Review:

Guernsey Foundry

28mm Old West
Victorian Bystanders
Prussian Kurrassiere
and Fusileers
7YW Russian Musketeers

Reviewed by David Barnes


Available from La Guelle, Mont Arrive, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 2AA, Channel Islands, UK and at 1549 Marview Drive, Westlake, Ohio 44145, USA

I'll begin with the "Old West" list, comment & then the "Bystanders". Then I will draw some of them, not to scale.

OWT19. Hellfire Logan. Preacher with shotgun. Also has a holstered dragoon pistol. Rather looks like John Brown, waving a bible. The shotgun is a sawn-off variety.

OWT20. Quack Doctor/Snake oil Salesman. Holding up his bottle of cough mixture/horse linament. "Seegar" in his other hand. Top hat, moustache & glasses, frock coat.

OWT26. Dakota Zeke. Stout amiable lawman. Doffing his bowler hat (derby) in a suit. Dragoon six gun in a cross draw position at his belt. Small badge on the breast of his jacket. Bags of character.

OWMA1c. Mexican Infantry, Sombrero, firing. A good pose. I'll probably use him myself as a Garibaldian.

OWMA2c. Mexican Infantry, Sombrero, attacking. Musket/Rifle & bayonet. Shot pouch balance by gourd "water bottle". Gaunt face with finge walrus moustache.

OWMP7. Determined Peon with musket. Just ready for a "Magnificent Seven" scenario.

OWMP8. Peon firing musket. Very good aiming pose. Straw sombrero.

OWC14. Scruffy Josh the Trail Cook. Apron, can of beans from the campfire and ladle, plus pipe flopping onto his long beard.

OWC15. Cowhand eating beans. From the lift of his eyebrows he isn't too sure he likes what he's getting.

OWA20. Indian woman with baby. Apache woman with papoose carrier on her back. The head of this decorated with charms & beads. Excellent model.

Victorian Bystanders

VB7. Railroad man. Uniform cap & high buttoned jacket. Hand out in a belligerent pose. Not so much "Tickets please" as "Whats ya ticket ?".

VB8. Homesteader wife & child. Very much in the "Shane" idiom this model, none of your bandbox 'B' movie western lady here. Anyone who has read "Little House on the Prairie" books can relate to this group.

VB9. Homesteader/Farmer with scythe. There should be two handles on the scythe, one smaller and higher up the snaith. Scything is hard physical work and his face reflects this.

VB10. Fiddler. "Take your partners all in a row, Allemande left & home you go", etc. Back to the Future III (was it ?) band.

VB11. Reporter. A young man in a suit and a hat making notes in a book. "Marshall Earp said it was all over in a trice !".

VB12. Mournful undertaker. Crepe bound top hat, hands behind his back. Cadaverous face. "Hmm, he wont be able to afford brass handles" expression.

VB13. Gravedigger. Long beard, bowler hat, shovel on his right shoulder, bottle (cold tea ??) in his left hand. "James gang's in town again. Better git diggin".

VB15. Irritable shopkeeper. "You aimin' to buy somethin' ?" Folded arms & not much trade if he keeps that attitude.

VB16. Haughty saloon girl. Low bodice, short skirt (for her day). Ankle boots, hands on hips, well modelled hair.

VBB1. Black farm hand with stick. "Yassuh Mister Ashley, I'se gwine ter give them mules a lickin". A powerful, dangerous looking character actually.

VBM1. Mexican/Hispanic woman with a basket. Shawl over her head, bare feet. Oranges or grenades in her basket !

VBO1. Chinese labourer. Tunic, round hat, carrying a large roped bundle on his shoulders. "I start up velly good laundry. Allee same"

Here comes the heavy mob ! Old Fritz's final strike force modelled with all the careful detail and exacting animation we have come to expect from G.F. I shall list them, comment on some of them and then draw a few, not to scale.

Cav. PC1 Trooper (5 variants). Bristling moustache, waving his sword, covered in well modelled kit.

Cav. PC2 Trooper, separate arm (5 variants). Carbine by his side and Palasch (sword) at a businesslike angle - stuck on by yours truly. Aid to variety this.

Cav. PC3 Bareheaded trooper firing pistol. Pistol action on top so the sparks have a better chance of falling into the pan. Looking slightly right. Aggressive face.

Cav. PC11 Officer. Vorwarts Leute ! Ornate Kuirasse, fringed horse blanket and pistol holders. Flourishing his sword. Jutting chin.

Cav. PC19 Standard Bearer. Good flag staff with nails all over it to discourage would be trophy takers (provide your own fly). Excellent detail.

Cav. PC20 Gardes du Corps Standard Bearer. Different face to Cav. PC19. Standard of the Labrum style with eagle topped staff holding the chains of the standard in its beak! Again crisp detail.

Cav. PC31 Trumpeter. Pursed lips and round cheeks, 'Swallowsnest', false sleeves, extra lace. Blowing trumpet to the right.

Cav. PC12 Colonel. Lovely 'Georgian' face on this Inhaber. Hat by his side - could represent the Old Dessauer - unless G.F. intend to produce 'personalities'. I'd like to see Der Alte Fritz done by this designer - it would challenge the flat version.

On foot:

PC1 Trooper with carbine. At high ports. "Halte! Papiere Bitte!". To which Col. Chinstrap would answer "Bitter old boy ? Don't mind if I do!"

PC11 Officer. Same face as mounted version. Sword in hand, point down by his right foot.

PC91 Fatality. Artistically draped on the ground. Tricorn, carbine and picket stake beside his face down form. Goes with a dead horse model, available separately.

Prussian Fusileers in Pristine Order (Lapels & Swedish Cuffs):

These would also do for Germans in AWI.

PFLsP1 Attack March (5 Variants). I keep writing this, but this position is NOT March Attack. It is Left Shoulder Arms. Attack March has the musket with the trigger guard on top so that, grasping the small of the stock with the right hand, the weapon is brought smartly across the body until the right hand is level with the right hip. At the same time the left hand will be driven forward to clasp the weapons woodwork firmly. The bayonet will be not higher than the chest. This position readies the weapon for a bayonet thrust or next order. Sorry that's so long, but I'm fed up with saying it. He wears the Few-sillier cap of course.

PFLsP1a Drinking. It could be from his canteen or from a squat Hollands bottle.

PFLsP1b Bandaged head. "Bravely carryin' on Sir".

PFLsP21 NCO Attack March half pike. The half pike is cast on his stand and must be snapped off and glued to his hand. NCOs baton hooked by a button loop to his tunic.

PFLsP22 NCO standing, half pike.

PFLsP23 Standard Bearer. NCO. [Provide your own staff & fly] He's wearing a fusileer cap.

PFLsP31 Drummer. Marching, playing.

PFLsP32 Fifer. Hand too close to his mouth (Left hand). Would get in the way of his air stream across the aperture. A fifer blowing over his bottom lip. (I know I used to - can really make your head ache after a while)

PFLsP33 Pioneer with axe. Excellent. Arm & axe separate. (That's ax in US). One of my favourite figures. Slung musket, apron, dispense pouch. Mitre cap.

PFLsP91 Fatality. Luckily enough, he's been wounded in the thigh and is holding it with a strained expression - evidently not a football player ! His cap is behind him and he is propped up by that and his cartridge box. Prussian Officers

POLs16 Officer, sword. Pointing forward with his sword, shouting. Wears a gorget & sash, round his waist. Gaiters.

POLs17 Colonel. Booted, on foot. Same face as Cav. PC12.

Drawings now

Seven Years War Russians

Musketeers: Campaign order Wearing waistcoats, no coat or sword.

RMC1 Attack march (5 variants). I've been sent all the variants. I don't know how the designer does it in this scale - the faces all look Russian! Their tricornes are all at different angles on their heads. One is shouting, one looks as if gunpowder smoke is getting up his nose.

One has his head up, as if bracing himself. One has long locks of hair in front of his ears. The hat looks stolidly forward. In their waistcoats, usually red, they have a light troops look. All are posed with the right foot passing the left.

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