Brucie's French Foreign Legion, Bir Hakeim in 1:72 conversions

[BattlewagonBruce]

I made a full FFL battalion plus support for a client in NZ. I used Airfix and a few others to try and capture the look of the propaganda pics from Bir Hakeim.

I am now offering full Battalion units (I use the Rapid Fire lists but thats not fixed), painted and based.

I use some imagination to make support weapons like the Boys AT and the 2inch mortar. I also added some more detail to the Engineer figure.

So far I have done early German, Russian and these FFL. Hope to set up a website. I have a jungle and North Africa Aussie units in progress too.

Figures are around £2.85 each painted and based.

Here is the FFL:













Hope people like them.

[robh]

I think you captured the "look" very well. Kepis are a little tall but do look the part. Are those sprue offcuts?
Nicely done.

[Slayer]

they look fantastic 

[BattlewagonBruce]

I think you captured the "look" very well. Kepis are a little tall but do look the part. Are those sprue offcuts?

I sanded them down as much as I dared. Might be slightly tall. yes it is sprue offcut and plastic card stamped out for the peaks. I might adjust a few before I send them out.







thanks guys

[Helen]

Nice work Bruce. Waiting on the Perry Brothers to make the French for their desert range.

Cheers,

Helen

[BattlewagonBruce]

Waiting on the Perry Brothers to make the French for their desert range

and maybe some Diggers too!

Here are some of my 20mm conversions using top half of jungle Airfix and Revell Diggers with bottom of the stalwart 8th Army figs etc, from Airfix (Oh and a surrendering DAK schutzen)







Working on Arab Legion and SAS conversions at present in 20mm.

ta

Bruce

[Helen]

Yup, they look good. Don't forget the Poles and South Africans too.

Ciao,

Helen

[BattlewagonBruce]

and the Kiwis!

did you forget them on purpose()?

I am going to do some of them too as I think the Airfix WW1 Doughboy hat passes for a lemonsqueezer quite well. If i do some head swaps on the 8th army figs they might look quite good.

Just need to find some cheap figs with South African looking helmets to do those as well.

I have an order for a large Bersaglieri unit too at present which is nearly done. Might post some pics of those too. I used the Waterloo figs and did head swaps with the excellent Milicast resin heads you can get as the poses in that set are limited.

cheer

Bruce

[Cecil Gaybody]

Dear Boy,
What great work and what great value.

keep it up
Cecil

[BattlewagonBruce]

Thanks Cecil

aimed at time poor gamers.

German and Russian inf units work out about £100

The FFL unit was just under £200.

Bruce

[Helen]

and the Kiwis!

did you forget them on purpose()?

I am going to do some of them too as I think the Airfix WW1 Doughboy hat passes for a lemonsqueezer quite well. If i do some head swaps on the 8th army figs they might look quite good.

Just need to find some cheap figs with South African looking helmets to do those as well.

I have an order for a large Bersaglieri unit too at present which is nearly done. Might post some pics of those too. I used the Waterloo figs and did head swaps with the excellent Milicast resin heads you can get as the poses in that set are limited.

cheer

Bruce

Yes I did forget, but my mind is on my partner in hospital at the moment. The Bersaglieri will be a joy to see. I'm raising the Pavia Division, well two battalions anyway. Long term project for El Alamein.

Ciao,

Helen

[BattlewagonBruce]

Sorry to hear about your partner.

I was only pulling your leg about the NZ bit of ANZAC.

Finished off some Arab Legion Cav today. A project I started about 5 years ago!

Got an Early War minis 18 pounder that I am going to put with my Arab Legion when I can convert some crew. I believe they were used in WW2 by them.

Hoping to get away with using them in a 20mm WW1 desert game too. There is a nice 1:72 train model mag out in the UK at present so I have my eyes on one coming out that I could make look like a Turkish troop train.

Probably use Early War Minis Turks as I paint for them and they are great figs. I have their ALH and Indian cav which are lovely.

Try and finish the WW2 desert stuff first.

many thanks

Bruce

[Helen]

Sorry to hear about your partner.

I was only pulling your leg about the NZ bit of ANZAC.

Finished off some Arab Legion Cav today. A project I started about 5 years ago!

Got an Early War minis 18 pounder that I am going to put with my Arab Legion when I can convert some crew. I believe they were used in WW2 by them.

Hoping to get away with using them in a 20mm WW1 desert game too. There is a nice 1:72 train model mag out in the UK at present so I have my eyes on one coming out that I could make look like a Turkish troop train.

Probably use Early War Minis Turks as I paint for them and they are great figs. I have their ALH and Indian cav which are lovely.

Try and finish the WW2 desert stuff first.

many thanks

Bruce

That's quite okay Bruce, and thanks. Will be interested in seeing the Arab Legion at some point.

Ciao,

Helen

[axabrax]

Nice stuff. My understanding is that most of the FFLL in the desert actually wore the Tommy Tin hat, but I modeled my platoon with the Kepis too -- just because they look cool 

[BattlewagonBruce]

seems a lot about the FFL on the forum at present.

Yes the Kepi Blanche is a bit legend rather than reality.But it does look cool.