1:43 scale omnibus for my Victorians

[War In 15MM]

A year ago I completed my 28mm Victorian city.  I was and am extremely pleased with the end result, but there was one thing I wished it included that I just couldn’t find.  That one thing was a 1:43 scale omnibus.  It took me years to collect all the pieces for that collection, and I began collecting long before West Wind came out with its Empire of the Dead vehicles.  Because I wanted my streets filled with people and traffic, I looked for carriages that would fill that need and discovered the Broom 1:43 scale carriages.  They are beautiful, and I have no regrets about using them, but they did not make an omnibus and the only omnibus manufacturers I could find seemed to be making them in sizes that were just too small for my needs.  On the eve of concluding my work on this collection, I discovered that Matchbox made what appeared to be a larger-scale omnibus in their Models of Yesteryear line, but at the time I couldn’t find confirmation of its actual size and the price people were asking on eBay was always between $50 and $60 once shipping was included and that was too much for me to gamble on.  Nonetheless, a year later I still hoped to find an omnibus for my collection, and on Saturday I found the Models of Yesteryear omnibus on eBay for $30, shipping included.  I decided to take the chance.  It arrived on Tuesday, and it is 1:43 scale and absolutely beautiful.  Because it is covered with wonderful signs, I decided to do a very limited amount of repainting… some work on the wheels, repainted the horses, a little paint work on the four figures, and then I masked the windows and gave it a clear flat spray.  I am a happy man.  I’ve provided pictures below (modified and original).  Hope you like it, too.  For those of you who haven’t seen my Victorian city (the world my omnibus will travel in), you can see it at www.warin15mm.com/Victorian-Gallery.html

[kidterminal]

It looks fantastic Richard!

[LazarusKing]

Great stuff!

I LOVE your victorian city.  Everything fits together seamlessly.  Not a thing looks out of place. 

Are those rat swarms (which are awesome, by the way) made up of reaper swarm bases?

[War In 15MM]

Thanks to both of you for the kind words and for taking the time to write.  LazarusKing, I'm glad you enjoyed my Victorian city.  I had a great time putting it together.  The rat swarms are by Reaper.  I did something very similar with the Reaper scarab beetle swarms in my Pulp Egyptian Gallery.  You can see those in pics 86 and 87 at www.warin15mm.com/28MM-Pulp-Egyptian-Gallery.html

[marianas_gamer]

Very nice especially the repainted horses.
LB

[frogimus]

Gorgeous city. Your photography skills are amazing and really bring it to life.

[War In 15MM]

frogimus, thank you.  It's alway great to hear that someone has enjoyed this layout.  I can take credit for the planning, painting, construction, and layout of the city, but my daughter is the photographer, and I agree with you she does an amazing job bringing it all to life.  She's a professional artist with one of the film studios here in LA and really brings her talent to the picture taking.  Before she begins to take the pictures, she asks me if there are particular figures or scenes that are of special interest to me, and once I have told her that, I leave it completely to her to decide what the pictures will look like.  It's been a great/fun dad and daughter activity over the years, and I have never been disappointed by the pictures she has taken.  Thanks so much for writing and for giving me this opportunity to go on and on about my talented daughter… a dad thing.  Richard

[frogimus]

Richard, I absolutely understand. I brag about my son and daughter all the time, even for some of the things I fussed at them about.

Her work explains the outstanding use of DoF. But don't let that take anything away from the amazing work on the subject city. I'll probably take some ideas from your work as itsgreat inspiration for my next table.

[War In 15MM]

frogimus, it would please me greatly if you found ideas in my work that you could apply to what you are doing.  I certainly borrow lots of things I see posted on LAF.  Thanks so much for writing and for the very kind words.  Richard