Bits and Pieces (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

Every now and then, something catches my eye - which I just can't resist. It will probably be a stand alone figure or piece - and there's no rhyme or reason for it - but I just have to have it. I call these my "Bits and Pieces". They often don't fit in with anything else - but I have several. I just paint them - and into the cabinet they go - and nobody ever sees them but me.

So - in the spirit of enlightenment - and to show them to our tiny corner of the World - here's the first of these odd things that I enjoy doing so much. I may return to this thread from time to time - and there may be some oddball or other on display - which has caught my eye. This is my first.

It's a Russian WWII pair with their small but deadly Maxim Machine gun - mounted on a tiny towing trolley. You will see them in WW1 as well - but I fancied these lads in the distinctive Russian helmet - Model 1940 - which came out at that time. Supplied as a 54mm casting from Irregular miniatures, I have combined the pair here with some Russian Snipers (Plastic these, from "A Call to Arms"- mounted on metal bases, for stability) that I made up some time ago. I made my new machine-gun pair up on a fabricated metal base - with a couple of stones epoxied on - from the garden - and gave them the glossy finish that I prefer.

I like 'em - hope you do too. johnnybach

 

[theBaron]

Nice, John! I like the base for you Maxim, too, nice solution! But we need some more photos, from other angles!

Prost!
Brad

 

[aujj65]

Hi John,

Well, there's enough green there even for me! :wink2:^&grin

Nice figures from Irregular.

Jeff

 

[johnnybach]

Well - I tried it in pink - but it didn't look quite like Stalingrad on a wet afternoon - so - I went back to green and khaki with black boots - you know - just like what they wore - though I expect they got a bit muckier than that - what with crawling about a bit - and firing their gun - and all.

Anyways up, I photographed it from every angle I could think of without getting too repititious - and this is the result. I think I need to trim the lable off a bit, even though that's not green - I didn't have any green paper. Drat! jb{sm2}

 

[johnnybach]

One of the reasons that I wanted this little Russian maxim pair - is that I'm a collector of different "weapons" (in miniature - of course). I already had a WW1 maxim seen here alongside my latest pair. I bought the earlier model as a casting from Sarum Soldiers - quite a few years ago now - and was one of my first painting attempts - which I did in matte, at that time. I thought it would be interesting to compare - what is essentially the same weapon - although my latest pair has been painted in glossy - and is clearly more Toy Soldier - than the Sarum WW1 version - which is more of a model.

On a weapons front - the lower profile of the Russian version - as well as the small armoured front of the weapon, would have given a bit more protection to the two-man team. Incidentally, the frame of the earlier German maxim, was designed to be carried by a four-man ( or more - with ammo carriers) team, who would hold a "leg" each - to move the weapon. The Russian solution was used in both conflicts - and involves less manpower to move. jb

 

[Martin Tabony]

The 1908 Maxim is an interesting weapon. The first pattern carriage (lafett) actually was wheeled. The second pattern was designed so that the load could be shared, or dragged as a sledge (using the wide belts that the crew always carry around their bodies). Although one man could carry the whole thing over over his back (with the front legs over his shoulders) Aparently this was the best way to move it through trenches. Although you may have used the best version of Hiram Maxim's gun, the 303 Vickers.
I like the adaption on the Russin 1910 Maxim of the large whole on the jacket so that snow could be shoved in to cool the barrel.

Martin

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Martin. Here's another view of the German "Maschineengewehr 08" maxim, which shows it being carried by the team in stretcher fashion. Note the belts you mention being worn by numbers 1 and 3 here. These leather belts had metal loops which could be slipped over each leg to be carried by just two of the team. This 7.92mm weapon has extra armour plating fitted around the cooling water-jacket to protect it from bullets and shell splinters. Number three is carrying ammo and spare barrels for the gun - whilst number 4 has the condensation tube wrapped around him and the water can for the gun.
[see in "Men at War" series by Osprey, Number 96, Trench Warfare v1914-16].

 

[Martin Tabony]

There was also a special Maschinengewerwagan that was designed to carry two of them. Still it's an ungainly piece of kit to drag around a battlefield You can see why they liked to get ahold of a Lewis gun!

Martin

 

[johnnybach]

Yes - I've read that there was a cart for the German one. That's why I think that the small Russian version was such a neat solution. Contrast this picture of moving one compared to the last one. jb

 

[Martin Tabony]

Yes - I've read that there was a cart for the German one. That's why I think that the small Russian version was such a neat solution. Contrast this picture of moving one compared to the last one. jb

I think they could also fit skis. That would be different.

Martin

 

[johnnybach]

I wouldn't have thought that they could have got leave for ski-ing holidays

 

[johnnybach]

Another from my "waiting box" that doesn't really fit anywhere else - that I just liked the look of, is this Gordon Highlander Piper figure - in Overseas Service Dress. He's from Hussar's range of figures entitled "Victory Parade" - and I think is just charming. I have around seventy piper figures now - and this one will fit in just nicely.

 

[johnnybach]

Here are my two extra Scots Greys finaly painted and varnished. I decided to have a Guidon Bearer - after seeing one produced by Yeomanary Miniatures - which I liked - but just wouldn't fit in with my existing figures which came originally from Dorset Soldiers. These figures are more like Britains figures - indeed Giles Brown makes them specifically like this, to fit in with old Britains figures that collectors may have already.

So - I bought a couple more castings - and converted one to a Guidon Bearer, by fabricating a new arm and Guidon - and kept the other as a Clarinetist. I wanted a symetrical look to my group - which now looks like this - with the new pair added.

Another view:

Snag is - in my quest for a symetrical look to the group, I have an extra musician in with the escort group at the rear. What I should have done - methinks - is to have had a second Officer.

So............. I think that another visit to Dorset becons - and my group is going to get larger again!

 

[theBaron]

Ha, ha, John! You have to feed the habit ;D Nice conversion work, the guidon-bearer especially enhances your band.

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Brad - yes, glad you like him too. Not to worry - I really like that band - so don't mind at all if it gets a bit bigger. I'm thinking that an extra Officer and maybe three more musicians might just do it! The more I do - the easier they get!

I'm sticking with small increases to existing TS's that I have at the moment - so watch out for a few Hussars for my next bits and bobs. Do these ring any bells? See you later? jb

 

[johnnybach]

Whilst playing around with my Scots Greys Escort to my Band - I noticed that the casting that I had used to make up my Guidon Bearer (which was intended for a musician, of course) wasn't given a holstered carbine - like the rest of the Escort.

So I made one - and added it to the figure. So I now have a converted conversion - and all of the Escort are now fully armed.

 

[blaster]

Hi Brad - yes, glad you like him too. Not to worry - I really like that band - so don't mind at all if it gets a bit bigger. I'm thinking that an extra Officer and maybe three more musicians might just do it! The more I do - the easier they get!

I'm sticking with small increases to existing TS's that I have at the moment - so watch out for a few Hussars for my next bits and bobs. Do these ring any bells? See you later? jb

Hi JB,

these are excellent horse castings.

Rgds V

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Victor. Yes these are very nice re-casts from Dorset Soldiers. These will be based on the old Britains Set 182 - 11th Hussars dismounted, first seen in the range in 1913 (see a set pictured below).

Mine won't be exactly like these though - as I have some changes to the originals in mind. Note that the Officer carries a drawn sword - and the Troopers are empty handed in the original set. As the right arm is a loose fit - it's a simple modifaction to replace it. My Troopers will be carrying a carbine at the shoulder - and their horses will have an empty scabbard at the saddle. I have also already pinned and glued each horse to a sound base - as I usually do - to give them stability. I have so many mounted figures now - that "The Domino Effect" of a faller in the cabinet is likely to cause paint chips or even breaks to small parts. I don't get that now with them, as most of mine are on bases.

I painted up a Mounted Band and Escort of the 11th Hussars about a year or so ago - these ones:

These latest four will stand at the rear of them eventually. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Because we are hobbyists - and not necessarily making and painting TS for profit - we can afford to spend a bit more time paying attention to details with some of the earlier Britains sets. I'm not knocking them for this - as they were in a fiercly competitive business in those days. Re-doing some of these earlier sets however, we now have an opportunity to take more time - and put more into these figures.

Here's an example. Below - see a basic Hussar casting - that I am going to make into an Officer. Officers wore a larger plume on their fur cap - and Britains didn't give their Officer one - just used the same casting with a different arm, holding a sword. Note that I have drilled into his existing plume - and put in a steel pin. This is firstly glued into place. Note also, that I have chosen a different sword arm - with the sabre at the carry - not saluting as Britains original - just my choice.

Once the pin is set ( a few minutes) I then build up the plume on the pin with two-part epoxy putty ( I use Milliput - Made in Wales see!). It goes off hard in two to three hours at room temperature when exposed to air - but I speed things up a bit by applying a few drops of cycroanalate glue ( Superglue). Here's the plume finished - compared with the original on a Trooper - who has begun to be painted. Note his horse well underway - and his arm with Carbine - just started being painted. jb

 

[theBaron]

Nice conversion work, John! I agree with you about superdetailing the classic figures, they make a good canvas on which to work.

Prost!
Brad