Ral Partha Balrog, not seen since 1983.

[Cubs]

Tolkein's Balrogs don't have wings. The quote 'like two vast wings' uses a simile to illustrate how the shadow is spread behind the Balrog. At no point in any of Tolkein's writing is there any reference to Balrogs having wings or flying in the air (there is one reference to Balrog's flying, but that refers to them moving swiftly) and they do sometimes get thrown down from heights to their doom ... not something you'd expect in a winged beastie. Tolkein doesn't say that Dwarves don't have tails or that Orcs don't have neon flashing nipples, but it's safe to assume that it would have been mentioned.

Having said that, they do look much cooler in pictures and models with wings, so I'm more than happy to embrace that as a post-Tolkein evolution.

[Hobgoblin]

I'm not sure it was painted by Mr Blanche. If you look at the links to the two goblins that are in the picture, there's all those little clues that John painted them, the extra detail, bit of conversion etc. The Balrog is the straight model, and the little details are a bit cruder than John does.

It could just be "in the style of", of course, but it's the black base with odd protrusions and the markings on the skin that make me think it is. This one is quite similar in many ways - though it does have all the typical conversions - and it has the same sort of spotting technique on the nether regions.

Either way, it's an absolutely glorious old-school figure. What a find!

I have a friend who is a Tolkien nut and he quickly found the page where T describes the balrog’s wings filling the cavern from side to side. 

The usual counter to this is that the description goes "shadow", "shadow like two vast wings", "wings were spread from wall to wall" and then, when it falls into the chasm, back to shadow again: "and its shadow plunged down and vanished". That very strongly suggests that the "wings" were just the shadow stretched out on either side of it as it menaced Gandalf - especially as the chamber they're in is huge: so big that a 50' chasm running through it isn't initially visible. So if the balrog does have wings like a bat, it would be dragging them far behind it as it approached the bridge - and would have been trapped by the double row of pillars if it had spread them too early!

I do think Tolkien's description of a nimble, leaping creature (like leaping flame?) shrouded in shadow is more interesting than the "big, horned, bat-winged demon" that so many illustrators (and film-makers!) have gone with. But that said, some of the best miniatures ever made are winged balrogs - and this one, along with the Perry classic from the early days of Citadel, is right up there!

[2010sunburst]

Just remember that not everything with wings can fly….my chickens can’t, for example.  Doesn’t stop them flexing their wings to look bigger and scarier if they want to spook my cats though….

[nicknorthstar]

This photo prompted a letter in issue 4, from Nell Clipsom, that argued against winged Balrogs. Duncan put an editors note after the letter saying 'Balrogs were Maiar, they could appear in whatever form they wanted'. Nuff said.

Hobgoblin. Oh yeah, it is very similar isn't it? The green one has that JB signature of a little conversion, and the mushrooms on the base whereas mine has neither. Hmmm.

I came across the Orc model in the background. That is also very Blanche-esque, but again there's no little 'clues' to say it definitely is.

[jetengine]

Just remember that not everything with wings can fly….my chickens can’t, for example.  Doesn’t stop them flexing their wings to look bigger and scarier if they want to spook my cats though….

Yeah, I'm a fan of "gliding balrogs" myself. But as said above, as Miar they're effectively angels and can appear however they wish.

[armchairgeneral]

Does anyone make decent wingless balrogs?