The Loose Association of Wargamers

finally got my hands on a box of the Zvezda Nap. Saxon cuirassiers:
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=882

My plan is to convert them to SYW Austrian cuirassiers.

https://lacewarsintin.blogspot.com/2018 ... siers.html

This will mean a head swop (easy) but also to model longer coat tails.

The issue is the Zvevda horses are in campaign mode with very high portmanteaus & blanket rolls at the rear of the saddle & various bags etc at the rear sides. This effectively covers the end of the existing coat tails of the figures. ie you can't tell if they're short (as they are) or long.

This means the neat arrangement for the tails as shown in the second link is impossible. Indeed, the coat tails would either be placed over the blanket rolls (ridiculous) or scrunched up next to the figures leg (messy, unsightly). In reality, did they sit on their coat tails?

The only exception is the officer's horse.


I'm inclined to only model long tails on that figure - using milliput.

Opinions ?

donald

It's a tailoring thing... By the 19th Century, coat-tails were cut so that they started around the hips and were neatly hanging over the arse. During the 18th Century coat tails were properly the turned-back skirts of the coat, so they started from the front and rear and met (and hung down) at the sides instead of at the rear.

I think you have the right plan. It's bad enough wearing a baking tray on your torso, let alone having to sit on your tail.

I am amazed that with all the tricorning plastic out there, no one does tricornes in baking trays.

RMD wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 1:26 am It's a tailoring thing... By the 19th Century, coat-tails were cut so that they started around the hips and were neatly hanging over the arse. During the 18th Century coat tails were properly the turned-back skirts of the coat, so they started from the front and rear and met (and hung down) at the sides instead of at the rear.

I am so impressed by your depth of knowledge. C18th tailoring by God!

Many thanks; I'll look at the figures anew.

donald

I doubt you have the hips for it, or are "chesty" enough, so I'm sorry but I don't think you'll ever be a model

He lacks the anorexic look too.

Definitely more a "Front Rank" sculpt.

Me too.

ochoin wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 6:21 am

RMD wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 1:26 am It's a tailoring thing... By the 19th Century, coat-tails were cut so that they started around the hips and were neatly hanging over the arse. During the 18th Century coat tails were properly the turned-back skirts of the coat, so they started from the front and rear and met (and hung down) at the sides instead of at the rear.

I am so impressed by your depth of knowledge. C18th tailoring by God!

Many thanks; I'll look at the figures anew.

donald

Nah, not really. It's essentially the original reason for uniform turnbacks - to keep them out of the way at the sides.

Solution (no milliput needed)
Buy a box of the Zvesda GNW Swedish dragoons: sample dragoon with sample Napoleonic Saxon cuirassier:


Slice off head & legs of dragoon (with long coat tails) & fix to cuirassier:


Look at new SYW Austrian cuirassier:


donald