Project AH (1 Viewer)

[blaster]

I was excavating thru my hoard and came across a lot of Airfix collectors kits and Historex kits.

Then the imperial bee kept buzzing in my head. So I have assembled the most relevant kits.

Together with my various other hoards of spares and discarded figures, I should be able to cast enough actors (20-30) for this proposed project AH.

 

[Obee]

I was excavating thru my hoard and came across a lot of Airfix collectors kits and Historex kits.

Victor,

like you I also had a stash of these kits, unopened, but I decided that I would never get them assembled and painted, so I managed to find a buyer and so disposed of them.
With the funds another local collector had a load of Napoleonic Stadden figures, which I obtained and so were then funded by that sale.

My reason to sell was that I enjoy painting much more that assembly, and the Staddens were assembled so olny needed some minor touch ups, bending parts, then undercoating and on with the painting.

I did retain all of my Historex spares as they are most useful when needing to modify metal figures, and when painted, no one knows

I'm looking forward to seeing this next project, so keep on posting,

John

 

[blaster]

Hi John,

I just love to dig into my stash now and then, just to confound the wife. I like to live dangerously...hahaha.

Normally at this stage, I would start to do the figures to flesh out the scene. But I suspect that this may become too obvious for some of you.

So I've decided to start off with this Historex goodie - a lovely little cart that is featured in the scene.

Rgds Victor

 

[blaster]

I've now started on the figures. Trying to use my spares and discards as much as possible before dipping into the unmade kits.

I started off with this grubby looking striding Fr officer. All the historex infantry legs are marching straight legged and I have quite a bit of these types. It doesn't matter to me as I animate all the limbs anyway.

The pics show the first seven figures being animated. I find that for this diorama, the torsos are generally suitable and I can add a lump of putty to form the seat. When hardened, I insert wire legs to this part. Notice the shakos. A mixture of Historex and Airfix. While the Fr shakos are generally acceptable, the Br belgic shako is oversized and I will be sanding it down. Other shakos are being made from putty.

 

[blaster]

These pics show the further development of the figures. Shaping the shakos, finalising the pose and adding putty to shape the figures.

Notice the varying heights of the figures. The first 2 from the left are meant to be Br, the rest Fr. Notice that I don't worry about the correct torso for each figure. Most of the detail can be resculpted anyway. The Fr officer's shako appears to be a shako rouleau. Suitable hands are inserted to the ends of the wires. Notice the Airfix Fr shako is smaller than the Historex shako. For my purposes, it works out as I am using visual perspectives here. I also try to select heads of slightly different sizes to achieve visual perspectives.

 

[blaster]

More WIP. The Fr officer at either end has his shako rouleau almost shaped up.

 

[blaster]

Worked more and nearly completed two Fr figures - officer and light inf. The fun was in adding all the Historex bits for the details.

 

[blaster]

Finished sculpting the Fr soldier and officer. Minor putty work here and there. Sculpted the fingers. Gave them an undercoat of paint.

 

[blaster]

Starting to detail the other figures. I placed an Airifix Guardsman for size comparison. Notice how puny the figure is.
The second and third pics show more discarded figures being recruited into this scene.
Notice two smaller figures to the left of the second pic.
Third pic shows a polish czapka. Must be Albuhera.

 

[blaster]

Next three pics show the development of these new figures.

The two smaller figures are obviously meant to be placed in the background. The mtd figure is taken from a 1/48 scale Fujimi kit, Horse is a 1/35 scale donkey (not Tamiya). The foot figure with sculpted shako is supposedly a 1/35 scale head.

The csapska's gone! Replaced by a shako? Not Albuhera?....

I've placed the figures in two rows to help with the identification. Upper row is Fr, Lower row is Br. Last figure on the Br row is actually an Airfix Fr torso to be converted.

 

[blaster]

Almost done with the Br officer. Gave him a shoulder belt, tunic lapels, forage bag, water bottle, chin strap, a sword and added fringed epaulettes. I thickened his right leg. I had substituted his gaiters with converted hussar boots

 

[blaster]

I've changed some of the Br figures' poses. Added more details here and there. Elevated the height of the Airfix figure.

 

[blaster]

Starting to detail the Fr soldiers. The eagle and hawk eyed among you may question the different habit veste, the fringed epaulettes, the shako plates and the other minor details in the uniforms. Not sure what to make of which is voltigeur, grenadier or fusilier.

What I am doing is following exactly what I see in the painting. Other details are fugitive and I make educated guesses. Still other details are hidden and it doesn't matter. Hence the variety of parts and I use what I can find at hand in the spares hoard. This method of working seems to speed up the production of the figures.

 

[Obee]

Starting to detail the Fr soldiers. The eagle and hawk eyed among you may question the different habit veste, the fringed epaulettes, the shako plates and the other minor details in the uniforms. Not sure what to make of which is voltigeur, grenadier or fusilier.

Only Fusiliers had the one belt over left shoulder holding the bayonet, while Voltiguers and grenadiers had cross belts, one with ammo pouch the other holding sabre and bayonet, but you already know that ...don't you ?

Therefore the outside ones aren't right, take off the fringed epaulettes.

John

 

[blaster]

Hi John,

I didn't know that....... but can't do that. The painting seems to show this anomaly. Anyway, some of the wrong details are hidden. I was just using up the spares. hahaha.

So I''ve added more details to the Fr headdresses and also finalised the Br officer. Gave them all a spray of primer. Then added final details to the Fr figures.

Rgds Victor

 

[blaster]

A quick slap of paint for the figures. I tk these figures are ready for oils.

 

[aujj65]

Victor, I've been following along on quite a few of your threads - just amazing work you do! ^&cool

I think this one is based on "Closing the gates at Hougoumont". :wink2:

All the best. :salute::

Jeff

 

[blaster]

Hi Jeff,

you got me! Give the man a cheap cigar!

thanks for your kind words. Ive always wanted to do a Waterloo piece but which one? Gibb’s Hougomont sealed it for me. Granted that there are more accurate depictions, Gibb’s painting captured all the incredible frenzy of this event. The composition was perfect for me. I also get a chance to use up many Airfix and Historex spares but given my cando approach, any spare at hand will do. I get a thrill from reusing some eyesores as I have many earlier failed projects from my youthful past.

i hope to get lucky and finish this project decently.

Rgds Victor

 

[Obee]

Victor, this will be another fine piece of work from you, so here is a close up so you can see the uniform details for those Frenchmen.



John

 

[blaster]

Hi John,

thanks for that detailed pics. I was just reaching the stage for painting and correctly detailing the Fr figures according to the painting. I normally work with a couple of A4 coloured scans on my worktable and refer to other detailed pics on the ipad.

Below show a stock take pic of the WIP Br troops. Left is the Airfix Guardsman being built up. Notice the smaller mtd Fr officer and below him, another smaller Br soldier. This is meant to represent a dead soldier to the right side of the gate.

I focused on one of the Br figure to the right side of the gate. Details added were mostly Airfix from the Guardsman or 42nd Highlander kits. Shoulder wings, haversack, bayonet, Trotter pack, blanket roll and cartridge box. I used a Historex musket for this figure because you really can't see the details when assembled and because I am hoarding my Brown Bessies for the other Br figures in the foreground. I also show the unseen side of this figure (my method of sculpting). The grey primer seals the figure and a light coat of paint highlights any defects.

Rgds Victor