French & Indian War (1 Viewer)

[PolarBear]

Is it true that there will be a matte series of the French and Indian War to go along with the glossies as is being done with the Zulu War? Any previews or dates available? I would love to see figures to do a woodland camp scene and perhaps a fort and accessories from the era.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Randy

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

Living in an area that was involved in that conflict...and Pontiac's Rebellion right after...we will plan on offering figures in Matte as well as our Gloss Classics. The January catalog should see a few new figures from this period in both ranges...but no large release as we did with the Zulu War in the short term.
My wife, Ericka, worked in historic clothing for 13 years at two important museums here in the midwest and she is hoping to take a closer look at some of the embroidered Grenadier caps at the National Army Museum so she can create a reproduction here for my studio. I already have most of the other accouterments and a long land musket to work from. When possible I really like to have a literal 'feel' for the clothing and equipment before I design my figures as the weight of the equipment and the fit of the clothing really dictates the look of a figure. Take a look at Lt. Ballie's drawing of the 13th Foot in 1753 and you can see this.
Be patient and be good!
Ken

 

[PolarBear]

Thank you Ken for your prompt reply. This is good news and glad you are taking your time because there are so many great things to choose from these days. I plan to collect examples from both the glossies and matte so I will look forward to your creations. It is terrific that you do single figures in the Redcoats, Bluecoats, and FIW series since I like to collect the variety of uniforms. I am a retired art historian and love to see the evolution of style. I used to give a lecture on the "Aesthetics of War" to my students that included uniforms, camouglage, airplane/vehicle design and aircraft nose art of WWII. Even the Germans had Mickey Mouse on some of their planes.
Below are an American P51 and Galland's ME-109 both sporting the mouse.
Best wishes for your future endeavors. Hitler asked Galland to remove it.

Randy

 

[jazzeum]

Speaking of Mickey Mouse, did you ever read, Randy, Len Deighton's Goodbye Mickey Mouse. It takes place on a US airbase in England during 1944. A truly great book.

 

[PolarBear]

Hi Brad

Happy Thanksgiving. Funny you should mention the book which I did own and read when it came out. The P51 model that I found online was inspired by the book(see photo). Do you know the book Disney Dons Dogtags: the Best of Disney Military Design from World War II? Below is also a photo of the RNZAF with Mickey on one of their planes. Randy

 

[VIRIATO]

Thank you Ken for your prompt reply. This is good news and glad you are taking your time because there are so many great things to choose from these days. I plan to collect examples from both the glossies and matte so I will look forward to your creations. It is terrific that you do single figures in the Redcoats, Bluecoats, and FIW series since I like to collect the variety of uniforms. I am a retired art historian and love to see the evolution of style. I used to give a lecture on the "Aesthetics of War" to my students that included uniforms, camouglage, airplane/vehicle design and aircraft nose art of WWII. Even the Germans had Mickey Mouse on some of their planes.
Below are an American P51 and Galland's ME-109 both sporting the mouse.
Best wishes for your future endeavors. Hitler asked Galland to remove it.

Randy

Hi,
Corgi Me109 and Gemini Aces P51. Am I right? Got a few warbirds 1/72 scale myself.

 

[PolarBear]

Hi,
Corgi Me109 and Gemini Aces P51. Am I right? Got a few warbirds 1/72 scale myself.

Me-109 is a 1/72nd Corgi
P-51B is a 1/48th scale Tamiya kit

Grabbed both pix off the web.

Randy

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

Hi Randy...
I am on my way out the door to the UK, but I thought you might be interested to know that another grouping of Redcoat Classic sculpts were shipped off for duplication. I am also interested in the uniform, equipment and weapon development over time, and try to include these details in our new ranges. In this grouping of five sculpts, those interested in the material culture of the Georgian period will see uniforms and equipment that evolved from the 1751 regulations to the 1768 regulations. Some of these changes reflect new fashions in clothing and some were the results campaigning in North America or new tactics... More details in January!
Ken Osen

 

[PolarBear]

Great news Ken. Thank you for the update. One of the things that intrigues me about the 18th Century in North America is the exchange of garments/motifs between the Native Americans and the British/French/American forces, especially the development of the "ranger" units. This entire cultural exchange, of course, was made an American icon in the 19th Century by James Fenimore Cooper's creation of Natty Bumpo. This frontier myth is still very much alive in American culture. I think it is quite interesting how throughout history, European troops have often picked up influences from various colonial cultures, for example, during WWII the SAS and Long Range Desert Group in North Africa.
Randy

 

[VIRIATO]

New sculpts for the FIW? Great news. Now got to «sculpt» a good book on FIW somewhere. I guess Osprey might be a good start.

 

[Leadmen]

New sculpts for the FIW? Great news. Now got to «sculpt» a good book on FIW somewhere. I guess Osprey might be a good start.

Osprey has a good hardcover book on F/I war for about $20.00 US. I had mine about a year so it should be available. Leadmen

 

[VIRIATO]

Osprey has a good hardcover book on F/I war for about $20.00 US. I had mine about a year so it should be available. Leadmen

Hi,
Many thanks for the tip.