Small Painting Update. . .

I've gone an done it. Yep, I've sent an order to Frank Hammond for 30 of his new Prussian hussars plus an extra officer and another trumpeter to provide staff for Stollen's cavalry brigade.

Spent a productive hour last night working on that second batch of 16 Huzzah musketeers. For the most part, I painted brass bits: cartridge pouch badges, sword hilts and scabbard tips, plus the band that holds the barrels to the musket stocks. Next, my attention turned toward painting in the red strap on the figures' left shoulders, between the shouldered musket and necks. I then spent the remaining 15 minutes of so touching up any black areas that needed it, for example gaiters, cartridge pouches, and hats. Tonight, it's onto the musket stocks, barrels, and bayonets. Barring any mishaps with the brush, these figures will then be about done save for my usual two coats of Future/Klear acrylic floor finish. Only 16 figures will remain to complete for this unit then. I'll hold off on any more photographs until the current batch is all done though.

Next, I must admit to failing ultimately in my self-imposed moratorium on additional figure purchases that I have observed since last summer. Yes, I bent as far as I could, but in the end Frank Hammond's new Prussian hussars won out, and I sent him an order for 30 of the little darlings just a short while ago. Jim "Alte Fritz" Purky's recently completed single figure, depicting one of Fredrick's Black Hussars above, didn't help matters either, so what's a guy to do? That's right, bow to extreme peer pressure and follow suit!

However, my hussars will receive a different paint scheme than Jim's. I found a Knoetel illustration online somewhere of a hussar from one or another of the less significant German statelettes involved in the Seven Years War, on which I'll base my painting. If memory serves me correctly, yellow figures prominently in much of that particular uniform example, and there may be some blue and/or red present as well. But I'll need to check my computer file when the time comes to paint these. In any case, the new Minden hussar figures will replace a couple of squadrons and staff that I painted two years ago, using Revell plastics. Those were nice figures, but awfully small next to some of the others in my collection. From remarks Jim Purky has made in recent blog posts, the Minden figures are very close in size and proportion to the RSM95, which are beginning to form the bulk of my own Grand Duchy of Stollen collection.


The next morning. . .

Last night, I painted the bayonets, musket barrels, and firelocks the usual silver on those 16 Huzzah figures. Yes, I know, I know. A bit theatrical and not strictly realistic for gun metal, but it suits the rest of my painting style well. Just musket stocks, sword knots, and white button lace on the front of the coats left to paint, and tally ho! We're all ready for the two coats of Future/Klear. If that weren't encouraging enough. this morning, an e-mail was waiting from Frank Hammond, acknowledging receipt of my hussar order, informing me to look for an invoice shortly, and that the order would be assembled and sent off tomorrow. Can't wait to see these figures in the flesh since they look so good in all of the photographs I've seen on Frank's Minden blog and others. Needless to say, it's terribly exciting!