My Figure Repair Kick Goes Ballistic

 I continue to delve into my boxes of battered hollowcast and home castings, most of which I was kindly given some years ago by friend (deceased) Dave Bryant. Most of the original figures I picked up on the Internet or at markets. I prefer to get broken and battered ones because they are usually very cheap even if some fools think they are worth big money. So here is what I am finally doing with some of them:

 Left back two hollowcast that were missing arms and heads. I am making them into Prussians (well, 'Hermans' in my games). I didn't arm them because I figure I could use them manning various guns or perhapsas pioneers etc. Front left is a machine gunner who lacked a head; he now has an Australian Light horse head. (Dave took to undercoating stuff gold because he thought it was a good sealant, What he was going to do with the head I don't know). Next is a Rifles figure who I gave an arm, Then there is a French soldier who could be from the Franco Prussian War to WW1. The head i found for him was actually hollow so maybe it was his original head. Although Britains intended him as French I could also paint him as a Belgian. Next are two home cast prussians - well they are Prussians now I selected those heads. Alternatively, they could be Chileans.

                 Spares Galore - a portion of my spare parts appear in the following photos.

   Britains Belgians which could also be painted as French. I removed the greatly damaged paint some time ago. The rifles can be repaired with drilling and brass rod. I might do something different with the headless bloke and give him either a bandaged or a shako head; Belgians wore kepis and shakoes and later Adrian helmets.

                                       The first British infantry soldier is cruder than Britains. The Britains Drummer boy is a nice figure.

                                                I recently found a furled flag for the marine.

'Your kind don't belong here'. I love this plastic figure who, in style is very similar to his metal companions. I think the hard plastic dismounted soldier was a cake decoration. I have taken the unusual step of arming him with a rifle instead of a sword. Some might even say this borders on the perverse but my figures are nearly all intended as potential fodder for  wargames. Even the heavy cavalry, on a more modern battlefield might have occasion to use firearms. David would be highly puzzled and perhaps even scathing of this eccentricity.

                                             I like the old fashioned painting style and may leave the face except for addition of a moustache. The off white plastic looks good too. I wonder at the edging of the jacket at the bottom and if this variation was common.