[The General]

I realise that this site is 85% diecast aircraft & about 15% tanks & armoured fighting vehicles but what else are you into?

I know this is an unusual hobby for an Irish born former Australian Regular Army soldier but for me my other hobby is collecting and painting plastic 1:32nd scale (54mm) American Civil War figures.

I have about 60 Marx soldiers in my collection (most figures are very wooden looking but some are usable) as well as siege mortars, tents & accessories.

I also have hundreds of Accurate Figures which are very well detailed and very well made. Union soldiers, Confederates & Series II Confederates. Imex (equally well made) figures probably make up the bulk of my collection including Union & Confederate infantry, cavalry & artillery.

I also have several boxes each of HaT Union Zouaves & Series 2 Zouaves. Then there are several boxes each of A Call to Arms The Iron Brigade, Coloured troops & Confederate Infantry.

You can add to that Italeri Union Infantry, Confederate Cavalry & Battlefield Accessories. My Airfix 7th Cavalry make great 1865 Union Cavalry.

I have also got hold of Timpo, BMC, Britains and other manufacturers trains, bridges, farmhouses, buildings, stone wall, wooden fences, split rail fences, trees, rocks and boulders, cannons, gattling guns, farm animals, dead horses etc.

I get most of my stuff from hobby stores and from Peter Nathan's Toy Soldiers here in Sydney, Australia.

I have approxiamately 1200 soldiers, 100 horses & 30 artillery pieces. (That's a rough calculative guess.) I have fully painted approxiamately 400 pieces as a mix of both Federal and Confederate troops. They are all accurately painted as infantry, state militia, sharp shooters, marines, coloured troops, cavalry & artillery. I have put a lot of time and research into uniforms, colours, chevrons, insignia, flags etc. Oh, and the figures are painted better than most I've seen including store bought ones.

I only wish I had the right camera & set up to post some photos.

Anyway, apart from diecast planes & amoured vehicles what are YOU into?