Review:

Guernsey Foundry

28mm US West Cavalry

Reviewed by David Barnes


Guernsey Foundry 28mm "Sgt. O'Brien's Detail U.S. Cavalry" & "Col. George Armstrong Custer"

Available from The Foundry Ltd., Huberts Lane, off Doyle Rd, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, GB. or, The Foundry Ltd., 1549 Marview Drive, Westlake, Ohio, 44145, USA.

These represent the Indian fighting cavalry of the Plains wars and they are sculptures by Mark Copplestone. They are not repros of Big John Wayne and Co. but reproductions of the men and their weapons of the 1870s. No Buffalo Soldiers yet but we can hope.

Besides "Veteran Sergeant Firbolg O'Brien and his friend Charley Reynolds, are seven fresh faced raw recruits (not in my skirmishes they won't be). I have six of the f.f.r.rs and one representation of Col. G.A. Custer of awful memory - great sculpture tho'!

They are also presented as mounted figures with appropriate horses, which have regulation brands in the correct place.

I shall list the figures and comment.

Troopers on foot, carbine.


PW11 Finkle, advancing. Not included in samples.
PW12 Rossberg, at the ready. Not included in samples.
PW13 Burke, turning. Trousers over his boots, maybe looking at a fallen comrade. Bandolier round his waist and hunting knife.
PW14 Shea, firing. Not included in samples.
PW15 Henderson, kneeling at the ready. Making himself a smaller target, Campaign hat, turned up at brim.
PW16 Mayer, reaching for ammo. Not included in samples.
PW17 Engle, shirt, kepi and revolver. Grim expression. Keeping off the Injuns with his pistol, his single-shot Spencer carbine having been fired. Character models on foot.
PW51 Sergeant Firbolg O'Brien. Sword drawn, kepi, telescope holster next to his sword scabbard. At attention, shouting through his walrus moustache. Carbine on its loop.
PW52 Charley Reynolds, civilian scout. Fringed buckskins, long hair and heavy beard and moustache. A Plains Scout (could be a Mountain Man too). Carbine across his chest. Pistol on right hip. Bandolier round his waist. Fringed pouch on his left hip. "Ah kin smell them there pesky Redskins!"

Mounted troopers, revolver.


Cav PW11 Finkle. Not included in samples.
Cav PW12 Rossberg. Pistol slightly out to his right, shouting!
Cav PW13 Burke. Snakeskin round his campaign hat? Pistol at the ready, regulation position.
Cav PW14 Shea. Not included in samples.
Cav PW15 Henderson. Still has his carbine in his right hand.
Cav PW16 Mayer. Not included in samples.
Cav PW17 Engle. Pistol at regulation angle - i.e. muzzle in the air. Saddle covered in kit, mug, water canteen, rope.

Mounted Characters


Cav PW51 Sergeant Firbolg O'Brien. Drawn sword at rest. Kepi, shouting "Will ye be lookin' at that Henderson, ye Scots eejit!!"
Cav PW52 Charley Reynolds, civilian scout. Flowing locks and fringes, leaning forward in the saddle, bags of action.

Horses


PWH1 Galloping horse 1. Well modelled and animated.
PWH2 Galloping horse 2. A good differencing for variety in this pose.
PWH3 Trotting horse 1. Arched neck, good trotting action.

All these horses are excellently modelled, as usual.

An excellent brief painting guide for US Cavalry 1870s by Mark Copplestone was included with these samples. Just to be awkward I'm going to have a few skirmishes with these figures with Apaches I've just painted up - except for a few finishing touches to them. Models 70p a.t.t.o.w. Horses 90p ($1.20 and $1.70 in USA).

Other Figures

from the next release; sorry, I have no numbers for these:-
G.A. Custer on foot. Fringed trousers, fireman's shirt, two pistols, binocular case, long cravat and hair, hunting knife. Sorry George, you made a boo boo 1
Standard Bearer with pistol. Pistol in left hand, standard pole in right (could be Custer's own). "Hyar they come agin!"
Two of Custer's Old Sweats??
First waving his hat, shouting, carbine at the point of balance.
Second Campaign hat, moustache. Pistol in right hand, carbine in left, jacket, bandolier round waist. Dead ringer for Gen. Robert E. Lee in "Gettysburg" film. And mounted versions of the above:-
Custer One pistol, flowing hair and moustache, buckskin trousers.
Standard Bearer Open handed again but with a carbine provided separately i.e. cast on to the rod so you may turn him into a another trooper if you wish. His hat, in both versions, is slightly smaller than the regulation campaign hat.

If you get a chance in Britain, go to the Royal Armouries in Leeds and in the Self Defence section (Second Floor) there's a video display of gun fighting, film and the "real thing" contrasted; and there are display cases of dragoon, Navy and other handguns that "won the West" for some people. One could spend a week in the Armouries [The Royal Armouries, The Waterfront, Leeds, Yorkshire]

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