7.5 cm Ski Troops – Lineol, Elastolin & NB (1930s) ❄️❄️❄️⛷️⛷️⛷️🎿🎿🎿

A small winter scene featuring classic 7.5 cm composition skiers produced in the 1930s by the well-known German makers Lineol and Elastolin, as well as the Belgian manufacturer NB. A very atmospheric set that illustrates how European toy companies of the 1930s depicted alpine and winter warfare.

Toy Soldier Day : 4th of March 🪖🪖🪖

Toy Soldier Day is observed on March 4th. Toy Soldier Day honors the classic figurines that have inspired generations of children and collectors. 

Celebrate this day by:

 - **Displaying Your Collection:** Set up a diorama or action scene with your toy soldiers. 

 - **Painting & Crafting:** Customize unpainted soldiers for a creative, hands-on activity. 

 - **Storytelling & Play:** Build forts and battlefields to bring imaginative scenarios to life. 

 - **Watching Films:** Enjoy war-themed movies or animated classics featuring toy soldiers (e.g., films like “Toy Soldiers” or animations like “Toy Story”).

 - **Joining a Community:** Connect with collectors, trade figurines, and share stories. 

 - **Educational Fun:** Teach children about history, strategy, and teamwork through play. 

 Relive the joy of these miniature heroes and create new memories on Toy Soldier Day! (In the photo : Märklin clockwork tinplate tank, NB (Belgium) Red Army soldiers and Mongolian soldiers probably from an unknown German maker)

My favourite books about toy soldiers 🙂

My small toy soldier collecting library.My favourite books ! What are your favourite toy soldier collecting books ? 

The US army pilots (Nazaire Beeusaert) and JHK 542 plane

Two composition American pilots produced by Nazaire Beeusaert(Belgium) in the end of 40s and the JHK 542 tinplate plane made by Hammerer and Kühlwein (Germany) in 1949.

Nazaire Beeusaert (NB) composition navy officers

The production of the composition soldiers of Nazaire Beeusaert (NB) dates from the end of 30s. Every figure was produced manually. The raw material consisted of a composition mixture made from crushed paper and cardboard waste, water, flour glue and chalk. For each type of soldier there was a separate mold in which the mixture was pushed. Through openings in the mold, the figure was reinforced with galvanized iron wire. When the soldier was taken out of the mold, it was still very fragile. After twenty-four hours of drying, the paintwork could begin. The NB figures are collector items. The Nazaire Beeusaert company stopped its production in 1965. Belgian composition 7cm navy officers produced by Nazaire Beeusaert (NB) Belgium.

Mercedes-Benz G4 W31 Six-Wheeler cabriolet

The Mercedes-Benz W31 type G4 was a German three-axle off-road vehicle first produced by Mercedes-Benz as a staff/command car for the Wehrmacht in 1934. The cars were designed as a seven-seat touring car or closed saloon, and were mainly used by upper echelons of the Nazi regime in parades and inspections, as they were deemed too expensive for general Army use. This Mercedes-Benz G4 W31 model was produced by MCG - Modelcar Group (Germany). Different composition soldiers from 30s: Lineol, Elastolin, Trico, NB and Durso.

Nazaire Beeusaert (NB) marines

A trio of Belgian composition 7cm marines produced by Nazaire Beeusaert (NB) from Brussels in 1938.

The World Belongs To Me

The World Belongs To Me - Stalin (Durso) composition figurine from 40s and four figures of Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium produced by NB in 30s.

Leopold III - King of the Belgians from Nazaire Beeusaert

Leopold III (3 November 1901 – 25 September 1983) was King of the Belgians from 23 February 1934 until his abdication on 16 July 1951. On the outbreak of World War II, Leopold tried to maintain Belgian neutrality, but after the German invasion in May 1940, he surrendered his country, earning him much hostility, both at home and abroad. Leopold's act was declared unconstitutional by Prime Minister Hubert Pierlot and his cabinet, who moved to London to form a government-in-exile, while Leopold and his family were placed under house arrest. In 1944, they were moved to Germany and then Austria, before being liberated by the Americans, but banned for some years from returning to Belgium, where his brother Prince Charles, Count of Flanders, had been declared regent. Leopold's eventual return to his homeland in 1950 nearly caused a civil war, and under pressure from the government, he abdicated in favour of his son Baudouin in July 1951. Nazaire Beeusaert (NB), a Belgian toy soldier company, produced different types of composition soldiers depicting Leopold III during 30s/40s. I have 4 different NB's figurines of Leopold III in my collection.

First Day of Winter...❄️❄️❄️☃️☃️☃️

Lineol, Elastolin and NB composition soldiers are taking a ski walk ..

I got my COVID-19 vaccine...

An Indian tribal gathering...

Today I have organised a little pow wow with representatives of Elastolin and Durso tribes...

Nazaire Beeusaert composition soldiers

The Belgian toy soldier company Nazaire Beeusaert ("NB") was situated in Deinze, a city located on the Lys River between Ghent and Courtray in the Province of East-Flanders in Belgium. In 1921 a Mr. N. Beeusaert started a factory, producing cardboard toys. Initially NB produced heavy cardboard toy horses, of all sizes, including "rolling" horses and "rocking" horses. As their business grew, Nazaire Beeusaert developed and supplied composition toy soldiers starting from the end of 30s. This production was then embossed with "NB" mark on the base, and consisted of military, civilian and animal figures.The "NB" Company continued production of its composition soldiers until 1959. Some NB Belgian, UK and US soldiers from my army.

Happy New Year 2021 ! 🌲🌲🌲🎉🎉🎉🥂🥂🍾🎄🎅🤶

Soldatini.eu wishes all friends and visitors Happy and prosperous New Year 2021 !!! Four tank-men, one skier and two dogs are wishing all of you a healthy and prosperous year ahead ! 💥💥💥

Royal Air Force : Sopwith Camel

The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the best known fighter aircraft of the Great War.

 

The Liberation of Europe

World War II began in 1939 and ended six years later in 1945. The Liberation was the last phase of the war, when occupied Europe was freed from Nazi rule. Various estimates say the Soviet Red Army liberated nearly half of Europe's territory, which comprise 16 modern European countries. Allied forces liberated nine countries, while six more were freed by the Soviets and the Allies together. Mainly Belgian composition soldiers produces by Durso, NB, Triumf and Solido in 40s/50s. The Allies wooden military vehicles are my DIYs.