Review UNION OFFICER fromADALID MODELS Review

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Nap

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Hi To all on PF ,

After what must be the worst couple of months of my life with work and health its great to be back in a better condition and what better way to make a comeback than to review my favouritre subject releases ..Busts


Adalid have been establishing themselves since my first post :
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/a-warm-welcome-to-adalid-models.48232/watch-confirm

So its a pleasure to delve into the releases and show you one of the first , this is a great companion piece to the dashing Confederate Officer I reviewed in this post:
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/confederate-captain-from-adalid-models.48613/watch-confirm


Whats the subject of this review :

Title: Union Officer

Reference: BH 004

Scale: 1/7th

No of Pieces: 3

Material: Resin and White metal

Sculptor: Pablo Ronda

Box Art: Eduardo Sanchez

As always lets have a little bit of background on the Union and the Officers that led them .

It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army.It consisted of the small regular army , augmented by massive numbers of units supplied by the Northern states, composed of volunteers and conscript as well. The Union Army fought and eventually defeated the CSA during the war which lasted from 1861 to 1865.

Of the 2,213,363 men who served in the Union Army during the Civil War, 364,511 died in combat, or from injuries sustained in combat, disease, or other causes, and 281,881 were wounded. More than 1 out of every 4 Union soldiers was killed or wounded during the war.

Consisting of many ethinic groupls including native Indians , Coloured regiments (54th) and Irish Immigrants , about a total of 25% of the Union being foreign born ...looking for a new life in a promised land.

As in any army you had good and bad officers , mostly from well to do families but all passionate about the cause they were fighting for and often very dashing in appearance.

Union privates were paid $13 per month until after the final raise of 20 June '64, when they got $16. In the infantry and artillery, officer was as follows at the start of the war: colonels, $212; lieutenant colonels, $181; majors, $169; captains, $115.50; first lieutenants, $105.50; and second lieutenants, $105.50. Other line and staff officers drew an average of about $15 per month more. Pay for one, two, and three star generals was $315, $457, and $758, respectively.

Soldiers were supposed to be paid every two months in the field, but they were fortunate if they got their pay at four-month intervals (in the Union Army) and authentic instances are recorded where they went six and eight months. Payment in the Confederate Army was even slower and less regular.

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Nap
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On now to the actual model itself:

This was as I said received well packed and quickly , consisting of 3 pieces , the main torso and hat are in a cream coloured resin , the torso has the head already cast on , the white metal piece consists of a large feather for the hat .
The review model was received in a plastic bag I believe the packaging will be a strong see through container with the pieces secured in an addtional plastic bag like the Confederate.

We also have a full colour picture of a painted version very nicely painted by Eduardo, if you want more views the just go to the website or blog .

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Nap
 

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The main piece is the torso :

As said his comes with the head already cast into the shoulder , a good idea IMO , avoids having to worry about the neck line.

He has like the Confederate flowing lock and a cracking and bushy moustache so often seen in period photographs for instance Colonel Chamberlain.

Facial features place this man in his mid 40's , possibly a landowner and battle hadened , fighting alonside his men leading from the front .

Details on the rank and the buttons are first class .

Prep is minimal as with all of the busts I have seen from Adalid , a few casting lines to deal with but nothing major , there is no base included perhaps something that might be worth thinking about , although I always use brass rod to mount my finished pieces.

I like the way the torso has been angled at the sides and the front ..classic bust IMO

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Nap
 

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Looking now at his headwear:

Our subject wears the 1858 Dress hat or Hardee slouch hat also kown as a "Jeff Davis". In the Union Army, the most prominent wearers of the Hardee hat during the war were the soldiers of the Iron Brigade, also known as the Black-Hats.
The hat apparently was named after William J Hardee a career officer in the U.S. Army from 1838 until resigning his commission on January 31, 1861. Hardee was Commandant of Cadets at West Point from 1856 to 1860.

A private purchase for officers , not that often seen as the war progressed , with ostrich feathers , silk binding ad adorned with embroideried badges .

The casting is a good representation , we have the side badges on it and the front one as well in addition to hat cords, detailing is finely done , washes and careful painting will result in a great result .

Prep needs to be carefully done with casting plugs prominant on the underside the brim , some might want to slightly thin down the brim by careful use of sanding blocks .

There is a triangular cut out which allows for perfect fit of the hat to a corresponding piece in the top of the head.

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Nap
 

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Now to the final piece , this time in white metal , the feather:

Cast as is the Confederate one in a very crisp and accurate way , pinnng would again be my preferred option , as per regulations these were normally ostritch feathers so some might want to replace the cast one but a purely personal choice., no prep is needed so good news there .

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Lets now put it all together ,

As you can see a very nice result can be obtained , you have the option the rank being either a Major or a Lt Colonel depending how you paint it , prep is minimal ad once this has been done a this piece will give you a nice display in the ever filling cabinet .

Comments made about the colour of the hat in the box art, speaking to Adalid this is the way it has been painted using a blue to highlight and they assure me it is darker closer to black!!!

That asisde this is a lovely straight up and down bust bust that is well researched ,well sculpted and cast , nicely presented and a great companion piece to the Confederate.

Available direct from them via the website or contact them at [email protected]

Nap

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Kev I keep coming back to this , some how the hat just looks odd . It looks heavy and over sized and if the figure could shake his head it looks like it would just topple off . It's nice ,it's in my favourite period but something just don't feel right .
chippy
 
Thank you for your informative review. I like the bust. Who will carry this bust in the US? And where can I find a picture of the Confederate bust you mentioned?

Terry Martin-Atlanta Miniature Figure Society
Atlanta, GA, USA
 
This is a fantastic SBS review and we're glad you're back in the saddle again. I have always look forwarded to your insightful and thorough reviews and have learned a lot from them - Thank You!
This appears to be a "Hardee" hat, with the calvary insignia on it. Most associated with the acclaimed Iron Brigade (known as "those damn blackhats!") the one on the bust doesn't look proportionally correct. If he was an enlisted soldier, maybe (he found it on the battlefield and it didn't fit right mentality) but as an officer who had to pay for his uniform, I would think he got the proper size hat. I'm no expert by any means on the ACW, but I'm not aware of Union calvary wearing a Hardee hat - Gen. J.E.B. Stuart had a turned, upside hat with a feather I remember, but not too sure of the Federals. Mike from Michaels Miniatures would know.
 
After really reviewing all of your reference - I realized you knew more than I ever did (next time I WILL read further before answering!). Still, the hat looks to heavy or wide at the top...
 
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