Clay08

I'm a Swoppet!

Dated: June 17, 2008
'I'M A SWOPPET!' This was the slogan for Britains new unbreakable plastic multi-piece 54mm 'Swoppets' when they released their Cowboys in 1958 and then Indians and Knights in 1959. You could swop heads, torsos, legs and even weapons and belts. Today we call this popular practice 'Conversions' or 'Accessories.' Britains never made Swoppets in HO 1/72 scale, but Giant of Hong Kong copied some and sold them as inexpensive dime-store one-piece soldiers in headercard and bubble card packaging. Some are beautiful; others poor. I never throw any away so I have a good selection of heads, shields, weapons, legs, torsos, etc. to make my own colorful 1/72 Swoppets from authentic parts. All of mine have been reassembled using pegs only, and no glue or paint. The 2 wounded Cowboys even have the pistol belt and holster separate from the torso and legs like the bigger one's. These are a sampling of some of my 'Conversions', but I still like to think of them as ... 'I'm a Swoppet!'
By Garrison Clay
USA
Swoppets

Many thanks to Mr. Clay.

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