Hello out there, best wishes to you all. I know that these efforts have been a bit thin on the ground of late, this is basically down to my re-entering the world of work on a full time basis. This has cut down the amount of time available to paint and convert, which is annoying on one hand, but means a bit more financial security on the other.
Its nearly a year now since we purchased HELMET Soldiers, so this time the Blog is all things HELMET, I am unabashed and unashamed about this blatant form of self advertising, so there! We attended our second London Toy Soldier Show a couple of weeks back, and our sales were considerably up on the December event. It's good to meet and talk toy soldier stuff, the Internet is very good, but face to face is better. We had a good but tiring day, thanks to all those who said "hello". Next month we're at Richmond and back to London in June.
Also whilst on the topic of me. there's an article "what I wrote" in the latest Toy Soldier and Model Figure" mag covering Zulu War conversions. this includes a 17th Lancer made mostly from HELMET parts, apologies to the chap who looked at the model at the London Show thinking it was a new release.....one day perhaps.
So on to the pictures, they are mostly War of 1812 related, though the British could be used in other conflicts especially the Peninsular War. The first is a British Light Dragoon in the pre-1812 uniform, which I prefer, I intend to make a squadron - 19 figures - of these so we've released him as a new kit, details will be up on the website soon. I've started to use the foil from the top of bottles of red wine for the belts and straps it can be bent into realistic curves and bends, it also, the wine that is, tastes good. I've started to be a bit more creative in building the kits and on this chap have turned his right hand through 90 degrees to get the rather nice charging pose. (that's enough bragging -Ed.) The rest is pretty standard stuff, he's painted as from the 19th Light Dragoons who were, I think sent to Canada before receiving the new French style clothing.
The next pic is a member of the Maryland Light Dragoons, a militia outfit, I was kindly sent the uniform details from a re-enactor in the US, the dress of the regiment is similar in style to the British but with typically American details, pretty smart I think.
The picture of the two redcoats, I'll cover the third chap in a second, shows what is in effect work in progress. The middle figure is a standard HELMET infantryman, albeit with a new standard plate stovepipe shako head, the guy on the right has the same head but with a new body that is slightly different from the norm, his legs are a bit further apart and in a more dynamic pose, we're working on getting these made up for future release.
The first guy is a conversion of one of our infantrymen to a Wurttemburger of about 1812. I used our Russian Dragoon head with the stiff crest removed and replaced with a pipe cleaner. I also used a test shot of a new fur knapsack which we also hope to have available soon. I wanted to do something different that wasn't standard French infantry, anfd this is the result., I'm going to have a crack a doing a Bavarian as well, they can then go on and fight the terrific new Russian foot figures recently released by Black Cat in the States.
I'm slowly adding to our group of 95th Rifles and the next photo shows the result, new figures are a walking Rifleman, a Sergeant and an Officer wearing his pelisse. I did an earlier Officer using cavalry legs, he looks OK from some angles but head on wouldn't stop a pig in a passage!The final picture, set up, as are all our photos, by my son Jonathan, is called "Last Stand in the Peninsular" shows some of the forgoing, including the Rifles Sergeant in close up, I could also go on about the new Infantry pose, but I guess I've said enough about men's legs for one day.
Anyway thanks for looking by, hopefully there will be more news soon, in the meantime best wishes to you all and any feedback gratefully received as usual.
Cheers
Eric
