The original Hinton Hunt figure range was poorly supplied with flag-bearer figures and back in the early 70s I was forced to attempt my first conversion to produce a Prussian one. This consisted of gluing a wobbly bit of unbent paperclip into the hands of an advancing figure (the one supplied without a musket) and attaching a hand painted paper flag to the staff. Not the most difficult of tasks you would think but in the days before super-glue or commercially produced flags I found it pretty challenging. Sadly I have no photo of that one but here is the result of my efforts over the last couple of nights.
Figure painted by Matt Golding, flag by Revo, conversion by yours truly
The figure is a standard bearer for my Nassau Grenadiers converted from NN/3 Nassau Officer (charging). The conversion involved using some of the mysterious “green stuff” I have often seen mentioned on other blogs (who can forget the Black Adder “purest green” sketch? Click here if you have!). For the uninitiated Green Stuff is a two-pack putty that slowly hardens when mixed together and eventually dries rock hard. I used it to make the top bit to the flagstaff and the ends of the dangling cords. It was also used in bionic man fashion to reconstruct the hand that grips the flagstaff.
Before and after
I opted for a flag from Revo rather than try to make one myself. As far as I know Revo flags were the first proper commercially produced flags for wargamers so I feel they are appropriate for use in this project. The flags are printed on sticky backed paper and can be quite a fiddle to attached to the flagstaff properly but in this case I made a perfect job of it first time, perfect until I realised I had stuck the thing on upside down. It was quite a job to put it right but as you can see I did manage it in the end.
What a whopper
Now he looks neat! Perhaps the bigger flag was for Lord Flashheart?
ReplyDeleteMatt
Great job Ian,
ReplyDeleteVery nicely done.
I started an Elite Nassau regiment many, many moons ago and I remember fiddling about with the flag (handpainted the darn thing if I remember).
What a good conversion ! looks like a Hinton standard bearer
ReplyDeletethe flag is a god match size wise,
is it 15 mil ?
Paul
Thanks for the comments chaps!
ReplyDeleteI did try to make the finished item as Hinton Hunt-ish as possible by using quite thick brass rod for the flag pole and making the flag fittings a bit chunky. The flag is from the 25mm Revo range and you're right Paul is does seem a good size match.
Nice one Matt - Lord Flasheart - woof woof!!!
The Flag bearer looks delectable Ian, A real hero!
ReplyDeleteIs that a whole regiment of Nassau grenadiers ?? The grenadiers ought, I thought, to be only the elite grenadier company.
Hinton produced the grenadier figure way earlier than the nassau fusilier figure. People were left with a puzzle as to what to do. Many did paint up units as all grenadiers, some converted HH french 1815 infantry to fusiliers. Eventually proper shako wearing fusiliers came along with a very nice sunburst shako plate.
Some people took the Nassau grenadier and painted them as elite French Light Infantry companies. I have a unit that I bought years ago which is a complete French Light infantry battalion but all are wearing the colpack which is an additional wierdness.
That nassau elite is a lovely figure and I can see why guys wanted lots of them rather than just 4 or 6!!
Roy
Roy
Hi Roy - I didn't really have the option of a more realistic establishment as I have no fusilier figures. However, as you know, realism isn't a particular feature of this project so I'm happy with grenadier only unit. The fact that the fusilier was created quite late (it doesn't appear in my 1972 HH catalogue) means there are probably fewer about which may explain why I have never come across one.
ReplyDeleteHi Ian,
ReplyDeleteThat flagpole is the length of an ECW pike!! Your's is an excellent little conversion.
re the points made about the Grenadier unit I can understand totally where you are coming from. Back then wargamers tended to field armies comprising the units that they wanted to collect/paint rather than adhere to a strict historical OOB as most wargamers seem to do now days, and as Roy points out ranges were not as complete as they are today. Most French armies started with a battalion of Old Guard Grenadiers for example and the second or third unit would be Swiss!
Look forward to seeing them based and ready for action.
Cheers,
Lee.
There is a sort of charm to having the grenadier only unit:-))
ReplyDeleteI see that Clive Smithers has , on the Hinton Hunter, Nassau units with only fusiliers.... surely that is a marriage made in heaven?? A swop?
Though not a swop for the lovely standard bearer I suspect.
Of course you could restrict your collection to the 1972 catalogue only. That would be ultra purity, a bit like the Judeaen Pepolpe's Revolutionary Front in Life of Brian.
Most of love the German troops of Napoleon, I think I mentioned I once failed to buy a combined Confederation regt that had Lippe Detmold and Saxe-Whatever in it and have regretted my hesitation for 30 years.
Can we have some white uniforms next please?? I like white uniforms!
Roy
My flagpoles are made from pins with a small plasticene bit to make the eagle or the corresponding end-of-pole ornament.
ReplyDeleteThe yours look very nice!
Regards
Rafa