Highland Light Infantry Band (2 Viewers)

[johnnybach]

I have finally completed one element of my two 2nd Btn. HLI Bands. My HLI Military band is now completed - and stands at 35 Musicians. Here they are below - with 7 ranks of 5 musicians per rank.



I still have 8 Buglers to add to the HLI Pipes, Drums and Bugle Band - but these are still progressing nicely ( now I've got going with them again), so hope to complete them by the weekend. Both Bands, so far, are below. I'll do some better pics when they are both complete - these were burning the midnight oil. jb

 

[Buster]

Mighty impressive display of talent there jb, looks like the shoebox photo booth has been overwhelmed. ^&grin

B. :salute::

 

[johnnybach]

I only take a size 7 - so totally scuppered!

 

[johnnybach]

As its getting late - I thought I would show how my ten HLI Buglers are developing. Sorry about picture quality - but does show how tricky these are to make up - using different arms and scratch-making shoulder pieces etc.

At the front left - are my two already completed figures. Rear left are four which will be completed tomorrow (hopefully). The loose arms show how I have to modify by building them up - as they would otherwise be too thin for the figure. (Note that I have to enlarge the hand, fit a gauntlet cuff, thicken the arm - then fit it to the body - then add musicians swallows nest shoulder board - then fill any joints and paint in!!!). Then I do the other one.

I also need to partly paint the top of the tartan trews before fitting the right bugle arm especially - as this would be tricky to do after fitting. Whilst I'm at it - I also paint everything on the figure down to around the knees ( so that I can hold the piece being painted by the lower leg - and NOT smudge any paint - 'cos there isn't any at the lower legs. When all is complete - I can finish the lower legs, boots and base at the end. As I said - a tricky figure to make up from non-standard parts!

As I'm catching a plane soon - these might not be completed until later - so I'm showing them now - just in case I get side-tracked. Nite all. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Well - thanks to an ongoing industrial dispute between French Air Traffic Controllers - and the rest of the modern World - I haven't been flying anywhere! They apparently don't seem to think that having a single system for Air Traffic Control over Europe is a good idea - and would like to keep separate Country systems in place. Nothing to do with keeping cushy well paid jobs (with astounding paid holiday advantages), of course.{eek3}

The good news is - I've had a couple of extra days on Soldier Painting Duties - and have been able to complete my final HLI Buglers - and add them to the rest of the Pipe, Drum & Bugle Band of the 2nd Battalion. They would have looked something like this c.1900 - before changing into Khaki at the outbreak of WW1 in 1914. (Note: the 2nd Battalion were in the UK around this time - whereas the 1st Btn. were on overseas duty - and wouldn't have been wearing this dress).

First - my ten marching buglers:



Adding in the Drum Section - my 5 Tenor Drummers, Bass Drummer and 7 Side Drummers:



Then - add in the 8 Pipers - who wear kilts, of course - unlike the rest of the Regiment - who are in trewsers - like the Drum Major, out in front:



And what you end up with is a Band that look like these: I'm dedicating this band to my lovely old dog Pheobe (who I called Feebers), - who was watching me paint these just before she very sadly died. I miss her terribly - but will always remember her when I look at these.







I'll be adding on a Colour Party and Escort to my 32 piece Pipe, Drum and Bugle Band - and 35 piece Military Band from this 2nd. Btn/HLI Rgt. - at some future point - as this was the Battalion of the Regiment that had the rare distinction of parading three Colours. I need to speak with Giles Brown of Dorset Soldiers about ordering those - as it was he, who helped me by providing the castings, other bits and pieces and advice, which allowed me to put my two bands together - as they didn't come "off the shelf" - but required quite a bit of modification. Thanks go to him ( and other Treefroggers such as my chum Trooper) - once again - for all of the help getting here. Hope you like them too - Johnnybach

 

[johnnybach]

And now - at long last - here are my two completed 2nd. Btn. HLI Bands, c.1900 - on parade in the afternoon. Thanks for your patience - hope it's been worth the wait. Now - That's what I call a band! Nice to see my Dorset Soldiers castings - now transformed in true Glossy Toy Soldier style, literally sparkling in the sunshine.

See you again later on this year - with maybe some further additions to my HLI Regiment. Johnnybach

 

[theBaron]

More beautiful work, John, as always!

It's good to see you carrying the painters' banner, the rest of us have been pretty quiet lately. I've got a few on the bench myself but have gotten stuck on one or two that require a little more work, so the projects drag on.

Prost!
Brad

 

[GICOP]

Lovely work jb, absolutely lovely {bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}

Cheers

Martyn

 

[Buster]

An oustanding display of painting talent jb, have enjoyed watching your band progress and thank you for sharing it with us. A beautiful band and very fine tribute to your beloved Phoebe.

{bravo}} {bravo}} {bravo}}

B.

 

[4th Hussar]

Impressive band. Now that we have the music you can start on the troops, I believe a Battallion is about 1000 Officers, NCOs and other ranks.

 

[johnnybach]

Thanks to all for positive comments - (and ticks in the box), - Glad you like 'em. As for the rest of the 1,007 who would make up a Battalion at around this time - well - maybe I'll pass on that one, as the well known disease of "Painter's Tartan-itis" sets in after a while . As I mentioned though, maybe a Colour Party with the three distinctive Colours would look pretty good - out in front. These would have their traditional Colour Sergeant escort - maybe followed by the RSM and -say- a party of ten OR's marching at the slope - to represent platoon from the Regiment - and maybe an Officer or two - for decoration?

The two basic torsos that all figures were based on were first made in 1897 ( for the full plaid body) and 1924 for the non-plaid one by the old Britains Company as hollowcast figures - though the re-casts I used that were based on these, have been much modified in the hundred years or so, along the way. Different heads, arms and musical instruments and other parts were either added and adapted from other figures in Dorset Soldiers range - or made from scratch from a variety of products ( the "wings" on each of the figures were made from medical pill blister packs, for example - which I have used before on other projects). I tried to show each of the stages as I went along - for most of the figures - so hoped that helped explain the construction and painting of each one. I'm sure the Colour Party and Escort will be no different - and involve a few modifications too - which is all part of the challenge - and the fun - of making something up like this, from non-standard parts.

However - I won't be rushing it - as summer is coming along - and I have a couple of young Grand-children who want to see their Grampa - on the other side of the World later on as well. I also have to modify my "Studio" too - to take some more cabinets before I can go on - which all takes time.

So - maybe keep an eye out next winter for twenty - or so additions. As Bernard Cornwell might say, "The HLI - will march again!" Cheers for now - Johnnybach