"Converting Perry's French Heavy Cacvalry into British?" Topic

I've been told that it's possible to convert the Perry's "French Napoleonic Heavy Cavalry" into British.

Would this be possible and, if so, how?

The plastic cuirassiers?

First you'd need to remove the cuiraiss, and the epaulettes. Then carve the helmet into something like a heavy dragoon helmet, and try to make the knee boots look like ankle length coveralls. Then there's the sheepskin shabraques on the horses…

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Good luck.

I don't see it myself. Everything would have to be recarved/moulded etc. The Perry cavalry are cuirassed and there were no British cavalry so equipped. Also the horse furniture was totally different. The helmets have a passing resemblence, but again a lot of work would be required. Personally I do not think it a viable proposition and I would await some plastic British cavalry or buy metal.

Obviously, yes. Did the Carabiniers wear the breast plates as well?

Perhaps they meant the new Dragoons, what about them?

Did the Carabiniers wear the breast plates as well?

Perry don't do any carabiniers, but the same applies.

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Perhaps they meant the new Dragoons, what about them?

The Dragoons aren't out yet, but that's not an easy conversion either.

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Perry don't do any carabiniers, but the same applies.

They do, in the same box as the Cuirassiers:

All the figures come with both Cuirassier and Carabinier heads

The Dragoons aren't out yet, but that's not an easy conversion either.

Never said I needed it done easily… ;)

Besides that, I don't like the page you link to, as it is in French and as it is for the Hundred Days.

I'm building an army for the Peninsular, so I'd like to see a comparation with uniforms from that period.

I wouldn't mind using bits from other kits for head swaps and such, I'd actually prefer it to carving up the heads as they are.

They do, in the same box as the Cuirassiers:

I stand corrected.

Besides that, I don't like the page you link to, as it is in French and as it is for the Hundred Days.

So are the Perry cuirassiers.

British dragoons wore bicornes, winged epaulettes and jackets with button tapes until 1812.

1a in this picture

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Sorry it's in French…

They wore bicorns? Seriously? Never seen that before, in any picture…

You're new to Napoleonics. Right? :)

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Light dragoons wore tarletons before adopting the shako.

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They preferred the tarleton, the shako made them look too French…

Quite new, yes…

So far my most reliable source has been tthe 'very reliable' Sharpe series… ; )

I've only recently starting collecting the period, that's correct. I knew about the head gear of the Light Dragoons, but thought only officers would wear the Bicorns.
This is an eye-opener, thanks!

Edit: hmm… I was just browsing this site: britishbattles.com

And found this comment about the Battle of Talavera:

British Dragoons wore red coats and Roman style crested helmets.

This is inconsistent with your source. So wouldn't the Bicorns be from before the Peninsular?

Or the website's wrong. Either that, or every manufacturer of pre-1812 British dragoon figures is wrong. ;)

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I know which way I'd bet…

Connard is bang on – British heavy cav wore a very anachronistic uniform (including bicorne) until 1812 – and the change to helmets was not viewed with universal favour – a lot of the old salts thought it made them look too much like the French

The french cuirassier helmet is close enough to the Brit dragoon (post 1812) helmet to make a go of it. But the legs are more problematic as British cavalry wore overalls.

The new hussar box may help, but if I was you I would urge patience.

But you can do other allied cavalry (ie Dutch/belgian carabiniers) by some simple conversions.

Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of Napoleonics – find a style you are happy with first. Some on this site can be a bit too accurate for table top gaming. Great if that is you thing, but it can be a bit offputting if you are just starting out.

regards

Some on this site can be a bit too accurate for table top gaming.

And some don't read the whole thread. Constantine wants British dragoons for the Peninsular War.

I have a great idea. Why not buy some British cavalry? Your chances of them ending up "accurate" are a lot higher than whittling away plastic and gluing stuff on.

Not if you buy the ones in helmets!

Odd how many Web sites fall down when it comes to the hat. I don't as a rule recommend Ospreys, but this one might be worth a look:

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Really: it isn't bad.

Allen

Then again, many of us probably do remember carving away at Airfix French cuirassiers back in the day. We generally simply accepted the Belgic shako for the infantry.

Not a lot of Dutch-Belgian carabiniers in the Peninsula(r) that I recall. I could be wrong…

Allen

I like Roly Hermans' 3d Dragoon Guards:

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Apart from the command group (in "bicrone"), he uses the Front Rank figures in watering cap. Interesting!

Allen

Does seem an odd query – I mean you *could* file down all the detail to a basic dolly shape and then resculpt the detail accurately, or you could simply paint the French cavalry red.

I guarantee the Perry's will have British cavalry in the pipeline, and it will be easier to convert those for the Peninsula.

@ Aecurtis: which timeframe are those?

@ Connard: thanks, I'll try to get my hands on that Osprey book. Looks very interesting on this subject.

I do wonder though, which company might do them in 28mm.

They're in the Peninsula, and they're Front Rank 28mm.

You can see the watering cap illustrated on Fosten's Osprey cover.

Allen

I'd take on practically any conversion project – but not this one. Wait until they come out with the British Dragoon figure. It's bound to happen, and it will look better than any conversion could. Won't you feel silly, after all that work, to see them come out with the correct figure?

Don't do it. Have patience.