Max Hastings

bluebellnutter · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 8:47 am

And remember, scoring political points out of this is only beign done by the immoral left.

AOB · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 1:52 pm

bluebellnutter wrote:

And remember, scoring political points out of this is only beign done by the immoral left.

I was going to say you should post that but there's not much point when there are 850+ comments. Once there are more than 300 comments on any article it's hardly worth it. They just get buried.

Bones McCoy · **Joined:** Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:08 am **Posts:** 7318

Quote:

Looking at comments like these, I do sometimes wonder what sort of society would satisfy them. Would a fascist state which kicked out all the forrins, blacks and teh gayz, and removed itself from the EU still be too liberal for them?

I suspect they'd only be happy when we'd instituted a full Syrian Baathist regime.

Bones McCoy · **Joined:** Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:08 am **Posts:** 7318

When I read Max's work, I always picture him shuffling Airfix 8th Army and Afrika Corps figures around a map of North Africa onto which he's sprinkled a bit of builder's sand.

He loses his temper because Airfix moulded the 8th army with a man with a mine detector and a casualty.
This means they're badly outgunned by Rommel's boys with their machineguns and a fancy anti-tank gun.

In a fit of temper he tries to remember where he stored the Australians (They'll turn the tide), but finds they're
in tropical gear, and he's lost half the box, leaving the commander with a machete and the porters carrying boxes of quinnine.

Utterly pissed off, he picks up the phone for a chat about the good old days with fellow column chum Hitch.

Tubby Isaacs · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 10:20 pm

Spot on.

To be fair to him, I have the impression he was a reasonably intrepid war correspondent when younger.

Malcolm Armsteen · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 10:52 pm

Bones McCoy wrote:

When I read Max's work, I always picture him shuffling Airfix 8th Army and Afrika Corps figures around a map of North Africa onto which he's sprinkled a bit of builder's sand.

He loses his temper because Airfix moulded the 8th army with a man with a mine detector and a casualty.
This means they're badly outgunned by Rommel's boys with their machineguns and a fancy anti-tank gun.

In a fit of temper he tries to remember where he stored the Australians (They'll turn the tide), but finds they're
in tropical gear, and he's lost half the box, leaving the commander with a machete and the porters carrying boxes of quinnine.

Utterly pissed off, he picks up the phone for a chat about the good old days with fellow column chum Hitch.

Ummm... That all sounds very personal. Very first-hand.

Malcolm Armsteen · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 10:53 pm

Though I know what you mean about the casualty. It was the same with the men laying down firing. How can you have a decent bayonet charge with three of your men lying down?

oboogie · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 11:42 pm

You must be speaking of the 1/76 Australians because I'm sure the 1/32 didn't have "porters carrying carrying boxes of quinnine".

Other than that, it all sounds very familiar including the board with sand.

I had a very impressive desert army then I moved on to Normandy.

Prior to that I had a passion for WW1 aircraft kits.

All ground to halt when I was 13 when I was given my first guitar.

Malcolm Armsteen · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 11:47 pm

I hadn't realised we were talking 1/32. They were good for conversions, because they had bare legs they could be barbarians or even Romans.

I have a plan to remake the Luttrel Psalter figures in 54mm (one day) - those hard-plastic Airfix figures would be a boon if they were available today. I'm having to start with Historex nudes.

oboogie · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2011 12:13 am

They are still available as are various other makes. There's a very good model shop in Caen which I spent a sentimental hour in a few years ago whilst Mrs O'Boogie was shopping. I was astonished that almost everything I had as a kid is still in production, I thought modelling died years ago.

I had a mix of 1/32 - more detailed and 1/76 - more affordable.
The hard plastic ones were far superior - but about 5 times the price.

Bones McCoy · **Joined:** Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:08 am **Posts:** 7318

Malcolm Armsteen wrote:

Bones McCoy wrote:

When I read Max's work, I always picture him shuffling Airfix 8th Army and Afrika Corps figures around a map of North Africa onto which he's sprinkled a bit of builder's sand.

He loses his temper because Airfix moulded the 8th army with a man with a mine detector and a casualty.
This means they're badly outgunned by Rommel's boys with their machineguns and a fancy anti-tank gun.

In a fit of temper he tries to remember where he stored the Australians (They'll turn the tide), but finds they're
in tropical gear, and he's lost half the box, leaving the commander with a machete and the porters carrying boxes of quinnine.

Utterly pissed off, he picks up the phone for a chat about the good old days with fellow column chum Hitch.

Ummm... That all sounds very personal. Very first-hand.

Yep, no X-box in my childhood, yet you didn't see me setting fire to the local betting shop.

Hey look, I'm Baroness Wasi!

Bones McCoy · **Joined:** Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:08 am **Posts:** 7318

oboogie wrote:

They are still available as are various other makes. There's a very good model shop in Caen which I spent a sentimental hour in a few years ago whilst Mrs O'Boogie was shopping. I was astonished that almost everything I had as a kid is still in production, I thought modelling died years ago.

I had a mix of 1/32 - more detailed and 1/76 - more affordable.
The hard plastic ones were far superior - but about 5 times the price.

Recently discovered this shop (I've referenced the plastic figure page)
http://www.modelzone.co.uk/model-kits/f ... cale=11422

I found it amazing because
a) I didn't know so many companies made 1/72 plastic figures (and in such variety).
b) There's tons of extremely cool looking Radio control stuff.
c) I really though this kind of thing had died out.

Naturally most of the clients were middle aged blokes (with the odd utterly bored kid in tow).
I bought an X wing and a Millenium falcon to avert the inevitable tantrum and give me 15 more minutes to browse sherman tank variants.

Bones McCoy · **Joined:** Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:08 am **Posts:** 7318

Malcolm Armsteen wrote:

I hadn't realised we were talking 1/32. They were good for conversions, because they had bare legs they could be barbarians or even Romans.

I have a plan to remake the Luttrel Psalter figures in 54mm (one day) - those hard-plastic Airfix figures would be a boon if they were available today. I'm having to start with Historex nudes.

Isn't that chap committing the sin of Onan.

Malcolm Armsteen · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2011 9:58 am

oboogie wrote:

They are still available as are various other makes. There's a very good model shop in Caen which I spent a sentimental hour in a few years ago whilst Mrs O'Boogie was shopping. I was astonished that almost everything I had as a kid is still in production, I thought modelling died years ago.

I had a mix of 1/32 - more detailed and 1/76 - more affordable.
The hard plastic ones were far superior - but about 5 times the price.

I know that one, I used to buy from it. I was close to Caen earlier, dropping family off at the ferry, and thought about that place. Small world, innit?

Arnold · **Posted:** Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:42 am

There are three quotes of his on page 3 of today's Private Eye. Two dated 3rd March and 6th April said how hard it would be to get rid of Gaddafi. The third dated 24th August was a complete about face, as he claimed he never had any doubts about his overthrow and was surprised it took so long.

Max Hastings

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