Sunday 5 August 2018

Prussian Percussion

Having decided to take a wee holiday from the Chasseurs, I spent my hobby time this weekend prepping a French infantry regiment and doing a few conversions. The results of the latter are shown below:


The two figures on the left are part of the commission I'm doing for Ian S. The two on the right are for my own army. They are conversions of my Prussian reserve infantry figures. By 1815 many of the Prussian Landwehr had started to receive short kollet jackets, so I thought these would do very well for a Silesian Landwehr regiment. The rank and file are going to need a lot of work on their bayonets, however, as most of them came back from the caster a little on the short side.

Although all the drums (from Musket Miniatures) are soldered to their drummers, I thought the guardsmen on the far left could do with a little superglue reinforcement. My neighbour mentioned that sprinkling a little bicarbonate of soda onto superglue helps to it set, so I decided to give it a go. It instantly set like concrete!

I've still got a couple more things to do for Ian, but it'll be French infantry all the way after that.

WM

15 comments :

  1. Sometimes I have to ask myself whether I look forward more to the soldiers or the semantic tarantellas. (Pace Al Stewart). In this case I suspect the latter, although Prussian soldiers are always a good thing. Unless you are French.

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    1. Puns are more fun, n'est pas? I'd did these two chaps now as a way of making myself hurry up and finish those Frenchmen so I could get to them!

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  2. Matt is there any reason why the two figures on the left are so much bigger than the two on the right of the photograph?

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    1. Hello VM. They do look a bit miniscule, don't they. I suspect it's a combination of a number things: using a DK as the master figure; a certain amount of shrinkage when the new mould was made; smaller hats; and thinner bases. They all seem to work on the table top together, however.

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  3. Nice conversions - perhaps I'll have to commission one sometime. In the meantime thanks for passing on the tip about super-glue and bi-carb, I must try it out soon.

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    1. I was highly dubious that this was going to work, Rob (I have a suspicious mind), but it was like magic. Who knew?

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    2. A good superglue accelerator spray also works well

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  4. Your flags are works of art! I don't know how you do it. This one is one of my favorites.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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    1. There were an awful lot of Silesian Landwehr regiments, Stokes, so this may not be the last....

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  5. Those drummers are looking great, I look forward to seeing them for real!

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  6. I rather like the design of the flag. I might borrow it and adapt it for my 9th RIR if you dont mind.

    I will have to try the bicarb idea. Although I aready use a bit of PVA glue with super glue and this sets rock hard. I wonder whst adding bicarb to the recipe will do.

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    1. That would be a splendid idea, Mark. You don't want too many boring old black and white crosses.

      Best of lick with the bicarb. Success may depend on the brand. I'm using the cheapest and nastiest supermarket blend, which the consistency of water.

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  7. Lovely figures, beautiful flag. You have a wonderful collection.

    Paul

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    1. Cheers, Paul. It's all coming together veeeeeeryyyyy sloooooowly.

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