Mounted Egyptian Cavalry Band c.1900 (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

Hi Tin Soldier - sounds like you are getting the same bug as me! I just love a good Military Band!

What you are up to sounds interesting - maybe you could show us some pictures of your progress with both projects? (Egyptian and the Border Force). Eyes Right Instruments will certainly be good and shiny.

For your info - I completed a dismounted "Mounties" band (Circa 1930), some time ago of 30+ figures - and you might also find the 1st Canadian Mounted Pipe & Drum Band in the "Painting" section of the forum. ( from Yeoman Miniatures castings). I haven't done the Canadian Governer General's House Guards - and indeed don't have a pic of this band playing whilst mounted - but do have one of them on foot (below). They do have a mounted escort though.

I don't have any plans to make up this band - though have on order a British Household Cavalry Band ( Yeoman Miniatures again) which is being sculpted by Alan Caton. This will have 27 figures in it (just like the real band at the time).

Good luck with your projects - and if you can find the time to show us how you are getting on, from time to time, I would certainly be interested in how you are doing.

All the best for now - johnnybach

 

[johnnybach]

Latest developments with my Egyptian Mounted Band are shown below. My trombonist is now completed (just a final coat of varnish required). I have made his horse a little more cream in colour, by painting the first coat in buff (103) - and then overpainting in Ivory(41), with a touch of buff added.

At the rear is my Tuba player, who still requires work on his legs and also the base of the figure. Note another two horses also at the rear, who are in an early stage of development. I have added fabricated metal bases and the "Y" piece of leatherwork to the horses chest (milliput) first.

I think these are turning into quite pleasing colourful figures - and should make up into a nice little band.

 

[aujj65]

Hi JB,

I don't know how I missed this thread, but I have caught up with it and must say it's great to see your painting threads again! {sm3}

These look rather splendid so far and I think you should go for a Camel Band! :wink2:

Jeff :salute::

 

[johnnybach]

I guess you might have missed it - as it's not in the "Painting" sub-forum. I didn't put this project there - as the pieces involved with this one involved quite a bit of adaptation and alteration - to make up what I wanted before painting. Glad you appear to like 'em too.

As to the Camels - well - that would be a pretty major undertaking. As I mentioned, I had been giving some thought to making up ONE player (the Sousaphone player was my first thought) - to see what it would look like. Dorset Soldiers does a rather plain Britains lookalike camel - and some form of body with a turbanned head might be made to fit - but that leaves a huge amount of work to do with all of the Xmas decorations on the beast itself!

Quite frankly - I think that it might be better to look to one of the manufacturers to make a suitable camel (with trimmings) and rider to provide ready-made castings. I recall Trooper suggesting a "Camel- Bagpiper" at some time in the past? With a change of arm/instruments - anything is possible.

I don't mind a bit of tweaking of various products - but major work like that is best left to the professionals, I think. jb

 

[beating retreat]

Hi JB

These are coming on very nicely look forward to the finished band, and yes I think you should have a go at the camel band its a great and unusual subject.

Regards John

 

[aujj65]

Hi JB,

I don't know how I missed this thread, but I have caught up with it and must say it's great to see your painting threads again! {sm3}

These look rather splendid so far and I think you should go for a Camel Band! :wink2:

Jeff :salute::

Hi JB

These are coming on very nicely look forward to the finished band, and yes I think you should have a go at the camel band its a great and unusual subject.

Regards John

Well that's agreed then - a Camel Band it is... {sm3} {sm4}

Jeff :salute::

 

[johnnybach]

Well - that's great then - you've both agreed to making a Camel Band - saves me a job! I'm not that keen on them anyway - they have some nasty habits!

Fear not - I have half a ton of castings to keep me going for a while yet. Amongst other things - I have........... a Cowboy Band, A French Horse Artillery addition, an Army Air Corps Band, An Ivory Phaeton, Coronation coach in need of a repair and refurbishment, some Military mascots, a Cavalry Maxim Gun, three mobile canteens (underway Louis), a Chess set - Napoleonics (two bands) and odds and ends to enhance three more existing Mounted bands.{sm2}


Then Brian at Yeomanary Miniatures has Msr. Caton working away at another Household cavalry band - and Dave Lowe is making me an Ambulance which apparently serves Ice Cold Beer!^&confuse

Whew! - I'm gonna need that last item.

In short - I Don't have the time to play with Camels. Maybe one day - but not now - or even soon. IF you like 'em so much - grab a brush and be my guest!

All the best - glad you both seem to like the Egyptians - johnnybach:wink2:

 

[johnnybach]

Back to the thread - Latest recruit to join the ranks of the band is the Tuba player. I've added him to the other three completed so far - and am trying to vary the views a bit - so that you can see them from all angles. Three views below.

Working on three other musicians - at the moment: Sax, Tenor Horn and Euphonium.

 

[aujj65]

These look quite splendid! {bravo}}

Jeff

 

[johnnybach]

Hey compadre - glad you like 'em as much as me! Stuff the Camels - these are now!

 

[johnnybach]

Just as an aside to the band currently under construction, I have been also quietly making up and painting two further Egyptian Cavalry men, to make up into a lookalike Britains Set 115. The Band idea came from a single figure (centre rear), in the first place - as this figure was found as a broken soldier in a Car Boot sale nearly two years ago. I have finally bought a further two re-casts of this old figure - and am converting one Trooper to an Officer (on the left of the front pair), by removing the scabbarded carbine) and will be adding in an arm carrying a sword.

These can then provide an escort to the band, once I have completed the current ten members. I have included the Drum Horse of the band in the pic - to show how well these figures will fit in with the Britains set 115 that I am trying to re-create ( though NOT a direct copy, of course - as it will have a few detailed changes - as I usually do). jb

 

[blaster]

Hi JB,

Beoytiful! I can't wait for a complementary camel band!
{sm4}

Rgds Victor

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Victor - glad you're liking them so far. Britains didn't make a Camel Band, because the Egyptian Camel Corps didn't have one - but they did do these:

Made by them from 1896-1966 in various formats. Now, these look far more appropriate to my current project - so - in a year or so's time - I may get tempted to get hold of some castings, and start looking for some more fez-heads to convert and add to my Egyptians.

BUT - I have to clear the decks a bit first and make up some more figures from my stash. Reason is simple - I have nowhere else left to store any more! jb

 

[johnnybach]

Next one completed is playing the Saxophone - a surprisingly old instrument - first developed in the 1840's specifically for Military Bands - by Adolph Sax - a belgian gent. To the right are two more in various stages of development - sat loosely on their respective white horses - and waiting patiently for me to find a few minutes more to progress their uniforms.

I hope you can see from my pics, how each figure is built up methodically - mostly painted off the horse - which allows easier access to the trickier bits. When dry enough, they are then securely fixed to the saddle with a pin and epoxy resin glue - when they can be re-touched once set. Finally, the bases are painted, when the whole figure can be varnished. I also affix a paper label under each base with a description of what the piece represents. Nice sunny day here today - very appropriate for these chaps.

 

[Napoleon1er]

You ARE the man JB! Thanks for a great diversion from homework!

 

[johnnybach]

Cheers Sandor...............

Now.............take a hundred lines ...................and get on with the ruddy homework! jb

 

[johnnybach]

The Euphonium player takes his place in the mounted band - next to his bigger brother on the Tuba. It's now starting to look more like a small band - so I have taken a few more pictures. Four more musicians - all underway - and two more Escorts (which are nearly there). jb

 

[johnnybach]

I have just finished off my two remaining Egyptian Cavalry figures - which now gives me MY version of the old Britains set 115. I now have four Troopers and an Officer figure - who will eventually provide an escort for my Band - which is still a work in progress.

Any guesses as to which figure was an original hollowcast Britains? (albeit - a repaired one)???? jb

 

[bromhead]

well done,,I would think the 2nd guy left is the brit

 

[johnnybach]

Sorry Brom - not the right one. Tricky to tell from just looking though - as the others are all recasts. You can only really tell by picking them up. It's the FIRST one on the left that is the repaired and re-painted original, and as a hollow figure - is much lighter than the others. Glad you like 'em.^&grin jb