A set of "Soldiers", refers to a variety of soldiers "columns" (metal figures on wide stands, have good stability and reliability).

Manufacturer: Melitopol plant "Gidromash", Melitopol, Ukraine. 

The set has been produced since 1975. It was made in both metal and plastic. 

It was sold in hermetically sealed corrugated polyethylene. The set consists of 10 figures in three poses.

The composition of the set:

1. Officer -1 piece

2. flag bearer - 1 piece

3. soldier - 8 pcs.

Historical background.

The set was produced at two factories and had many varieties.

The order for the development of the Melitopol set of soldiers was sent to the sculptor (master puppeteer) - Jadwiga Grigoryevna Vasilevskaya (Shevchuk Ya.G.).

As a result, the plaster master models were carefully sculpted and transferred to the enterprise for further production of molds by local specialists.

The basis for the development of the set was a poster depicting the uniforms of soldiers and officers of the Soviet Army. The sculptor tried to convey in detail the uniform and equipment of Russian soldiers of the Second World War in the most accurate way. In addition to the TSAM alloy (a special carburetor alloy), these soldiers were also cast from polyethylene under pressure. The production was founded in 1975 - this is the anniversary, 30 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. 

By this anniversary, the TELMZ plant (Talgar Experimental Foundry and Mechanical Plant, Talgar, Kazakhstan) produced its own "Soldiers", as evidenced by the article of this set - 1975, practically repeating the Gidromashevskys. But in a foam package with lodgements for each figure separately. It is most likely that the prototype of these soldiers are figurines of soldiers by the sculptor Vasilevskaya Ya.G. On the other hand, the same poster depicting the uniforms of soldiers and officers of the Soviet Army could have been taken as a basis, and therefore the sets turned out to be so similar. Like the soldiers of the Hydromash, the "Talgar soldiers" are placed on a wide round stand. The socks are closed inwards and not outwards, in the gidromashev set they stand more evenly. Of course, they were expensive, but they were almost eternal, they were accepted to be used in games as a system.

The Melitopol set is the only set of soldiers that has ever been produced on the territory of the Ukrainian SSR during the Soviet Union, which is important in restoring the history of the national military toy.

The history of the State Enterprise "Melitopol Hydromash Plant" begins in 1943 in the city of Melitopol, Zaporozhye region, Ukraine. The company was initially engaged in the production of bricks for the construction of various facilities. Since 1946, it was renamed the Universal plant, which began to manufacture kerosene lamps. In the early fifties, the production of fire-fighting equipment for extinguishing fires was established. At the same time, the company is building new buildings, acquiring modern equipment, mastering new technologies. This made it possible to start the production of complex equipment on orders of the Ministry of Defense and for agriculture. 

1952 the plant introduced fire-fighting equipment and motor pumps into production. In 1954, the plant named after the 300th anniversary of the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. 1957-the modern name "Hydromash".

In the early seventies, GPMZ Gidromash managed to put on the conveyor a new type of equipment for itself - hydraulic lifts on a car chassis with a telescopic boom. The design turned out to be very successful and the production of a whole product line of hydraulic lifts with different lifting heights and carrying capacity of the cradle was gradually mastered. At the same time, the Melitopol plant Gidromash GP serially produced motor pumps of the MM-27/100 model, which could be used both for extinguishing fires and for pumping water from basements, pits in emergency situations. They are operated by both construction organizations and utilities, divisions of water utilities, etc. 

The enterprise had a modern procurement, mechanical assembly production. Auxiliary services and workshops. This is a tool repair shop. The design of the new equipment was carried out by its own design service, equipped with the necessary equipment and software. This made it possible to carry out new projects in the shortest possible time. The social sphere was developed at the enterprise, there was a hostel, a recreation center on the shore of the Sea of Azov, a children's camp. Until 1991, the main customers were the Ministry of Defense of the USSR and the State Department of Fire Protection. 1991-1998 there was an economic downturn at the plant, only by 1999 it was possible to restore the level of production and increase the level of exports. Now the plant has been looted and destroyed by the Russian occupiers.