And the last change of facings done (ebay.co.uk) (V and last)

Visits: 16

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 which I will do end of March.

Enjoy!

Unit with white facings lacking a drummer
Detail

Toy Soldier buying experiences on ebay.co.uk (II)

Visits: 28

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 busy at the beginning of the 90’s and did not notice at all when William Britains 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.

Then one day Andrew Stevens 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).

The tribulations of a loony collector should 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.

Happy New Year 2024!… and a bit of a retrospective 2023… a brief summary!

Visits: 172

There you have it… a collection of pics is better than a long text… this is what I did in 2023… from bottom to top chronologically I am afraid!

I enjoyed the lot of projects. Some come out of nowhere… some were convoluted… some straightforward…

How the mind wanders in a year… seriously considering selling my Playmobil Collection on Ebay nowadays… lack of interest by my grandchildren… and need of space… that happens…

Hope you enjoy my recollections!

Finally varnished, dry, and ready to play!
Command Group detail!
lanyard corrected!
A nice little collection in Khaki…



I do not remember if I did that on 2023… but probably!
My only 42MM soldier!
The SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON project!
Union Cavalry in 6mm (Baccus)
6MM Nile Gunboat (Daniel Hodgson REVEILLE production)
Rorke’s Drift in 6MM (Baccus Minis and Leven Buildings)
My avatar in 75mm.
The Charge of the Heavy Brigade (Crimea 1854) 6mm Baccus Proxies!
Repainted central Toy Soldier (substitution in the collection)
The finished Brigade of Guards Crimea 1854 (Baccus Proxies and a lot of work involved!)
The “NEW” additions (Lt. Chard and Lt. Bromhead) in their proper place. DORSET SOLDIERS.
Display of finished units!
Staff Car and Motorcycles escort!
Chard and Bromhead
XIXth Corps d’Afrique (French) in 54MM… now complete.
Confederates in 6MM (Baccus)
The whole Heavy Brigade (Crimea) 6MM Baccus proxies.
My ANTIETAM/SHARPSBURG Wargame 6MM Baccus (At the end of the game)
Another view.
Playmobils 75MM… seriously considering selling my collection of them in 2024!
Saganne in 54mm Dorset Soldiers casting painted by me…
Nathan Brittles last patrol in 6MM Baccus Proxies (Pony Wars and a scratchbuild Olivia Dandridge aka Joanne Dru).
I did this “conversion” for a W.S.Churchill at OMDURMAN…. Dorset Soldiers cast!

French Foreign Legion by Dorset Soldiers waiting Varnish (Gloss of course!)
PLAYMOBIL customized by me NWMP.
Last but not least!… this is what I remember… (fondly).

My last Three Mounted 54MM Toy Soldiers (REPLICA CASTS).

Visits: 199

I am getting older for all that. But for a last effort in 54MM they are not so bad… after all they ARE Toy Soldiers!

Next would be basing some 6mm Baccus 24th Colonial Zulu Wars Infantry and then to the wargames table.

I always seem to think I have finished my collection (in the sense that I won’t paint anymore excepting maintenance…)

Collecting already painted boxes of Toy Soldiers still goes on. And my orders for 2024 are done, sent and agreed upon… so in due time in the next months they would appear here.

Also plan to post some pics of the excellent work of Antony Spencer from Dorset Soldiers and Andrew Stevenson from REPLICA METAL MODEL SOLDIERS.

Enjoy!

PS: YES! they still lack the gloss varnish but I always wait about a week to do that… a lesson learned in 25mm (silver and gold colors tend to wash all over if not properly dried!)

From left to right: Scot Guards Brigadier (VC); HRH King Charles III; and last but not least W.S.Churchill as a 4th Hussar.
Detail
Detail
Another view.

Lanyard corrected… LOL

Visits: 156

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!

Original pic with lanyard under the webbing! (WRONG!)
Matter modified!
Another view.

My second Guards Unit is well on the way… 54MM REPLICA… (II)

Visits: 196

That’s it!

I have finished painting my Brigade of Guards! (A childhood project).

To be sincere I will work a bit more on the mounted Officer Horse… they are never really “finished” (horses I mean).

And they still lack the gloss varnish.

My last Project (to be painted by me) will be King Charles III … there on the tray at the back of the pic.

All casts by REPLICA.

Cheers.

The whole Unit (A Brigade of Guards for AGW)
Coldstream Guards finished except gloss varnish
The mounted Officer is a Scots Guards Brigadier (it lacks a bit of work on the horse I admit)
Grenadiers on the Right (ADC 4th Hussars W.S.Churchill)
Coldstream on the left of the line

My second Guards Unit is well on the way… 54MM REPLICA

Visits: 194

My Brigade of Guards for AGW set of rules will be completed wit those Coldstreamers (Nulli Secundus).

Curiously having a unit of Grenadiers and another of Coldstreamers I have decided to make the mounted Brigadier a serious Scot Guards!

Probably my last effort at painting myself the 54MM casts!… pots of paint will be used to do maintenance exclusively.

I will buy painted soldiers from Andrew Stevenson (REPLICA) and Antony Spencer (DORSET and IMPERIAL and AQM)… because they do it better than me… and I am a bit tired (only very elusive things as the SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON SET can make me move…)

Enjoy!

Very few things to add… mainly Black and Gold!
The other side view!

A new painting job! British Guards in Bearskin (SIMKIN times…). (VI and last)

Visits: 198

Have finished the 4 Grenadiers to complete the first unit.

Easy enough I guess.

More bright red next time.

Enjoy!

PS: Churchill coming out nicely as a young officer of the 4th Hussars…

Finished
Working on the Ensigns of the second unit
Young Churchill in the 4th Hussars
Just a bit of work to do…