1/12th mounted Life Guard

[AMB]

Having made a refreshing break from building aircraft, I decided to make an old Airfix 1/12 Life Guard Trumpeter kit, which I enjoyed building.

Having completed that, I wondered if it might be possible to build a second one of these mounted on horseback, as they usually are?  I am thinking of cross-kitting one with a 1/12 horse from the old Airfix Bengal Lancer kit, using the top half of the Life Guard and the bottom half of the Bengal Lancer body, adding the Life Guard's details. Has anyone tried this or perhaps used a different horse?   

[AMB]

No response to this idea?  Well I'm going to attempt to make it happen. I have another Airfix Life Guard figure kit and have just acquired a rare 1/12th Airfix Bengal Lancer kit for a bargain price on E. Bay, so am going to have a go at cross-kitting them to make a mounted Life Guard as seen at Horse Guards in London.

Edited August 31, 2018 by AMB

[Grey Beema]

Back in the day I had the Bengal Lancer kit.  I was going to convert it to an English Civil War cavalryman but could not craft the breast and back set well enough.  The Airfix kit was considered a good basis to modify into other figures.  So I don't see a problem with your scheme, it should work and as the most difficult pieces would by the cuirass and helmet which would be supplied by your lifeguard kit.  The rest is soft clothing which should be easy to animate and merge with filler and sanding.. 

 

Not sure about the saddle but sheepskin over the saddle hides a multitude, straps out of lead foil, plastic strip or even tape.  Bridle would be similar I would guess...

 

Good luck with your build.  Lots of pictures are the key and remember in the digital world a picture is worth 1024 words...

[AMB]

15 hours ago, Grey Beema said:

Back in the day I had the Bengal Lancer kit.  I was going to convert it to an English Civil War cavalryman but could not craft the breast and back set well enough.  The Airfix kit was considered a good basis to modify into other figures.  So I don't see a problem with your scheme, it should work and as the most difficult pieces would by the cuirass and helmet which would be supplied by your lifeguard kit.  The rest is soft clothing which should be easy to animate and merge with filler and sanding.. 

 

Not sure about the saddle but sheepskin over the saddle hides a multitude, straps out of lead foil, plastic strip or even tape.  Bridle would be similar I would guess...

 

Good luck with your build.  Lots of pictures are the key and remember in the digital world a picture is worth 1024 words...

Thanks very much for your encouragement and advice. The Airfix Life Guard kit does not include the cuirass polished breast plate, as this is only worn by the mounted Horse Guards, so I'll have to add that and may have to make a new saddle with Plasticard. We'll see! 

[LotusArenco]

How about modelling it with the long calf length red coat they wear sometimes? (Winter dress?) It’ll cover virtually the entire saddle and most of the underlying uniform apart from the helmet and boots.

 

Mart

Edited September 2, 2018 by LotusArenco

[AMB]

On 9/2/2018 at 9:18 AM, LotusArenco said:

How about modelling it with the long calf length red coat they wear sometimes? (Winter dress?) It’ll cover virtually the entire saddle and most of the underlying uniform apart from the helmet and boots.

 

Mart

Too easy!  I like a challenge. The Bengal Lancer kit has arrived and the horse has been built . I have dissected both the Lancer's body and the Life Guard's body and cross-kitted the top half of the Life Guard with the 'riding pantaloons' lower half of the Bengal Lancer. Blended them in with body putty, so we're getting there.  

[matti64]

It's a good idea, but remember that the horse  that comes  with the Bengal Lancer is quite small. I was planning to  make a model of Princess Anne  during her career as a Jockey and made a recast of her head from the Show Jumper kit with the intention of fully scratchbuilding the rest of the figure and using the horse from the Bengal Lancer kit. Whilst acknowledging the fact that a racehorse is particularly  big and rangey, I had to  do a lot with the  Lancers horse, extending all of its limbs, neck and torso, I feel that  the lancers horse could do with at least some enlargement as a matter of course.

[AMB]

On 9/16/2018 at 10:45 PM, matti64 said:

It's a good idea, but remember that the horse  that comes  with the Bengal Lancer is quite small. I was planning to  make a model of Princess Anne  during her career as a Jockey and made a recast of her head from the Show Jumper kit with the intention of fully scratchbuilding the rest of the figure and using the horse from the Bengal Lancer kit. Whilst acknowledging the fact that a racehorse is particularly  big and rangey, I had to  do a lot with the  Lancers horse, extending all of its limbs, neck and torso, I feel that  the lancers horse could do with at least some enlargement as a matter of course.

Thanks for that Matt. Whist the Bengal Lancer's horse might be slightly small, the Life Guard figure matches the proportions of the Bengal Lancer and I have successfully cross-kitted the two bodies. Comparing photos of the mounted Horse Guards, the finished figures looks in scale with the horse and the model is nearly complete. Just need to add the reigns and harnesses plus some detailing, but it looks the part.