Military Modeling – My Toy Soldiers & Me

BRITAINS new (late XXth) cavalry sets from the Indian Raj (edited to show repairs)

I did not bought all of the sets or individual figures, only some, and I am glad I stopped because they are quite brittle (not a problem if you do not mess with them… but I do). I had a set of Central India Lancers with very bad stability -the horses had a tendency to tumble sideways- not all the 3 legs “touched” the ground at the same time… and I tried to fix them as I do with other commercial Toy Soldiers… OMG!… how easily broken (I stopped after 4 disasters!) -now trying to solder or weld them professionally- In fact I am interested in seeing if they can be mend at all.

As a thoroughly obsessed collector I even placed an order with London Bridge spare parts to see (if the ironworks repairing process does not work) if I can try another tack myself. A tangent on collecting and painting not much explored yet!

Will keep you posted. In fact see below!

Mended joints with Plasticine (or Milliput)

I bought three replacements just in case… lol

Just to get the right shade and there you are…

Curiously (as bought in ebay.co.uk) some of the sets more than a quarter of a century old are very well preserved, on the contrary some were not. The true nature of ebay sellers is not revealed until packages delivered, some are true optimists about items descriptions… but the majority of them are OK.

Look at the pictures and you will understand.

Hope you enjoy the info.

Disaster!… really imposible to bend the leg at all… the painting of the Toy Soldier was quite good mind!

I stopped after 4 “breaks” in a couple of minutes… Now sent to an ironworks place to see what happens…

Two sets of Hodson’s Horse in very good condition… had to paint some little “chipping” but very few and small areas. I painted the guidons dark blue under the red top to be more historical. The level of finition of the original Toy Soldiers I did find very good!

Did some works on the “sash” ends… lancers just plain dark red.

Another view. I am considering now (maybe tomorrow) to complete the sash on the right side of the rider (overpainted blue originally)… see what I’ll do… not decided yet.

On the left the original paint, on the right once modified.

Next unit to be checked and repaired: Skinner’s Horse (Yes both units are now with lances upright), the yellow coats were badly chipped off and it was difficult to match the original colour (in the end mixing yellow and orange Vallejo paints did the trick. Not as beautiful as Hodson’s Horse (IMHO) and have prevented me buying more sets. Work in progress.

The 8 sets of the 21st lancers were a complete success!… horse stability is fantastic… and repainting the horses was easy and fair. Still waiting for three figures to come to me from a profesional manufacturer (Dorset Soldiers – aka Antony Spencer)… he will supply Colonel Martin, Lieutenant Churchill and a non historical standard-bearer because I fancied one! Will add pics when they are all gloss varnished.

You can read more about them in the Post 21st Lancers at Omdurman in this same web page.

Dave Mitchel’s Diorama (ISANDLWANA)

It has been a while since I first saw this pics from an awesome diorama.

I have been delaying getting into it and making a Post because in a way it is so much Military Modeling and sculpting that the term Toy Soldier did not seem to apply to it.

After much reflection I decided to make a Post… it deserves it in spades.

There are no comments on the five pics… they are self explanatory I guess.

Enjoy!

Dilley’s (Senior) art works

Always have admired the work of the Dilley’s (father & son)… even bought the book (the original one in e-bay or amazon second hand shops… not sure exactly) done years ago and it is a treasured one in my collection.

I do not paint in mat, more Toy Soldier Classical gloss varnish for me… but as with Military Modeling I do appreciate CRAFTSMANSHIP!…

So…

Enjoy!

Diorama in a small base

Not my thing at all (personally) but I know quality when I see it. That bloody part of the late XIXth Century whem the European Powers (all of them) expanded “civilization” and “commerce”… all round the world… globalization at the point of the bayonet!

Masterful Military Modeling if you please!

In this case French troops.

Enjoy!

Francesco Thau’s Own 28mm

I am a huge fan of what Francesco does with 28mm Perry’s… unsurpassed IMHO… those mini dioramas are full of action and tasteful display (and some are standard figures or minis!)… mindblowing standard of painting if you ask me… not my favourite scale anymore… but dear me!… he tempts me everytime I see his works.

Enjoy!