Wednesday 25 March 2015

First riflemen for the 70th Foot




I've finished the first four riflemen for the 70th Foot for the Second Afghan War.  These Artizan Design figures were, as ever, very easy to paint and I am looking forward to getting more figures in what is a growing range.  However, it has to be said that I am not 100% happy with the accuracy of them and this put me off painting them for some months.  My main concern is the helmet, which comes with a flash on the left hand side, a rather puffy pugaree and the strap universally (at least on the figures I have got) across the front of the helmet.  





It looks like the figure is modelled on this illustration from Osprey's North West Frontier 1837-1947 which would be fine except this is the 1897 uniform.  I haven't seen any examples of helmet flashes in 1879 so I filed mine off but the helmet still doesn't look quite right and most of the pictures of troops from the region for this time had their metal helmet chains diagonally across the helmet (as the Perry Indian Army troops for the Sudan do - see below).




In addition they are not wearing the Indian pattern water bottle but the same one as seen in Zululand and Egypt.  For this reason I have given the canteen a white strap not the brown one usually seen on Indian pattern canteens.  The above model shows the Indian pattern water bottle and also the distinctive helmet chain.





On an artistic note, I don't think Mike Owen has really sculpted the puttees very well compared with the Perry Miniatures figures.  They are not flat enough but are like rounded hoops. The Perry Indian Service Dress infantry from their Sudan range are much more what I was expecting from the Artizan figures.


6 comments:

  1. I really like what you've done. As for historical accuracy, I'm a bit less bothered with the finer details and will happily be using mine for the Sudan as well as the North West Frontier (heresy, I know!).

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  2. Some interesting points mate. i agree about the puttees and the water bottle being incorrect, as far as I know. I actually sent an e-mail to Michael years ago asking about their use in the Zulu War and he mentioned the water bottle. I would once have gone so far as to convert them but nowadays, although less 'picky' I am going to over look this as it would be too laborious a job to correct.

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    Replies
    1. I know that feeling very well!

      Darrell.

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    2. Oh, and the Sikhs do have the correct bottle.

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    3. Perhaps they realised too late.... the mini's might have already been in production(?).

      Darrell.

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