox figure as a police officer, and two with baseball caps as USAAF troops for WWII.

Some of the Airfix WWII USAAF have donated heads to the Matchbox WWII US Infantry so they can now be used as USAAF ground crews doing ground combat. While uncommon, it was done a few times. They are also usable for Korea or Vietnam.

This venerable Airfix WWII US Army troops have had new heads put on that were taken from the generic civilian figures. Generally when I do head swaps and figure conversions I try to make use of all the pieces. I always keep the parts and check there first for usable parts before I cut any new figures.

MR Freeze and Ice

2026-03-15T09:11:00.020-05:00

I got a couple of these MR Freeze mobiles a while back, they are excellent little cars.

Later I got a Hot Wheels 5 pack and it had a MR Freeze car in it.

It's a two man car, the MR Freeze mobile is a one man car.

So by having a bunch of these cars, the group can be more mobile.

These ice crystals are from Monster Scenery.

They are hollow plastic, are very durable, and no painting, just take them out of the box and put them on the table.

A set is two each of three crystals for a total of 6 ice crystals.

They make a bunch of other stuff, but this is the only item I own.

Perfect for MR Freeze, Penguin and other ice and winter and arctic uses.

MR Freeze with Henchmen

2026-03-14T09:11:00.034-05:00

MR Freeze and his MR Freeze mobile, by Hot Wheels.

Evergreen Plastic base, generic civilian figure with a new head from a Matchbox WWII British Commando.

These guys will become the Henchmen for MR Freeze.

I use a #8 guitar string as a bit of wire to affix the head to the body.

I drill a hole in the neck, insert the hole with a bit of gap filling super glue gel to hold it in.

Then a apply a little more super glue and push down the soft plastic head onto the body.

Some of the generic figures come painted, the painted ones are often a little smaller. I use them for more variety of sizes of figures.

I am trying to give my major Batman Villains 6 to 12 henchmen each.

Killer Croc is Finished

2026-03-13T09:11:00.022-05:00

The Think and Greedo.

With the Killer Croc mobile.

The finished Killer Croc figure with the other two.

I added paint to the fingernails, toenails, and eyes and teeth.

I think the claws really make the model.

It works well for me.

Batman vs Killer Croc!

Killer Croc Figure

2026-03-12T09:11:00.025-05:00

This is the Battle Dice figure of The Thing from the Fantastic Four.

Battle Dice was a short lived game from 2006.

The Thing will be the basis for my Killer Croc figure.

I put a new head on him.

This figure of Greedo from Star Wars furnished the head.

I think the head looks more like a crocodile head than the one typically drawn on the comic.

I have repainted him green.

I think the conversion is acceptable.

Killer Croc Van

2026-03-11T09:11:00.015-05:00

Hot Wheels van for Killer Croc.

It came in a 5 pack with a group of Batman related vehicles.

I don't really do much with Killer Croc but now that I have ended up with two different vehicles from him I decided I should make a figure for him.

It's a nice looking van.

Probably be worth happening even for a repaint.

The graphics are nice.

And the underside is okay.

Here he is with Batman.

Landing Pad

2026-03-10T09:11:00.015-05:00

I got this Silicone Pot Holder & Trivet at my local Food Lion supermarket.

It's a hexagon shape and looks pretty cool.

I have a red one already.

I use them for landing pads for space ships.

I also plan to use it for Fantastic Voyage shrinking machine facility that I hope to build. For several years now I have been gathering the stuff for that project.

DB5 by Aston Martin

2026-03-09T09:11:00.017-05:00

James Bond and the DB5 car he is known for. This model is by Hot Wheels and the figure is a generic figure in 1/75th scale and it just under an inch tall.

This car is made in Japan and is 1/87 HO scale with the same figure.

This is one of my James Bond figures for my 1/72nd scale collection.

The HO scale car and Hot Wheels 1/64th scale car look very different in size. The figure looks plausible with both but seems to look better with the larger car, I think.

Halftrack 1/6th Scale

2026-03-08T09:11:00.020-05:00

The table I use for outdoor set ups is about 4 x 6 feet, 40 inches high.

WWII German SdKfz 250 halftrack.

It's the early war version of the halftrack but they served until the end of the war.

I got the halftrack 20 years ago, and I don't remember who made it.

The kubelwagen is from Dragon, and its very well detailed.

The wheels roll, windshield folds up and down.

The Dragon figures come with a little plastic base that is removable to help the figures stand up.

The troops fit well inside, you can see the steering wheel.

It's a good halftrack.

The window flaps fold open and closed.

Mine and Panzerfaust by Dragon

2026-03-07T09:11:00.001-06:00

A mixture of weapons, including an anti-tank mine, a panzerfaust.

War dog in the distance.

Anti-tank mines could be used in an active defense role. The soldier would hide in a trench and then run out and close assault a tank pulling the pin on the mine, and tossing it under the turret overhang, or on top of the treads.

The mine could explode and blow off the turret, or at least break the treads and immobilize the tank.

Very dangerous, but not uncommon tactic.

Panzerfaust was a one shot launcher that shot a large charge a short distance to blow a hole in just about any tank.

Both weapons required bravery and skill.

The mix of uniforms was common in late war Germany.

After years of war and many uniform changes the soldiers often did not look very uniform.

Kubelwagen and Troops

2026-03-06T09:11:00.027-06:00

WWII German figure in 1/6th scale by Dragon Models.

My German collection is similar to my American WWII collection but smaller. It represents a scratch platoon.

When in retreat, field police would set up road blocks and stop all the retreating German troops. They would form them into ad hoc platoons, provide them with an officer or NCO and form them into a defensive position.

In this way German soldiers could be stopped from retreating and form a position to slow the enemy.

This is a Volkssturm soldier. A locally raised militia, under the SS, who was responsible for defending his home territory, equivalent to a county in the US.

All sorts of troops might be used to form a local defense unit and so I have an eclectic mix of troops.

Volkssturm soldiers ranged from excellent to terrible, and had equipment ranging from none to fully equipped.

Here is an under-strength squad ready for combat.

German kubelwagen Jeep type vehicle for transportation.

WWII German Dragon Figures

2026-03-05T09:11:00.025-06:00

Every since the first GI Joe figures I have collected 12 inch action figures.

The vast majority of GI Joes were Americans, as are the most of my collection of 1/6th scale figures.

But I do have a few figures by Dragon and a couple other companies that are WWII Germans.

Unlike GI Joe who as intended for boys, the Dragon Models figures are intended for men.

As such their level of detail is very high, and they have a large number of accessories.

I like the variety of weapons they have. Here is an MP44 late war assault rifle.

This guy is based on Steiner from the movie Cross of Iron. He has an anti-tank mine.

On his back is a Soviet Union PPSh submachine gun. All my WWII German figures are Army, Navy, or SS, with a couple pilot figures. I don't paratroopers in 1/6th scale. My intention is that they work as opponents to my WWII US Army troops who are organized as a regular infantry platoon in the European Theater of Operations. So that's about 40 infantry, plus the supporting elements they might reasonably have attached in direct support. One 60mm mortar, two light tanks, a couple Jeeps, and some light and heavy machine guns.

Kiss Kiss Club Seems Normal

2026-03-04T09:11:00.011-06:00

The Kiss Kiss Club entrance looking across the front.

The entrance from the outside.

Another view of the front.

The dance floor.

The band is playing.

Kiss Kiss Club is Surrounded

2026-03-03T09:11:00.013-06:00

Fiona Volpe enters the Kiss Kiss Club looking for Mr. Bond.

As her henchmen surround the club, searching for Mr. Bond.

They seal off every exit.

A pair of henchemen at the entrance, in the upper right, and the lower right. Each armed with a handgun. Viona Volpe in the upper center, near the bar.

Where is Bond?

He was wounded at the Junkanoo and went into the restroom to treat his injury.

Kiss Kiss Club is Finished

2026-03-02T09:11:00.001-06:00

Kiss Kiss Club, Nassau, Bahamas.

A wonderful place to stop, have a drink, dance, and enjoy the band.

King Erison Combo is the featured band. Here is a photo of the bar in the distance.

The restrooms, in pink, and the entrance, near the beach ball.

Covered seated in the background.

Kiss Kiss Club staff in their red over black uniforms.

Largo's yacht Disco Volante, crewmen after James Bond. Note each has a pistol in his hand.

Restrooms heavily modified from Dollar Tree building, and so is the ticket booth and the bar. The bandstand is scratch built, the figures are all conversions from cheap styrene figures from Amazon, and a few random figures from other sources. The firearms are bits of plastic added to civilian figures to simulate guns. The base is PVA plastic sheeting 1/4 inch thick, very rigid, very expensive. I got it used, for free, about 25 years ago in a large quantity and I am still using it up. Trees are swizzle sticks from Dollar Tree. Chairs are wire and plastic scratch builds. Dance floor is sheet plastic with contact paper border. Posters were digitally created by my daughter. Billboards from Target stores. Concrete color bases are removable or reposition-able for different scenarios, as are all the buildings and trees. So the whole thing is very modular. The whole base is 20 x 16 inches. I worked on it off and on for a couple years.

Random Photos of My Collection

2026-03-01T09:11:00.036-06:00

This year is the year I get my basement in order. I have been buying boxes and finally go the sheds assembled. I hope to clear off the tables someone this year. The project includes building some racks to hold boxes and installing a second railing on my basement stairs for safety. Dollar Tree row houses, Godzillasauruas in the back yards.

The last several years I have been working on a project to make police for some East Coast US jurisdictions and some West Coast ones for the years 1898 to 2018. These are most of the actual cars that have been allocated for the East Coast. Many will get new markings and some will be repainted. This does not include most of the trucks, command centers, SWAT vehicles, nor fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.

Base temporary markings for a figure I am making. James Bond in Thunderball, 007.

The original figure is 1/75th scale, hard plastic made in China, and comes in a bag of 100 rather generic civilian figures with a small number of poses. Many companies sell these on ebay and Amazon. Some painted, some not painted, in several variations of size, and quality and pose number.

The figure after mounting on a base and swapping the head. In my role playing rules major figures get a hexagon shaped plastic base. Stats will go on the underside of the base. The character name my go on a plaque on the upper base or written on the bottom. Being styrene plastic these are very easy to convert and I swap legs, heads, arms, even bodies all the the time since the poses are limited. I save every unused body part and they often get used up in other projects so I don't have to sacrifice a whole figure each time.

Mr. Bond with an HO 1/87 scale Austin Martin.

It is a small car and he is a big guy, but it seems very small with the scale difference.

These figures paint up pretty well even with my marginal painting skills.

Bond, James Bond.

Sheds

2026-02-28T09:11:00.035-06:00

After sitting in a stack of parts in my driveway for nine years, my two sheds are finally together.

Three of our kids decided to visit and naturally I put them to work on an old fashioned barn raising. These two shed served for at least ten years in California mounted on a concrete pad. Here they will sit on graded gravel in the wind and the snow. They are made by Lifetime and they are terrific.

I am placing only replaceable items into the sheds. So in the event of catastrophe the contents can be replace by insurance money. Not the case with many hobby items.

The first items are my collection of miniature trees. All mounted on sheets of plastic or on old CDs. Fully painted, flocks, and well cared for. All very tidy.

Each box is labeled with the contents. It's not hoarding if the boxes are labeled.

An insect catching sticky pad and a moisture trap on the shelf it insure the integrity of the collection. The shed walls and roofs have been reinforced with metal straps to hold the plastic pieces together, the floor has been nailed to the ground with 10 inch nails. The seams have been sealed with foam or glue to prevent leakage and stop insects from gaining entry.

Each shed has a wasp trap and flying insect trap to catch flying bugs.

The interior of each box has a moisture absorbing packet to further protect the contents. Both sheds are right outside my window and I inspect the exterior at least twice a day. They sit under a porch light.

I needed a few extra screws to finish putting them together and a quick call to Lifetime and a very kind lady sent me 100 metal screws free of charge, despite the sheds being years out of warranty. Excellent customer service. I highly recommend their products. Other than being a customer I don't have any connection with the company.

https://www.lifetime.com/storage-sheds

Cat Car

2026-02-27T09:11:00.015-06:00

Hot Wheels Blvd. Brusier, as part of their 2026 Batman collection 5 pack.

It has an excellent paint job as a Catwoman car.

This car has been around since 2011 and has a spare tire molded in the back that is not the same wheel as is on the car.

This is one way that Hot Wheels can recycle an old car into something new.

Since I have three Catwoman figures, having an additional Catwoman car is a good idea.

It is a good looking car, sort of a Camero or Firebird in style.

Batman vs Catwoman!

More Police Figures

2026-02-26T09:11:00.037-06:00

Roco Minitanks US tank commanders and cheap plastic figures.

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department required mandatory helmet wearing for several years in the 1980s and it looks a lot like the tanker helmet. So I am doing head swaps for these guys. You can also see a Cold M1919 machine gun with a white barrel. It is a replacement barrel for an air cooled machine gun barrel that had broken off.

I am working on making bases for my police figures.

This is my standard figure basing plastic for basing figures.

The plastic is trimmed into pieces with 2 x 3 squares making a small rectangle.

Sometimes I leave them with sharp corners or smooth the corners down.

This is the bottom half of a WWII German figure by Odemars.

Uniforms like this were very common in the US for polices, particularly those who rode on motorcycles.

So I switched his head with the head of an Airfix WWI British soldier.

The original arm position is at a low ready, but I moved the arm to more of a shooting pose.

These will become motorcycle police. From 1910 to after WWII motorcycle police were very common because motorcycles were less expensive than automobiles and some cities fielded large fleets of them.

Airfix WWI American Army

2026-02-25T09:11:00.032-06:00

I don't like to waste anything, so I gathered up a bunch of the dead guys from the Airfix WWI American Infantry set.

I took some pins from lego type bricks, a couple bits of wire and a some excess sheet plastic. It made a nice creeper for these figures to lay down on.

So here is the soldier working on a Roco 2 1/2 ton army truck.

Here are some of my WWI British Infantry that I am going to use for police. It was not unusual for American police to have machine guns in their inventory as far back as there have been machine guns!

I am using cheap styrene plastic civilian figures as police, I swap the heads with Airfix WWI British Infantry because their caps are similar to police hats that US police used for about 100 years.

My plan is to have .50 caliber US machine guns, M2, .30 caliber Colt, Marlin, and M1919 Colt machine guns. Also the Thompson, M1 carbine, and the M60 machine gun. I have confirmed that all of these, except the M60, have certainly been used by US police forces.

Gotham City Beach Monster

2026-02-24T09:11:00.015-06:00

MR Freeze has put a giant reptile into a block of ice.

A few months later, a beach blanket party at Gotham City Beach.

And the giant ice monster has been thawed out and appears at Gotham City Beach!

One of the Beach Party members is taken into the mouth of the great monster!

MR Freeze and a Block of Ice

2026-02-23T09:11:00.018-06:00

A few weeks ago in the far north.

MR Freeze parks his FreezeMobile in the snow, and approaches a strange ice cube.

What is it?

It looks like an animal.

It has an open mouth!

And spikes on the head.

The cube is too perfect to be natural.

MR Freeze has encased something in ice!

Beach Car Show

2026-02-22T09:11:00.018-06:00

Custom cars on the beach.

Some made for vast sums of money by large companies, and other custom cars made by individuals.

A white Manta, and a classic Woody book end a couple other cars.

A good turn out for the car show and beach blanket party.

Custom surf truck in the back.

A good turn out.

Everyone is having fun.

A day at the beach is always a good time.

A Day at Gotham City Beach

2026-02-21T09:11:00.018-06:00

A peaceful day at Gotham City Beach.

An informal car show for all the surfers.

With great vehicles from custom builders.

Girls and boys enjoying the warm day at the beach.

A photographer takes a few snaps of the bathing beauties.

A Myers Manx in gold with a white roof.

A few doctors from a local clinic stop by on their lunch hour.

The Doctor and Race

2026-02-20T09:11:00.033-06:00

I have been saving bottle caps for a while, for a couple projects I am working on.

I have a bunch of these Hero Clixsguys that I have remounted on a new base, and removed the small clear stand.

I painted the bottle cap bronze, and mounted it on the clear stand from the Hero Clix figure.

Then I flocked the bottom of the base.

DR Quest and Race in a flying platform.

They are exploring an unexplored part of the desert.

Strange rock formations.

Set down here Race, and we will take a closer look at this strata.

Very interesting

Dragons!

Quick, DR Quest, back into the flying platform!