WIP Critique "Pinned Like Rats" - The defence of Rorke's Drift

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Keith, I think asking about Richie's "sack shrinkage" is getting a little personal... No matter how much you think you need to know that... it's rude to ask :whistle:

Richie, I still am amazed at how fast you're churning out these conversions. I wish I had your focus, I just can't seem to get my head in the game like this.

Colin
 
ChaosCossack said:
Keith, I think asking about Richie's "sack shrinkage" is getting a little personal... No matter how much you think you need to know that... it's rude to ask :whistle:

Richie, I still am amazed at how fast you're churning out these conversions. I wish I had your focus, I just can't seem to get my head in the game like this.

Colin
Click to expand...

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
Colin when men get to a certain age these things become important and dementia allows you to get away with it.
I did want to ask a question about the two Zulus prostate but thought better of it.
Cheers,
Keef
 
This is looking great Richie, very dynamic and dramatic even at this stage.
Looking forward to the finished piece...it will no doubt be a stunner...more power to your arms mate!

P.S. Cold water shock effects us all,...no need to see it as a problem.:cool:
 
Hi Chris, Keith, Colin, Mark, Brian and Steve,
Apologies for the late reply lads, been under the weather for just over a week and still working so a bit tired. Still it has not stopped me totally. Last Tuesday I went to pick up my base from Pete's Bases who will be at the Sword & Lance trading again this year, cheers Pete. It's a pity the base is going to be covered up as it is a lovely piece of reclaimed mahogany that is over 100 years old.

I have put the first layer of groundwork down (still more to do) of Das and sand and undercaoted this along with the wall. The mealie bags have been glued into position ready to be undercoated, when I get some new supplies of primer. Take no notice of the impression in the ground all will become clear later.

I am also working on the next four modified Zulu figures, so with a fair wind they should be up to the undercoat stage in a week.

One more thing I have modified is the shields - thanks for the kick Mark. The shields have always looked too stiff, rigid and thick, so I have taken my trusted grinder bit and set to on the first six. I have ground down the back of the shields and thinned down all the edges. To get some bend and creases into the shields, I put them into a warmed up ceramic baking dish at 180 degress in a fan assisted oven for approx. 15 to 20 seconds, bent them into shape and then immediately threw them into a dish of cold water to reset them. I kid ye not.:) You can see how stiff and thick the unmodified yellow shield looks next to the others.

cheers
Richie
CIMG6904.JPGCIMG6903.JPG
 
Hello mate, was just passing through and spotted latest update..........Stunning work.....especially as you have been under the weather.
You really do have a great feel for this period.....plus skills I envy :mad:
Will keep popping back to follow this gorgeous piece and hope you are fully recovered soon (y)

Cheers

Ron
 
Hi Richie,
I hope that you are feeling better now.
Good work on the shields and the DAS ground work.
I made a 200mm figure in DAS long ago and far away.....A place they used to call England. I found it a problem with shrinking and cracking, so that was pretty much the first and last time I used it. Do you suffer these these issues or have they changed the make up of DAS?
Wish you well Mate,
Keith
 
Looking good Richie. Those shields look very convincing. I thought you were slowing down. It had been a few days and another fifteen figures hadn't appeared :) Hope you're feeling better.

Peter
 
I am pretty sure that we are going to talk for a long time about this stunning diorama.
Like all the rest cant wait to see it finished!!!!
Fokion
 
Hi Ron, John, Keith, Peter & Fokion,
Thanks lads glad you like the shields, apologies for the late reply.

Keith mate, this is the first time I have used DAS and I suppose the rough way I used it I had no issues, I suppose it would be different if trying to sculpt figures with it.

Hi All,
As promised I said I would update the post when I had a solution to the rounds issue. Firstly thank you to all those who put themselves out trying sort this issue. Thanks - Ron(y), Steve(y), Steve(y), Carl(y), Grant(y) and Mark(y).
In the end I went with Mark's lead and ordered some 1/35 German 20mm shells, these are hard to get hold of and I got the last 2 packets from cornwall modelboats and have 8 on back order that will take approx. 2 months:(. At least it will stop me dropping them on the floor or going squirrels:dead::depressed::blackeye::arghh::grumpy: trying to make them.

Anyway here's how they look and a great solution.
cheers
Richie
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Mark Dollery said:
Wow, didn't realize they would look so good :) they certainly fit the scale look of the rounds....
Are you bringing it along to Sword & lance so we can have a preview, would love to see it!!(y)
Mark D ;)
Click to expand...

Hi Mark,
Thanks for the tip off;), if I can get all the figures up to the undercoat stage then yes I will bring it along.
cheers
Richie
 
They look the biz Richie,
Are you planning to fill all of the ammunition boxes ;)
I like the way that the one in the breech looks.
Keep ploughing away Mate, it is really moving along at pace and looking superb.
Cheers,
Keith
 
That was a good result mate, look very convincing when displayed next to the M-H rifle (y) plus they have helped preserve your sanity, or what's left anyway :rolleyes:
Steve
P.S just saw the shields, look much better (y)
 
Richie said:
Hi All,
I have not been very active over the last few months as the run up to Christmas was extremely busy and then on Christmas Day my Dad's health deteriorated catastrophically so much so he succumbed to his long term illness of cancer and passed away on New Years Day. At least now he is at rest and out of his constant pain.
Therefore whilst on bereavement leave and waiting for the funeral, I decided to plan and start this project as a bit of a tribute to the "old man." As it was him who first took me to see Zulu at the pictures when I was a kid and also to the brave Zulu Warriors and Defenders of the mission station who fell in battle.

ANYWAY IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU HAD YOUR ZULU FIX.:happy::joyful:

The Defence.

A lot of my inspiration for this comes from reading such books as Eyewitness In Zululand - Walter Dunne's account, who was at the defence and Padre George Smith of Rorke's Drift, Rorke's Drift by Bancroft, Rorke's Drift By Those Who Were There and Ian Knight's wonderful works. I have looked at most of the great paintings and illustrations of the time by such artists as Lady Butler & Alphonse Du Neuville and I cannot help but be inspired.

View attachment 150729View attachment 150730


I plan to have about twenty 120mm scale figures packed onto a base 9.5" * 11" and nearly every one with be converted. I do not want to make it a pure line of red coats of the 24th as so many other units were there. Therefore it is my intention to have the following defenders.
Natal Native Contingent *2
Natal Mounted Police *1
Chard
Padre George "Ammunition" Smith
24th Foot shirt sleeve order *2
24th Foot in tunics * 3
2nd Battalion, 3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot (The Buffs) *1
Zulu Warriors *9

If I have anymore space I might try and squeeze in another Zulu, Army Medical Corps or Commissariat figure.

I was given the John Chard figure from Rob at Imperial Gallery and whilst I started that build thread, I have decided to incorporate him into this dio. and make a slight modification on him. I am going to raise his arm to the firing position.

The build.

Firstly a few people to thank up front in terms of this long term project....Ben for Chosen Man who will become my N.M.P., Mark S in Oz for the figures, Steve Readdie for his constant support and watchful eye and Harry from our club who's help with the composition was invaluable.
Oh yes and my missus for putting up with the stream of constant packages coming throught the door. Thanks Love. xx

I have individually constructed 27 mealie bags for the wall section five high to chest height. I made these using DAS modelling clay and wrapped these in a fine open weave bandage to texture and doped these down with PVA. Just need these to fully dry out and then undercoat.
For the wall section I used DAS again to create the brick work over balsa wood and backed this with a stiff card for some rigidity.

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cheers
Richie
Click to expand...

This is going to be good Ritchie ,great idea re the sacks as keith says:rolleyes: did you leave the bandage on or just use it for texturing

Ron
 

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