Readers of Stryker's magnificent blog will know that I was in the UK recently, complete with a corps expéditionnaire français. Tales of their doings will follow in future posts.
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| The CEF on foreign soil. |
Pictured below are the first batch. These are intended to be Hanoverian militia, which I've been threatening to do for a while.
The original figures are all vintage Hinton Hunts. From left to right they are:
BN 177: British infantry 1801-11, marching, with hair shortened, added trousers and added shako cords;
BN 94: British Light Infantry, firing, with shoulder wings removed and added shako cords; and
BN 93: British Light Infantry, charging, also with shoulder wings removed and added shako cords.
It is the modern fashion, I know, to depict Hanoverian militiamen in soft field caps, but I've always preferred the old-fashioned view that they got about in stovepipe shakos bedecked with shako cords.
The shako cords were exceptionally tricky to do. I only succeeded when I managed to get hold of some very thin 0.2mm lead wire (they sell it in fishing shops!). It is pretty soft stuff, however, and may fail when it comes to the mould making. We'll see how we go.
Yours, as always
WM
Welcome back! I hope to finish off the skirmish unit of French Chasseurs this weekend - officer will be done afterwards. If you are in the mood for conversions I'd love to commission an officer for the 5/60th, although I'm still fiddling around with what green to use for Rifles (60th & 95th) - what would use?
ReplyDeleteI dunno, Rob, as I haven't painted any riflemen yet. What I can say, however, is that the Humbrol dark green is a rather muddy colour. The Brunswick green would be better, but it only comes as a gloss. I think I might resort to Revell Email paints.
DeleteI'll look into 5/60th officers and get back to you!
Hi Rob
DeleteI used Vallejo Military Green for my rifleman. Pictures on my blog.
Mark
Mark, thanks for the advice, although I don't have any Vallejo paints. I'm an Old School Humbrol man but am sorely tried at times by the variability in quality and colour.
DeleteWM, is not Matt 88 Brunswick Green? I tried it on a Warrior Miniatures Rifleman and wasn't very happy with the tone - looked a bit 'blue' - anyway I will try some more experiments tomorrow...
Lovely conversions Matthew, should paint up a treat. Good to see the CEF again before their ranks were thinned!
ReplyDeleteI'm intending three battalions, Ian, hence the three different types. The CEF, I'm glad to say, weathered the journey quite well. The two damaged Swiss are now restored.
DeleteA visit your blog is always a treat for the old eyes WM, love the header shot and those conversions are very good. I will be interested to see how they turn out of the moulds when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteThey will be quite distinctive, I hope, 'Lee, and being redcoats they're guaranteed to be quite spectacular whatever the case. The officers, so I'm told, all got about in Belgic shakos so I'll be using standard HH castings for them. I might do a drummer conversion though.
ReplyDeleteI wonder whether you could use cooper wire stripped out of electrical cable.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with copper or steel wires is that they won't melt with solder. What I really need is a very fine gauge soldering wire, but the thinnest I can find is 0.7mm, which too chunky for shako cords. I've tried rolling it to make it thinner, but it delaminates and becomes very fragile.
DeleteShakos have it all over boring old flat caps. Can't wait to see 'em painted and marching across your table.
ReplyDeleteBest RE\egards,
Stokes
It might be quite a long wait, Stokes, but I hope to get something done by the end of the 2020s!
DeleteI do like those conversions- very nice work.
ReplyDeleteThe modern equivalent of the Humbrol Authentic colour MC03 Rifle Green is number 76 Uniform Green. It is a lighter colour than most people expect but a good match.
Hello Anon - I think you're right! My RGL are all in H76, and are certainly dark enough to be riflemen.
DeleteAnon, thank you, I'll try a pot.
DeleteGreat to see you back in the modeling saddle so to speak! Would love to hear about your trip. Travelling myself for the next couple of weeks with the family, but also looking forward to getting back home to the modeling desk. Put the final coat of clear laquer on a French Artillery limber right before we left, so it should be nice and dry!
ReplyDeleteThe trip was glorious, David, despite my appalling lack of organisation, which meant that I couldn't get to all the places I'd wanted to. More details in future posts, I promise!
DeleteNice little conversions...
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t worry too much about the lead wire... if it is lead it has a much higher melting point than you would think...
All the best. Aly
Thank you, Aly!
DeleteMy main worry is the softness of the metal - I wouldn't take much to break it.