Confederate Artillery Sharpshooter

R

razorboy

Guest
I hope you guys won't consider my incessant posting as being pushy for that is not my intent. That being said, here is a small Civil War Vignette I completed last winter. The figure is made of lead and is from New Hope Design LTD.. It was purchased in the 70's and as with several of my purchases, he remained primed but unfinished for over 30 years - until the time was right.

During the Civil War most Artillery Batteries (on both sides) had a detachment of "Sharpshooters' attached to snipe at opposing gun crews and defend their gun crews from enemy infantry, cavalry and sharpshooters. Two of my Great, Great Uncles were attached to a Confederate Artillery Battery from 1863 until the surrender in April of 1865. Their diaries are fascinating, detailing everything from the daily drudgery of maintaing the Batteries guns and animals, to the "Hunting" of Yankee gun crews - using all of their skills to gain good shooting locations without being detected. They didn't like to shoot down the enemy's limber and caisson horses, but did so when ordered to.

In this diorama I have attempted to represent a Sharpshooter of McCarthy's Battery (1st Co.) of Richmond Howitzers, Fredericksburg, Va. December 1862. The figure is 54mm (1/32) and as noted, is from New Hope Design Ltd. (No longer in business). The base is a wooden plaque that was stained and sealed completely with poly-eurethane to prevent warpage. The groundwork is a combination of Celluclay, Wild Grass (from Military Miniatures Whse.), Woodland Scenics course turf, theatrical crepe' hair and dried caspia. The board fence was constructed using balsa wood. The frozen over mud puddles were made by filling slight depressions in the dried celluclay "path" with several light coats of clear fingernail polish. All of the paints used on this project were water based acrylics. It has been brought to my attention on several occassions that this fella looks to be "Asleep". He's not asleep but he is, as my late father was so fond of saying, "Resting his eyes."

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razorboy
 
Sir your posts are great and having individuals like your self here helps make this a more diverse place. Keep on posting and teaching. At lease you can spell and complete sentences unlike some of us.:typing::whistle:
 
I agree, I think this is exactly what we were hoping for when the modellers here asked bootie to create this section. I love your work, razorboy, and I love your willingness to share it and to provide tips and encouragement to us novices. I am only one voice here, but my vote is "Post Away"!!
 
Thank you Gentlemen, but be advised - you have "Loosed the Beast".
 
HAHA... RazorBoy you are a very welcome addition to the club. Your posts are fantastic and will certainly lead to a few of us getting the courage up to go out to our local model shops and perhaps have a look at whats on offer. I know I did. The Tamiya models look the best but are far more pricier than the airfix type ones.... I guess they are a better quality too, but, for me who has never tried modelling before I couldnt justify spending the money on a Tamiya model that may end up looking like it was built by a child.

I also noticed most kits dont come with paint... I would need to build my paint selection from scratch, including brushes and cutting knives etc.

I just dont know where to start. :)
 
Start out with something less complicated like a four wheeled armored car. Buy only the paint you need to complete that purchase, add individual colours as you find you need them and avoid buying sets of paint. That usually results in using 2 or 3 out of the dozen or so with any regularity and never opening the rest. Get your self some liquid cement, super glue, fingernail emery boards, toenail clippers and a good hobby knife. That should see you off and started. Add items as you find the need to and avoid buying "Sets" of anything, I have found that the majority of a "Set" never sees useage.
rb
 
I think there's a bit of a problem in getting certain types of modelling paint in the UK, its one of the spray types, apparantly it's currently caught in a EU beauracratic circle at the moment and no imports are coming in.
 
Governments are the same all over the world .... only they know what's best for ones hobbies! Hahahaha!
 
razorboy said:
Start out with something less complicated like a four wheeled armored car. Buy only the paint you need to complete that purchase, add individual colours as you find you need them and avoid buying sets of paint. That usually results in using 2 or 3 out of the dozen or so with any regularity and never opening the rest. Get your self some liquid cement, super glue, fingernail emery boards, toenail clippers and a good hobby knife. That should see you off and started. Add items as you find the need to and avoid buying "Sets" of anything, I have found that the majority of a "Set" never sees useage.
rb
Click to expand...

Thanks.. I will nip in by at some point and ponder what to buy.. LOL
 
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