20 years - and a big leap (Evolution of British uniforms)

by Michael Schwab


The period between 1792 and 1812 saw Britain nearly constantly at war with Revolutionary and Napoleonic France. Nevertheless Top Brass in Horse Guards found time to change uniforms.

Let's first take the infantry:

They started with the lapeled long-tailed coat reminiscing of the Seven Years War and the American Revolutionary War, tricorne hat, breeches and gaiters and the soft back-pack of the envelope pattern often painted in the facing colour (figures on the left from Revell).

Around the turn of the century the coats were shortened and closed with the lapels removed, trousers loose and white, the first shako model of the stovepipe pattern. The pack colour was changed to generally black and stiffened by wooden parts inside. That was the look of the British infantry at the beginning of the Peninsular War (figures second from left - HÄT).

Till 1815 the changes affected the shako (Wellington or Waterloo pattern with false higher front) and the trousers, which generally became grey (figures second from right - Airfix).

The two figures on the right take us to the 20th century - Grenadier Guards of the 1960s. one of the first Airfix sets. Appearance and weapons had changed dramatically: red tunic, dark blue trousers and the high bearskin cap (by the way - they are still made from Canadian bearskins, no other material being suitable for the special needs; re animal rights activists: there are so many black bears in still growing numbers that they can easily provide the Foot Guards with their headgears).


Photos (click to enlarge): 

Grenadier Guards marching through Windsor (1960s)

by Michael Schwab

For the Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle the new guard comes up from Victoria Barracks, led by the Corps of Drums.

The guard is commanded by a junior officer, who is flanked by two lance-corporals, with a sergeant right behind them and a colour-sergeant in the rear (who occasionally gives orders like „change arms“ [ie from one shoulder to the other]).

The drummers are full-scale soldiers with combat roles, here led by a drum-sergeant (not a drum-major).

The figures are from the old (1960!) Airfix sets of Foot Guards. The sculpting is poor by modern standards, of course. But those little fellows have their own charm and once painted up they look quite convincing. Purists only will recognize that the rifle carried today (the SA-80) is much shorter than the Lee-Enfield on the figures and that the guardsmen are in slow march (because the right arm is not at a full swing due to the left leg being in front), which never occurs on the way from the barracks to the Castle and back.

Photos (click to enlarge):

Eastern Front 1942

Historical background

In 1942 the German army stood deep in Soviet territory. The Soviet army was only able to stop the German advance but a massive built up in the hinterlands was soon to turn the scales in Russia's favour.

For securing the lines of communications the German army used to some extent Russian cossack volunteers. They were very effective and the units were recruited from anti-communists which survived the purges by Stalin and wanted revenge.

The moment depicted in the diorama is one cossack unit on patrol looking for the enemy or partisan fighters.


The diorama

The figures are from Revell. Only minor modifications had to be done. The uniform represents the classic German cavalry uniform with a little traditional cossack touch. The well is simply made of wood and a little wire. The cornfield is a little bit complex and is made of reed (H0-scale from an unknown manufacturer), spices, tape, glue and paint - a tricky business but I like the result.


Photos (click to enlarge)

Video (YouTube)

Sources

Carlos C. Jurado - Foreign Volunteers of the Wehrmacht 1941-1945 (Osprey Men-at-Arms 147)
Jeffrey T. Fowler - Axis cavalry in world war II (Osprey Men-at-Arms 361)

France 1940

Historical background

In 1940 the French had to witness the might of the German Blitzkrieg which swepped across the country in a scale not seen before. The French army relied solely on the Maginot line (a large static  fortification line with heavy guns). The Germans on the other side were masters of mobile warfare and crossed the Ardennes with their panzers - a possibility which the French high staff had completely ignored. In only six weeks France was defeated and Hitler visits Paris.

The moment depicted in the diorama is a German artillery piece (10,5 cm leichte Feldhaubitze 18) in an infantry support role. As the Germans had total air superiority and the French army was in very confused state even cover or Camouflage were not necessary.

The diorama

The figures are from Revell (originally from Preiser in H0) and in my opinion this is one of the best sets ever produced. No need for conversion, perfect poses, even the gun is for a soft plastic item very good. Cobblestone and the wall are made out of a plaster from a form with a little trimming.


Photos (click to enlarge)

Video (YouTube)

Sources

Alan Sheppard - France 1940 (Osprey Campaign 3)
Nigel Thomas - The German army 1939-1945: 1 Blitzkrieg (Osprey Men-at-Arms 311)

Iwo Jima 1945

Historical background

In 1945 it was clear that Japan will lose the war, but non of the Imperial Japanese soldiers wasted only a thought on giving up. So as the U.S. Marines landed on this strategic important island they had to discover that each step gained had to be paid in blood and it took them over two months to conquer the whole island (21 square Kilometers) and more than 7.000 men killed in action. The Japanese garrison was completely annihilated (only 216 are taken prisoner).

Clint Eastwood made two really great movies about this battle:
Letters from Iwo Jima (seen from the Japanese side)
Flags of our fathers (seen from the American side)

The moment depicted is the rising of the U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi. It was the second rising of the flag, as by the first time no camera filmed it, so it had to be done again. It is one of the most famous war pictures of all times. The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia is based on this picture.


The diorama

The whole diorama is from Esci who is based on the monument. The figures had to be glued together from several pieces and they don't fit very well. Also the correct configuration of the figures to achieve the effect of raising the flag is hard to achieve.

My customer wished the monument base in black with gold letters and the rest of the diorama in natural colours. So the sand is black (Iwo Jima is a volcano island) and the sparse vegetation is dry and brown.


Photos (click to enlarge)

  

Video (YouTube)

Sources

Derrick Wright - Iwo Jima 1945 (Osprey Campaign 81)
Philip Katcher - The US army 1941-1945 (Osprey Men-at-Arms 70)
Mark R. Henry - The US army in world war II Part 1: the Pacific (Osprey Men-at-Arms 342)
Gordon Rottman - US Marina Corps 1941-1945 (Osprey Elite 59)