54MM Toy Soldiers – Page 19 – My Toy Soldiers & Me

54MM from DORSET SOLDIERS… my yearly order has arrived!

I will replace (finally not) those pics with new one’s “out of the boxes” when coming back from holidays… summer is hot even in Andorra!… done partially!

So for the moment just enjoy like this… fresh from the parcel!

I even did not take pics of a drummer and some dogs!

In a hurry it was… mind!

2025 order has been placed already (French Chasseurs of the Line aka light Infantry; two units of French line Infantry, a mounted ADC… and a special “Mildred Natwick” as cast in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON)

Have added new pics…

And an interesting experiment… with chatgpt.com (that was before changing a bit the order)… LOL

I will replace those pictures with new ones “out of the boxes” when I return from my holidays. Summer is hot even in Andorra! I’ve done it partially, so for the moment, just enjoy it like this—fresh from the parcel! I didn’t even take pictures of a drummer and some dogs; I was in a hurry, you know! I’ve already placed my 2025 order for the French Chasseurs of the Line (light infantry), another unit of French line infantry, and a special “musique de la Legion.” I’ve added new pictures as well. (Same text using chatgpt.com). LOL

The “missing drummer” completes the unit! Thanks Antony!

Deployed too!… I searched for this fellows since I saw eons ago Lives of a Bengal Lancer and Gary Cooper blowing his whistle deploying the machine guns… fantastic job by Dorset Soldiers!

French 75mm guns, British 13 pounders and machine gun with carriage.

54MM Toy Soldier (a cast from REPLICA): HRH King Charles III

Finally decided to change the command figure of my Trooping the Colour display.

It took me almost two years to decide.

HRH the late Queen Elizabeth II has been moved to another shelve. She is still on display, but certainly not on a central role.

Time moves on.

The new figure (a REPLICA cast) painted by me.

54mm Cavalry Officer’s Minis painted by me

I have always been fascinated by horses (lead toy horses I am afraid), films with horses in them I am a fan… but my experiences with real horses are almost nil, once I rided a horse in a tourist promenade (about 1 hour) and only can recall the vast amount of flies they carried with them.

Lead toy horses are “cleaner”… and they behave… lol

As Oscar Wilde said they are dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle… probably an exaggeration to make a laugh…

Enjoy!

RCMP Inspector (my avatar) REPLICA painted by me…

Captain Brittles (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon)… REPLICA painted by me…

HRH King Charles III (REPLICA painted by me)

Winston Churchill as a subaltern in the 4th Hussars… (REPLICA painted by me)

French Officer (DORSET SOLDIERS) painted by me… I already had the horse bought painted and asked for a suitable cast from Antony Spencer.

Churchill at Omdurman… converted and painted by me…using DORSET SOLDIERS castings. (In fact I already had the painted horse)

54MM Toy Soldiers: Somehow we all have projects on standby but eventually they are one day completed.

Early nineties collectors club Britains metal figures in 54mm… a part of my collection that nowadays has grown out of proportion I fear… and REPLICA casts for the US Cavalry as portrayed by John Ford, converted (a bit) and painted by myself…

I honestly do not know if to complete the US Cavalry set from She Wore a Yellow Ribbon or not… guess I will…

On the contrary once Antony Spencer from Dorset sends my order end of June (nearly there) I will get the missing drummer (GOT IT!)… and much needed French Foes because they are naturally the best of enemies… (in real life it was the years of “Entente Cordiale” and it was great to have real PEACE!)

So, Dorking (it won’t even be called Dorking at all you know… no Prussians in my collection) would involve a fictional second half of the XIXth Century engagement between French and British forces… still not decided if it would be a Calais invasion by the Brits… or a Dover one by the French… musing on it!… but all for FUN as in RUGBY!

Enjoy!

They have nothing in common… but my fancy!

54MM BRITAINS (modern) And the last change of facings done (V and last)

This post ends the series of repairs and refections (including change of facings on two units) of my compulsive sentimental buys in ebay.co.uk… authentic Britains (from the early nineties… time really flashes by)… very good state of conservation (minor chipping of paint etc).

I am through but varnishing … now already done!

Enjoy!

Unit with white facings lacking a drummer

54MM BRITAINS (modern). Another unit (Yellow facings) IV

Ok, I repainted collar and cuffs in yellow to have a different unit (they are now ex-Sherwood Foresters… I use the 12 minis (or figures) organization suggested in the ruleset A GENTLEMAN’S WAR (even if I do not abide my games with them… always do my own thing as you know)… next and last would be with white facings.

Enjoy!

54MM BRITAINS (modern) REPAINTED/CONVERTED III

Well, one unit is finished!… they have been repainted where minor chipping was aparent and the Officers arms with the Colours “exchanged”… gloss will be aplied once very dry!.

Two more units to go!

Enjoy!

Not happy with the Regimental Colour… need to repaint a bit…

54MM Toy Soldier’s buying experiences on ebay.co.uk (II)

Sellers and postage etc went without a hitch… tip top all the way! (I clarify this because I forgot to mention). Kudos to them.

You see I was (very) busy at the beginning of the 90’s and did not notice at all when William Britains (the new owners I guess) did those soldiers in 54MM… Busy working on my real life and not much time for the hobby in that “fighting stances scale”… after a deep crisis with wargaming in 25/28MM (which caused the collection to be sold) I was going into 6MM wargaming (still are and satisfied of my decision) but indulging in Playmobils Hard Plastic 75MM… I still collected in 54MM but quite display and ceremonial sets (still have them no fear).

The acquisition of the book A GENTLEMAN’S WAR provoked an interest on wargaming in 54MM a la Wells (very old classic stuff) and I decided to reshuffle my collection. The French (mainly French Foreign Legion were transported to Andorra la Vella and left Pal forever… so did the Second Afghan War Replica Collection… and then I completed those sets (still at it mind) to play my FASHODA went wrong scenario… pitching one against the other… a part of playing them solo in colonial semi-historical more correctly. Later on even the white helmet British sets were transferred to Andorra la Vella and only ceremonial sets remain in PAL.

Then one day Andrew Stevenson published a pic of his units in full SIMKIN uniforms splendid array… and I was hooked… so I am now building a purely DORKING scenario British Army. BUT no Prussians at all… the French will do the trick again! (being the “enemy” I mean). Nearly there…

The tribulations of a loony collector should I have titled this post!

And of course 30 years later you need to search for them on ebay!

Guards should be on the right of the line but I was in a hurry!

Yes those are the Guards but I finally added the white frontal stripe.

Those are the ebay.co.uk buys… read the text for more detail.

The “oversized drummer will go out” to another cabinet… a miss…

In the process of exchanging “colours”…no way I am going to field two Union Jacks…

Third and last unit (have to paint new facings) at least the drummer is the right proportion.

See the difference?… even the base is too “tall” on the big drummer… part of a Band set I guess….

The changing of the arm was easy and swift the second time… the first one still shows the stress of the first conversion.

54MM Toy Soldier buying experiences on ebay.co.uk (I)

It must be my age, I am getting less and less “patient” if you know what that means. On the other hand I am becoming more and more of a “patient” of a bunch of doctors (not many quacks so far).

All of that because perusing (sorry “navigating”) ebay.co.uk one recent day I discovered a bunch of 54MM Sherwood Foresters Britains of the late 90´s… it said I could make an offer… I did (could not restrain myself)… and what the hell!… whoever it was accepted it!… OK… Paypayled him/her and some days later (quite quick!) I got a marvelously packed parcel (thanks for that) with the goods (see first pic).

Of course being a silly ass (read collector) I could not restrain myself (again) and had to complete the set as to get 12 figures units for A Gentleman’s War (a set of rules I have never used yet… but looks good in a way)… so I started BUYITNOW the items i needed (first to make two units… then three… I got a bit carried away)…

So here I am waiting for the little parcels of two soldiers each to arrive and in the meantime modeling a bit because (YES!) I could not restrain myself!… so I changed the arm and flag of the standard bearer.

Will edit or Post a new one when things look “organized”.

Enjoy!

PS: I have been very busy deleting a lot of “old Posts” with maybe no real interest (to me).

The first “bunch” was got at a very fair price!

There I am gluing my fingers to bits and pieces again!

REPLICA (my avatar is a cast painted by me). Lanyard corrected… (some of you are eagle-eyed!)

I used this “avatar” or pic of a RCMP Inspector General with dark blue tunic (patrol jacket in Britain) because of childhood memories.

Suddenly one day a member of Facebook commented I have painted wrong the lanyard because it was under the webbing (difficult for the pistol to be used as such at all… lol… he (or she) was right… so:

I modified the mistake.

Here are the pics, enjoy!