Hi!
I'm looking to build up a little stash of hornet heads and have decided to purchase ~10 sets to start with.
Am however slightly overwhelmed by the massive offering! So, my question is if there are any opinions out there on what would be good starter sets to build the bulk of my stash?
any opinions and tips welcome!
Figures
Military figures of all shapes and sizes.
Military figures of all shapes and sizes.
Hosted by Darren Baker, Mario Matijasic
A stash of Hornet heads - Where to start?
Motives
Joined: October 15, 2013
KitMaker: 444 posts
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Posted: Sunday, August 09, 2015 - 03:18 PM UTC
jrutman
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
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Posted: Sunday, August 09, 2015 - 06:59 PM UTC
Since almost all plastic figures are sold with faces that have no expression I would start with Hornet heads that have varying looks on their face. Laughing,smoking,distraught,yelling,etc. When you build a scene you can then bring it to life by choosing the right expression on each figure. That way you won't have an NCO pointing at where his troops need to go while they are running and him having a stony face. In reality he would be yelling "Get your sorry a--es over there NOW!". See what I mean?
J
J
Thudius
Joined: October 22, 2012
KitMaker: 1,194 posts
Armorama: 1,077 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 09, 2015 - 07:08 PM UTC
Get a few of the sets that have older facial features, good for officers and civilians or late war conscripts.
Kimmo
Kimmo
obg153
Joined: April 07, 2009
KitMaker: 1,063 posts
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Posted: Sunday, August 09, 2015 - 07:15 PM UTC
You might also consider a head set of troops without helmets/hats showing differing hairstyles,, a set for vehicle crewmembers wearing headphones in various positions would be good for various vehicles, etc...
M4A1Sherman
Joined: May 02, 2013
KitMaker: 4,403 posts
Armorama: 4,078 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 09, 2015 - 08:01 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Since almost all plastic figures are sold with faces that have no expression I would start with Hornet heads that have varying looks on their face. Laughing,smoking,distraught,yelling,etc. When you build a scene you can then bring it to life by choosing the right expression on each figure. That way you won't have an NCO pointing at where his troops need to go while they are running and him having a stony face. In reality he would be yelling "Get your sorry a--es over there NOW!". See what I mean?
J
Hi, Jerry! YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH!!!
Hi, Johan! I keep (literally) a couple hundred HORNET Heads in my parts stock. The various head-sets with expressions on their faces, which are usually bare-headed, are ESPECIALLY USEFUL! If you want to add headgear to these bare-headed figures, I suggest filing or sanding the heads down to fit your helmets or soft caps to the appropriate height which you would like to depict. This way you can depict the headgear in more casual poses, such as to one or the other side, to the front or to the back of your figure's head.
I also suggest keeping the various VERLINDEN 1/35 Figure Conversion Sets in your stock- They are available in US Army & US Marine sets, German, British, and I believe, but I'm not completely sure, Soviet and Japanese sets. These sets consist of various footwear, torsos, legs, arms, canteens, knapsacks, sidearms w/holsters, etc...
HORNET also makes some beautiful "hands" sets as well... All of this stuff will go a long way to help you reach your goals, and will fire up your imagination as well... Hope this and the other contributors' suggestions in this thread help you out. Thanks...
jrutman
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
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Posted: Sunday, August 09, 2015 - 08:03 PM UTC
Quoted Text
You might also consider a head set of troops without helmets/hats showing differing hairstyles,, a set for vehicle crewmembers wearing headphones in various positions would be good for various vehicles, etc...
Very good suggestion as heads without helmets are way easier to paint and also can be used for any nationality as well.And,of course,you can always pop a helmet on them if needed.
J
M4A1Sherman
Joined: May 02, 2013
KitMaker: 4,403 posts
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Posted: Sunday, August 09, 2015 - 08:16 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextYou might also consider a head set of troops without helmets/hats showing differing hairstyles,, a set for vehicle crewmembers wearing headphones in various positions would be good for various vehicles, etc...
Very good suggestion as heads without helmets are way easier to paint and also can be used for any nationality as well.And,of course,you can always pop a helmet on them if needed.
J
Yes, DEFINITELY! I always paint my figures by starting with the heads/faces and hands. If one follows the various manuals that are dedicated to figure-painting, you'll find that this is the proper way to start. You paint a figure as though "dressing" it. There are about nine or ten steps to painting a face alone! The HORNET bare-headed heads lend themselves most admirably to completing beautifully featured and anatomically correct heads. It's a very RARE occurrence when I use a kit-supplied plastic head...
bill_c
Campaigns AdministratorJoined: January 09, 2008
KitMaker: 10,553 posts
Armorama: 8,109 posts
Posted: Monday, August 10, 2015 - 12:03 AM UTC
I agree with everything that's been said, especially by Jerry Rutman, whose figure dioramas are among the best around. Styrene manufacturers are actually doing a better job with heads and faces now, often molding the head & face separately.
But one area they haven't done that well in is hands. I cringe when seeing Hornet heads on figures with clumpy, claw-like styrene hands. IIRC Hornet has three different sets of hands, and I have all of them "on-hand."
But one area they haven't done that well in is hands. I cringe when seeing Hornet heads on figures with clumpy, claw-like styrene hands. IIRC Hornet has three different sets of hands, and I have all of them "on-hand."
justsendit
Joined: February 24, 2014
KitMaker: 3,033 posts
Armorama: 2,492 posts
Posted: Monday, August 10, 2015 - 12:51 AM UTC
I agree with what the others have said … buy ‘em, stock ‘em, use ‘em! You won’t be disappointed!
In addition, I keep several of the three Hornet Hands sets in the stash at all times … hands-down, the best ones out there! Sorry Bill, I couldn’t resist another pun!
Here’s a Historex Agents Catalog PDF which might make sorting out and keeping track of the sets a bit easier.
—mike
In addition, I keep several of the three Hornet Hands sets in the stash at all times … hands-down, the best ones out there! Sorry Bill, I couldn’t resist another pun!
Here’s a Historex Agents Catalog PDF which might make sorting out and keeping track of the sets a bit easier.
—mike
jrutman
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2015 - 01:01 AM UTC
Alpine also has a good offering as far as hands go as does Historex but they can run a bit large. And you know what they say about large hands!
Big gloves!
J
Big gloves!
J
Motives
Joined: October 15, 2013
KitMaker: 444 posts
Armorama: 428 posts
Posted: Monday, August 10, 2015 - 11:24 AM UTC
Wow, thanks for the great replies everyone! This is why I love armorama 
I started to compile a list that has a combination of heads with hair, neutral baldheads and more expressive baldheads. This is the list so far:
HH01 - 5 bare different heads
HH04 - 5 different heads, WW2 haircuts
HH11 - 5 different heads laughing, joking
HH12 - 5 different bareheads, neutral expression
HH14 - 5 different heads, snarling, gasping
HH15 - 5 heads, smoking (add own ciggies)
HH16 - 5 more European bald heads
HH17 - 5 different heads eating, drinking
HH22 - 5 more heads with WW2 style haircuts
HH27 - 5 bald heads with triumphant, exulting faces
What you guys think? Ready to order?
I started to compile a list that has a combination of heads with hair, neutral baldheads and more expressive baldheads. This is the list so far:
HH01 - 5 bare different heads
HH04 - 5 different heads, WW2 haircuts
HH11 - 5 different heads laughing, joking
HH12 - 5 different bareheads, neutral expression
HH14 - 5 different heads, snarling, gasping
HH15 - 5 heads, smoking (add own ciggies)
HH16 - 5 more European bald heads
HH17 - 5 different heads eating, drinking
HH22 - 5 more heads with WW2 style haircuts
HH27 - 5 bald heads with triumphant, exulting faces
What you guys think? Ready to order?
M4A1Sherman
Joined: May 02, 2013
KitMaker: 4,403 posts
Armorama: 4,078 posts
Posted: Monday, August 10, 2015 - 06:56 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Wow, thanks for the great replies everyone! This is why I love armorama
I started to compile a list that has a combination of heads with hair, neutral baldheads and more expressive baldheads. This is the list so far:
HH01 - 5 bare different heads
HH04 - 5 different heads, WW2 haircuts
HH11 - 5 different heads laughing, joking
HH12 - 5 different bareheads, neutral expression
HH14 - 5 different heads, snarling, gasping
HH15 - 5 heads, smoking (add own ciggies)
HH16 - 5 more European bald heads
HH17 - 5 different heads eating, drinking
HH22 - 5 more heads with WW2 style haircuts
HH27 - 5 bald heads with triumphant, exulting faces
What you guys think? Ready to order?
Sure, go a head! BOOOO!
The HORNET Head sets with caps and Helmets are SUPERB, as well. Take a look at those- Many of them come with faces that have expressions already molded in, making your job a little bit easier. I wish that WARRIORS was still in business- They had some really cool head sests for WWII & Modern Eras which included US, British/Commonwealth, German, Soviet, Japanese/Asian, and other ethnic groups...With all this information, you should be able to really forge a head... OK, shutting up now...
justsendit
Joined: February 24, 2014
KitMaker: 3,033 posts
Armorama: 2,492 posts
Posted: Monday, August 10, 2015 - 09:45 PM UTC
Hi Johan,
Just wondering ... do you have any specific projects in mind for these sets?
—mike
Just wondering ... do you have any specific projects in mind for these sets?
—mike
Motives
Joined: October 15, 2013
KitMaker: 444 posts
Armorama: 428 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 - 12:05 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Hi Johan,
Just wondering ... do you have any specific projects in mind for these sets?
—mike
Not really. I got a few sets for my WW1 diorama and i couldn't get over how good they looked compared to normal injection moulded one's. That when i knew i had to switch up
I suppose I have a few things in mind but this is really just to build up a stash to go to when i need something for ANY build.
Thats also why i didnt get many heads with helmets as those feel more specific. In the future i see myself ordering one or two sets together with a kit for when i do have a more fleshed out idea or concept.
bill_c
Campaigns AdministratorJoined: January 09, 2008
KitMaker: 10,553 posts
Armorama: 8,109 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 13, 2015 - 08:20 PM UTC
Quoted Text
... this is really just to build up a stash to go to when i need something for ANY build.
Because resin heads aren't cheap (yet still have shipping charges), I try to have a large stock on-hand for any builds that come up.
dioman13
Joined: August 19, 2007
KitMaker: 2,184 posts
Armorama: 1,468 posts
Posted: Friday, August 14, 2015 - 10:36 PM UTC
Heck, I'd be bent out of shape without Hornets heads and hand. No doubt about it, they work every time for that figure that stands out as then center piece of your dio.
OddBall84
Joined: May 20, 2015
KitMaker: 335 posts
Armorama: 266 posts
Posted: Friday, August 14, 2015 - 10:58 PM UTC
This
And this.
Quoted Text
Get a few of the sets that have older facial features, good for officers and civilians or late war conscripts.
Kimmo
And this.
Quoted Text
You might also consider a head set of troops without helmets/hats showing differing hairstyles,, a set for vehicle crewmembers wearing headphones in various positions would be good for various vehicles, etc...
long123
Joined: August 12, 2015
KitMaker: 13 posts
Armorama: 13 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 16, 2015 - 01:20 PM UTC
Am however slightly overwhelmed by the massive offering!
bill_c
Campaigns AdministratorJoined: January 09, 2008
KitMaker: 10,553 posts
Armorama: 8,109 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 18, 2015 - 01:31 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Am however slightly overwhelmed by the massive offering!
At first, they seem enormous in number. But you can discard a whole bunch of them right away, such as DAK heads in fezes and pith helmets. The bare heads are less-useful in my opinion, because I hate to put inferior styrene helmets on an expensive resin head.
Finally, it's good advice to have some bare heads with 1940s haircuts. There are a lot of sets for German soldiers (SS, different caps, plus helmets with and without camo netting). You just will have to feel your way through these.
Motives
Joined: October 15, 2013
KitMaker: 444 posts
Armorama: 428 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 18, 2015 - 11:23 PM UTC
Did you see this link that Mike posted? https://www.historexagents.com/pdf/HornetHeads.pdf
It really helped me!
It really helped me!
jphillips
Joined: February 25, 2007
KitMaker: 1,066 posts
Armorama: 789 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 19, 2015 - 01:33 AM UTC
If ever come across any African heads or figures, buy them, because they're pretty scarce and you might be able to sell them for a profit even if you don't use them.
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