A latest find... (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter sarge
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thebritfarmer
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You lucky chap!! That certainly is one of Britains greatest sets.
johnnybach
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Hurrah! - and you took it out of the box! Well done I have been wanting to see that set for ages, out of the box. It's a beauty! Thank you for that, ( and your wife for buying it for you), you twice lucky chap! johnnybach:salute::
Well, it wasn't strung in the first place, so guilt is assuaged.
The best part, of course, is the Plan.
I have amassed quite a number of figures for the Guards Division and the Household Cavalry over the years, all marching off in the manner of the parade from Horse Guards Parade after the Trooping of the Colour. The only vehicle I had access to for the Queen was the later Irish State Coach from Britains. That will be replaced with the landau, certainly more in keeping with my memory of the whole affair.
Now the only thing I need to hunt up is a second gun and team of Kings Troop; a little insane but it looks very good and stirs pleasant memories.
The best part, of course, is the Plan.
I have amassed quite a number of figures for the Guards Division and the Household Cavalry over the years, all marching off in the manner of the parade from Horse Guards Parade after the Trooping of the Colour. The only vehicle I had access to for the Queen was the later Irish State Coach from Britains. That will be replaced with the landau, certainly more in keeping with my memory of the whole affair.
Now the only thing I need to hunt up is a second gun and team of Kings Troop; a little insane but it looks very good and stirs pleasant memories.
Here's what it looks like in the context of my (admittedly perhaps a little extreme) gradually growing Parade of the Curio Cabinet. You'll have to pardon the somewhat lousy photos; rather interesting trying to manoeuvre the camera inside the cabinet one-handed...
There is still some room to grow. I keep an eye out for some Guards to fill out the formation a bit whenever I hit a show or store, and a second gun would bring the density of the RHA up to snuff.
Quite enjoyable quietly putting things together over time.
There is still some room to grow. I keep an eye out for some Guards to fill out the formation a bit whenever I hit a show or store, and a second gun would bring the density of the RHA up to snuff.
Quite enjoyable quietly putting things together over time.
thebritfarmer
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And very nice to view as well. Good to have another ceremonial collector on board. Thanks for sharing your collection and looking forward to seeing more.
johnnybach
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And I'll bet you noticed those Blues & Royals at the back there Scott! A very nice parade building there - well done indeed - the landau looks even better there - as it was intended - the string is just to keep it in place until you get it home! Love it - johnnybach:salute::
Lawrence Lo
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Congrats on the new acquisition - and getting it for Valentine's - you are one lucky man!! Glad to see the collection growing 
All the best, Lawrence
All the best, Lawrence
thebritfarmer
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Couple of questions for you
Did you put bases on the Sovereigns Escort set and if so how?
Do you have problems with the horses from the Irish State Coach?
Is your RHA set #40188?
Thanks Scott
Scott:
I did put bases on the Escort set, to match up with others of both Lifes and Blues & Royals (that came with bases) to flesh out the formations. It just didn't look that good mixing bases and non-bases (perhaps I'm a bit symmetry-neurotic?).
They are merely white sheet styrene that was sheared up carefully. I then airbrushed them with Floquil model railway colours (BN Green mixed with Jade Green until I got a decent match). Then the horses were dotted on carefully with hot-glue carefully shot through holes made in the bottoms of the styrene to match the hoofs. No unsightly blobs that way. They are thus cleanly removable without ill effect on the paint of the figures themselves.
No-one has noticed my bases as cobbled yet, so it appears that it worked well.
I haven't had any issues with the horses from the Irish State Coach really. I did have to work a bit with the trace, which was very brittle and snarky. My solution was to make new of K&S brass wire-stock, airbrushed and baked this time using Scalecoat black (another American model railway paint). Baking, at the lowest temperature the oven will achieve, for an hour leaves a lovely glossy and very robust finish. The new half-hard brass trace is much easier to work with, for it doesn't snick at the slightest provocation as does the wirework in the set.
The RHA set is indeed 40188, with the gunners the current singles from the Ceremonial range.
Best,
Brian
I did put bases on the Escort set, to match up with others of both Lifes and Blues & Royals (that came with bases) to flesh out the formations. It just didn't look that good mixing bases and non-bases (perhaps I'm a bit symmetry-neurotic?).
They are merely white sheet styrene that was sheared up carefully. I then airbrushed them with Floquil model railway colours (BN Green mixed with Jade Green until I got a decent match). Then the horses were dotted on carefully with hot-glue carefully shot through holes made in the bottoms of the styrene to match the hoofs. No unsightly blobs that way. They are thus cleanly removable without ill effect on the paint of the figures themselves.
No-one has noticed my bases as cobbled yet, so it appears that it worked well.
I haven't had any issues with the horses from the Irish State Coach really. I did have to work a bit with the trace, which was very brittle and snarky. My solution was to make new of K&S brass wire-stock, airbrushed and baked this time using Scalecoat black (another American model railway paint). Baking, at the lowest temperature the oven will achieve, for an hour leaves a lovely glossy and very robust finish. The new half-hard brass trace is much easier to work with, for it doesn't snick at the slightest provocation as does the wirework in the set.
The RHA set is indeed 40188, with the gunners the current singles from the Ceremonial range.
Best,
Brian
thebritfarmer
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Thanks for all of the info Brian, that is a great idea fr making the bases. I personally am not a fan of bases except where necessary. You were lucky with your State coach horses. I played around with mine for hours and got them all set up then one horse slipped and took the whole lot with them including the coach and snapped one of the lamps
The new RHA figures are very nice along with the gun team.
The new RHA figures are very nice along with the gun team.
Ouch! That would have brought out all the seaworthy linguistic expression I could muster!
I probably was well on my way to the same experience when I decided the trace really was pretty awful to work with; some awful twists were showing themselves with the original, the repair of which bringing out the brittleness of the material.
Once I made new, I found putting together the lead- and swing-pairs with the tongue as a unit the most tractable way to handle the whole mess. Once they have a good solid footing, it then became a matter of rolling the coach up to mate the tongue into the socket of the drawhead, then placing the wheel-pair (using the original trace with the funky little pin and socket arrangement) in their places.
As it turned out, the whole set became pretty handle-able in this form. I was dreading the idea of moving the whole thing to replace it with the landau, but it turned out to be much easier than I feared.
I probably am shocking the pure collectors amongst us, what with "make this" and "bend that". I am much more the model maker; if it can't be displayed so as to be appreciated, it merely is a somewhat heavy box in the closet to me. Both coaches are very impressive pieces to behold, but the later of the two did require much more fussing about to get there. The landau just "fell together" so nicely, whilst the Irish State Coach was not nearly so well engineered.
Then there was the mismatch of the lugs on the bloody footmen...
I probably was well on my way to the same experience when I decided the trace really was pretty awful to work with; some awful twists were showing themselves with the original, the repair of which bringing out the brittleness of the material.
Once I made new, I found putting together the lead- and swing-pairs with the tongue as a unit the most tractable way to handle the whole mess. Once they have a good solid footing, it then became a matter of rolling the coach up to mate the tongue into the socket of the drawhead, then placing the wheel-pair (using the original trace with the funky little pin and socket arrangement) in their places.
As it turned out, the whole set became pretty handle-able in this form. I was dreading the idea of moving the whole thing to replace it with the landau, but it turned out to be much easier than I feared.
I probably am shocking the pure collectors amongst us, what with "make this" and "bend that". I am much more the model maker; if it can't be displayed so as to be appreciated, it merely is a somewhat heavy box in the closet to me. Both coaches are very impressive pieces to behold, but the later of the two did require much more fussing about to get there. The landau just "fell together" so nicely, whilst the Irish State Coach was not nearly so well engineered.
Then there was the mismatch of the lugs on the bloody footmen...
johnnybach
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Well - good for you Sarge, say I. I too am more towards the make it up and display end of the collector spectrum. True enough - some of our colleagues like to buy 'em and keep 'em in a box - and if that's what they like to do - who am I to tell them nay.
One day - they will go to the head toy soldier maker in the sky - and then their pristine goods will be available - all over again - in sparkling form for someone, maybe the likes of us - to buy and maybe display once more.
Once again though - thanks for a rare view of a beauty. Had a thought too - why not buy a casting version of another gun-team - and paint it up? You have one to copy from - Then you would have your two.
Just a thought. johnnybach%^V
One day - they will go to the head toy soldier maker in the sky - and then their pristine goods will be available - all over again - in sparkling form for someone, maybe the likes of us - to buy and maybe display once more.
Once again though - thanks for a rare view of a beauty. Had a thought too - why not buy a casting version of another gun-team - and paint it up? You have one to copy from - Then you would have your two.
Just a thought. johnnybach%^V
thebritfarmer
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Brian,
Most come from the UK. Asset makes one, but if you want one similar to what you have contact Bob at RP World models. They used to make many of the figures for Britians years ago so have some of the moulds.
http://www.rpworldmodels.net/ look under artillery, the prices are for painted sets and unpainted is usually at least half the price.
johnnybach
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Hi Sarge - - you can call me Johnny if you like. I am a Welshman by birth - and I chose johnnybach - because when I was in the Army - that's what everyone called me. It means " John-boy" in Welsh - though the "boy" bit is mean't in a nice way - Not like the harsh and sometimes nasty "BOY" that some people mean it to sound. In fact you can call a girl "Bach" in Welsh - and it is meant in a friendly way. Tricky to explain - easy when you hear it.
Okay " bach". ( see what I mean) johnnybach.
P.S Do try and look for a castings version of your gun-team. There are quite a few out there - and all are good. Scott's ideas are sound - and DO have a go - you will be surprised at how easy it actually is IF you take your time. Good luck - call on me if you get stuck - I'm self taught - and if I can do it - so can you!
^&grin
P.P.S. Don't forget to show us how you get on - shame to waste that beautiful parade you have begun. - jb
Okay " bach". ( see what I mean) johnnybach.
P.S Do try and look for a castings version of your gun-team. There are quite a few out there - and all are good. Scott's ideas are sound - and DO have a go - you will be surprised at how easy it actually is IF you take your time. Good luck - call on me if you get stuck - I'm self taught - and if I can do it - so can you!
^&grin
P.P.S. Don't forget to show us how you get on - shame to waste that beautiful parade you have begun. - jb