British Army Air Corps Miltary Band (2 Viewers)

[johnnybach]

I bought a British Army Air Corps Band set of figures from RP World Models - part of their Steadfast range - must have been about 18 months ago - and they have been resting, almost forgotten in a cardboard box ever since.

Find them here:

http://www.rpworldmodels.net/

Nice thing about these - is that the brass musical instruments come gold plated - so look quite stunning.

Recently looking for another project - I chanced upon them - and thought that it was long past time that they saw the light of day - and a splosh or two of paint.

So....... off we go with another of my favourite subjects - Military bands.

My initial set of castings looked like this one (note that I fitted the head on already - a simple glue and milliput job):



One immediate problem, was that the tunic was somewhat different to some wonderful pictures of the band, taken by our very own expert on all matters Military - my old pal Trooper. Here's some taken by him some time ago ( I think it was 1997).



You can see from these lovely pictures ( which my good friend says I can use to help illustrate this thread - so many thanks for that chum) - that there have been some changes to the tunic jacket. The front is now a plastron - with sets of buttons going down each side - and the epaulettes have also changed too.

Nil desperandum - a file can quickly fix that by removing the single set of cast in buttons down the centre of the jacket - to be replaced by some painted ones later. [These will mostly be covered by instruments anyway - but as a feature - they do stand out.

So.....I began as I usually do - with heads glued in place - by painting from the top down. Here's a quick pic - with apologies for the pic quality - as usual. I am NO photographer - but will give you the idea.


Note that I left the centre row of buttons on these - but easy to file off when the paint was dry. Easy too. to hold the legs - and paint faces - and that very distinctive light blue beret - made more distinctive by Prince Harry - who appears to like wearing it (he's a qualified helicopter pilot) - with his Household Cavalry uniform, on occasion. Note also - that I painted the gloved hands on some of the instruments in front of them - some of which are gold-plated (the clarinets are not, of course, as theyb will be mainly black. I always use Ivory for white gloves - as it looks better).

I'll show more progress later on - so you can see them develop. jb

 

[theBaron]

Cool! Another exciting project for your collection, John! The plated instruments are interesting. I'm curious to see how they'll look, on the finished set.

Prost!
Brad

 

[blaster]

Hi JB,

There's no holding you back now, is there? They should create a sub-forum just for you....

Btw, can you enlighten me on what is meant by the gold plated instruments? Are these metal castings dipped in gold plating solution?

Rgds,
Victor

 

[johnnybach]

Cool! Another exciting project for your collection, John! The plated instruments are interesting. I'm curious to see how they'll look, on the finished set.

Prost!
Brad

Just fitted a couple of them Brad - and they do look good - but won't jump ahead too far - as I have more pics to add before that.

 

[johnnybach]

Hi JB,

There's no holding you back now, is there? They should create a sub-forum just for you....

Btw, can you enlighten me on what is meant by the gold plated instruments? Are these metal castings dipped in gold plating solution?

Rgds,
Victor

Don't know how they make 'em chum - but they do appear to be plated metal - as they're heavier than plastic with a metal coating. That's how JB World describe them. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Here's another pic., which shows several extra features of the figures. At the extreme right - is an unpainted figure. Working backwards - we have Side drummer and bass drummer (The drums are plastic - so very light in weight - will show them later on). Next I show my first two figures begun, where I fitted an arm to each figure, as an experiment - to see how easy, difficult it was to paint them. Found out that it was easier to paint the cuff detail before mounting. These will be a Saxophonist and French Horn player - as the arms were made for these instruments - so is important to label all arms to match to the instruments when assembling piecemeal.

The next batch show arms NOT fitted - and these can be almost any of the musical instruments, other than drummers.

If you refer back to Trooper's excellent photos of the real band, you may note a cross-belt across the chest (with a black pouch behind) I''ll show this later, which is painted on - and the pouch is made from milliput and glued on.

Note the "drying facility" which is a radiator in my "temporary studio" - which is actually a very cramped small extra bedroom! Cooks them beautifully! jb

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Johnny

Your collection is just everywhere...{eek3} I like the whole idea of collecting what you like but I cant even begin to fathom what your display cases have to look like! Please post some photos sometime because I cant be the only one who is wondering about this!

Dave

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Johnny

Your collection is just everywhere...{eek3} I like the whole idea of collecting what you like but I cant even begin to fathom what your display cases have to look like! Please post some photos sometime because I cant be the only one who is wondering about this!

Dave

Hi dave - I'm just a magpie - with no fixed ideas or themes - I simply see something I like ( or imagine it) - then try to buy it as a casting. If I can't buy one without paint (because the makers won't sell me one - for whatever reason ?) - then I do my best to make one up for myself. There are happily a few (mostly British) makers who are willing to help me out - and will sell me bits and pieces - and really do try to help. I also like finding broken bits - strip them back, and try and fix them up, as you probably know.

Therefore, my display cabinets look somewhat different to those careful folks who like to keep things neat!{eek3} - but I hope they are colourful - and they are all Glossy. I also desperately need another one - but will have to completely revamp my room to fit another one in!

Okay - I'll try and take some pics - later on this Spring - and put them in Collections - but do remember - A photographer - I ain't!{sm4}jb

 

[johnnybach]

Concentrating on about half-dozen at the moment -as I'm getting interested to see how well they will be turning out too!
Here's a few pics showing development of four Clarinetists - and two with the gold instruments - French horn and Sax.

First pic shows instruments fitted on. Next shows arms touched in to the body and red stripe painted on trousers. Third pic shows navy blue trousers painted up to red stripe and boots black.

I like them very much - so far - though I have a lot of detail to put on yet - such as rear skirt of each figure, badges etc., - but so far, so good. I've turned a few, so you can see the rear of the figure - note the rear pouch - made from milliput. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Ooops - sorry - a pic didn't transfer from photobucket?

This is the rear pouch - on the painted on cross strap. Badge to go on that yet - and rear skirt detail to paint on too. Might be able to do that later on today with these. jb

 

[Martin Tabony]

Just so you know Johnny, Prince Harry was on attachment to the Army Air Corps and as you will know, when attached you wear the units headgear with your own cap badge. Now he's at Horse Guards he should only wear the wings but we'll see!:smile2:

Martin

 

[theBaron]

Y'know, it just occurred to me--what is the British Army Air Corps, anyway? When I hear "Air Corps", I think of an air force, just as ours was once named, when it was still part of the Army. Since the RAF is Britain's air force, what is the Air Corps?

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Just so you know Johnny, Prince Harry was on attachment to the Army Air Corps and as you will know, when attached you wear the units headgear with your own cap badge. Now he's at Horse Guards he should only wear the wings but we'll see!:smile2:

Martin

I wore one once - for a short while. Pretty thing - I didn't want to give it back either. Had another one before that - similar shade - with a UN badge on the front. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Y'know, it just occurred to me--what is the British Army Air Corps, anyway? When I hear "Air Corps", I think of an air force, just as ours was once named, when it was still part of the Army. Since the RAF is Britain's air force, what is the Air Corps?

Prost!
Brad

Rather than give my own version of what it is Brad - have a peek at the attachment - which will explain far better than I can - just what these guys do. jb

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Air_Corps_(United_Kingdom)

 

[Martin Tabony]

Y'know, it just occurred to me--what is the British Army Air Corps, anyway? When I hear "Air Corps", I think of an air force, just as ours was once named, when it was still part of the Army. Since the RAF is Britain's air force, what is the Air Corps?

Prost!
Brad

Basically the descendents of the Glider Pilot Regiment of WW2. They provide air support to the army presently with U.S. Apache helicopters all with Longbow radar, built under licence in the UK. An excellent piece of kit. http://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/

 

[johnnybach]

It looks like the drummers' bases are extra thick. I thought maybe to counterbalance the weight of the drums, but you say those are in plastic. Have you been to the RP World Models factory/shop? Their Open Day photos are tantalizing, with piles of castings of all sorts to dig through.

Hi Mike. The drummers are cast from metal - but there are a couple of giveaways on them - which suggest they may be partial re-casts of parts of some plastic soldier. The stand is slightly thicker - whilst some parts of the body still show the extrusion marks commonly found on plastics (those annoying round raised circles). Easily fixed with a file though. Arms, heads and drums aren't though - just the body. The legs haven't been painted yet - so I can still hold them there - and will maybe take the thickness down a tad - with fine Emery paper.

No - I haven't been to their Shop yet - I live in the South (wet) bit of the UK when I'm over there, and it's a longish drive to get there. Their on-line catalogue is pretty good though - and orders are much easier by e-mail. I've never had a problem - and they are nice helpful people to deal with, that way.

I will maybe need to contact them again - as there is a glaring omission from this set - there IS an excellent Musical Director (Officer) - but NO Drum Major - who would look absolutely fabulous. (See some more of Trooper's stunning pics below - with many thanks). I think I'll ask the guys at JPW for some parts to help me make one up - next time I make an order from them. I'll have to make up a baldrick - but that shouldn't be a problem - I've made up all sorts of belts before from a variety of raw materials. Easiest way would be to roll out some Milliput.

Drum Major. (Note - hooked up sword).



Another - close-up of Baldrick, waist belt and badge arm.



Here's the Officer - Musical Director with no sword being carried: Note the gold belts and other minor differences from NCO's and musicians.



Here's another - which shows musicians - and their white sword slings - which harkens back to the times when band musicians carried swords. Intended to emphasize that they are Cavalry ( though doubt if many had put a leg over a horse!). I'll just paint these on.

Note also the tall lad - who is wearing a set of blues with no Plastron - just a single line of buttons down the front. According to Trooper, he was apparently waiting for a new set - with Plastron - which hadn't turned up. I guess they buried him in the centre of the band - with a Tuba, which hid this minor difference from the others in the band. Shows also, that I could have chosen to make them all up this way - which would have shown the band at an earlier time in their history than 1997. I chose to have them in Plastron tunic - which is an easy modification, anyway - and looks much nicer.



My thanks go out, once again, to Trooper - for these brilliant photos - which make finding out small details - so much easier.

Finally - this is what I'll be after. Not bad eh?


All the best - Johnnybach

 

[Martin Tabony]

The bass player wearing No1 dress, presumably they didn't have a tunic for his height!^&grin

Martin

 

[johnnybach]

The bass player wearing No1 dress, presumably they didn't have a tunic for his height!^&grin

Martin

If Trooper looks in - he'll probably confirm that Tabs. I'm giving him the plastron tunic anyway - just 'cos I can.

Shows how - with a little bit of imagination - a modern Military Band CAN look quite colourful and smart.


Nice video of them on youtube - a bit later on in time - where there have been a few more changes in dress - notably the sword slings have got longer - and some rear pouches have also changed to a more colourful variety. Not all Lads now, either. jb


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDLgzlUnzEc&feature=player_detailpage

 

[trooper]

The bass player wearing No1 dress, presumably they didn't have a tunic for his height!^&grin

Martin

At the time the photos were taken one or two new members of the band were still waiting for their band tunics from the regimental tailors. Anyone who couldn't be kitted out "off the peg" had their tunics made for them. Trooper

 

[johnnybach]

I've had enough painting for tonight - so here's how my lads are drying off a bit now.

First six are more or less completed - just a few bits and pieces to check over. Bass drummer assembled - without drum yet - as I'll paint that up before putting it on. Note painted on sword slings on the hip.



Next seven drying off have top completed - and red stripe painted on trousers. Note the skirt detail - piping and buttons at rear - and sword sling simply painted on one of them yet. Note the Milliput pouches glued on to the back, white cross belt - which has been painted on. I'll paint those black ( like the top picture) tomorrow, when they have dried out.



This last seven are at a far earlier stage of development. I hope you can see from these 3 pics - how they progress from near finished - to the last one - where they have only just been begun - indeed, two figures still have one arm to go on yet. Note Picallo player - who has an undercoated cross-belt across his chest. This is in matte cream. Gloss Ivory will be overpainted on it later - and gives a nice solid colour - without the undercoat - the dark navy blue would show through. [Navy Blue, by the way, is made up from mixing Oxford Blue and Black paints].



And finally - how they all look together - so far. jb