English Civil War - Cavalry charge!

Peter Gillson

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I now have everything I need for this diorama, which I hope to start in November - i have a couple of projects i want to finish first, but since the last stuff arrived today I though I would start the thread. It all came about by chance.

A while ago I bought this set of figures, really love the animation:

638856AB-7728-4DDC-8CEF-458609BA5DA2.jpeg
the kit has been sitting in the stash with me taking it down, looking at the figures but not quite motivated to building them. I think the problem was that although I really love the foot figures - the animation is fantstic- the same cannot be said of the hussar, he looks a bit stiff and does not have the same dynamic feel of the foot figures.

that was the situation until during the summer I came across this in another forum:

0DA08A74-DEAB-479A-83E1-18EE3C24185F.jpeg
These are 75mm figures and not my scale but gave me the idea - what about replicating this in 54mm and add them to the foot figures tocreate an English Civil War scene?

with the idea firmly planted it was just the little matter of sourcing parts for the cavalry. A quick visit to my stash in the loft where these were waiting for me:

B65DC948-7F67-4883-AA06-6686C22605ED.jpeg

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the four ECW mounted figures will provide four of the five mounted figures, with the fifth mounted figure being converted from the parts from the foot soldiers, if the composition needs it, I have enough to add another foot figures The Scot's grey is for the horse - one of the best galloping horses available in 54mm.

this is where today's delivery is the final part of the jigsaw - Historex horses to make the charging horses, and sone heads and hands for the figures:

070A49F2-8414-4DA1-A087-E8591329CB39.jpeg

There will be a fair amount of surgery needed to change the horses into the dynamic poses I need but fortunately the plastic used by Historex is a soft form of hard plastic and quite easy to cut and carve.

as soon as I finish a couple of projects (including the submarine boxed dio, I will be able to make a start on this. my plan is to not focus totally on this but to take one figue at a time and do other models between figures so that this project stays fresh.

Peter
 

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Jim R

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I'm looking forward to this. I love to see how you adapt/alter figures to suit your ideas. Always rather inspiring to watch someone do something which I can only dream of. I really enjoy watching The Repair Shop on TV for that very reason.
 

Peter Gillson

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Hi Jim

i'm also looking forward to starting - it is taking a lot of self-control to finish the models on the bench before starting - the temptation to start is huge!

Peter
 

Peter Gillson

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Apart form a little bit of airbrushing on a carrier I am ready to start this project.

I am not going to try an exact copy of the mounted figures, more use them as inspiration so I searched the WWW for photos of horses falling over and found this one which will be the pose for the central, falling horse:

IMG_9558.jpeg

there is one good point of contact to fix the horse and a couple of options for attaching the rider, possibly through the left arm so the torseo and legs are seperated from the horse. Firstly find the parts for the horse - photos to follow...
 

stona

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That horse has an 'Oh no! not again' look on its face, he said, pleading guilty to anthropomorphism.

It is a great pose for a falling horse, looking forward to seeing how you do this.
 

Peter Gillson

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Here are the donor horse parts;



IMG_0030.jpeg
the hose laying down will donate its rear legs and possibly the left fore leg. The other halves will donate their forelegs.

a lot of surgery is needed - now, where is my razor saw?
 

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Jim R

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I am sure you'll make a great job of this. Looking forward to the butchery. Just remember horses only have four legs. It's easy to get carried away with all this chopping :smiling:
 

Peter Gillson

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Any particular engagement in mind or just generic ECW? I'm onboard for sure
And I dare you to do one of Haselrig's Lobsters!
Steve - at the moment it's generic, but I am going to include a regimental flag, so as soon as I decide on the flag/regiment I can select an action which will lead to selecting the foot regiment and possibly the coat colours for them.

the only lobster I be working on would include a thermidor source.


Peter
 

Peter Gillson

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Here is this evening's work.

The two rear quarters need to be spread apart a little so filling with putty is needed, the pin is to connect it to the front parts:

IMG_5465.jpeg

This part will donate the front quarter, leg and center sections:

IMG_5466.jpeg

the other side was cut in a similar way, with them all put together the result is this:

IMG_5467.jpeg
It will all be left to set/cure overnight, tomorrow a lot more filling, sanding and detailing to be done, and one more pin to be added.
 

Tim Marlow

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Looking very interesting indeed Peter. Not a period we see modelled very often, and you are making a great start on it. One thing to keep in mind though, ECW horse, at least those that fought from horseback, came in two types. Gallopers and trotters. Only the lightly armoured gallopers would charge in like this. The more heavily armoured trotters would simply trot in and thrash around with their swords, relying on armour protection to keep them safe.
 
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