Military Modeling – My Toy Soldiers & Me

ROY DILLEY ARTWORK

On the border line between Military Modeling (Scale Models) and Toy Soldiers (of the best quality), IMHO over the line and much more models than “toys” sure enough.

He did those works (artworks) in the fifties… with very limited materials at hand, to say nothing about paints and brushes.

A pioneer and a master of so many that he has become “the reference”.

Today he would have been a hundred years old and his heir Tony (see other posts about his work) posted those pics in Facebook.

They do not need comment or words from me… I just framed and polished a bit the pics.

Enjoy! (And get a copy of his book).

54MM Toy Soldiers NEW William BRITAINS (from the nineties) small conversions

Followers of this website must know I am now collecting sets of the BRITAINS CENTENIAL COLLECTOR SERIES (1993)… to use in AGW Old school wargames.

With the Infantry there is no issue as they come in sets of 6… so two sets makes a complete Unit and that’s it. On the contrary Cavalry Sets have 4 Cavalrymen… you buy two boxes and then you have two redundant figures (redundant is a term I do not use at all) to be converted in something else.

Bought two sets of the 4th Hussars and then one trumpeter and one sergeant were promptly repainted to represent another regiment of Hussars of SIMKIN times… they will be added to the General Staff (A General always needs a trumpeter and a flag!)… or whatever… had fun messing with them… still not gloss varnished mind… probably work a bit more with the flag too (in the pic it is not correct… mend it by now!)… and why not paint the trumpeter’s horse white? (done too!)

Enjoy!

“New” Standardbearer… the flag is wrong and has been repainted!

Finally painted the horse white.Original and Conversion.

Also painted the horses lancers in other colours… too many blacks as it is!

They still lack gloss varnish… but you get the idea…

TRADITION OF LONDON: Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Regimental Sergeant Major 54mm small conversion

Curiously enough this cast (unpainted) was one of the first minis I ever painted myself (as it was mean to be… red tunic & all… and there it is still in my collection). One day I noticed I did not have thought of buying from DUCAL a RSM… so… I bought from Tradition of London the kit again and have painted in a new version with pace stick (a bit of steel paper clip).

There you have it hope you like it.

There… it only lacks the gloss finish… will add when dry!

Gloss varnished… project finished!

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.

The Second US Cavalry as portrayed in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (VIII)

Quite effective (and boring) session today… doing dark blue saddle accoutrements on the horses… tedious yes… but nearly there… LOL

Seriously what I can notstand is SUPERGLUE in my fingers… now I use the same gloves as in pandemic times.

Enjoy!

PS: Keeping yellow colour for the last touchs!

The Second US Cavalry as portrayed in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (VII)

Well, yes I could do the faces (not yet finished of course… it lacks eyebrows, eyes and mouth + sole moustaches and full beards…). So for those who expected Buffalo Soldiers it is not the case that was the primer colour all over.

Coming up slow but sure.

Would be fun to paint the non regulation scarves in differet colours.

And yellow stripes on breeches blue only for NCO’s and Officers.

As I have said horses would be the last.

Enjoy!

The Second US Cavalry as portrayed in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (VI)

Did the hats and the sack of oats for the horses… also experimenting with braces… not sure about the troopers yet!

Maybe tomorrow will start the faces.

Enjoy!

The Second US Cavalry as portrayed in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (V)

Keep doing things and adding colours.

Painting rithm well established.

Guess small parts of the minis are faster to paint!

Enjoy!

PS: Long finished nowadays and trying to complete the collection with another batch.

The Second US Cavalry as portrayed in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (IV)

Having some order at last.

Now it will be more fun as details are less and less cumbersome… will let the horses colours for the end I guess.

It is useful to hold on the horse to paint the soldiers…

Enjoy!

The Second US Cavalry as portrayed in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON. (II) and some distractions on the side

I had a set of Guardsmen from REPLICA and decided to assemble them after a crisis (I nearly sent them away to be painted!)… then on reflection I thought better paint myself… long winter months ahead (if there is a winter).

Enjoy!