Howdy from wonderful, windy Wyoming! Today we’ll take a look at the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit (HLBS) Allosaurus. This model is okay until you get to the head, which will be analyzed below. It isn’t one of HLBS’s best models, but not quite the worst either. I suppose eventually I’ll get to that horrible review.
The model is approximately 8 inches (20 cm) long around the curve of the neck, placing it at 1/48 scale using a maximum length of 32 feet for Allosaurus. This is a little bigger than most HLBS figures. The model is small compared to many dinosaurs offered by other companies, but it does fit well with many smaller CollectA figures, as do most HLBS figures. This figure was produced in the late 1980s or early 1990s.
The figure is in a typical roaring pose with the mouth wide open. The body would be accurate if the head and legs were sized a bit smaller, but in general, it appears too thin on this figure. It is covered by a nice smooth layer of scales, which are larger than they could be. The arms are once again supinated. This is typically the case with HLBS’s larger models, which generally has me wondering what their sculptors knew that no one else did. Maybe it was pure luck. The arms are a bit too long, but not enough to make this figure undesirable.
The three-toed feet fit well with the figure, and are complete with dew claws. The front arms have three fingers with clearly visible rclaws. The length of the head is right at 1/8 of the body length, a little large than Gregory Paul’s measurements which are approximately 1/9. The tail is too thin and the legs could use a bit more mass. The calves and upper feet are too long, which may make the thighs look small. I’m not really sure if that would make a difference. The body has osteoderms along the back, something which is unknown in Allosaurus.
So to this point, the model is typical for a lot of HLBS figures: legs and tail too thin, osteoderms where they don’t belong, claws and feet fairly accurate, supinated arms, etc. The head itself, is well, ugly. It is shrink-wrapped, but there are also folds of loose skin (or maybe the bones underneath?). It has the expected lacrimal horns, but the cheeks bulge out, giving the dinosaur an apparent “pouch” in the cheeks which would make a squirrel envious. The teeth are all too large and are the same length. There are no cheeks, which may or may not fit a particular person’s views.
The model came unpainted and unassembled. It is all made of white medal. The top of the head, arms, legs, and base were separate from the tail and body, and all went together easily. No pinning necessary for this model. Painting the model allowed the features on the head to become less obvious, but still blatant. HLBS currently offers this figure on their website, including this model, though it looks like the head may have been updated. It can also be found occasionally on eBay.
In terms of overall accuracy, the model is fair throughout the body, but horrible when it comes to the head. It is a “big boy” toy, intended for gaming purposes. It is quite heavy, possibly 2.0 pounds (0.9 kg) and not suitable for younger children. Honestly, the World Wide Web had just started becoming popular to the general public and I don’t think even Safari Ltd. had a website back then. If you’re interested in Allosaurus figures, in the history of dinosaur figures, or are a completist, this dinosaur may be for you. But if you’re looking for accurate animals, then it is a definite “no.”
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