Glenn Miller Band (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

Hello: J.B.
I am excited to see your post. As you know I am looking for any additions to my complete G.M. Band. I want to fill the Hall !!! Looking forward to your results. keep me posted.
Best Regards!
Mr. Murph

Hi again Murph - I certainly will post any developments here - as the more interest generated - the more likely it will be that Giles (Dorset Soldiers) will be encouraged to add more figures to his range. The Band - backing group and lead singer (based on Frances Langford) are available now as individual castings ( you DON'T have to buy sets, with Giles - all products are available as individual figures, if you want) . I'll be going down to see Giles - first week in August - so won't be long until I collect the remainder of the band - and the group mentioned. As soon as I get 'em, and painted up - I'll show them on this thread - so all can see how they turn out.

Whilst I'm there - I'll be able to chat with Giles about the dancers - which I hope can be made to look something like the old Frontline version. As you can see all of these figures are "home grown" - being based on an American GI figure that's been available for years - with the addition of various arms/instruments which have also been around for years. Just putting them together, with a few modifications - that's the recent part!^&grin

The jiving dancers will be a brand-new development - so I hope I can influence the design, somewhat, so they might well fit in quite well.

See you later Murph - jb

 

[johnnybach]

I'm currently developing some more figures for the band - and show four more individual figures below - set up as a combo.

To the left is my version of the drummer and drum kit. This figure is again based on the seated GI figure - and this time is surrounded by his drum-kit. These drums were developed from other Military Band instruments - though I've tried for some realistic colours that I found elsewhere on the Internet. It's difficult to find colour pics though - as photos are nearly always in Black and White for this time. I made up the Bass drum and two side drums from other figures - whilst the two drums mounted on top of the Bass Drum - are cut down versions of side-drums. The whole thing is mounted on a fabricated base - as one unit.

The guitarist and pianist are again the seated figure - but again, with arms and instruments drawn from other suitable figures from the Dorset Soldiers range, and then modified to fit.

The standing double base figure - is a modified standing GI - with arms made up from other figures again - and very much modified to fit the pose. Note that I had to enlarge the smallish base the player stands on - to get the instrument to fit to the body and arms. His right arm is made up of three parts ( toparm and elbow, forearm and hand) - glued and pinned together.

I'm currently working on the four saxophone section of the band and some backing singers - but I'm still making arms etcetera, fit - so I'll show those a bit later on.

 

[beating retreat]

Pardon me boy is that the Chatanooga choo choo{sm4}

 

[johnnybach]

Pardon me boy is that the Chatanooga choo choo{sm4}

No - it's just the way I always walk!

 

[johnnybach]

Can't resist adding them to those already completed. Looks like I'm going to get my band!

 

[thebritfarmer]

This is looking awesome JB !!!


Where there's a will there's a way !

 

[johnnybach]

This is looking awesome JB !!!


Where there's a will there's a way !

Hi Scott - Glad you like them - and yes, where there is a will - there's nearly always is a way!^&grin
I don't pretend that my TS version of a beautiful "limited edition" model is anything other than a TS amateur version of this wonderful band.

BUT........what I hope to show again, is that there IS another way of obtaining a version - that won't break the bank!
My philosophy is that Toy Soldiers don't ALWAYS have to cost the Earth.

I loved this set from the moment I first saw it - but I won't spend the sort of cash that this set now commands. Last one I saw was above $US 1,000.{eek3}

So...........how do you get something like it - that you and yours are comfortable with?.............Answer......... build and paint it yourself from castings.

Fortunately for me - I found a set that might work - and from someone who makes something like what I wanted, at a reasonable price. Giles Brown of Dorset Soldiers supplied me with the castings - and from there................well.........................this is the result - so far.
Giles and I are still discussing the add-ons (dancers) - so we will have to see what results from that - BUT - I'm very satisfied so far. Nice to see that some others agree {sm4}

 

[MR.MURPH]

Hi: J.B.
I am enjoying your updates. Great to see the Band coming together, it takes time to get the right guys to play in your band, they all have different personalities and talents your G.M. Orchestra may come out better than Frontline. Keep adding & make it a BIG Band. Keep those updates coming!!!
Best Regards.
Mr. Murph

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Murph - glad you're enjoying watching them - and yes - there certainly were a few personalities in the various bands that came together under that famous name - Glenn Miller.

However, with regard to numbers of the wartime band - I think that Frontline got it right. I have been collecting quite a few (mostly Black & White) photos of the band - and the composition of the band was always the same - when they were in WW2 uniform.

Four Trombones (Glenn made it five), four trumpets and four sax's made up the core of the band - then one each of pianist, clarinetist, guitarist, double bass player and drummer with a drum kit. I will be adding a lead singer (that's lead as in leading - and not lead as in heavy metal) and a backing group - which I don't think Frontline ever did. I originally thought that the singer would be Frances Langford - but recently found out that Giles has modelled her on an earlier singer - Marion Hutton.

I don't actually have her as a casting at present, as she wasn't in production when I last visited Dorset to collect the remaining figures for my band - and can't show you a pic either - as Photobucket is playing up again - and won't let me see any of my uploaded pics!!! (which is VERY annoying). Hang on - I'll try to upload another way using the Treefrog upload - how's that? Yes - that worked - here's the casting.



The band continued after the War - sadly without Glenn of course - but weren't in WW2 uniform by then - so I will be keeping the numbers as authentic as Frontline did. Giles has promised to produce some jiving dancers by my next visit - so keep an eye out around next Spring-time for those. As usual - buyers can have as many of those as they want. jb

 

[johnnybach]

As usual - here's my first pass at all of the figures I have for my Glenn Miller, Army Air Force Band - somewhere around the time I was born! (Yikes - just realised that!). The usual tidy-up to do on one or two pieces - but this is all I have (for now). I'll try for asome better pics when I've tidied every piece up - but couldn't resist seeing how they all looked together for the first time.

They look a little cramped on my makeship photo-booth - so will have to make up something better to display them. I will also need to make music stands for some of the musicians. Note my three vocalists with their new microphone (paper clip, milliput and some washers with a filed piece of metal stuck on top). I have just been reading that Glenn had a four male group of singers called "The Crew Chiefs" at this time - so I'll need to order a couple more to join them - as well as Marion Hutton as the lead singer, and some dancers of course.

 

[johnnybach]

Just had an e-mail from Giles Brown at Dorset Soldiers. He's been doing a bit of modelling and sculpting on a pair of Jiving Dancers he has made up for me - and has just sent me the following pic of a pair he made.

I Haven't seen the originals yet - but am assured this pair can be placed together in various positions to make up differing poses. With a bit of gentle arm bending, and different paint jobs on each pair, I might have quite a few of these - to go with the extra figures in the singing group - and a lead singer.




Due to various factors, I might not be able to pick them ( and my other orders), up until March - and then can hopefully get cracking again - and add some more bits to my Glenn Miller Band - Dorset Style.,

 

[johnnybach]

Further to my last - here's another pic that Giles sent me - after I sent him an order for a six pairs of dancers - which shows how he has painted them up. Note that the guy is in civvies - but Giles deliberately cut the jacket, so that it can easily be changed to GI uniform by painting it differently.

Here is Giles' version of the pair - when painted.

 

[kilted vampire]

I have always loved that set from Frontline. Great Idea. I have a huge bunch of instruments and parts. Now I had limited myself to marching ideas but this is much better.
Verra nice.

 

[johnnybach]

I have always loved that set from Frontline. Great Idea. I have a huge bunch of instruments and parts. Now I had limited myself to marching ideas but this is much better.
Verra nice.

Glad you like 'em too KV - Good to see you back in the saddle again!=have missed the "Verra Nices"!!!!^&grin
So...........get cracking on your version too, maybe??

This is something like what I'll eventually be after = though mine has a few more players in the band.

 

[johnnybach]

Here's a very quick and messy shot of my current workbench - and some developing characters to act as add-ons to my existing GM Band.

You may recall that Giles brown of Dorset Soldiers had produced some jiving dancers, at my request, to dance to Glenn's band.

Her's a few underway - but I'm working to a deadline to catch a 'plane - so may not be able to complete them all in time. Just thought that Murph may want to take a look at these - as he's looking for some extras for his Frontline set.

I've converted three of the suited male figures to the "Ike Jacket", by a little cutting and filing - which doesn't take long - and then the rest of the detail is just paint changes for Officer types or Enlisted Men. It's possible to have a little fun here, with shoulder patches - badges of rank etc. Note also behind the first of my two completed figures (far right) - Marion Hutton is singing. Giles made me one of Glenn's early main singers in a nice full evening dress - to accompany the rest of the figures.

If I get a chance - I'll take some more pics later this week - to show how they are developing - but hope this will do for now. jb:salute::

 

[johnnybach]

By burning yet another chunk of midnight Oil - I have completed six of my pairs of dancers - who can now join the band - who are giving an improvised concert for them to dance to.

As you may be able to make out - I have painted the Soldiers in slightly different uniforms - with different ranks and jackets being worn. The "Ike jackets", are really conversions from the basic figure - which wears a conventional long jacket. The lower part of the jacket has been trimmed and filed off - and then painted to look as if it is a blouse style. I tell you this - as if anyone wishes to order any of these dance figures from Dorset Soldiers - it will involve some ten minutes work to alter them. There is just one basic casting - okay??

The arms of both figures (male and female), are reasonably flexible however, so these can be altered slightly if you wish to get a slightly different pose for any couple.

So............. here's my pic below - of what they all look like. I have 34 figures so far, in my set - but may do a couple more male singers - to make it more like the normal backing group that Glenn actually used - and maybe another couple of pairs of dancers ( next time I visit Dorset). . That will mean my set will eventually be around 40 figures. It also means that my set will be bigger than most Frontline sets - and will have cost me LESS than a quarter of what most Frontline sets go for on e-bay nowadays. Remember, it was a limited edition anyway - and they stopped making them some time ago.

Hope you like 'em...........johnnybach