Bercheny Hussars.

First posted 09/09/12

Have cast and painted up some cavalry for the French in the shape of the Hussars Bercheny.

These are slightly more rotund than the older Holger Erikson figures and a bit harder to cast , the molds needed a few vents cutting into them to make sure the metal flowed to the extremities of the molds .

The Officer is from a different mold to mark him out and the Trumpeter is a conversion from the same casting.

I cast the figure removed the sword and arm and repositioned the arm , pinning it and using 'green stuff' for the joint . I then cast up a mounted trumpeter figure cut off the trumpet and hand and affixed to the Hussar . Then I  painted him - at this point I was very proud of myself -but 'pride cometh before the fall' and in this case literally - I dropped the figure on the floor and the horses ankles (fetlocks or whatever horses call their ankles) snapped off !. I leave it to my readers imagination as to the language at this point (my wife covered the younger cats ears up). But necessity being the mother of invention, when I had calmed down I drilled through the base and inserted a bit of brass rod , I then drilled a hole in the horses stomach and cut the rod to size and glued all together, a touch of green paint and a drop more varnish and all is well !