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Historex - Bataillon du Prince de Neuchâtel , Sapeur


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This arrived this morning ... No wings, no wheels ... but light infantry

Packaging

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Historex was a French company, based in Paris. I believe the original company went out of business, but the product continues as Historex Nemrod (website: http://www.historex.com). I got this through eb*y but you can also get them from Historex Agents in Dover (link: http://www.historexagents.com/ ).

The parts

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Six arms, six legs, two bodies and one head ... so a bit of flexibility 'OOB' (out of the bag :))

This is what I'll be making, I have a choice of headgear (and torso) which means he can be any time between 1804 and 1815.

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I'm tempted by the 3e Legre, who's sapeurs wore red tunics rather than the conventional blue - I also want to check whether any light infantry sappers wore white uniforms.

Edited by Robert Stuart
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Robert,

Welcome to the GB and I'm very pleased to see a figure in this GB, I'm sure whatever uniform you paint it in it will look great.

Wez

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Glad to see Historex are still going!

I really like what they do, even if the whole thing can be quite fiddly...

A Sapeur from the 3rd Leger would have a special panache!

Have fun!

JR

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Progress, I've started with his legs, where there is alittle animatiom. His torso & head are tacked on, while the fur bonnet is a push fit.

bm_ffgb_sapeur_07_size640.jpg

I tried photographing him against a black ground, but the white plastic produced too much glare.

OT there was a quality control slip in this fellow's packaging ... advertising a modelling competition to take place in July 1980, so that gives a sense of the age of this kit.

Edited by Robert Stuart
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Looking very nice, I do love all the extra bits that come with the Historex kits. They are something I always read about years ago but never got round to getting till now! Good luck with it.

Thanks, Yes, they are a good way of filling your spares box

Only in 1806 did 11 Line Regiments wear white uniforms. From '07 it was back to blue.

Thanks, that's useful to know.

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The ease with which these kits can be adapted is, perhaps, one of their weaknesses.

The upper torso is - somewhat - stiff and rigged .. my remedy here is a couple of cuts, to help relax his pose

bm_ffgb_sapeur_08_size640.jpg

Next, clean-up and filling ...

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Progress .. he has arms, and his jacket has tails. I'm not sure about his left arm (it seems stiff) so I may change that.

bm_ffgb_sapeur_10_size640.jpg

The hat and axe are loose, and there is still modelling work still to do

Now, I need to think about which unit he belongs to ...

Do I go for the more usual blue uniform of a French chasseur

A green uniform representing Régiment de la Tour d’Auvergne,1er Régiment Etranger

A yellow uniforn with red facings (Bataillon du Prince de Neufchatel)

The latter two were merceinary units "integral to the French Army during Napoleon's reign"

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  • 2 months later...

Painting started - I think I want to revisit the bearskin

bm_ffgb_sapeur_17.jpg

The uniform suggests that he is a member of the Batallion du Prince de Neuchatel. The prince was better known as Marshal Berthier. Berthier was considered an ugly man so favoured bright uniforms ... this character is going to aquire red facings and cuffs soon

The batallion was part of the Swiss contingent serving France during the Napoleonic wars, paid for by the French treasury.

Edited by Robert Stuart
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Wow, that certainly is very bright B)

Cliff

He is possibly too bright at this stage, a bit of yellow ochre will help.

There is a fairly full desciption of the batallion in Guy Dempsey's Napoleon's Mercenaries: Foreign Units in the French Army Under the Consulate and Empire, 1799-1814 (web pages here: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=cUuaBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dq=bataillon+du+prince+de+neuch%C3%A2tel&source=bl&ots=L1EWPxzAtp&sig=hQbhjKUlfbigV7OOWYPiGTO9LHs&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=bataillon%20du%20prince%20de%20neuch%C3%A2tel&f=false, and scroll down a bit)

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Progress ...

I've knocked his hat off, since I wasn't satisfied with it and it blockes access to his face

The jacket has had a second, calmer, coat of yellow, and some reds

bm_ffgb_sapeur_18.jpg

bm_ffgb_sapeur_19.jpg

Wet paint!

Edited by Robert Stuart
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