Review French Light Infantryman from Jon Smith Modellbau

[Nap]

Hi to you all out there ,

Jon Smith Modellbau is a company previously releasing full figures and accessories from the main period of interest , these have proven to be very popular indeed featuring in some nice pieces here on PF , now at last they are producing busts ...I was happy!!!

Lets have a bit about JSM , its a one man band run by a very helpful guy called Jonathan Peter Smith ( surprising eh!!!) , served in the British army as an Infantryman , married a german lady and now residing in Walsrode in Northern Germany

Jon prides himself on his quality and it shows , researcher, master modeller , producing the figures and distributing this way he can ensure nothing is left to chance for his customer.

The release has been received with a lot of great response , this is the 1st of JSM's bust releases with more planned in the near future ...hopefully.

The first release is this :

What attracted me to buy this ...come on look at the picture ...great moustache or what!! , a soldier in a relaxed mood , not his Sgts favourite I think looking at him ...a bit of a lad I think !!

Our soldier is from a picture of British and French troops together and wears a greatcoat and a kepi perched on the back of his head.

He wears the 1877/1914 greatcoat together with the Model 1884 Kepi

The colour of the uniform was blue but other shades are seen often lighter, a blue-gray , the colour identifying the Chasseurs was a yellow, with the Alpine Chasseurs wearing the very distinctive large beret.

This is line infantry kepi with a cover

numbers would be yellow for chasseur

Plenty of books on the French Army of course here are a few from my library :

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Continued in next post

Nap

 

[Nap]

Now to the Resin

This is what we will be looking at :

Title: Chasseurs a Pied - French Light Infantryman 1914/15

Reference: 29 BUC

Scale: 1/10th

Material Gray Resin

No of parts: 2 Resin plus a brass rod and Info sheet

Sculptor: Jon Smith

Casting: Jon Smith

Box Art: N/A


The purchase I made was easy to complete and shipping was very fast with good packing , on opening this up I found a nice strong white cardboard box with the contents carefully packed inside bags surrounded by bubble wrap , at the bottom was the brass rod , and on top was the carefully folded info sheet...first impressions ..nice presentation .

On opening the bags I found 2 parts the torso and the head , a simple piece and to be honest not needing anything else as it just screams quality at me.

We are also given a information sheet over 3 A5 pages ..lots of information so why not retain for the details.

Prep
Torso....Remove the casting web "V" cast on post which although a casting chanel and slightly forward and off centre is a good option to use in the final display or you could use it as a handle for painting and then remove.

If you choose to use it do fill the predrilled hole designed for the brass post , if not cut the resin post away , sand smooth and fit the brass rod, which will be my choice

Sand away the tiny excess resin blips from underneath , and remove the small bit of flashing on the edge of the greatcoat flap at the top

Head...Remove resin former from under neck or you could use it to hold when painting and remove to fit head after.
Remove the tiny amount of flashing between the chin strap and the peak..easy with the point of a blade...be careful!!!

That is it!...nothing more absolutely minimal work needed..I like that!!

Jon has the modeller in mind when this was cast as he has slightly raised the depth of the regimental patches to help the painting process.

It must be said that the casting is really very very good indeed with no air holes or any other blemishes, the surfaces of both pieces are smoothly finished.

Looking at the Torso first

We have no straps or the likes to think about , just the buttoned up greatcoat , this is extremely well sculpted with natural folds , buttons are well shaped with the hunting horn insignia on each one .

The shoulder strap attachment buttons are slightly off centre as seen in period pictures ...another example of the meticulous research by Jon.

Undercuts are sharp and nicely done particularly where the greatcoat is buttoned over.

The collar is stand up and every much in keeping with the picture used as a reference ( this was one of 2 taken from the french language book Nous Etions Des Hommes ) , on the edges we have the raised number denoting the 8th Bn , these were based at Etain in August 1914, the numbers are sharply done .

In the neck area we have a very cleanly worked square cutout ready to receive the neck .

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Now for the Head

This is without doubt a dishevelled character , he must have been at the front for a while as his hair is longer than normal with a very unkempt moustache, the kepi is pushed back on his head and over to his right ...certainly not as per regulations!!

Note : When fitting the head the hair should be on or at least just above the collar ...a Sgt Majors nightmare..lol !!!!

When I saw this I just had to like it , the sculpting is first class , the face will almost paint itself , the work on the eyes and ears are excellent .

Under his kepi we have peeking out his hair strands , finely done ans his hsi mop of hair at the back ...and then we have that moustache ....awesome size and extremely well done

Mouth is slightly open adding to this cheeky chaps charm.

The kepi is best described at battered around , totally out of shape , the regimental number off centre as a result and it looks great from all angles

The chinstrap is hanging loose on the peak, all very natural looking and well sculpted.

JSM have thought of the modeller displaying and we have the 2 options of either the resin post ( fill the hole in behind it) or as I will choose the brass rod ( 6mm) , this fits into the well drilled and tight hole underneath the torso ( cut off the resin post and sand smooth)

Final thoughts

This is a classy release and a classic bust , simple , packed full of cheeky charm , casting and sculpting are really very very good . This is a nice 1st bust from JSM and I look forward to sharing further releases from Jon.

As this is a ...in Jon's words ...a one man band... I look forward to some more music from him

VERY HIGHLY recommended

Although not in the shop on the website yet till the box art is ready ( something to look forward to ) you can contact Jon at the e mail to purchase

For more information on this and all the releases from JSM

e mail: [email protected]

Website: www.jonsmith-modellbau.com

Thanks to JSM for the excellent service and to you all for looking in

Enjoy the modelling

Nap

 

[Nap]

Here's a couple of pics from Jon at JSM


First of an actual kepi

Now a greatcoat button

Happy modelling

Nap

 

[Viking Bob]

Fist class review Nap, looks to be a nice bust too.

 

[Nap]

Fist class review Nap, looks to be a nice bust too.

Thanks Bob ,

It is a nice piece ..currently lined up on the bench ( based up and primed in black )

Thanks for looking in

Nap

 

[Viking Bob]

Nice to see that one finished.

 

[Gull]

Just received my copy and its every bit as good as Nap's review indicates. I especially like the provision of detailed reference and the 6mm brass rod and angled mounting hole - other bust manufacturers please take note. Very highly recommended - look forward to the planned 120mm Poilu.
Liam

 

[Carl Edward Sambrook]

I'm lucky that I live only a 5 minute drive from Jon Smith and have seen the bust from when it first started to take shape. I myself enjoy painting busts and have painted a great many from many a sculpter, this one is up there with the best of them. Jon is a perfectionist and the detailing on this bust is something to be seen.