Usually when I say 'Work Bench' I mean an assortment of paintjobs and conversions nearing completion. One thing you can say of me is I don't spurn variety! I actually get bored with particular projects and begin others. Eventually, though, they do near completion. Some of these I have been working on for a few months.
Scottish marching highlanders. How much is too much 'restoration'? Well most of these figures were in very poor condition, especially missing arms. Some had holes in their bodies. So do I aim to "restore' them to 'original condition'? yes, I get that they are very old, 'collectible' and so on. But really, they were meant to be cheap children's playthings and in their battered condition they are not worth a fortune. So I figure, why not make them look better than original? These figures are a compromise between 'toy' finish and 'model'. people like Roy Dilley used to repaint them, with better eyes but still the rosy cheeks etc. I do something similar. However, I don't aim for a purely mat finish but something like how they come down to us in a semi-gloss finish. These are not yet varnished but that is what I aim for.
As 'ceremonials' they also don't have much equipment so I have taken to adding ammo pouches and other equipment. I have several makes so the figures differ greatly in height just as would real soldiers, although here it is sometimes radically so.
I am repainting kilts to show the same regiment and will keep to the original simple representation. marching poses among contemporary plastics plastics are not so common so I am taking advantage of these old metals when marching ones were more common. I might fill in the unit with some herald and Lone Star plastics, although the former are annoyingly short. I still need to add haversacks, canteens and bayonets, a bit tedious but will make them look more ready for campaigns. I took a shortcut with belts and just painted them on where they did not always exist on the original moldings.
Temu Frenchman WW1. I Iiked that he had a radio but he was a disappointment for being closer to 1/24. The other figure is a conversion of Timee space figure into a 19th century imagi-nations figure, namely a Beersteiner hero. I have to make a sword (replacing light sabre) and a scabbard.
The President Trump figure is a resin one I made from a gelatine mold and a copy of an original made in the Marx president theme. The figure came out a bit lumpy. Now I know a lot of people have strong political views for or against here and I have my own which I won't indulge so any comment keep non- political and light hearted as I am not going to manage a political debate here. However he is an interesting addition to my collection. I have some of the other original Marx presidents.
The photo is a bit blurry but these are restorations of Britains cavalry. I especially like the earlier big plumed Lifeguards. I add the bases as they are very prone to domino falling and I want to use them in wargames.
Left: Armies in Plastic American Revolution pistol shooter, I usually use as an officer, in need of a saddle. The later 19th century Prussian Armies in Plastic is painted as a Second Ruritanian lancer. I'll be doing a full unit of 12. Cavalry trim is yellow but regimental distinctions are shown by the plastron, with first light blue and second, pink. I did not have a good brass paint so the metal helmet is more of a bronze color. traditionally buglers tended to have grey or white horses.
My actual Ruritanian figures are not meant to strictly correspond to any literary tradition but just follow my own color schemes and uniform cut. I have made light grey the common jacket color except for the guard which has red jackets.
Dulcop Napoleonic Red Lancers, Dutch in French service. The red looks more orange here than intended. I like the faces on Dulcop figures but hands and feet tend to be too small. The horses are rather strange looking so Ill be using some other horses, probably Airfix, as the rider legs are too close together for Britains horses.
the centre figure is a South American made (?) Roman given a beard and destined to be a dwarf soldier! The figures are just of a close to dwarf anatomy so why not use them as dwarfs? In the background is a conversion of Japanese, an eye monster and at right an Armies in Plastic Boxer. There is alsoa prone 28 mm scale angel from Temu; (I had thought I was getting bigger scale figure).
Boxer, Union reservist or volunteer and conversion of copy of Herald Indian to Munchkin cavalryman.
Replicants horse and Turkish cavalryman
I haven't decided if this will be his horse but the 1870s Turk is made from an Airfix cowboy.
Beersteiner knight riding a 'Cold One'. I have to add a saddle. the top half of the rider is Timpo and the bottom half is Britains detail with lower portion of projecting tunic added.
he started with a HK swoppet shield but then I changed it to a DSG one but left the straps.
Here is a Bogavanian hero made from BMC Alamo Colonel Travis.
Mississippi soldier in red frock coat. My dearly departed pal, Dave, made this as a home casting from the A Call to Arms cored ACW soldier. Eventually I'll make a unit and use them as Beersteiners, when they enter the equivalent of the 1860s era. red jackets are the common Beersteiner uniform.
Dulcop french officer painted generically. He will probably be a Bogavanian general.
Here are some more pics of my marching highlanders. I also have bagpipers and drummers not shown here.
Here is a bit of a contrast with a hard plastic Marx sheriff. he had no pistol hand and I rebuilt it with Green Stuff and wire. Has he got the money bag to protect it or is he pinching it?
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