AB Figures are run by Anthony Barton and Michael Hickling. We have both been wargaming for over 35 years. Now we are returning to our first love - WW2. To us authenticity, detailed design and quality are key and we go to great lengths to research our figures using contemporary illustrations, photographs and artifacts.

We hope you will like our figures – we really believe that we supply the best "Men in Miniature" for the dedicated Wargamer and Modeller.

About Anthony
After a childhood spent making plasticene animals and gaining an indifferent degree in Zoology, Anthony Barton ("AB") started his career making biological and archaeological models for museums.

Military figures had always been a hobby, and growing poorer prompted him to start making them seriously in about 1985. The "AB" range was launched in 1990, and he now devotes most of his time to it, with periodic diversions into larger-scale projects: historical paint-work, sculpture and reconstructed costumes – he has worked for many historical institutions.

He lives quietly in a small house near York, surrounded by interesting junk, and only goes out to play music with the York Waits, a 16th Century wind band which he helped found in 1977, or to indulge in historical re-enactments in interesting places, generally involving bows or early firearms.

About Michael
Michael is our craftsman making the moulds and running the small foundry and manufacturing process from his home in the beautiful Welsh countryside. He also packs and despatches your orders with help from his wife..

Michael has also actively helped in archaeological excavations including Fishbourne Roman Palace, and the exciting Patching Gold Coin Hoard, and occasionally works on digs in Wales like Dinefwr Castle and Llandeilo Roman Fort. He now enjoys pottering around the countryside in his 1943 Willys Jeep.

Frontline Wargaming manufacture various ranges of 15mm, 20mm and 25mm terrain, buildings, vehicles and figures suitable for many periods.

All furniture and vehicle ranges are now being produced in polyurethane resin, which speeds production and are more durable. I will still be using polyester resin for the larger scenery etc. The only downside is higher material cost therefore I have to put a price increase on these ranges.

Matador Models was founded in 1997, and first traded at Trucks & Tracks that year. Since then our ranges of kits in resin and white metal have continued to grow rapidly. At the company’s heart are its KC ranges. These are conversions and improvements on 1/76th plastic kits. From there we have branched out into complete kits, and the range reflects the interests of our small group of master builders: if we like it and it is not on the market, we build it! We have also bought and therefore kept on the market kits from other manufacturers, notably most of the 4Mil and the complete Airfield Accessories ranges, from 1/144th to 1/35th, though the largest scale, being too far away from our own interests, we have now passed it on to Scalelink. More recent acquisitions have been masters from the Trux and BW ranges.

While extending these ranges, we have added more: AA76 in our favourite 1/76th scale and AAC, a range of conversions on airfield vehicles in 1/76th and 1/72nd. Following a growth of interest in the First World War, we have extended and reorganised our early ranges. We have also widened our interests, both by stocking plastic kits which complement our ranges and by starting a fantasy range for role play and wargamers.

If Matador tries for a “house style” it is that its kits should be a pleasure to build, and we aim to keep them in the middle range of complexity. While it is always best to refer to photographs and other references when building a kit, we try to make our models capable of standing alone: of being built and painted accurately by someone who does not have several books on the subject. If you are a beginner with only a few plastic kits behind you, or coming back into the hobby, why not take on one of the less demanding projects - try a conversion kit.

There are many sturdy plastic kits on the market which, with a conversion kit and a little effort, can be turned into eye catching and rare vehicles and enhance a collection. In the Tank Museum you can find research articles for beginners and experienced alike.

Matador is and will remain a small company, not least because for us, as for our customers, this is a hobby. Note that because of the way we subcontract the manufacture our models, while the larger parts are nearly always in resin, some details are produced both in metal and resin. Some examples of kits marked “metal/resin” may therefore appear entirely in resin or metal. The decisions are made for reasons of production, and do not in any way affect the quality of the model you receive. We hope you enjoy our kits.