Diorama 1/72 ESCI Gettysburg

[John Grant]

Here's an old set from ESCI, unpacked for you...

Included are...
1x Baseplate
100 Union Soldiers
100 Confederate Soldiers
1x Cast Branch with Diorama Accessories
Instructions

 

[DixieRifles]

I wonder how old that kit is? It has a lot of trench works.

 

[John Grant]

This set was introduced by the company in 1985. I can't say until when it was produced, I only have the Ertl catalogs from 1985 and 1986 which include the Gettysburg set. but I do know that Ertl was dissolved in the 1990 and sold all of the manufacturer's molds to the US company AMT.

Information can be found here: https://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/ShowFeature.aspx?id=77

In the mid-1990s (1994?), this company then produced another edition with different packaging and fewer soldiers.

Information can be found here: https://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/ShowFeature.aspx?id=78

 

[DixieRifles]

This set was introduced by the company in 1985. I can't say until when it was produced, I only have the Ertl catalogs from 1985 and 1986 which include the Gettysburg set. but I do know that Ertl was dissolved in the 1990 and sold all of the manufacturer's molds to the US company AMT.

Just wondered why I've never seen that. I've never seen those brand of kits.

We had a History project assignment in high school. My buddy announced he would build a diorama of Shiloh with the Shiloh Church. So I copied his idea and built a WW2 diorama on the 31st "Dixie Division", which was still a National Guard unit. I bought the US figures and the Jap figures and my base included the edge of an airbase which I parked a Tony fighter a/c. I had a hard time with the paint popping off if I touched a figure and bent it.

 

[R. Porter]

I did a diorama of Stone's River during 9th grade based on the map of the battle in the Golden Book of the Civil War that had bird's eye views with little soldiers. The only ready-made items were the Airfix soldiers, horses and cannons. Everything else was made from cardboard, paper mache, sticks, glue, that fake vegetation for model rail roads, glue and paint. I had to make it on four bases that would be pushed together to form the whole scene. I decided not to paint the figures because I didn't have enough time and the blue and gray colors would serve the purpose of letting you know who was who. It was essentially a map of troop movements and not a realistic scene.

The Gettysburg kit in the OP looks like it should be for Petersburg or maybe Vicksburg or Atlanta, something where there was a siege. That in itself would bother me to no end and I would have to turn the box over so I didn't see the word, "Gettysburg." Still, it's a bunch or toy soldiers and a battle scene, so it would be irresistible except for the fact that there might be family related obligations that would forever prohibit the expenditure of time or money on a project like that.

 

[John Grant]

Just wondered why I've never seen that. I've never seen those brand of kits.

We had a History project assignment in high school. My buddy announced he would build a diorama of Shiloh with the Shiloh Church. So I copied his idea and built a WW2 diorama on the 31st "Dixie Division", which was still a National Guard unit. I bought the US figures and the Jap figures and my base included the edge of an airbase which I parked a Tony fighter a/c. I had a hard time with the paint popping off if I touched a figure and bent it.

This company's kits are almost unknown today, but they were often found in the early 1980s.

I used to have this problem, too. I now use paints for tin figures, as the paint adheres better than paints for model making.

 

[R. Porter]

This company's kits are almost unknown today, but they were often found in the early 1980s.

I used to have this problem, too. I now use paints for tin figures, as the paint adheres better than paints for model making.

There's a difference?

 

[7thWisconsin]

Back in the 70s, I did a lot of those Monogram diorama kits that involved an Airfix model and a box figures. "Commandos Strike at Dawn" had a great base, a seaplane, commandos and a crane. The "El Alamein" kit had a box of 8th army minis and 5 tanks: a Crusader, a Matilda, a P IV and 2 Stugs.

 

[BCS1973]

There's a difference?

I'm guessing it's the difference between acrylics, (not terribly popular for plastic models back in the day) vs enamel (most popular for plastic back then) and laquer, my favorite for fast drying, durability, color stability, two tone jobs, and high gloss (I do cars).

 

[DixieRifles]

I now use paints for tin figures, as the paint adheres better than paints for model making.

Do you mean like Lead figures? I use the same paint for lead and resin figures as I do on plastic kits. Lately I've started using the acrylic, which is a new to me.

 

[R. Porter]

Back in the 70s, I did a lot of those Monogram diorama kits that involved an Airfix model and a box figures. "Commandos Strike at Dawn" had a great base, a seaplane, commandos and a crane. The "El Alamein" kit had a box of 8th army minis and 5 tanks: a Crusader, a Matilda, a P IV and 2 Stugs.

What about the Rat Patrol?

 

[John Grant]

I used to paint all my figures with Email Color, but I wasn't convinced by the results. So now I use acrylic paints.

Acrylic paints are
- Very fine pigments provide high opacity, fine color gradients and strong color intensity.
- The colors can be mixed easily and easily applied by its creamy consistency.
- Fade hardly, are fast drying and adhere particularly well to metal, resin and plastic.
but they're not so suitable for painting vehicles.

For tanks, aircraft, etc., I like to use Tamiya paints, including acrylics.

I use the term "tin figure" for these figures:
- https://www.zinnfigur.com/en/Round-...nfederate-Infantry-Officer-Antietam-1862.html
- https://www.zinnfigur.com/en/Round-.../Sergeant-Major-Confederate-Cavalry-1862.html
This term is not quite correct, because these are tin figures:

Tin soldier - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Lead figures are:

Berliner Zinnfiguren | Lead- & Toyfigures

2 Toy-figures, composite and lead soldiers

www.zinnfigur.com

 

[pmiller8878]

Nice set, though Italeri now produces the same figures. It would be better to paint and make dioramas with the Italeri figures today because I assume they are cheaper than the older ESCI, unless for some reason ESCI plastic was superior.

 

[Dusty]

Wow! I have built models all my life off and on since about 1956 but never did anything like that. I envy anyone who has the time, patience and skill with a steady hand to paint all those figures. The only paints I ever used were Testors or Tamiya. Congrats to all who accomplish these. And I was never aware that Ertl produced these kits. I have Ertl die cast tractors and I have seen them around since it was Ertl/Eska company back in the early 1950's.