I find it quite ironic that so many modelling products are produced in China, yet I have been unable to find much of anything in the way of Chinese figures in any era. Or have I looked in the wrong places?

I think I remember seeing an ad for some Chinese nationalist army figures by Warriors or VLS.

Dragon makes a modern 1/35 figure set of the "PLA Hong Kong garrison force".

Hi Tom

I feel your pain ! I to have been searching for Chinese figures of the Korean war era for weeks now, and have come up empty at every turn. Warrior does make a very basic set of Asain heads, but thats as close as I've gotten. I've been told that Dragon at one time made a couple sets of CCF/Korean war figs but that they are oop now. I've been searching ebay but so far no joy.
I don't understand why this is with a number of model compaies located in China, why the complete lack of figures from any era. A Chinese company can put out a model of the Striker. A vehicle that has just entered service. of a nation on the other side of the planet but ignores a topic that logicly should be thier widest range. The only thing I can think of is old school communist paranoia. Please if you happen to have better luck than I could you drop me a line.
Harry

For Korean War figures, Dragon made 2 sets:

Chinese Volunteers.


I have the above set (minus 1 standing figure) for sale for $5 if you are looking for it. Send me an email or PM.

Chinese Volunteer AA MG.


They also do a modern set of PLA Hong Kong Garrison figures.

i believe dragon has rereleased their dragon chinese volunters from korea and and trumpeter has a couple of more modern chinese figures . some with a jeep with recoilless rifle and some with just the recoilless rifle. i would check lucky model or great models webstore

I think the availability of kits and figures are market oriented and conflict oriented. I see current main market on armor is WWII era ETO and Modern era Iraq conflicts.

WWII era, Chinese fought against Japanese and in modern era, Chinese got involved in Korean and Vietnam wars and border conflicts with India and Vietnam. Korean War in history and modeling community is more like a forgotten war. The U.S. used a lot of equipment from WWII in Korean War. M1 Garand rifle, M1 carbine, Sherman, and Priest are some examples. U.S. equipments and figure sets for Korean War can be easily modified to fit WWII ETO and vice versa. I will say the current U.S. equipment and figure sets on the market are more towards WWII ETO than Korean War. How many Korean troop figures on the market? I have a Chinese Volunteer Army AA Machinegun Team figure set from DML/Shanghai Dragon. That’s about what I know for Korean War stuff. Chinese troops are not involved in Iraq conflict hence no figures, although Chinese equipments have been sold to that region. Back to Vietnam War, uniformed Chinese combat troops were not involved but Mao did send advisors to VC. Hence no Chinese figure set even though Vietnam War is not a small modeling topic here in the U.S. Border conflict is a regional thing. How many modelers do you think will build a diorama of Chinese PLA crash with India troop at border? And what’s the market.

Once the modeling community shift focus from WWII ETO to PTO, which hopefully will bring out more Japanese figure sets and equipments. This may help to bring out more Chinese figure sets to fill the gap of large diorama possibility of Chinese fighting against Japanese in main land China, Burma and cooperation between Allies and Chinese in PTO. Or more wild thought is … due to the Japanese government’s refusal of apology and denial of Japanese war crimes in WWII, it triggers the Chinese nationalism and make these Chinese model manufactures to bring out more Chinese figure sets and Japanese figure sets to let modelers present history in diorama format to educate the next generation of Chinese and maybe Japanese as well. This may ultimately bring out more allied kits and figure sets that our allied fans are crying for.

I don’t want to make it political but that part of history was the stage that Chinese troops (both nationalist and communist) largely involved and maybe the only diorama stage that can bring out Chinese figure sets. Hope no one take offense or political.

Just my 2 cents.

Steven Lu