Cor Blimey, Scarper its the Fuzz

Here is the next unit on the Humberstone Militia Series and these are the local bobbies. I am not totally sure that they called them the "Fuzz" in the 1930s though, but I have painted these lovely Paul Hick's sculpts having Musketeer Miniatures, they are actually the Royal Irish Constabulary in there Irish War of Independence range and one of the chaps is from the IRA command set in the Free State Uniform, painted too as a copper, he is the one with the shotgun. Beautiful figures and I tried my hardest to get the colour of the uniform correct. These were actually quite nice to paint, a nice easy uniform with little in the way of detail, which made a very nice change. Included in the unit are two, rather well known detectives from Mutton Chop Miniatures, which I have painted in a sort of tweed suits and pinstripes. I think the whole unit looks rather nice and I most get some more bobbies soon.

Post Office Rifles

Here is the latest unit that I have nearly finished for my VBCW game and these chaps are the Post Office Rifles. The actual miniatures are from Paul Hick's very own company called Mutton Chop Miniatures, and are called Major Pippin's Ceremonial Academy Guards and have nothing to do with Trumpton.  Very nice sculpts, as you expect for Paul Hick and are full of character. Now I already have the Royal Mail Rocket Team, again sculpted by Paul Hick, from Musketeer Miniatures Interwar/VBCW range and I needed some infantry to go with these and the Major Pippin chaps fit the bill. These chaps are still waiting there bases to be done but I am very happy with them especially as I have used new brushes on these from Rosemary and Co Artist Brushes and i have to say I am jolly impressed with them and if you dont already use them I would say have a pop at their website and check them out.

The Duke of Rutland's Own

I have managed to finish two, yes two units for the game at Partizan this Sunday 27th May. The first unit is actually the Duke of Rutland's' Own BUF Company in there new BUF uniforms bases on the Italian Fascists rather than the Nazis of German.

The actual uniform of with the blue facings identifying them as a part of the Severn and Midlands Division and the Company flag bears the arms of the Duke himself.

I am rather happy with the uniforms and the overall effect and feel of the unit. The miniatures are from Musketeers' Inter-War Range, sculpted by Paul Hicks and are rather nice I hope you agree.

If that wasn't enough the next unit is the BUF Militia from Leicestershire which have fled to join the Duke and his forces in a hope of fighting the socialists of Leicester and strangely they now have there chance.
These chaps being militia of sorts have now uniform what so ever and one might say that they have no direction what so ever save causing mischief and mayhem.

These fellows are from Paul Hicks' own company Mutton Chop Miniatures being his Weasels and it somehow fits them. I will be replacing the banner with something more well weaselly once Partizan is out of the way. I again are rather pleased with myself as these have turned out are nicely.

And just to finish off I have and finished and based Syd James and Charles Hawtree again from Mutton Chops and these chaps will be seeing an outing to at Partizan.

The Duke of Rutland's Own Company of British Union of Fascists

Here they are The Duke of Rutland's Own Company of British Union of Fascists presented to you. As I have said before I have gone for the grey uniform to give that futuristic feel and the blue facings of the Midlands and Severn Division and I am jolly happy with the results. I went brown leather webbing to add a bit of contrasting colour. I cant wait to use them in a game, once I have finished off the bases using the PanzerKaput's Basing Systemtm. Now back to illustrating the Albertine book.

In The BUF Latest!

Well my unit of the Duke of Rutland's Own Company of the British Union of Fascists are, I think, coming along rather well. I went for a grey over black, to give them a more modern and 1930s futuristic feel and I think that it is work, or they are looking French. Just the finishing bits of bobs to do and them will hopefully finished today.

The BUF are Taking Shape

I have done a little more to the BUF troops, I have base coated and washed the them. Next is the start of the highlights and build up of colours. I have gone more for an Italian Fascisti look with the grey as opposed to the black uniforms. I just think that the grey uniforms make them look more British and modern. I can wait to see them finished.

Start of Something New to Paint

I have started to paint my BUF troops getting ready for Partizan in May. Well thats the excuse to get them off my painting desk, especially as I have just order this fine fellow from Mutton Chops and what a carry on that will be, lol.

 Anyway but the BUF troops are for the talented Paul Hicks from Musketeer Miniatures from there VBCW Range. They are very nice sculpts, up to their high standards and I cant wait to have these finished. So far I have managed to paint the flesh.

I have also finished building, snapping together a Stuart Cottage from 4Ground a new company making MDF building and other terrain and these actually come painted so all you need to do is glue a little and you have a finished house for the princely sum of £16.00 which is not bad for a house. Here are so pictures of the house which I think is very good.

Lt Cooper and his fellow Coppers

I have finished the coppers now bar the bases and I am pleased with the results. I decided against painting the On Duty band as it looked like a pain in the backside to do and I don't think it would of added that much to it. I guess now at least I can use them as coppers from other periods now.

Its the Coopers

As Albanich is getting near I need some police painted and here is the start. The only thing I am not sure about is the On Duty band and need they wear them then. I am happy with the blue, at least on the middle chap, who is pointing, a sort of tester figure and I hope to have the others finished soon. These are again by Paul Hicks and sold by Musketeer and these are Royal Irish Constabulary. After that its back to the illustrations.

GPO Rocket Team

I realised yesterday I call them the Royal Mail but at the time I think that they were called the General Post Office, GPO. Either way I have finished them and I am rather happy with the results. I have researched the uniform and the shako, okay I looked it up on google, and painted the uniform as close I am could make it to the mid 1930s. Was I little lost as to what colours to paint the rocket and went for blue and red. I love this set and I might get another in the future. Need to find some figures to use as infantry.

Express Delivery

Here is the start of the next figures and yet again they are from, yes you have guessed it, Musketeer Miniatures and sculpted by the talented Paul Hicks. For so who read this blog you will be a little and I hope pleasantly surprised by the fact that this light artillery, support unit is actually a Royal Mail Rocket troop using the famous Zucker Rockets. I saw this and I fell in love with it and have started on painting the damn thing. The uniform is correct for the time of 1938, with the shakos, now I just need to find a manufacturer who does infantry like them, then I can had Royal Mail Rifles. I think the closest would be a Victorian uniform. Here is the latest stage.

Its the Men They Couldn't Hang

I have finished off my British Union of Fascists Auxiliaries and I am rather happy with the whole result now that they are fully based and painted. Its strange how the base pulls the miniature together and these miniatures from Musketeer Miniatures and sculpted by Paul Hicks were a wonder to paint up. I painted these up in the uniform of the BUF Auxiliary as I illustrated in Solways' new book on the Somerset Freedom Fighters (more to follow about that in the new couple of days).

The facings colours and piping identify the division (actually the area with the unit is from) with blue being for the Severn Valley and the Midlands. I am sad enough to create the divisional areas and work out there facings. Also these are based on real BUF pipings or facings as there didn't use them. This being as follows:

Colour                               Area

Red                   Manchester and North West Division

Purple               London and the South East Division

Blue                  Severn and the Midlands Division

White                Newcastle and the North East Division

Yellow              East Anglican Division

Green               West Country Division

Brown               The South Division

Dark Green       Wales

Dark Blue         Scotland

Now of course this is all top secret stuff and subject to change at any time.

Nearly but Still Far Away

I have now finished the miniatures now of my Auxiliaries just the bases to go. I have to admit I have enjoyed painting them as BUF Auxiliaries, I wonder if I would of enjoyed painting them as proper IWI Auxiliaries? Its quite amazing that I have got this far tonight between watching Whitechapel and other things.These chaps have a blue faces and trim of the Midlands Brigade, Severn and Mids Division, British Union of Fascists. Yes I have been sad enough to map out all the regions and their colours for the BUF and also the rank insignia too. Here are the latest photos.

BUF Auxiliaries on there Way

Yes I have started my Black and Tans or rather BUF Auxiliaries. I decided that they should have a similar uniform to the Auxiliary Police Units as seen in Ireland and the Black and Tans. There are a number of reasons why I decided to goes for these, firstly I rather like the Tams, secondly I think that in the VBCW universe the image of the Black and Tan would still be etched in the minds of many and the cold image would be exploited by the British Union of Fascists. So here the start.

Humberstone Militia Rioters

Well actually it is the Militia bomber that I had forgotten to finish that I managed to do last night. Again I am very happy with the results.