Toys City British Royal Navy Special Boat Service (SBS) REVIEW 1

From the French (see my previous posts) to the British. In terms of performance in the 2010 World Cup, both football teams have played way below par, with Les Bleus being knocked out at the group stage in shame and disgrace for the way they had played both on and off the field. The England team has just barely scraped through, finishing second in their group behind USA. Who could have imagined this result at the start of the World Cup? Especially for a football mad country that has brought the game to the world :( SIGH tsk tsk

Anyway, on to better things :) This is my second Toys City boxed set after their recently released CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) Operative military figure with a headsculpt that resembles actor Kurt Russell.

When I first saw the box cover, I almost laughed out loud :) In the background is a black and white picture of a plane with propeller and warships of a bygone era. How can Toys City put the image of a modern day warrior with a picture from World War II? They definitely don't go together.


The box is pretty standard with one tray of accessories on the inside cover flap and the main tray holding the 1:6 12-inch figure. This packaging style has been in existence since 1999 when Dragon first came on the scene and blew everyone's mind away with their offering of the Wehrmacht Infantry NCO (Feldwebel) "Hans".

The back of the box shows more World War II images with some product shots of the Toys City SBS figure. By the way, there is also a slipcase for this and the slipcase has the exact same images as seen on the box. What's the point in that? Total waste of resources and money. I really don't see the point in that.

The accessory tray with sheath for the Wrist Dagger or push dagger (alternately known as: push knife, fist knife, push dirk, or T-handled knife), carabiner, personal GPS tracker (all these items were already issued with the Toys City 1:6 scale 12-inch CIA figure), hands-free forehead mounted head light, HK417 Assault Rifle with 1x4 Tactical Scope, removable magazine, suppressor, Para Ordnance P14-45 pistol (an improved version of the Colt M1911A1 .45 pistol) with tactical light, gloved hands, knee pads, Radio with Headset, four Pistol Magazines and four extra Rifle Magazines.

Here are the Toys City SBS 1:6 scale weapons laid out

Close-ups of the Radio with headset, hands-free forehead mounted head light and personal GPS (Global Positioning System) tracker

And now let's see what's in the main tray. There's the LBT (London Bridge Trading) 1961G Chest Rig, Tactical Rifle Sling, Union Jack patch, Watch Hat (also known as beanie, watch cap, stocking cap, skull cap, skully, or ski cap), belt, extra pouches for his HK417 magazines, black drop-leg pouch (also for his HK417 magazines), drop-down holster, Black Diamond gaiters (waterproof gaiters for keeping trousers clean and dry), Hydration Pack, 12-inch figure wearing Green T-shirt, Smock / Combat Jacket, Combat Field Pants with Rescue Harness, and Hiking Boots

One of the reasons for the popularity of this set has to be the 1:6 head sculpt which looks a lot like "Mr Bond, James Bond" Sir Sean Connery, best known for portraying the character James Bond, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. In 1988, Connery won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Untouchables. His film career also includes such films as Marnie, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Hunt for Red October, Highlander, Murder on the Orient Express, Dragonheart, and The Rock.

Sean Connery has been polled as the "greatest living Scot" and was knighted in July 2000. In 1989, he was proclaimed the Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine, and in 1999, at the age of 69, he was voted the Sexiest Man of the Century. [source: wiki]

But you have to admit that he's too OLD to be in the British Royal Navy Special Boat Service (SBS). The SBS is manned by ranks drawn mostly from the Royal Marines and carries out a role similar to the Special Air Service, but with a traditionally stronger focus on amphibious operations.

So it's off with his head and in steps a much younger 1:6 man for the role of the SBS.

Here you see the Toys City SBS without his black smock, wearing only the Green T-shirt which was underneath plus rescue harness worn over his desert camouflage MARPAT (MARine PATtern) combat pants and hiking shoes or boots

A closer look at the exposed elbow joints of the Toys City t1.0 body

He's now kitted out with his Para Ordnance P14-45 pistol in drop-down holster, drop-leg twin pouches, gloves, knee pads and Black Diamond gaiters over hiking shoes. The SBS are the Special Forces division of Great Britain's Royal Navy, in a way like the US Navy SEALs. They get to pick and choose their own equipment and weapons, hence they rarely hardly look like a standard British soldier.

Toys City SBS wearing the black smock (black hooded parka) with the Para Ordnance P14-45 pistol with tactical light drawn

Close-ups of the Toys City 1:6 SBS Smock Combat jacket

Next post will see pictures of this Toys City SBS fully kitted out in all his gear (minus the Sean Connery headsculpt)