English Civil War - Cavalry charge!

[Peter Gillson]

The other weakness in the historex horses is surprising given the high level of details in the rest of their parts - the hair at the bottom of the legs, around the fetlock is pretty well none existent:



I was wondering how to illustrate the way the hooves need to be detailed when I came across an illustration in a copy of Military Modelling from the 1970's by Mike Thomas:



many years ago I bought a pyrograve from Historex Agents, sadly it 'died' some years ago so I purchased this from a local craft shop:



after sharpening one of the tips with a file I was able to detail the hair:



It gets a bit too hot for plastic so it was a matter of heating it up, turning it off snd using it for a couple of legs before repeating the process. i cannot complain since I bought the cheapest one they had. More expensive ones exist which have temp controllers, but for the few occasions I will use it, this one is fine.

peter

[Jim R]

What an interesting thread. The information about the roles of different riders and how they trained to fight was new knowledge for me. Your approach to horse "butchery" is very well explained.
Like Scottie though I think confidence is as important as the knowledge.

[Davethehat]

Just came across this post today good luck with this project going to be keeping an eye out for your progress

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Guys

the butchery is progressing. All five horse have been converted up to the stage where mains and tails need to be added. These will be addd after the equipment is added; for the mains - so that the bottom part falls on the equipment. For the tails - so I bon't knock them off!

the final positioning is not decided but here is a group photo:






the eagle eyed may notice a sixth horse - one just standing still. It is a while since I converted and painted horses so this is my 'tester'. It will be the first one to have the harness etc added, - a practice run before the main five are worked on.



the reason two are elastic banded together is that only one of them will be pinned to the base - the second will be leaping in the air with no hooves touching the ground. He will be linked to the first so that only one of the 8 legs of two horses will actually touch the ground.

next - the harness etc.

[Neil Merryweather]

Love it Peter- bring it on!

[Peter Gillson]

I have decided to try something a little different. In the past i have fitted the harness and saddle before painting - its easier to get a good fit. but this time I am going to have a try at making the saddle etc to be removable so I can paint the horse and saddle separately and then put the painted items together. More complicated to sculpt but easier to paint.

[JR]

Most interesting Peter. Those horses look good .
The work on the lower leg looks most realistic, shall follow this and lean .

[Peter Gillson]

Most interesting Peter. Those horses look good .
The work on the lower leg looks most realistic, shall follow this and lean .

Thank john - historex horses are so good, and so many poses that it makes the rest pretty straightforward.


Peter

[Graeme C.]

Hi Peter, I've never seen anyone doing a cavalry charge, the conversions on the horses are interesting, watching to see how you do this. :thumb2:

[Jim R]

Bloody marvellous Peter. To even contemplate this does you credit ( assuming you're not some masochistic madman :smiling: ). I can't remember whether at a show or in a book but I saw a model where one horse was not touching the ground but was supported by an adjacent horse. Great work so far. Looking forward to the next stage.

[Tim Marlow]

Bloody marvellous Peter. To even contemplate this does you credit ( assuming you're not some masochistic madman :smiling: ). I can't remember whether at a show or in a book but I saw a model where one horse was not touching the ground but was supported by an adjacent horse. Great work so far. Looking forward to the next stage.

Was that Bill Horan’s charge of the light brigade dio?

[Jim R]

That rings a bell, Tim. If it was it was in a book. I have his book and possibly saw it there. I'll have to have a look.

[Tim Marlow]

That rings a bell, Tim. If it was it was in a book. I have his book and possibly saw it there. I'll have to have a look.

That’s the book with the Gandamak dio in it I think….I’ve got it somewhere as well.

[Jim R]

Tim - It was a Bill Horan book.


This was what I had remembered. He says that of the 12 hooves of the 4 horses only 2 are pinned to the ground.


Bill Horan's work is quite simply awe inspiring.

Sorry Peter to have slightly hijacked your thread with old memories :rolling:

[Tim Marlow]

Tim - It was a Bill Horan book.
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This what was I had remembered. He says that of the 12 hooves of the 4 horses only 2 are pinned to the ground.
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Bill Horan's work is quite simply awe inspiring.

Sorry Peter to have slightly hijacked your thread with old memories :rolling:

Yep, that’s the one I’ve got as well. Didn’t do bad with Humbrol paint did he.