Getting the eye back in (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

Agreed Martyn - if you're a Glossy-man, then that's just the way it is. It's how I remember them with great affection when I was a boy - and I still feel the same now (same boy - different exterior!).

But enough nostalgia - back to the present task in hand!

Below see my latest two pics of my attempt at re-creating a lookalike version of Britains set 145 - The pre WW1 Horse-drawn Ambulance, featuring two seated Medics - and one driver from the Army Service Corps riding, in Review Order. As explained earlier, this should really be a four horse/two rider set, but as I wasn't certain how the Non-Britains horses would look when attached to the vehicle, (from Dorset Soldiers "Thoroughbred Range"), I only ordered two (then I could have made up the two-horse GS Wagon instead - as it uses the same wagon base parts). I think they look just fine - and have already ordered the two more required, ( and the rear flap of the cart, which was omitted from my original order of parts). I think that I will also have some stretchered casualties to go with this set - next time - also from Dorset.

Note the now repaired and strengthened draw-bar - with the simple traces made up from wire to attach the horses. This is easily "bendable" - and the horses can be removed from the wagon, if required. These connector traces will suffice for now, as it mirrors the horse attachment for many of the Britains models that I have seen. When I attach the front pair, however, I have a somewhat different coupling in mind - but that's for a later time, once I have the parts. The simple wood base is just for moving the model from A-B without disconnecting anything, by the way.

So - for now - that's about it for this project - and as they used to say in the Saturday morning matinees of my youth - "To be continued"............ See you later?jb

 

[johnnybach]

Just as an interesting aside - I had this old photo sent to me by a friend. It shows a very old photo of a Horse Drawn Ambulance, drawn by just TWO horses, and being driven from the Wagon seat by what looks to be an ASC driver,(with whip) - who would presumably sit next to a medic. So my model COULD be more authentic than I first thought - if I had painted just the two seated personnel a little differently.

[N.B. I still plan to make it a four-horse vehicle - so will leave it as it is for now] jb

 

[johnnybach]

Here's a couple more from my ever-growing Western collection. First up on his rearing horse, Silver - is of course The Lone Ranger. Another hero of my Saturday morning matinees when I was a kid. Bought as a casting, he's from White Tower Miniatures - and is from their Western Movie Stars range of figures.(www.whitetowerminiatures.co.uk). Very well detailed - and a nice chunk of metal for little money - he painted up nicely. I have Hoppy and Topper almost half-way to completion too - so keep looking - as he will be "appearing soon".

To his side, is an old Britains hollowcast, mounted Red Injun Chief, who can often be found at market traders tables almost anywhere - usually in need of a bit of TLC and restoration - as this one was. He looked a lot like the figure in the last pic below - though was intact - but with even less paint on him than that one. After a rub down and a bit of filler in places, he was repainted in a "Painted Indian Pony" style. His arm with rifle had become detached - and as I'm not keen on the exposed rivet of the moving arm anyway, I superglued arm and rifle back on - and disguised the rivet with some milliput filler - and the whole figure had a long-needed re-paint to the high-gloss standard that I like.

I now feel that I am getting my eye back in - so may tackle my Mobile Canteen vehicles shortly. Hope you like this pair - and maybe see you later. jb

Here's what many old Britains originals look like, when you find them. Note the missing hand/weapon on this one.

 

[johnnybach]

And now Hoppalong Cassidy joins the other Westerners. Known affectionately as "Hoppy" to thousands of young matinee-goers on Saturday mornings during the 1950's, William Boyd played this cowboy in dozens of thirty-minute "shorts".

I've shown him here with the others that I've been painting recently. Hoppy came as another casting from White Tower Miniatures Western Movie Stars range - which include others like Roy Rogers, Gene Autrey - and of course, Tonto. Watch out for some more of these from time to time - as I think that I will be buying more of these in future years.

I have a couple more refurbished old hollowcast Red Injuns to go with these figures yet, ( one from Timpo and one Crescent)- not quite finished - so two more to come before I'm done, so do keep watching - if you like 'em^&grin. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Okay - My last couple of old hollowcast Injuns have now been completed - and are shown below. The prone Red Indian figure is a Timpo - and has been repaired and repainted. The kneeling figure was originally a Crescent figure - but was a bit wobbly as his rear foot had a bit of damage. I repaired him with milliput and fitted him on a small fabricated base to make him stable. I also gave him a hunting knife for his belt ( from a cut down sabre in my spares box). The last figure is the restored Britains mounted Chief, which you have seen earlier. I have also tried to make up a backdrop from a downloaded and played with image found on the web. Maybe the best that can be said for my photography - is that I'm improving!

Again - I have used my backdrop image to show an attack on my Wells Fargo stage, which has strayed into the Hunting Grounds of my tribe. A couple of passing cowpokes have seen the attack - and rushed to the rescue. (The coach was originally made by Crescent - with some Dorset made figures added, and the cowboys are Segal and Timpo respectively).

Here's another view - where a few more are getting invoved.

Whilst finally - this shows how things can really escalate - as other members of the tribe, the US Cavalry and even the Lone Ranger and his chum Hoppy have been drawn in by the hollering and gunfire. Just an excuse for a bit of playtime with some figures from my western shelf really. Great fun!

And as they used to say at the end of each Saturday matinee performance - "That's All Folks!...........see you next time". Johnnybach