In recent years i've become addicted to tinkering - every new unit has to include a few conversions. Inspiration often comes from illustrations, and the Company of Military Historians 'The Era of the American Revolution' title is a source i keep returning to.
You may remember i featured the Culpeper Minutemen some time ago, i'd thought i'd put them to bed as a small 18 figure battalion but hadn't reckoned on the generosity of 'Mr MWAN' himself - Hal Thinglum. Last year Hal sent me a box of Hinchliffe figures that contained a number of riflemen and i recently used those to boost the Culpeper battalion up to it's 1775 paper strength. More rank and file meant more command figures so i took the opportunity to create my own miniature version of the officer illustrated in the COMH book. I took a Hinchliffe militia casting, replaced the head and left arm, converted the voluminous waistcoat into a hunting shirt and added a few other details such as an officers sash and fringing to the legs. A lick of Humbrol Midnight Blue and i'm quite pleased with the result.
The new drummer boy is also a conversion - the Foremost British Napoleonic drummer getting the Miliput hunting shirt treatment.
Recently i was able to pop down to the WHC and Mike Ingham was good enough to let me poke around the shelves for a couple of hours. Having had a good gander at literally hundreds of Doug Mason creations (not to mention those fantastic and ingenious Gilder buildings and terrain features) i am now armed with a stock of great conversion ideas to pillage for my AWI armies.
7 comments:
Every time I look at one of your pictures it makes me want to start over again, I so like that style!
Lovely painting.
Lee.
I bought some of Doug Mason's Napoleonic figures from Mike recently and I'm in the process of trying to restore them to their former glory. They've been much used (and abused!) at the WHC so bayonets are bent, muskets snapped etc. A new soldering iron appears to be doing the trick though.
Tony,
There's a coincidence - a friend of mine is in a similar position having just bought about 500 Mason Napoleonics. So far he's done a fantastic job in restoring the figures - you can't see the fixes...and believe me i've looked...8-)
A soldering iron is a fantastic tool once you get the hang of it, which i am just about starting to do (having had a low temp antex job for years but not used it enough). I still marvel at what the likes of Gilder, Mason, etc. could do with one though.
Cheers.
I've known Doug Mason for a long time although recently I've lost touch. Mike tells me that he's a postman now! He lived in Birmingham for a long time before moving to Filey. You're probably aware that he painted for Gilder and Frank Hinchliffe as well as doing some nice sculpts for Bicorne.I used to watch him paint using Humbrol enamels which makes the restoration process a bit tricky as I no longer use that type of paint.
Some of my own figures can be seen here http://www.societyofgentlemengamers.org/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=139
Thanks for the link Tony - truly wargaming in the 'Grand Manner'!
Great way to convert inspiration into "real life" Siggins! You are more prolific than you let on to be.
I am not Siggins (though of course he is a splendid chap, etc.).... i'm just a very naughty boy...
Post a Comment