W. Britain Toy Soldier & Model Figure Company

W. Britain Toy Soldier & Model Figure Company W.Britain produces matte and gloss finish model soldiers and miniatures suitable for dioramas, displ Since then, W.
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In 1893 William Britain and his son decided to craft a better metal toy soldier. They made it fully round, about 2.25 inches tall, and hollow. Not only was it more economical to make, it did not take long for them to corner the market, pushing out the then dominate German makers. Britain has continued to thrive thanks to a commitment to quality, detail and authenticity. We have remained true to ou

r roots as a toy maker with plastic Super Deetail figures for children, developing tomorrow's collectors today and giving another generation the spark to kindle the imagination. For collectors, we produce matte and gloss finish toy soldiers and historical figures suitable for battlefield dioramas, pristine parade grounds or display cases. Many of the figures are meant to interact together, telling a story and others are simply miniature works of art on their own, but all share a common W. Britain commitment to always be some of the best figures for their time.

To the bitter end…In the final months of the World War Two ad-hoc German units were formed to commit to the defense of G...
04/25/2025

To the bitter end…
In the final months of the World War Two ad-hoc German units were formed to commit to the defense of Germany as the Red Army rolled West. These included Army, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS divisions made of technicians no longer needed, support staff and conscripts of old men and boys. Many of these Waffen-SS brigades and divisions were formed from remnants of others units, staff from SS Junker Schools, foreign volunteers and conscripts unlucky enough to be assigned to the Waffen-SS. Most of these “Divisions” were no more than brigades and often lacked armored vehicles and motorized transport. The last of these “Divisions” formed was the 38th SS Grenadier Division Nibelungen consisting of only around 6,000 men. This title is interesting as it was used as the name of the SS division represented in the 1967 movie Night of the Generals starring Peter O’Tool, Omar Sharif, Tom Courtenay and Donald Pleasence. My understanding is that this divisional name was used as a stand-in for the 12th SS Panzer Division in this fictional drama and was used out of context to the time and location it represented. The title Nibelungen is derived from the Middle High German epic poem from around 1200 that tells the story of Siegfried, the dragon-slayer which Richard Wagner based his four-opera cycle written between 1848 and 1874. The four operas were Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold), Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods). Unfortunately for Wagner these works were embraced as a powerful expression for German mythology and national identity during the Third Reich, because the works emphasized the themes of strength, heroism, and the struggle against adversity, which aligned with their own political agenda.
Although this is a pretty dark time in modern history, is still fascinating. There seems to be a number of new historical features on YouTube covering the last days of the war in Europe and many of them feature out-takes from period newsreels that have good images of clothing and equipment for these late war units. I watched one the other night that inspired me to set these figures up. I staged a selection of our late war German Grenadiers hopelessly defending a destroyed town in East Prussia as the unstoppable Red Army rolled toward Berlin in the spring of 1945.

18th-20th century barnSmall barns like this once dotted the landscape. In some cases these were supplementary structures...
03/28/2025

18th-20th century barn
Small barns like this once dotted the landscape. In some cases these were supplementary structures to much larger structures. Often the earliest outbuildings would be left unpainted, but once commercial paints were readily available many were painted with white lead or iron oxide red paint. By the late 20th century the idea of an old red barn became rather nostalgic and as each one fell to the ravages of time, the loss would be noted in the community. I always enjoy setting up various figures and accessories in dioramas to photograph and this was no exception. Using one of my favorite backdrops and a simple grassy base, this barn facade instantly looked the part. I used a pair of our short stone walls to the left behind Virgil chopping wood to transition to the backdrop, and on the right a few of our cows. When I return to the office next week I hope to set up a new diorama featuring some of our ACW figures in the yard. I will post a few photos of the results for you.
Our version was hand patterned from wood, and then molds were made to duplicate it in high quality Urethane resin. Each one is hand painted to simulate the natural weathering on a typical farm building. We included the beam and hook to attach the block and rope that is included in set 53038, 18th-19th Century Farm Tools Set No.2 that we are including with this barn. We intentionally designed a small structure that would not dominate your display area, while still providing a focal point that is perfect for both civilian and military displays. The barn measures 8 ½” wide X 9” tall X 3” deep to the very end of the beam protruding above the loft door. To keep costs down this version has non-functional doors that appear to be slightly open. We will be offering both a weathered wood and a weathered Iron Oxide Red painted barn during this introduction. Please visit our website for more information.

I was looking for the pictures of an RAF Bomber crewman a collector asked to see and I ran across this set up I did for ...
03/18/2025

I was looking for the pictures of an RAF Bomber crewman a collector asked to see and I ran across this set up I did for the cover of our Collector’s Club magazine The Standard a while ago. I always liked the photo and decided to add muzzel flashes with the pencil on my I-Pad to add a little action. After looking at it I think I might like the unmodified photo the best but I did include a black and white version of the same set up because it looked so different. I used the long sold out springhouse and paired it with a stone wall, a couple scratch built trees and a simple gassy base to set the scene. The trees were actually built using plastic sprigs from a Christmas package decoration on a textured wooden trunk. Putting a few 3 dimensional elements in front of one of my favorite WWII backdrops dramatically helped give the illusion of a much bigger diorama. I find myself using this one often and wonder if it might be time for me to create a new variation of it. I chose a group of GI poses that helped tell the story of a firefight at the edge of a farm with one man down and the rest of the patrol returning fire to spot the unseen enemy. I like the way the squad looks with a mixture of uniforms and footwear, something commonly seen in WWII period photographs…

The Model 1841 bronze HowitzerI really like the way the M1841 12 pound howitzer turned out and we offered it with both U...
03/13/2025

The Model 1841 bronze Howitzer
I really like the way the M1841 12 pound howitzer turned out and we offered it with both Union and Confederate crews. I previously posted a couple of photos of Set 31418 - “Ready to Fire” that features a Union crew in their distinctive red trimmed shell jackets waiting for the order to fire. The corporal holds the lanyard taunt with the friction primer in the vent waiting for the order to fire.
Although I mentioned Set 31425 - “Load” which features a Confederate crew I did not post any photos, so here they are. This set has the No.1 crewman seating the round firmly against the powder charge while crewman No.3 thumbs the vent to prevent air from entering the breech as a safety precaution. They wear typical Confederate shell jackets made from imported English wool and two of the men sport the red kepis often associated with artillery. This scene was set up on a summer grassy base and features a scratch built tree on the left side. A wooden snake rail fence helps transition the 3 dimensional elements to the photo backdrop with the reconstructed cabin. Both sets are currently in-stock, so please check our website for more information.

The Model 1841 bronze HowitzerI really like the way the M1841 12 pound howitzer turned out and we offered it with both U...
03/05/2025

The Model 1841 bronze Howitzer
I really like the way the M1841 12 pound howitzer turned out and we offered it with both Union and Confederate crews. Set 31418 - “Ready to Fire” features a Union crew in their distinctive red trimmed shell jackets waiting for the order to fire. The corporal holds the lanyard taunt with the friction primer in the vent. Set 31425 - “Load” features a Confederate crew with the No.1 seating the round firmly against the powder charge. They wear typical Confederate shell jackets made from imported English wool and two of the men sport the red kepis often associated with artillery. I set this photo diorama up using the Union crew and gun along with one of our Fall backdrops, a simple grassy base and a set of “Hasty Works”. I think the blue uniforms stand out nicely against the warm tones of the fall landscape. All of these items are currently in-stock, so please check our website for more information. So for a little background on the M1841 Howitzer…
Some time in the early 1830s the Army realized its need for a smaller, lighter, more versatile cannon that would still have almost the same range as a larger cannon. Their answer to this problem was to shorten the tube and shape the breech like a funnel. The resulting gun was the Model 1841 Howitzer. In the annals of artillery, armies employed field guns for direct fire and mortars for high-angle fire and the howitzer lay in-between.
With the same bore size as the 12-pound gun it was light weight and rugged and the most proficient piece of weaponry of its kind during the 19th century. The 12-pound howitzer could send a common shell a distance of 840 yd with a one pound charge while a 12-pound Napoleon would need a 2.0 pound charge and deliver the same shell 1,300 yd. The M1841 12-pound Howitzer first saw action in the Mexican-American War, 1846 and continued in the Civil War, primarily in the Western Theater. At the Battle of Pea Ridge, 6–7 March 1862, both armies were equipped with Model 1841 artillery pieces. By now these guns were antiquated and outclassed by the 12-pound Napoleon and 3" Ordnance Rifle but were still used and organized in mixed batteries. The guns also saw action in the East. At the Battle of Antietam the Army of Northern Virginia fielded no less than 44 12-pound howitzers while the Army of the Potomac employed only three. The Army continued to use the M1841 Howitzer in the post Civil War period on the western plains.

Here is a pedestal diorama that I made for the 2024 Chicago Toy Soldier show and although some photos were posted last ...
02/23/2025

Here is a pedestal diorama that I made for the 2024 Chicago Toy Soldier show and although some photos were posted last September I don’t recall talking about the construction very much. This one features several of the W. Britain WWII German Infantry in greatcoats working their way through a destroyed factory…and could be titled “A Dangerous Place”. In addition to WWII figures released in 2024, a sold-out figure appears in this diorama, the Grenadier peering out the window within his K98 ready to bring to bear on a possible threat. The destroyed factory is based on one that I made years ago as a Hudson & Allen product and we have been selling for years now. This one has been significantly altered by added on to the walls, revising the floor plan and detailing the interior including some abandoned factory equipment. Laser cut cork bricks and epoxy putty were used to build up sections of the upper wall to support the roof section I added. The problem with many small dioramas is that everything is visible at the same time from certain viewing angles. When possible, interest can be added by restricting the view and inviting someone to look from different sides…or in this case spinning the top to see it from different angles. The real problem creating these kind of displays is deciding when to stop adding or reworking things, so the small footprint forced me to stop before it became too crowded. The destroyed roof section added interest to the overall setting and features a steel frame with corrugated metal roofing. This used lots of Evergreen plastic shapes, and various rivet and nut & bolt castings to give it that early 20th century feel. The roofing was made of copper foil using a home-made jig. Using copper allowed me to make realistic damage from shrapnel and adds a lot to the overall effect when viewing it from the top too. The soldiers featured in this diorama wear a combination of typical WWII German clothing items… greatcoats and zeltbahns for warmth and protection along with standard infantry equipment of the period. This is only a 12 inch diameter pedestal and I was able to pack a lot of detail into this small footprint and I like the ability to spin the base around to see different viewpoints without actually having to handle the base. The exterior wall creates a vision block which allowed me to create a different story on the other side…an MG42 section displacing to give covering fire as the other Grenadiers move out into the open…

43rd Regiment of Foot Centre Company firings…I set up the newly arrived 43rd Regiment of Foot infantry figures to illust...
02/21/2025

43rd Regiment of Foot Centre Company firings…
I set up the newly arrived 43rd Regiment of Foot infantry figures to illustrate typical 18th massed musketry. These new figures represent soldiers wearing the uniforms of the 8 companies that made up the bulk of a British infantry regiment of the period. These soldiers were often referred to as Hat or Centre Company men with a Grenadier Company wearing bearskin caps positioned on the right flank and a Light Company wearing small caps placed on the left flank bringing the total to 10 companies forming a regiment. Each company would roughly have a strength of between 47 and 60 men along with additional officers, NCOs, musicians and pioneers, bringing a full strength regiment to about 642 officers and men.
Massed musketry was highly effective with a trained infantryman loading and firing his weapon 3 times a minute. Firings could be done in many ways, including firings by Battalion, Company, Platoons and Sections. Firings could also be rolling from one flank to the other, or even by single ranks. In these two photos I set our new “Hat Men” up to represent firing by ranks and also by sections. Even though this is an under strength company of 25 “Other Ranks” 2 Sergeants, a company officer, two drummers and an Ensign with the King’s Colour, it is pretty impressive. Imagine twice as many figures set up and that would still represent an understrength company.
All of the figures pictured are currently in-stock except the Ensign (16209 British 43rd Regiment Kings Colour 1780) which should be arriving in April.

One of my favorite group of figures in the Clash of Empires collection are the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, or Black Wa...
02/20/2025

One of my favorite group of figures in the Clash of Empires collection are the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, or Black Watch as they appeared during the French & Indian War and Pontiac’s Rebellion. Here are a few photos of these figures along with some of our Native American warriors used with various backdrops and scenic elements. Although some limited edition sets are now sold out we have a nice selection of 42nd Highlanders still available with plans for future additions.
Check out our website for more information and photos of these great figures.
16057 - 42nd Royal Highland Regiment Grenadier Standing Alert 1760-63
16056 - 42nd Royal Highland Regiment Grenadier Standing Tearing Cartridge, 1760-63
16055 - 42nd Royal Highland Regiment Battalion Coy Standing Firing No.2, 1760-63
16054 - 42nd Royal Highland Regiment Battalion Coy Charging No.1, 1760-63
16098 - 42nd Royal Highland Regiment Battalion Coy Standing Ramming, No.2, 1758-63
16097 - 42nd Foot Royal Highland Regiment Grenadier Standing Firing, No.2, 1758-63
16097 - 42nd Foot Royal Highland Regiment Grenadier Standing Firing, No.2, 1758-63
16090 - 42nd Foot Royal Highland Regiment Grenadier Standing Defending, 1758-63
16050 - British 42nd Royal Highland Grenadier Standing Firing No.1
16099 - 42nd Royal Highland Regiment Battalion Coy Standing Make Ready, 1758-63
16140 - Piper 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, 1759-64
50123C - 42nd Royal Highland Regiment Pipe Major, Grenadier Company, 1758-67

LOCKING UP RANKSThe infantry battle tactics of the early 18th century depended on mass firepower. Infantry formations fo...
02/18/2025

LOCKING UP RANKS

The infantry battle tactics of the early 18th century depended on mass firepower. Infantry formations formed in two or three lines, and advanced towards the enemy. At extreme musket range of between 250 to 300 yards , the infantry would commence a cycle of firing and advancing which would be repeated until they were within some 60 yards from the enemy. At this point both sides would be firing as fast as they could in controlled volleys until one side broke.
In order to have all three ranks firing simultaneously, without any danger to the front ranks, the Anglo-Dutch armies closed the gaps between their ranks before firing. The front rank knelt, the centre rank took half a pace forward and half a pace to the right so as to fire in the gaps between front rank men and the rear rank took one pace forward so as to fire in the gaps between centre rank men. This closing up of ranks was known as “locking up”. When reduced to two rank firing both ranks would stand still lock up to insure that the musket muzzle would be beyond the head of the men in the front rank.
The outbreak of the war in 1775 saw an unprepared British army but in 1776, after Bunker Hill, the British commander Lord William Howe ordered that two ranks rather than three be used in normal operations. The American army originally used three ranks following European practice, but von Steuben’s reforms of 1778 specified the use of two rank formations stating :
“A company is to be formed in two ranks, at one pace distance”
The effect of this was that both sides used two rank formations for most of the American War of Independence. By the conclusion of that war most British officers who took part in it were convinced that, regardless of what regulations written in England might say on the matter, two ranks was the correct mode for “modern” warfare.

We thought you might like to see one of our new Exclusive Collectors Club figures designed to represent two rank firings. This new 43rd Regiment of Foot second rank Battalion Company man is designed to interlock with the standing firing figure just released (the one painted). There will only be a limited number of the 2nd rank figures offered so please watch our website for availability.
Thanks,
Ken Osen

This is one of the larger wooden pedestal bases I constructed a couple of year ago for a show that I recently updated by...
02/14/2025

This is one of the larger wooden pedestal bases I constructed a couple of year ago for a show that I recently updated by adding the new Union 146th New York NCO Zouave with Regimental Colors (31323) and the 146th NY Zouave Officer ( 31303). Although all of the other figures used in the diorama are currently in-stock, the Regimental Colors are still on the way to our warehouse but will be available very soon. I think that adding the officer and flag adds a needed amount of color and detail to the display. Because these two additional figures were added long after the scenic groundwork was dry, it was easier for me to grind off the bases and use pins to secure them to the base. I very small amount of black and brown paint was needed to touch up the soles of the boots, but they now look like they have always been part of the display.
The 146th New York Infantry Regiment, nicknamed Garrard’s Tigers was a Federal regiment mustered into service October 10th, 1862. The regiment was raised and organized in Rome, New York and was known as the 5th Oneida Regiment. Another nickname and more widely known by civil war historians was the name Halleck’s Infantry, after New York-born Major
General Henry Halleck. You will notice Gen Halleck’s name on this figures flag. At first the regiment wore the regular dark blue Federal state jacket, light blue trousers and standard forage cap. In June of 1863 the regiment switched changed their uniforms to the colorful zouave dress. This new uniform was not actually zouave, but rather the colorful dress of
French-Turco style with the most distinctive features being the sky blue zouave jacket with yellow trimming, a red fez with yellow tassel, sky blue trousers with red sash.

In honor of Presidents Day!Thomas Jefferson – Founding Father & Visionary 📜🇺🇸 Own a piece of history with Thomas Jeffers...
02/14/2025

In honor of Presidents Day!
Thomas Jefferson – Founding Father & Visionary 📜
🇺🇸 Own a piece of history with Thomas Jefferson, the brilliant mind behind the Declaration of Independence and the Louisiana Purchase! His leadership helped shape the young American nation, making him one of the most influential presidents.
This stunning W. Britain miniature brings Jefferson’s legacy to life—a must-have for history lovers!
📦 IN-STOCK!
🛒 Shop now: https://www.wbritain.com/product-store/museum-collection---the-presidents/10061---thomas-jefferson-no2

I built this small pedestal base diorama to feature our Confederate Flagbearer, 5th Texas, “Lone Star” Flag (31393), two...
02/13/2025

I built this small pedestal base diorama to feature our Confederate Flagbearer, 5th Texas, “Lone Star” Flag (31393), two Texas Brigade figures charging at right shoulder (31367 & 31177) and the young Confederate drummer advancing (31404).
Using a commercially available marble candle stand and permanently attaching the figures with scenic modeling materials makes a compact display allowing several subjects to be displayed in a relatively small area. I also feel that these small groupings put the figures into context to tell a story. All of these figures are individually sold and are currently in-stock.
Here is a short history of the early war flag featured in this diorama:
After the 5th Texas Infantry was organized in Richmond,
Va., on 31 September 1861, its officers had a local
contractor manufacture a flag for the regiment. Measuring
60 1/2’’ (hoist) x 84 1/5’’ (fly) and “Made of silk, fringed
with silver and mounted on a handsome staff,” it was
popular with the soldiers and was known as the “Lone Star
flag.” Another flag was soon presented to the regiment while
in winter quarters at Dumfries, Va., in late 1861 – a silk
“St. Andrew’s Cross” pattern. That flag was used until June
1862, when retired and replaced with a woolen flag made
by Mrs. Maude Young. While this flag was away being
decorated with battle honors after the Seven Days battles,
two officers decided to smuggle the Lone Star flag out of
the Texas Depot and bring it back to camp. General Hood
was displeased with the trickery, though the flag was carried
throughout the following battles at Second Manassas and
Antietam. Because it was so shot up and due to the Lone
Star flag’s outdated pattern, the flag was returned to the
state archives in Austin.

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