A European Question in HO or 15mm

[Ahistorian]

Are there European equivalents to Matchbox who make affordable 1:87th miniatures of their local military as well as civilian vehicles? I am well served for US and British trundlers, but when it comes to German or French it's much more difficult (okay, fine - expensive!) to find suitable miniatures.

Cheers all - as ever, I'm based in the UK if it makes any difference.

KR,
Matt M

[Arlequín]

Matt I'm pretty sure the Roco Minitanks line was pretty much it for Europe in 1/87th scale. They are available from HERPA, at what I think are reasonable prices in some cases, all things considered.

[carlos marighela]

Well there was Roskopf. Presier did ranges of figures and IIRC some guns in 1/87. Recently I saw some 1/87 diecast military vehicles somewhere on t' interwebby, not sure where from. I know Maisto make 1/87 diecast WW2 aircraft not sure about military vehicles.

Try here:

http://www.87thscale.info/manufacturers_list_part-1.htm

[Ahistorian]

Thanks gents. I hold out hope! HERPA have a bizarrely unhelpful store, and are mostly out of stock even of those items they apparently still produce. I went through the 87thscale website last night with little joy - though I checked out the Matchbox website earlier, and they have quite a few vehicles from the start of the decade which could be made European with a little hacking /greenstuffing at the back of the model.

Oddly enough, Corgi's "1:64th" Jackal fits 15mm miniatures pretty much perfectly, so there is leeway in terms of box scale to miniature scale.

[Hobbit]

These look interesting though I've never seen them in the flesh

http://www.sdvmodel.cz/

And for civilian stuff you could consider:

http://shop.sikudirect.com/m87series

[Michi]

Preiser for H0 Bundeswehr infantry and civilians
Herpa for H0 Bundeswehr vehicles (they bought the Roco minitanks range)
Märklin 4m4 for H0 a limited choice of Bundeswehr vehicles (I think it´s OOP now)

Preiser, Herpa, Wiking, Schuco, Siku, Busch, Rietze, Kibri for civilian vehicles

[carlos marighela]

Ah yes Siku. They make some 1/87 Leopards as well.

[Ahistorian]

They make 1/87th Fuchs too - I've ordered them for my Jaegers, as well as one Leopard to provide support. They average £2-3 each, which is nice.


I will look up Marklins and SDV, thanks guys.