I have been chatting by email to MGB recently about repairing old toy soldiers and received an interesting parcel of plastic figure bits and bobs for future conversion work. Thanks MGB!
MGB mentioned that he was starting a new blog about his 54mm repairs and gaming.
These battered Britain’s Redcoats needed new heads, new arms, rifles repaired and a repaint to restore a little shiny pride.
The recast rifle arms and firemen heads were ones that I had in my spares box, obtained from Dorset Model Soldier Company.
Two of the headless Britain’s guardsmen had rifle points missing, the other four were missing their moving right arms completely.
After drilling a hole with a pin vice, the missing rifle points were repaired with fine wire, masking tape and superglue. One has a fixed bayonet, the other doesn’t – a small oversight.
In my Forgotten Minor States of Europe ImagiNations world, this is the colour party of the Thyer Brigadia Militia and Volunteer Firemen.
The proudest part of the Thyer Brigadian uniforms is the brass cavalry style plumed dragoon helmets which are often copied by Fire Brigades worldwide. Interestingly these Volunteer Militia troops are also the Volunteer Fire Brigade in their various towns and villages (hence the variations in uniforms), making sure that their native Alpine wooden houses and mountain forests do not catch fire. A fireman’s axe is carried on fire duty and state occasions.
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They display the Thyer Brigadia Volunteer Firemen’s flag of blazing red orb symbol on a yellow background, a flag proudly made by some of their wives and mothers.
Shiny Toy Soldier style faces with the pink cheek dot fit complete the look
Alan Gruber suggested that they should have some ‘wheels’ in the form of a Fire Engine. In the absence of an old fire engine (I’m sure I have the reissued 1/32 Airfix unmade kit one stowed somewhere) I made do with a 1940 Ford 1:32 scale fire truck (obviously imported from America). The uniform has obviously not changed by the 1940s.
Suitably red and silver and shiny … this 1940 1:32 fire truck is from Texaco c. 2008
I shall have to track down a suitable Dalmatian fire dog to accompany them on parade.
This gives me another unit / outlet for broken figures, once I have ordered some further arms and heads from Dorset in future.
Some battered hollowcast Britain’s from job lots that are long overdue for repair.
They are due to lose their battered Redcoats and acquire new heads, new arms and handsome navy blue jackets. I shall keep the navy blue trousers and red trouser stripe.
I have some Dorset Soldiers recast arms and spare firemen’s heads so this seemed a good chance to create some 54mm shiny toy soldier versions of my scrap 15mm Thyer Brigadia Militia and Volunteer FireFighters.
They will eventually look like armed Victorian Firemen in their shiny brass helmets.
Combined Militia and Fire Brigade, now where have I seen that before?
Dad’s Army BBC TV episode “Brain versus Brawn” where the Home Guard become firemen …
These are part of my ImagiNations Forgotten Minor States (FMS) in MittelMittel Europe pictured and described here in the mid to late 19th Century
Man of Tin blog 