"Hell's Belle's" Topic

Dear List

I am an inveterate converter but don't post much because it's usually not that interesting. However this is. I hope to figure out how to post photos on this when it's finished.

Anyway, I bought 14 figures from Tradition a few years ago. it is the Madame Foures Bellitote riding "en-hussar" from the Suren's "Willies" line. It's a nice figure, but the molds must be giving out because the saddles were a little torn up. No problem easy to fix with body putty. The figure is nice because she's in a "posting" position, rising up in the saddle, and I have a bunch of horses also from Surens as well that are rearing up, as if they are taking a fence or an oxer. It's quite striking. The horses needed a bit of work and I had to drill a strut through the base and into the body of the horse to keep it from bending forward. But it doesn't do too much violence to the figure, and it will keep it steady.

Anyway, the figure is riding with the Jacket on, but there is no Pelisse over the shoulder and so so I'm converting the fifteen figures (including the colonel riding side-saddle) for my Imagi-Nations Army for the Horse Guard of Princess Trixie of Saxe Burlap und Schleswig Beerstein. I'm using APOXEY which is a two part product, works OK, but it won't take an automatic file head on the dremel tool well. I had sculpted the sleeves in fly-away as if they were dancing in he wind, and most of them got knocked off. Retried it in a different way, and it still worked. I also had to take the plumes on the Mirlitons off and drill a mandrel into the Mirliton, and glue in a piece of stiff wire to form the putty around. Next I will be working on the braid on the Pelisse and the cur cuffs. Going to paint the regiment white on all garments with pink trim. The horses will be white. I should state this is a "parade" unit and not to be on the battlefield. Oh, it will be on the battlefield but will have no effect. I'm thinking of making a second unit as well. I want to use a "busby" figure for this one.

I also have to convert the standard bearer (making it the small hanging type standard) and the musicians. there will be Three, A Kettledrummer, a Zither player, and one with a boombas- or jingling johnny, or maybe a lance with bells on it.

I'm thinking of taking another Suren unit of Hussars in Mirlitons and making them a unit of Winged Hussars. Only this time the wings will be on a parrot that is perched on a small post in the Mirliton where the Plume would usually go.

You are CONVERTING 15 figures with pelisse? Dear Lord…

Anyone who has bought the Foundry SYW Prussian Hussars has leftover pelisses. Unfortunately, I think I gave all mine to orcs.

However, maybe the new friendly Foundry can supply you with some.

More power to you friend…sounds way too fussy for my liking, but I bet they will look mighty fine on the table. Godspeed to you!

Dear John the OFM.

15mm, heaven's no!! Not worth the trouble. These are 30mm-33mm Surens.

I don't even paint 15mm.

I do all my work in 30mm.

Perry Miniatures plastic hussars are perfect for you, as they have their pelisses as separate pieces and they have mirlitos too. So you can use them for chasseurs for example and use their pelisses and mirlitons as spares.

Here, their French hussars:
link

You can see their pelisses as separate pieces looking at the command sprues which they sell separately too:
link

BTW, same regarding British hussars:
link

And their command:
link

Dear Dogged

But remember, these are female figures, though I guess if I can sculpt Pelisse's I can sculpt breasts.

Otto