Modelling the Perry Plastics (UPDATE: lots of pics 28.06.2015 p.7)

[Admiral Benbow]

From 1972 to 1974 the great Sid Horton published a series of modelling articles in Airfix magazine: "Charge of the Light Brigade" and "Return from Balaclava". He used the then new 54 mm Airfix plastic figure kits - mostly napoleonics - and converted them to new crimean war miniatures. I had a subscription for the magazine (mainly for tank and aircraft modelling) and was hooked to Horton's work from the very first moment. It was my start into the miniature world, and I learned to convert plastic figures with those brilliant articles. The famous "Return from Balaclava" painting by Lady Butler fascinated me and I started to recreate it as a diorama with the Airfix conversions.

Well, one of the very early "started-but-not-finished-projects", I'm sure you know what I mean, but I do still have all of the conversions in a small box; see them below.








Why do I mention this? Because Horton showed me how to convert cheap plastic men and horses with modelling knife, saw, putty and poly cement and to create something entirely new from it, and that's one of my modelling passions till today. So, after getting the Perry WotR-plastics in my hands, I had lots of ideas to convert them a bit ...

First, the horses. They are among the very best sculpted horses I've seen so far in this scale, and you could create lots of variations combining the body halves and heads; this has been counted at Captain Blood's great WotR-WIP-thread already. But could you go further? What about modifying completed horse bodys by cutting them in two parts again, front and back, and exchange those halves? Endless possibilities ...

I started to modify leg positions to get new dynamic galloping poses, a bit more extreme than the standard horse halves would let you, but nonetheless a classic pose:



It's essential to cut the legs by roughly 45° cuts with a fine jewellers saw to get them correctly repositioned, and to support other cuts with polystyrene slices from the parts frames. When the main operations are glued with liquid cement and finished, everything must harden overnight to get a firm basis for further work.







The joints were filled and smoothed over with Magic Sculpt, and new harness and reins added from very thin plasticard.


On to advanced modelling: a hit and falling horse (the falling rider will be a real modelling experience later ...):






To get the pose right, two different horse halves were combined and slightly twisted, and the neck was cut two times and bend to the side, supported with plastic slices. The two left over body halves were also combined and another new pose created, this time a bit more relaxed one:






I will continue to show my conversions here when finding time, and hopefully the fully painted figures as well.

Have fun!
 

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Now this is a very creative thread, top notch, Michael, you give me ideas Keep it going, awesome stuff!

[Keith]

Oh yes - the true joys of plastic!

[Captain Blood]

The two left over body halves were also combined and another new pose created, this time a bit more relaxed one:

Brilliant Michael. This one is my favourite. There's a definite need for a more walking / less galloping plastic horse, and the 'fore-and-aft-cut-and-shut' seems to be the solution

Looking forward to following your work here.

[Admiral Benbow]

Some more pics, this time some foot soldiers converted to fit to an artillery piece; very time consuming to find suitable figures with a potential to convert them to pushing/pulling ones. Hope they are believable?













The gun is a burgundian heavy bombard by Foundry.

[joroas]

Does it show my age if I remember doing this at the time? 

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Some more pics, this time some foot soldiers converted to fit to an artillery piece; very time consuming to find suitable figures with a potential to convert them to pushing/pulling ones. Hope they are believable?

yes!! wow! 

[Svennn]

Tremendous  As someone who does not even have the patience to build them straight from the sprue I am both jealous and in awe

[Malamute]

Wonderful, truly wonderful.

[painterman]

Wow, they are fantastic and make my attempts at changing horse tack looks very basic.
They are great inspiration on what can be done (I too recall lots of plastic conversions in Mil MOd mag in 1970s).
I love the gun crew, they look very convincing and I'm tempted to have a go sometime, using your ideas.

Simon.

[Silent Invader]

This is another great thread for savouring and referencing !

I too have fond memories of Military Modelling and plastic conversions (though my efforts were far from your standard). Could it be that many of those enjoying the possibilities of Perry Plastics are ..... ahem .... of a certain age?!

[Dr DeAth]

Very inspiring stuff.

I'll be looking at my 54mm Victrix sprues in a different light from now on

[Captain Blood]

Could it be that many of those enjoying the possibilities of Perry Plastics are ..... ahem .... of a certain age?!

Well I certainly am

Love the manhandling gun crew Michael. They look very convincing.
I have built a couple of artillerymen myself today - having just ordered the two Perry metal field pieces, and being less than completely enamoured with the look of one or two of the metal crew...

I must say though (in amongst all this Perry plastic excellence) there are a couple of slightly dodgy components in the Mercenaries box. The figure lifting the tail of your gun has one of them. The shoulder on his right arm is distorted at the top. It's out of proportion. I've tried this arm on a number of figures - and it always looks slightly wrong... 

[OSHIROmodels]

Very inspirational work  

One comment I would make is that I think one or two more of the gun crew should have their heads down, I've moved a gun of a similar size and you do spend a lot of time looking downwards for obstacles etc.

cheers

James

[Phil Robinson]

Some more pics, this time some foot soldiers converted to fit to an artillery piece; very time consuming to find suitable figures with a potential to convert them to pushing/pulling ones. Hope they are believable?

Hell yes! very natural looking.