Kusma Krjutschkow, 4th Don Cossack Regiment, 1914

[Martin Antonenko]

72. Day, February 7, 2018

I have just finished the painting of the Mosin-Nagant Cossack Rifle!

The leather parts (straps for the belt) I have painted with oil paints, all metal parts with Acrylics...:




The used metal color mixtures vary from lot to lot, so it looks realistic!

For example, the barrel has been given a different color mixture than the shaft bands, the protective plate on the piston is another and so on.

The fittings around the two bushings on the shaft and piston for the belt I have shown in "brass", as was the case with many (not all!) Rifles of this type ...:




This was also important to me:

On almost all pictures of the weapon, the lock, striker, and repeater have a much lighter color than the lock box, barrel, and magazine!

These parts look almost silver!








Whether they were made of a different metal or by wear and / or constant cleaning ...



... why I did not get that bright!

But anyway - here the finished weapon ...:







At the very end I painted the two tiny screws on the self-made protective plate on the bottom of the piston ...:

So much for today.
Cheers

 

[Oda]

Now this is what I call historical modelling.Paying attention to the smallest historical detail!Hats off to you Martin.

Oda.

 

[Nap]

Now this is what I call historical modelling.Paying attention to the smallest historical detail!Hats off to you Martin.

Oda.

Great result on the weapon Martin ...as Oda says ...must agree !

Nap

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Thanks for your kind words, Oda!

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72. Day, February 8, 2018

The rifle is fixed to the back of our Cossack...:












As you can see, I started making the top of the rifle belt of thick gold paper. The belt will be completely built with loops, buckles and straps


But not until next Monday, because I'm going to leave for the weekend ...


Cheers

 

[Martin Antonenko]

74. Day, February 12, 2018


After my nice weekend in Berlin with some friends it's gone at least a bit further with my cossack...!


I made the rifle belt complete with loops and buckle from thick gold paper and primed it with the brush...:









Cheers

 

[Martin Antonenko]

75. Day, February 13, 2018


Rifle belt ready painted...:










Just seen on the second photo that I have to improve the blending at the side. I'll just do that!


Cheers

 

[Nap]

Hi Martin

Looking good with the rifle pulling correctly due to the weight of the weapon

It's really coming all together now

Thanks for sharing

Nap

 

[Viking Bob]

Just catching up with your work on this, very nice to the progress made already.

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Tanks mates!

To do list for rest work...:

Right Hand
Nagaika Whip
Shashka Cossack sabre
Lance.

I think three or four weeks I have to work on Kusma Krjutshkov until he's ready...


Cheers

 

[Nap]

Looking forward to the final 4 parts Martin...

Especially the lance

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Martin Antonenko]

76. Day, February 15, 2018


The second hand is also painted now...:










The index finger I had to trick a little - that has turned out a little bit (too) thick from the sculpting ...


Cheers

 

[Nap]

Liking the result Martin .......

Will you leave the lance till last to paint ?

Nap

 

[Martin Antonenko]

I think so - otherwise it's too dangerous for breaking off something.

But tomorrow I will start with the middle part of it, the Cossack holds in his hand...

Cheere

 

[Martin Antonenko]

77. Day, February 16, 2018


Today I have started with the Lance of our hero!



Such a Cossack Lance looked like this...:



It was 3.30 m long and thus had much more range than the lances of the enemy! The German Uhlans led 1914 lances between 2.83 (new model) and 3.10 (old model) meters...:



Not all the Cossacks wielded lances, only the riders of the first row of each sotnia (= hundred, about: squadron).

The steel tip of the Cossack lance had three cutting edges ...





... designed to cause gaping injuries.

(Note: A dead soldier is dead and just stays lying down, but the rest of his troop continue to fight, whereas a heavily wounded man has to be rescued and taken to the dressing room, which requires at least one, but usually two, more soldiers.
So a wounded man weakens the fighting troop more than a dead man!)

The top was not swept and had no barbs so you could easily pull it out of the victim as you passed.

A canine weapon!

In the first variants of the Cossack lances, the grip in the middle was relatively short ...:



This proved to be impractical - and so the Cossacks went 1914 with lances into war, which had significantly extended grips ...:



Such a long handle piece carries our Cossack in his hand - for reasons of stability, Heinz has firmly attached to the figure.

This seems necessary, because even in scale 1/10 this lance is still miserably long ...:



However, there is one more important detail to add to the grip ...:

On many photos and sketches of models (also in the picture above!) Is a wide leather strap to recognize, which is attached to the handle ...:







This leather belt was used to guide the lance on the march - and still have the leading hand of the weapon free!

The Cossack put his arm through the belt ...



... or shoved him over his shoulder ...:



Together with another leather sling at the lower end of the lance, through which one put the foot, the weapon could be carried without obstructing effort ...:



But on all photos of Cossack lances that I've collected over the years, this strap for the arm is always seen from above.

What did he really look like, what details did it disclose?

I've really dug up the internet for months to find a role template photo! The Cyrillic term does not help, it simply means "tether".

That's why Heinz could not sculptthe belt! I simply did not have a template of it that I could counter.

Only ten days ago I finally found it - it may be the only picture that shows this belt in detail - unfortunately it is out of focus. Sharp enough but to see the details ...:



The small leather sling on the belt was used to attach it to the button of the shoulder piece when the Cossack wore the strap over your shoulder.

So he could not slide down at full gallop!

Today I made this strap of gold foil myself - the small "gag" at the end, which served to fasten the strap of the horse at a stop on the rammed in the ground lance, I have made of pinheads ...:



The whole thing was glued to the handle - and still bent realistically after drying the glue to represent "movement" ...:









So much about the Lance and for today!

Satisfied, Kev?


Cheers

 

[Nap]

Martin

Satisfied ......rather a lot !!

Incredible research resulting in your instantly recognisable detailing ....wonderful to read and learn so much more .

Nice modelling on the strap as well

Thanks for sharing

Nap

 

[Oda]

Your historical research is phenomenal Martin,equaled by your beautiful painting.You should consider doing more such informative presentations for the benefit of all of us who like that sort of stuff.

Oda.

 

[debrito]

The horse hairs, looks like a woman wig

 

[Martin Antonenko]

The horse hairs, looks like a woman wig

Then it fits, his horse "Moya" was finally a mare ...

You should consider doing more such informative presentations for the benefit of all of us who like that sort of stuff.

I will!

My next sbs will show you many details about the Caucasian Cossacks and their role during the Russian Civil War ...

Cheers

 

[Martin Antonenko]

78. Day, February 19, 2018


A bit of gold paper...



...some drops of color...



...one and a half hours time and many curses later...

...and our Cossack gets a nice new detail...:






Cheers

 

[Martin Antonenko]

79. Day, February 20, 2018

Today I painted the handle of the lance.

I tried to imitate this typical Russian indefinable gray-green-brown color ...:



With these ones...:



Basic olor was a mix of "English Uniform" and "Green Gray".

For the lights I carefully mixed "Yellow Ocre" - for the shadows "Chocolate Brown".

Finally, the joints were laid out with a very thin mixture of "Black" and "Chocolate Brown".

This is how it looks now...:



Tomorrow I'm going to use solder to make the brass ring that runs around the handle (and prevent the leather loop from sliding too high) - and then it's the Nagaika whip's turn.


Cheers