"Napoleonic Airfix Bavarian Conversion, Input Sought" Topic

I recently purchased some 1/72 scale metal bavarians that turned out to be home cast conversions of Airfix old guard figures. I'm having to replace the crudely done muskets and would love input on the proper placement. Here is the link to my blog with details, but the relevant pictures are here:

miniatureminions.blogspot.com

Thanks!

David

They look quite reasonable.

My understanding is left arm for ORs and right for NCOs was generally the rule across the national spectrum.

Anyway, middle one looks best in all three pictures shown!

Thanks Deadhead. That is my inclination as well. My challenge will be to minimize the scar from the removal of the musket, so that I can make it disappear with the addition of paint.

Any thought as to where a Napoleonic soldier would hold their musket? Would they grasp the butt as shown, or would they tend to hold it around the trigger guard?

I am profoundly ignorant on this topic, but that has never stopped me speaking with authority. I think you have little choice with these figures and must have them carrying the musket with the butt resting in the palm of their left hand. We do often see the musket carried in the crook of the left arm, but it is not supported by the trigger guard then of course (Support Arms, rather than shoulder arms). The Otto Manuscripts are (probably) contemporaneous and show dozens of French Infantry all in the pose below. This could be even further modified by folding the right arm over the left.

Those homecasts do rather overturn the oft-heard excuse for troll-like metal figures that you can't cast limbs any other way in metal.

My assumption is that they were home cast, but you never know if someone paid big bucks to have them professionally done. I don't know their exact provenance. They are very well cast, with the exception of the original muskets obviously.

It looks like the original too-short muskets have been trimmed away, then the figures recast, with weapons to be added separately.

I think you are on the right track 4th cuirassier. If I had to guess I'd say whoever did these kept the butt of the original musket and just added a thicker section above the shoulders assuming it could be carved down to size. It's really odd considering the skill shown on the rest of the figure.

As I think you said on your blog the Perry's show them exactly as per your middle figure, which I also agree looks best. Why not ask them via their site / Facebook page whether it's been researched or assumed – I suspect the former.

Didn't Die Kaiserzeit do something similar commercially?

Buy a couple of sets of the Hat Bavarian sets and beef up your force –

Set 8028 Infantry link

Set 8169 Fusileers link

Set 8030 Cavalry link

Set 8038 Artillery link

No thanks Foxtrot! I'm trying to avoid the soft plastics, though they certainly are nice these days. I have another battalion of Der Kriegspieler Bavarians and some artillery by Franznap – very nice figures by the way:

link

No worries. For my usage levels and my desire to keep lead away from grandchildren, plastic is the go. But as you say, there are some great choices out there!

Have a great day, FPR

@ photocrinch

There are some people who just like the idea that everything on the table is something they either made or at least painted themselves. Go back 20 odd years and Airfix plackies were the only game in town, so maybe someone back then who wanted Bavarians cut the musket off the smallest 25mm figure they could find, added it along with a head to an Airfix, then cast copies.

Enough of the work is original for this to be legit I would say. The head part does appear to have been more skilfully done.

I have a nostalgic fondness for these figures and it does make me wonder if there is an argument for correcting the Airfix French infantry mistakes and recasting them.