HIRIART Inspired by Britains (2 Viewers)

[johnnybach]

Hi again Mike - Love the way you contrast with the "old uns" - and don't worry about the photos - any photo gives the idea well enough. Glad you like my lads too. Yes, I added the bases - as I frequently do with rather slight figures, which are easily knocked over in my overstocked cabinets. These bases were very small - and the figures rather slight. A weighty base means they DON'T get knocked over easily, when I'm reaching inside the cabinet for something. They aren't going anywhere else anyway - so it's just me to please - and I like them this way.

I always liked the Britains set from when I was a lad - so when I re-kickstarted my passion, and I had worked out how to get a castings set of my own, I thought that I would make it a bit more unique to me - by adding things in, that weren't on the original one. Easy enough to do - when you know who stocks the parts you will need, and you're starting from scratch.

So - I added an arm with a weapon to two of the six gunners ( figuring, the other four would be leading each mule). I gave the Officer a drawn sword as well - and actually added that shabraque to his cantering horse - as it didn't originally have one. You might say - my set is now (probably) unique - and was great fun to make up and paint this way. I haven't shown it - but I also bought another set of parts for the mountain gun - and made it up - for them to be passing by a completed one. I'll post a pic - if you like.

You see - I'm hopelessly addicted to doing my own thing - and deciding exactly how I would like them. I usually start by seeing (normally) an old Britains set I like, though it could be something else - and then the hunt - and a lot of the fun - starts! That's the main reason I like painting my own - though I can also usually have more for my bucks this way too. Not too sure of that - with Hiriart sets being as reasonable as they seem for painted figures. As for the bases in a sand colour - well - why not? If they are up in the Indian border hills - it might not be green? jb^&grin

 

[ucla1967]

JB - Yes, please post the picture of the other set. Thanks. I know what you mean regarding small bases. I have a heck of a time with my Imperial Production figures being easy to knock over since they have such small, elegant bases.

 

[johnnybach]

Here's the pic - with the complete gun that I assembled and painted added. I think that I might try and find a suitable small team of gunners to man it - then I will have one firing - and another moving in to position. jb

 

[ucla1967]

Thanks for posting the photo, JB. Very nicely done. The gunners manning the assembled piece would make a neat display.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is another comparison, this time of Britains set 312 COLDSTREAM GUARDS in GREATCOATS with Hiriart's set 1012 THE COLDSTEAM GUARDS in GREATCOATS. Hiriart also has another set (1024) with a 19 figure band of Coldstreams in the same uniform, but I don't have a photo of it nor do I know if Britains also did a similar band.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is Britains set 131 CHASSEURS CHEVAL compared to Hiriart's set 1115 CHASSEURS a CHEVAL. The Britains figures have gray tunics with frogging while the Hiriarts have light blue tunics with crossed belts. Also, there is a difference in the plume detail.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is Britains set of US MARINES compared to Hiriart set 1068 UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. The Hiriart catalog set is a color party unlike the Britains set which has an officer and seven men. I have also attached a photo of the Hiriart marines in a large formation comprised of four sets which includes a dog and handler.

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Mike - there are a couple of MODERN Britains boxed sets around with Royal Marine Colour Parties - which are quite nice too.

This one shows a ten piece set - in Overseas uniforms - and includes a small Drum/Bugle Band in whites.

The second set has a Colour Party in their more normally seen Blues and white helmet uniform. I believe this was also available as a four piece set. Both very modern sets, of course. jb

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike - there are a couple of MODERN Britains boxed sets around with Royal Marine Colour Parties - which are quite nice too.

This one shows a ten piece set - in Overseas uniforms - and includes a small Drum/Bugle Band in whites.

The second set has a Colour Party in their more normally seen Blues and white helmet uniform. I believe this was also available as a four piece set. Both very modern sets, of course. jb

Thanks JB. Actually, I have both of the sets you are refering to, but as you say they are fairly modern (1980s). I also have the third set as a drum and bugle corps with ten figures in their blue uniforms with white helmets.

 

[Buster]

Nice Mountain Gun set, Mike ..... do you know if the gun parts be assembled (it looks like that's possible) or are they affixed to the mules? Thanks!

B.

 

[ucla1967]

Nice Mountain Gun set, Mike ..... do you know if the gun parts be assembled (it looks like that's possible) or are they affixed to the mules? Thanks!

B.

Hi Buster,

I have all of Hiriart's mountain gun sets in my collection: WWI Austrians, WWI French Alpins, WWI Italian Alpini, and two from the Khyber pass. Althought the gun parts are not part of the mule castings, they are affixed. I really don't know if they were removable, if they would properly fit together or not. BTW, here is the other Khyber pass set: 1261 INDIAN MOUNTAIN ARTILLERY, KHYBER PASS on oxen. I don't know if Britains ever did a similar set or not. Maybe JB knows.

 

[ucla1967]

CORRECTION: I just checked my WWI Italian mountain gun set and the gun is removable; it is NOT affixed to the mule.

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Mike and Buster - I really don't know of a Britains Mountain Gun Team using Oxen - doesn't sound quite right to me - and I've never seen one like that. The old first set on mules, I believe is worth big bucks now though. I might do another one with Indian personnel one of these days - as Dorset Soldiers can do the muleteers as Indian troops too.

Here's an interesting link that I know of - which does give a lot of information about Britains figures of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps, (during WW2 though). You may not know it - but well worth a look - with lots of figures shown. Enjoy jb

http://www.chakoten.dk/cgi-bin/fm.cgi?n=867

a second one gives an overview of Mountain Guns and their mule transportation. Both well worth aread - if you're interested.
http://www.victorianmilitarysociety...rtillery-1840-1914&catid=10:articles&Itemid=9

 

[Buster]

Hi Mike and Buster - I really don't know of a Britains Mountain Gun Team using Oxen - doesn't sound quite right to me - and I've never seen one like that. The old first set on mules, I believe is worth big bucks now though. I might do another one with Indian personnel one of these days - as Dorset Soldiers can do the muleteers as Indian troops too.

Here's an interesting link that I know of - which does give a lot of information about Britains figures of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps, (during WW2 though). You may not know it - but well worth a look - with lots of figures shown. Enjoy jb

http://www.chakoten.dk/cgi-bin/fm.cgi?n=867

Thanks for that jb, I kind of prefer the mule set myself, but what do I know :rolleyes2: ..... the oxen look a wee bit on smallish size, still a nice set though.

B. :salute::

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike and Buster - I really don't know of a Britains Mountain Gun Team using Oxen - doesn't sound quite right to me - and I've never seen one like that. The old first set on mules, I believe is worth big bucks now though. I might do another one with Indian personnel one of these days - as Dorset Soldiers can do the muleteers as Indian troops too.

Here's an interesting link that I know of - which does give a lot of information about Britains figures of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps, (during WW2 though). You may not know it - but well worth a look - with lots of figures shown. Enjoy jb

http://www.chakoten.dk/cgi-bin/fm.cgi?n=867

a second one gives an overview of Mountain Guns and their mule transportation. Both well worth aread - if you're interested.
http://www.victorianmilitarysociety...rtillery-1840-1914&catid=10:articles&Itemid=9

I must admit I know nothing one way or the other regarding the use of oxen as part of a mountain gun team, but it is still an attractive set which I have seen selling on eBay for twice the list price and I have in my collection.

Actually, Per Finsted, who is the webmaster of chakoten, is a Hiriart collector who I correspond with. Last year, he sent me a neat, detailed uniform study with photos, color plates, and links for three new, non-catalog World War I in Africa sets on my current 2012 Hiriart order. The sets are The King's African Rifles, 1914 (in blue tunics); Force Publique, Belgian Congo, 1914 (in blue tunics); and Portuguese Colonial Infantry, Mozambique. I have ordered 21 sets of these three different units, all of which are pre-sold save for one of each.

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Mike - I do agree that the Oxen carrying the mountain gun does look an attractive set - and well understand that as something different from the more usual mule teams - it will hold its value. Mind you, the only value that I'm interested in for my own collection - is whether I like it enough to buy or not. I think that in the early days of pack carrying in general - and light mountain artillery in particular , many animals were considered for use as pack animals ( Camels, horses, bullocks and even elephants included), but for endurance, strength and fleetness of foot over rough and montaineous terrain - the mule proved to be the best bet - and eventually dominated choices. Such a strong and clever animal - pound for pound.

Interesting that you know Per Finstead and probably also that interesting article I posted. I have a Royal West African Frontier Force Colour party and Escort set, who marched in the 1953 Coronation Parade (by Asset), dressed in their very smart and well known uniforms - a bit later than your 1914 specimens from around that location. Very nice to paint they were too. jb:smile2:

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike - I do agree that the Oxen carrying the mountain gun does look an attractive set - and well understand that as something different from the more usual mule teams - it will hold its value. Mind you, the only value that I'm interested in for my own collection - is whether I like it enough to buy or not. I think that in the early days of pack carrying in general - and light mountain artillery in particular , many animals were considered for use as pack animals ( Camels, horses, bullocks and even elephants included), but for endurance, strength and fleetness of foot over rough and montaineous terrain - the mule proved to be the best bet - and eventually dominated choices. Such a strong and clever animal - pound for pound.

Interesting that you know Per Finstead and probably also that interesting article I posted. I have a Royal West African Frontier Force Colour party and Escort set, who marched in the 1953 Coronation Parade (by Asset), dressed in their very smart and well known uniforms - a bit later than your 1914 specimens from around that location. Very nice to paint they were too. jb:smile2:

Hi JB,

Yes, I am aware of the importance of the mule in this regard including its use in World War II in certain campaigns. It is not a coincidence that the mascot of the Corps of Cadets at West Point is an army mule. Two movies come to mind regarding the use of U.S. Army mules in WWII. The first is "Merrill's Mauraders" in the CBI theater with Jeff Chandler and the other, whose name I think is "The Story of GI Joe," was filmed in black and white about the Italian campaign with Burgess Meredith and Robert Mitchum, where Mitchum's body is being brought down from the frontlines to the rear on a mule.

I didn't see the article you are refering to. To be honest, I have a hard time navigating around that website and inadverently wind up leaving the English language section for the Danish language section. I have saved Per's study on the WWI in Africa uniforms I mentioned before. If you are interested in seeing it, I would need your email address. Impressively, his reasearch was pulled together is the space of one day. Per is also a wargammer who makes up his own games and uses Hiriart 54mm figures in same.

 

[ucla1967]

Although Hiriart does not have the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in its regular catalog, it has made non-catalog sets of the fusiliers as a colour party and as a band. Here is Britains set 74 THE ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS compared to Hiriart's versions.

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Mike - A nice colourful Regiment the RWF (when it was a Regiment - sadly just a Battalion now). It was one of my first painting projects, and I bought some castings from Sarum Soldiers (they're the ones on the raised bases). I enjoyed them so much - I bought some more from Asset Miniatures - and painted those too, which gave me a group of bits and pieces of a Colour Party, Mascot, small drum and fife band and a small escort - including a shouting Drill Sergeant at the back in a cap. Not very elegant or cohesive, I know - but still one of my favourites, as I was cutting my teeth as a painter at the time. jb

 

[ucla1967]

JB---Very good job for a beginner or anyone for that matter.