Benno's Figures Forum

Posted by **Harry Faversham** on 19 Dec 2022, 15:15

Remember getting this set in the early 60s for Crimbo!
Now it's King Richard the Lionfart's Castle!

Posted by **Peter** on 19 Dec 2022, 15:23

That castle is very nice painted! :thumbup:

Posted by **Susofrick** on 19 Dec 2022, 17:24

Oh, how I longed for that castle as a kid. And when they reissued it I bought Sahara and La Haye Sainte first. And then it was gone from the shelves. Nicely painted! And those knights aren't from King John!

Posted by **Minuteman** on 19 Dec 2022, 18:37

Super, a trip down memory lane indeed!

Posted by **Harry Faversham** on 10 Mar 2023, 14:06

Back in the day, 60s that is, you could build massive Napoleonic Armies, financed by the brass from yer paper round. In them days of yesteryear, you were a bit stumped in the Cavalry department. All you had were heavyweight Hussars on spindly legged horses, and even dafter dwarf Curryasars! How then, did you depict the Scots Greys charging to glory, like in the film? Major surgery and a dodgy paint job, that's how!

Posted by **Minuteman** on 10 Mar 2023, 21:35

Those were the days, and desperate days they were too with two Airfix Waterloo cavalry sets (small cuirassiers, large hussars) and of course a set of useful US cavalry as well.

However, until Esci, Italeri and HaT came to the rescue, ingenuity could produce passable bodies of Napoleonic cavalry through conversion and optimistic paint jobs.

My first conversion was French cuirassiers into Polish lancers, Simply cutting the horsehair mane to make a czapka, a pin through the sword hand, Sellotape penons on the lancers (which always came loose) and paintjob.

Cuirassiers also made Carabiniers (plastic wood Chenille), French line lancers, British Heavy Dragoons, British Life and Horse Guards, and Prussian cuirassiers. Thick card bases to compensate for lack of stature.

Waterloo British cavalry (hussars) as hussars of any nation.

US cavalry as Scots Greys (with Airfix AWI Grenadier heads of course), British and KGL light dragoons, and most forms of Prussian cavalry (with French shakos). The rolled up sleeves of the US troopers were covered up with several layers of thick enamel paint! And then a suitable paint job.

Valises, rolled blankets etc all plastic wood.

Lots of work but happy days :yeah:

Posted by **Harry Faversham** on 12 Mar 2023, 16:21

Minuteman wrote:Cuirassiers also made Carabiniers (plastic wood Chenille), French line lancers, British Heavy Dragoons, British Life and Horse Guards, and Prussian cuirassiers. Thick card bases to compensate for lack of stature.
Waterloo British cavalry (hussars) as hussars of any nation.

Yep, British Heavy Dragoons, and heavyweight Hussars!

Posted by **Minuteman** on 14 Mar 2023, 14:57

Splendid sight, Harry! A real throw-back to days gone by, and you have done wonders with these old Airfix figures, conversions and all.

My own Airfix Napoleonic conversions are tucked away in a box up in the loft somewhere. I'll have to get them down some time, will bring back some good memories of battles fought on the table-top all those decades ago!

PS: I also have some of those old plastic alder trees that feature in your pictures, just the thing to create woods for wargames back in the 1970s.

Posted by **MABO** on 14 Mar 2023, 15:46

I like very much to see your old Airfix Figs painted and based. I am younger, so I played with the figures and did not know much about historical facts. When I have more knowledge about it, I have not started collecting and painting. When I begin with the hobby the golden age of 1/72 scale plastic figures started. So no need for converting so many figures.

Posted by **Harry Faversham** on 15 Mar 2023, 09:26

Minuteman wrote:PS: I also have some of those old plastic alder trees that feature in your pictures, just the thing to create woods for wargames back in the 1970s.

Here's Quatre Bras, done in proper 'Old Skool'. Last year we took a visit to yesteryear with the Airfix Veterans!

Posted by **Minuteman** on 15 Mar 2023, 14:16

Yep, definitely 'old school'! A tablecloth (preferably green if available from your Mum) over the dining table, and a time limit on game moves driven by family mealtimes!

Posted by **Peter** on 15 Mar 2023, 17:57

Minuteman wrote:Yep, definitely 'old school'! A tablecloth (preferably green if available from your Mum) over the dining table, and a time limit on game moves driven by family mealtimes!

Luckely these figures are based. My figures weren't, and when my father passed by, knocked his fist on the table......... it was game over! Earthquake he said! :mrgreen:

Posted by **MABO** on 16 Mar 2023, 06:56

Peter wrote:Luckely these figures are based. My figures weren't, and when my father passed by, knocked his fist on the table......... it was game over! Earthquake he said!

But that isn't nice!

Posted by **Harry Faversham** on 16 Mar 2023, 09:47

Our first table was a couple of pasteboards painted green. They had legs even spindlier than an Airfix Curryasar's, one nudge, then an hour spent standing all the Sowjers back up!

:xd: