Looking for Southern Dead Figures (3 Viewers)

[eborris]

I like it, who makes the figure?

 

[eborris]

Here's another two piece.

 

[UKReb]

I like it, who makes the figure?

It's a simple conversion of the Del Prado figure of a Mexican Bandit as below-having researched the Alamo battle for a few years now I discovered that SA's army had quite a few Mexican "irregulars" soldados who were made NCO's and although supplied with the norm Napoleonic uniform they refused to wear the heavy and stiff cowhide Shako's- wearing instead the oversize straw sombrero. Normally SA would have executed any conscripts not complying with His Excellency's orders but he needed these potential killers in his invading army and aquiesced.
I thought the Del Prado figure fitted nicely into this particular scenario of ordering the peon soldados up the scaling ladders.

Here is another casting using the main carcass of an old Britains Union casualty as the master mold.

 

[eborris]

It's a simple conversion of the Del Prado figure of a Mexican Bandit as below-having researched the Alamo battle for a few years now I discovered that SA's army had quite a few Mexican "irregulars" soldados who were made NCO's and although supplied with the norm Napoleonic uniform they refused to wear the heavy and stiff cowhide Shako's- wearing instead the oversize straw sombrero. Normally SA would have executed any conscripts not complying with His Excellency's orders but he needed these potential killers in his invading army and aquiesced.
I thought the Del Prado figure fitted nicely into this particular scenario of ordering the peon soldados up the scaling ladders.

Here is another casting using the main carcass of an old Britains Union casualty as the master mold.

They both look really good.

I would imagine that by the time the battle took place their uniforms or what was left of them would look much different then they did when they started out. I'm sure that the almost 2 months that went by since they started out the march and weather would have quite an effect on them.

 

[jazzeum]

Is this perhaps overboard?

Particularly if you're on the receiving end

 

[UKReb]

I would imagine that by the time the battle took place their uniforms or what was left of them would look much different then they did when they started out. I'm sure that the almost 2 months that went by since they started out the march and weather would have quite an effect on them.

True! good point as they did travel through harsh blizzards to get to Texas I believe.

 

[Capitolron]

Reb

How did you make the Sword and "HEAD in Hand" ?

Also how did you convert the hat on the old Britians Figure ?

Great re-works ! Looks like a lot of hard work !

Ron

 

[eborris]

Reb

How did you make the Sword and "HEAD in Hand" ?

Also how did you convert the hat on the old Britians Figure ?

Great re-works ! Looks like a lot of hard work !

Ron

I'd bet on hand swaps at least for the sword hand, quite a bit of trimming though, getting rid of his holster and paring down the pant legs, good job though, let's see the rest of it.

 

[UKReb]

Ron

Ed is right you take the sword hand off of an old figure drill and fit-he is also correct as it was a heck of a lot of grinding off the excess metal-but Del Prado figures being cheap as chips you can afford to be a bit ruthless. The head as you can see is simply metal putty as is the sash and flintlock pistol. I had posted these shots before when discussing the Alamo dio with Alex and we both agreed there is a complete lack of Alamo casualty figures-Conte did a few Mex which I have but very few Texians as indeed is the case with K&C excellent series- but alas too few dead and dying on both sides. That's why I was very impressed with Ed's casualty type sets as it appeared he had had the same problem and had to have them specially made.

What I did was knock up a few sketches of what I thought I wanted using either Reb or Union casualties as templates then sent off the torsos to a guy I know with his own smelting plant. He presses them into a waxy type mold-mold then sets hard- pours and out pop some metal casts.
I then forward them onto an artist friend who in my opinion has always been pretty darn good when painting Napoleonic/Mexican era figures-by using the same metal putty he molds shakos/cross belts etc onto the metal casts and completes the paint job as you have seen. (I can do a reasonable paint job on civil war dudes but when it comes to your favorite French era uniforms I am far from being anywhere near the expert he is)

He also did some Texian castings paint jobs as per shots below-I needed to have some unique casualties Ron as most manufacturers appear to be "apprehensive" shall we say in producing them for any of the collecting eras and you cannot accurately design/display a battle dio without them- as obviously your original post referred.

Ron that's yet another piece of good info for you from the Reb's stash

 

[Capitolron]

Reb

Impressive .... Very Impressive !

I can't wait to see the diorama these guys are going into - WOW - this is really going to be special !

Ron

 

[eborris]

Ahhh, my conversions are a bit easier as my Alamo is mainly plastic figures and there are quite a few plastic figures that with a little work can be made into dead and dying, plus Barzso produces some Civil War casulaties that with a a little cutting can be made into dead and dying Texans. My problem was those hand to hand sets, fortunately Jason of Plastic Underground was willing to try a few of those poses, I told him what I wanted and he made them.

 

[UKReb]

Ahhh, my conversions are a bit easier as my Alamo is mainly plastic figures and there are quite a few plastic figures that with a little work can be made into dead and dying, plus Barzso produces some Civil War casulaties that with a a little cutting can be made into dead and dying Texans. My problem was those hand to hand sets, fortunately Jason of Plastic Underground was willing to try a few of those poses, I told him what I wanted and he made them.

Know very little about the newer plastics-how is the scale ratio to 54mm/1/32 metals?

And am not familiar with Jason but his obvious skill is very impressive based on the two sets you have posted They are really top notch and I did not realise they were plastic. I have a lot to learn.

 

[eborris]

Know very little about the newer plastics-how is the scale ratio to 54mm/1/32 metals?

And am not familiar with Jason but his obvious skill is very impressive based on the two sets you have posted They are really top notch and I did not realise they were plastic. I have a lot to learn.

He also did the figure in my Avatar, although it was a Civil War figure converted into a Mexican.

Much like metal there is a wide variance in size even when advertised as 54mm, some of the larger figures like Conte seem to fit in quite well with 54mm metal, however the King and Country Alamo series seem to be a bit taller then even the Conte's. The general problem I find is the stands on metal are generally thicker then those of plastic figures and create an illusion of being larger. Not a definitive answer I know, but it's often hit and miss, some fit in quite nicely, while others are too small and thin.

 

[Capitolron]

Still looking for Southern Dead Conte Set - anyone have ideas or leads ??

 

[eborris]

Still looking for Southern Dead Conte Set - anyone have ideas or leads ??

Have an idea, the Confederate dead are also used in the Alamo defenders plastic sets. Well, there's two dead anyway if you paint them they'd be passable.

 

[Capitolron]

I am really looking for metal sets only - and specifically this CONTE one.

Thanks for the thought - I appreciate it.

 

[eborris]

I am really looking for metal sets only - and specifically this CONTE one.

Thanks for the thought - I appreciate it.

Did you try Hobby Bunker, they have them pictured?

http://www.hobbybunker.com/

 

[Capitolron]

Did you try Hobby Bunker, they have them pictured?

http://www.hobbybunker.com/

The item is listed "out of stock"

 

[eborris]

Well, sorry about that, I'll keep my eyes open when I go to the Indy show the end of March.

 

[Capitolron]

Anyone seen these - anywhere ?

Still looking !