Collecting Militaria: Thinking “Small” Can be the Answer to a “Big” Problem

Although the leadership gurus are always pleading with us to think “outside the box,” militaria collectors can find a workable practical solution to a “big” problem by thinking “inside the box” – inside the scale replica box, that is.

Collectors’ “Big” Problem

Those of us who are “afflicted” by the compulsion to collect historic uniforms, equipment and weapons – especially the World War II era – have always faced at least one big problem. The extent of our collections will always be inherently limited when it comes to the “big ticket” items, like tanks, artillery and large military vehicles. Although we can acquire the uniforms, personal gear and small arms that were worn and carried by the crew members who manned these “big weapons,” acquiring the “real deals” — historic tanks, artillery and large vehicles — are way beyond the reach of all but a handful of the most wealthy “advanced” collectors. And even if these “uber-collectors” have a few spare acres to park them on — and preferably a climate-controlled warehouse to keep them in – merely getting their hands on the rarer types (most World War II panzers, for example) is all but impossible. Most of us must be content with periodic visits to museums that feature restored tanks and armored vehicles (such as the superb collection at The Tank Museum, Bovington, UK) or displays of historic artillery (like the Ft. Sill Museum at the U. S. Army Field Artillery Center in Oklahoma). Like kids with their noses pressed to the glass of the candy store window, we’ll just have to be satisfied with the occasional peek.

Or do we?

The “Small” Solution from UNIMAX

One answer to this “big” problem is to think small. Although owning actual tanks, artillery and vehicles may be out of the question, enhancing one’s collection of uniforms and equipment by displaying them alongside authentic and historically accurate scale models of the “big weapons” is likely the next best thing. One company in particular has been producing a line of highly-detailed, historically accurate scale model tanks, artillery, vehicles, planes and helicopters that seem tailor made for uniform collectors who notoriously demand the highest degree in authenticity. UNIMAX Toys Ltd’s Forces of Valor series (forcesofvalor.com), first introduced in summer, 2003, features incredibly accurate, scaled replicas in die cast metal of many of the “big ticket” items that collectors covet from World War II and the Modern Era (Desert Storm through Operation Iraqi Freedom). Tanks, artillery, vehicles and figures are in 1:32 and 1:72 scale and helicopters are in 1:48 scale. The line even includes a “big” treat for militaria collectors who are fans of German armor – massive, 1:16 scale die cast metal replicas of PzKw VI Tiger tanks, including Panzer Ace, Michael Wittman’s Tiger I and Jochen Peiper’s King Tiger of Battle of the Bulge fame. UNIMAX  Forces of Valor line features dozens of highly-detailed, superbly-rendered, “battle-worthy” replicas that look terrific when displayed along with collectors’ full-size authentic uniforms and equipment. 

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