A conversion experience of sorts...

I have been working on an AIP Army Black conversion today.I have had little experience of plastic figures having been scared off by paint adhesion.However it is proceeding well and today at the local model shop I succumbed to Airfix 1/32 ww2 German inf. I remember them vividly from my youth.They are now moulded in blue plastic!

Using my copy of Roy Dilley's book I hope to convery them to late war Army Black chaps or even Freikorps. Hope to post AIP conversion completed tomorrow . I have also been working on metal Army Red/White gun crew and cavalry.

Army Red/White French style...

Al Front kindly sent me these pictures of some Swiss figures by Starlux he bought in Edinburgh in the 1990s.They are super figures and a battalion of them would be just the thing in 1920s FLW onwards. Excellent looking chaps indeed!

A question of flags

Army Red/White are currently deciding upon flags for their infantry regiments. I have posted two designs.One features the name of the town the regiment comes from ,the other the heraldic device for the town. I am unsure which to go for  so I am asking you to vote in the poll at the side of the blog.Comments sought and alternative suggestions too...

How I got into Army Red/White

...I blame family holidays to Switzerland at an impressionable age and Elastolin for beginning my Swiss interests. 40mm landsknechts,60mm (?) trappers and Indians and modern day (early 70s that  is) composition figures all fuelled it. My parents bought me an Elastolin castle,now sadly gone, which my 40mm chaps fought over valiantly.
In the later seventies (I think) I picked up the above books - one surveys the Swiss Army throughout history and the other concentrates on ww2.I have posted pictures of just what inspiration they contain inside and out.Now if only I could find out more about Freyerabend and his paintings of late 18th century Swiss troops called up  to fight Bony and his hordes...but thats another story for another time- yes ok it was that Military Modelling article that has remained in my mind,I wish I had cut it out!

Army Red/White advances

In spite of my being in the doldrums last weekend with regard to the hobby (see my Tradgardland Blog for further details and the excellent advice I was given) I have bounced back and got down to business today. Army Red/White has featured heavily in my work as you can see. I am preparing the army for use next year in FLW forthcoming celebration.Along the way I want to try "Big Wars" rules too by Stuart Asquith and Jack Alexander.A copy of them was kindly sent by Joppy and I have read them with enthusiasm at night this week.The smaller units( 12 for infantry and 4/5 for cavalry) required fits in well with my current painting situation and space available.I am most indebted to Joppy for his kindness and the way this has "kick started" the 54mm modelling again for me-thanks!
The plan is to continue building Army Red/White for the foreseeable future and game (using Big Wars)with it small, interesting and  tactical all arms games on the dining room table or floor. Come the summer we shall move outdoors. In forth coming posts I will outline my current thinking on a background to this Army Red/White civil war. Notes have been scribbled,maps consulted and I am having fun- what more can one ask of the hobby?

New Year in 54mm

Well a new year has started here and little 54mm lead work done apart from thinking...

The sitting room has my daughters artwork to be submitted for Higher and Advanced Art respectively lying around in various states of completion. I am therefore doing no modelling lest I spill paint or glue on such wonderful creations. Not having a dedicated hobby room can be annoying at times...

I am coming to the conclusion  I ought to finish to Army Red/White units I have before branching out into Army Black.This seems sensible to me and a way forward rather than going off on another tangent. When I have the few units I possess painted I will get a pack of AIP chaps to oppose the Swiss. In the meantime I will have fun with some ideas for Duchy of Tradgardland troops and try my hand at conversions.

The first picture of 2012 is of Swedish troops and I hope you like it.Do tell me gentlemen of your own FLW plans too.

Folding Bicycles etc

I found these splendid images today whilst looking on the internet. This is my first post using the new Goggle Chrome blogger as my Internet Explorer appears to be no longer supported by Blogger- in other words change,annoyance and techy fuss! Apologies if the post looks odd. Anyway I am posting some images of troops training with folding bicycles as I am working on a couple of conversions of an Aide de Camp and Ducal guardsman for the Duchy of Tradgardland. I will post piccies soon I hope . In the interim enjoy these super drawings  and a Happy New Year when it comes to one and all!