Andrew Belsey
Well-Known Member
Some of you have followed me on my long journey of making a series of section models which explain different aspects of WW1 trench warfare. I have completed the ten sections that I've started and am now finalising a book with Crowood Press, due out at the end of May. I thought that I'd post some highlights, so you don't have to trawl through the long thread in the V bench section. I am grateful for help from many people on this project but most of all to Mike the Kiwi (Butler), who put his amazing paintwork on 5 of my Tommy's War converted figures.
This photo shows the ten sections together. (If you are observant, you will notice that the final two figures are missing as they were in the post, travelling slowly, but thankfully safely, back from New Zealand).
This is an 'ideal' text book style British trench.
This shows what they often were - too shallow to start with!
In wet soil you had to build up soil above ground level rather than digging into it.
The easiest way to start afresh was to improve an existing shell hole. Mike's first figure for me, named Percy after his Great Uncle. (He stopped shaving because he spotted something in his mirror.) The equipment, clothes and rat were all made by me.
British front line dugout. Mike painted Jimmy and Uncle (Journey's End). All my internal models are lit with LEDs.
Tunnelling and Mining was one of the more barbaric practices of the war.
The French high command didn't want their troops comfortable because they wanted their country back. Therefore French trenches were often far from perfect.
When a trench was captured, you would have to dig a firestep on the other side and counter attacks soon came, before you had repaired it. Mike's wonderful paintwork again. We called these two Bob and Harry.
German trenches were usually well built because they wanted to keep hold of captured land.
The Germans used concrete very early as it proved very resilient to bombardment.
Close up of Mike's paintwork on Uncle.
Jimmy - this is a 54mm figure! How Mike does it is beyond my skill!
Jimmy in his bed. The blanket was painted by Mike too. Wonderful texture. On the desk are reduced copies of letters my Grandfather sent in WW1. I scratch-build most of the accessories. The wire cutters are 8mm long and have 14 pieces.
Bob with his folding Periscope. Mike's paintwork - of course!
Harry. Beautifully filthy and determined! He is another Tommy's conversion with a Hornet head and Kellerkind Lewis. The gasmask hose is a piece of guitar string.
My book has a full history behind each of these sections plus detailed descriptions of how I make things and create scenery. Mike is following on with his own book on how he paints like he does.
My book also contains some of my work in 1:285 scale. It's almost ready but being offered for pre-order from bookshops like WH Smith already. It's not on the Crowood website yet, and we're still working on it. Nearly there!
This photo shows the ten sections together. (If you are observant, you will notice that the final two figures are missing as they were in the post, travelling slowly, but thankfully safely, back from New Zealand).
This is an 'ideal' text book style British trench.
This shows what they often were - too shallow to start with!
In wet soil you had to build up soil above ground level rather than digging into it.
The easiest way to start afresh was to improve an existing shell hole. Mike's first figure for me, named Percy after his Great Uncle. (He stopped shaving because he spotted something in his mirror.) The equipment, clothes and rat were all made by me.
British front line dugout. Mike painted Jimmy and Uncle (Journey's End). All my internal models are lit with LEDs.
Tunnelling and Mining was one of the more barbaric practices of the war.
The French high command didn't want their troops comfortable because they wanted their country back. Therefore French trenches were often far from perfect.
When a trench was captured, you would have to dig a firestep on the other side and counter attacks soon came, before you had repaired it. Mike's wonderful paintwork again. We called these two Bob and Harry.
German trenches were usually well built because they wanted to keep hold of captured land.
The Germans used concrete very early as it proved very resilient to bombardment.
Close up of Mike's paintwork on Uncle.
Jimmy - this is a 54mm figure! How Mike does it is beyond my skill!
Jimmy in his bed. The blanket was painted by Mike too. Wonderful texture. On the desk are reduced copies of letters my Grandfather sent in WW1. I scratch-build most of the accessories. The wire cutters are 8mm long and have 14 pieces.
Bob with his folding Periscope. Mike's paintwork - of course!
Harry. Beautifully filthy and determined! He is another Tommy's conversion with a Hornet head and Kellerkind Lewis. The gasmask hose is a piece of guitar string.
My book has a full history behind each of these sections plus detailed descriptions of how I make things and create scenery. Mike is following on with his own book on how he paints like he does.
My book also contains some of my work in 1:285 scale. It's almost ready but being offered for pre-order from bookshops like WH Smith already. It's not on the Crowood website yet, and we're still working on it. Nearly there!
