Painting service, book, magazine, and figure mini-reviews.-RL
Pride Of The Regiment, Eric J. Cook, 1765 Ridge Road, Ontario, NY 14519 (315) 524-4637 - "Faster than a speeding Polish hussar. More accurate than an English bowman. Better looking than your girlfriend." Have you seen this advertisement in MWAN? The "Better looking than..." line caught my eye. Since his advertisement appeared in MWAN 81, please note that the speeding hussars have chased him from Webster, New York, to a new address, as seen above. I sent Eric a unit of Dixon ACW Cavalry (Rush's Lancers) and dismounts, and was impressed with his work, his humor, and his commitment to pleasing his customers. After I saw the work on the cavalry, I sent him a unit of Dixon F&I Highlanders to paint, and then more of both Dixon and Old Glory Highlanders. Can you tell I am a satisfied customer? Eric does real nice work on the figures for a reasonable price. He has also been prompt in completing the painting I have commissioned. The times I have talked to Eric by telephone have been a real pleasure, discussing painting techniques, reference materials, regimental histories, lines of figures, etc. Although he paints any period or figure scale, his prices for painting 25mm foot figures range from $2.25 to $3.00, mounted $4.25 to $5.00, etc. He also has an inventory of 15mm and 25mm painted figures for sale in various periods. Contact him for his current listing. I recommend you try his painting service, just don't send him any figures before I do again.
Ill-Starred General. Braddock of the Coldstream Guards, by Lee McCardell,University of
Pittsburgh Press, l958 (reprint 1962 & 1986)ISBN 0-8229-5903-8 (paperback) -
This book is a combination of documented fact, the biography of a much maligned man of the French & Indian War Period. This is the leader of the British expedition to Fort Duquesne (present day Pittsburgh) in 1755, seeking to remove the French star fort which had been built at the confluence of the Monogahela and Allegheny Rivers. His regulars and provincials were routed on a forest battlefield, dashing the British hopes of claiming the Ohio Valley. This biography reveals the man and the politics behind his defeat, one of the major setbacks to British imperial power in the American colonies. Besides all that, he almost got young George Washington of Virginia killed before he became the famous General of the Continentals.
While we are talking about George..., Du Quesne - Washington's
First Campaign, by Richard C. Ashton, University Editions, Inc./Agina Press, 59 Oak Lane, Spring Valley, Huntington, West Virginia 25704, 1993, ISBN 1-56002-355-4 (paperback)
"This is an historical novel about the years when Washington and his men fought alongside the British. During his early life, ages 21-25, Washington served not only his colony, but also his king in the military." At this time and for several years to follow, Washington was seeking a commission in the British Army. If he had received it would we take tea today, and follow the affairs of the dysfunctional Diana and Charles?
Regiments of Foot - A historical record of all the foot regiments of the British Army, H.L. Wickes, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1974, ISBN 0-85045-220-1
This book seeks to answer the question "What became of the regiments of foot?" It is not a history of the British Army, nor a complete record of the battles and campaigns in which the various regiments engaged. This book is a useful tool for a wargamer like me. It tells how the British regiments were named, and gives a title and brief history of a regiment, preceding titles, the status/title today (1974), nicknames of the regiment, regimental marches (for those that like sound effects with their games), and occasional anecdotes from the regimental history.
Making Paper Warplanes, by David Hawcock, David & Charles, London, 1989, ISBN 07153-9366-9
This book gives patterns and instructions to produce 12 airplanes from the history of military aviation, and with the exception of the Bell UH-1 Huey, they all can be made to glide. The planes one can model from "cartridge paper torn from a sketchpad" include Sopwith Camel, Fokker Dr 1, Messerschmitt Bf-109, Spitfire, Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Avro Lancaster, British Aerospace Harier, Bell UH-1 Huey, Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-21, McDonnell Douglas F- 15 Eagle, and the General Dynamics F-111. The book includes plans, instructions, materials, insignia and camouflage details. With a photocopier and some time, one could make an entire air wing. The photographs of the models in the paperback book look very nice, especially the biplanes.
Wolfe at Quebec by Christopher Hibbert, The World Publishing Company, Cleveland and New York, 1959, Library of Congress number 59-11531
Using old diaries, letters, and log books, the author has told the story of the 1759 capture of Quebec from the French, "...by this thirty-two year old, eccentric neurotic, diseased, secretive, a military fanatic.." general, "...the ten minutes that changed America." This hardback volume includes four maps, among which is a map showing the disposition of the units for the battle on the plains of Abraharn outside the city 13 September, 1759.
AMT/ERTL Models is manufacturing 1/72 scale diorama sets for WWII, Gettysburg, and the Battle of Okinawa. The WWII set contains 50 US and 50 German figures, one Sherman and one Panzer tanks, a 17x10 inch "battlefield" and a pillbox. The other period sets contain similar quantities of stuff. These look like a good starter set for a young wargamer or military modeler. They sell for around $16.00 each in you favorite hobby store.
Sassanian Armies. The Iranian Empire, by David Nicolle, with illustrations by Angus McBride, Montvert Publisher, P.O. Box 25, Stockport SK5SRU, 72 pages.
This is a very nice paperback book, similar in detail to the earlier offerings from this publisher. This book has great color illustrations of the various troop types by Mr. McBride. This is available from most military hobby shops and mail order houses at $22.95.
"Napoleon, His Life, His Wars, His World," Emperor's Press, 5744 Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60634,
Published six time a year, this is the Napoleonic magazine that anyone interested in the period can't live without. It is priced at $5.95 per copy, and contains a wealth of period information, product reviews, advertisements, articles, etc. Number 3 of this magazine contains articles on French Hussars, the battle of Aspern, Austria, Snuff Boxes (in case you were wondering), a really interesting section on the use of tobacco in Europe, and much more.
Old Glory Box 20, Calumet, PA 15621 (412) 423-3580, Russ and Connie Dunaway
More new figure releases including: Warpaint Range 25mm, the wild west with great Plains Indians, US Cavalry, settlers, etc., Byzantines 25mm, Asiatic Horse People 25mm, Rus 25mm, Seven Years War 25mm Austrians, Gaulic Wars of Caesar 25mm Briton chariots, Malburian Wars 25mm, Jacobite Rebellion 15mm, Command Decision 15mm, Ghost (Orcs, Wolfs, Ice Trolls), Dwarf Boar Riders, and Mexican American War figures 25mm. I picked up a bag of the settlers and the Indian civilians for my collection. They are nicely done with unique poses, and you can't beat the price. I am still waiting for the figures for the "Bolivian Bolo Wars" to be produced, this is a really ignored if obscure period, and these figures will do a lot to make the selection of figures from Old Glory more complete. Don't you agree?
Dover Publications Inc., 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y. 11501
From Helicopter Theory, to American Indians to Theology, Ship Rigging, The Art of The Armorer, Fine Art, Magic, Gardening, History, Building Ship Models, Clip Art and on and on, this is a catalog of paperback books on an overwhelming range of subjects. I have ordered a few volumes from them and have been satisfied with my purchases, and the mail order service. Write for a catalog from this company, and you will probably find a book or two that you need, even though they do not have a "military" or "wargaming" category in the catalog.
Osprey Elite Series #62, American Civil War Zouaves, Robin Smith and Bill Younghusband, Osprey/Reed Consumer Books, Michelin House, 81 Fulhan Road, London SW3 6RB, 1996, ISBN 1-85532-571-3,
64 pages - The French Zouaves were viewed as the "beau-ideal of a soldier", and influenced the outfitting of many pre-civil war militia units. More that 50 Zouave units were formed during the American Civil War, mostly in the North. This book gives a great discussion of the ACW "Zoo-Zoos", with the characteristic "colour" plates we have come to value highly in the Osprey books. The book covers Northern and Southern Zouave units. Oh well, I'll need just a few more units of figures to cover the all these pretty units.
Bottling Ships and Houses, by Ronald C. Roush, 1985, Tab Books Inc., Blue Ridge Summit PA 17214, ISBN 0-8306-0975-X, 212 pages
Okay, so this and the next book are just to enableyou to have something to use all those empties for I have always been fascinated with how they get the ship in the bottle. This book show how to put houses and watercraft in bottles (not all in the same bottle, Bob). It discussed construction (no Union carpenters though), materials, design and modifications, tools etc. I intend to use these techniques to put some military miniature dioramas in bottles. How about the siege of Troy? Or perhaps the entire Eastern Front? I'll have to think about that for a while.
How To Build... Historical Bottled Ships, by Bill Lucas, 1982, William H. Lucas, P.O. Box 3623, Green Bay, Wisconsin, UPCOM Standard Printing & Graphics Div., Green Bay, Wisconsin, 103 pages
This book gives step by step instruction from obtaining the plans to tolls to be used, assembly of all the parts, setting the mast, to completion of the bottle seal. I found this book in one of the dusty book stores I have frequented. If you can find a copy and have any interest in these techniques of putting a fully rigged ship in a bottle, this is the book for you!
The Warrior Kings of Saxon England, by Ralph Whitlock, 1991, Dorset Press, New York, ISBN 0-88029-67309, 160 pages
This book gives a complete and detailed account of the struggles of the Saxons against the continuous incursion of marauding invaders, Picts, Scots, Irish, and the Vikings. This book covers the development of the Anglo Saxon nation between AD 689 and the Norman Conquest.
1066! The Year of The Conquest, David Howarth, 1977, Dorset Books, The Viking press, ISBN 0-88029-014-5, 207 pages
This book places the Norman invasion and conquest of England in the context of the year in which it occurred. That year saw the death of Edward the Confessor, the coronation of William of Normandy, the struggle for succession won by Harold, and then the invasions from Norway by Hardrada, and then William of Normandy.
The listing of illustrations and figures for this book occupies two pages. This book traces the impact of the last successful invasion of Britain, and the development of the Norman Heritage. This includes architecture, city organization, culture, laws and religion.
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© Copyright 1996 Hal Thinglum
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