Guernsey Foundry

25mm US Cavalry and Custer

by David Barnes

Guernsey Foundry Sgt 0'Brien's Detail US Cavalry and Col. George Armstrong Custer available from Foundry Ltd., Hubert's Lane, off Doyle Road, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 IRG, Channel Islands, GB, or The Foundry Ltd, 1549 Marview Drive, Westlake, Ohio, 44145

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 1870's. 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 figures 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.

We also have Major Reno and his troop sailing into disaster, the 3rd detachment of Indian fighting US Cavalry - not like the Duke and "To the rooor hah!" Hollywood versions but more like the historical reality of the 1870s.

I shall list the figures, comment and then draw a few, not to sale.

Troopers on foot, carbine

PW11 Finkle, advancing. Not included in the samples.

PW12 Rossberg, at the ready. Not included in the 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 the samples.

PW15 Henderson, kneeling at the ready. Making himself a smaller target. Campaign hat, turned up brim.

PW16 Mayer, reaching for ammo. Not included in the 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 thro' his walrus mustache. Carbine on its loop.

PW52 Charley Reynolds, civilian scout. Fringed buckskins, long hair and heavy beard and mustache. 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 "Ali kin smell them pesky redskins."

Mounted Troopers, revolver

Cav PW11 Finkle. Not included in the 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 the samples.

Cav PW15 Henderson. Still has his carbine in his right hand. Cav

PW16 Mayer. Not included in the 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 Sgt. Firbolg O'Brien. Drawn sword at rest. Kepi, shouting "Will ye be lookin' at that Henderson ye Scots eejit!!"

Cav W52 Charley Reynolds civilian scout. Flowing locks and fringes, leaning forward in the saddle, bags of action.

Horses All these horses are well modeled, as usual. Brand on left shoulder. Walking; cantering; trotting; all beautifully modeled, proportioned and cast. We gainers really are spoilt these days.

PWH1 Galloping horse. Well modeled and animated.

PWH2 Galloping horse. A good differencing for variety in this pose.

PWH3 Trotting horse. Arched neck, good trotting action.

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 the Apaches I've just painted up - except for a few touches to them. Models 70p a.t.t.o.w., horses 90p.

Other figures from the next release, sorry, I have not numbers for these:

G.A. Custer on foot. Fringed trousers, fireman's shirt, two pistols, bino case, long cravat and hair, hunting knife. Sorry George, you made a boo boo!

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 in campaign hat, mustache. Pistol in right hand, carbine in left. Jacket, bandolier round waist. Dead ringer for R.E. Lee in "Gettysburg" film.

Major Reno. Straw hat in his left hand, Colt dragoon pistol in his right. Frogged tunic, bars on shoulders. Small binoculars case on his left hip.

Guidon Bearer. Bearded kneeling, left hand open to take guidon (supply your own). Firing Colt to his right. Fireman's shirt.

Trumpeter. Bugle in hand. Campaign hat with turnup across his brow E. to W. Colt in holster on bandolier waist belt. Sideburns and big weeping mustache.

All the other figures have names - no list numbers and no numbers on the figure bases so I cannot tell who is categorized by which name. There are six of these. I will comment and describe briefly.

1. Campaign hat, carbine sling, holstered pistol, bandanna knotted at the nape. Carbine in left hand, hammer back. Right hand up as if signaling. Mustache.

2. Campaign hat, kneeling firing carbine - aiming actually, as the hammer is up. Holstered carbine. Good position.

3. Hatless, aiming carbine. Holstered pistol. Slight veiling between left elbow and carbine inside. Weight on the back foot.

4. Campaign hat E/West. Holding carbine ready. Bandolier belt. Beard and mustache. Bandanna knotted at front. Holstered pistol.

5. Aiming, clean shaven. Campaign hat E/West. Holstered pistol. Bandolier belt.

6. Gaunt old timer. Campaign hat on the back of his head, mustache and beard. Carbine ready. Holstered pistol. All these figures wear big pull-on cavalry boots and spurs.

Plus mounted versions of above. Integral saddles and cavalry impedimenta slung about on them, i.e. water bottles, blankets, picket ropes, valises, slung carbines (on clip-on cross belts) and tin cups.

Custer. One pistol, flowing hair and mustache, buckskin trousers.

Std. Bearer. Open handed again but with a carbine provided separately i.e. cast on to the rod so you may turn him into another trooper if you wish. His hat, in both versions, is slightly smaller than the regulation campaign hat.

Reno. Colt poised at regulation angle. Straw hat. Rather tense expression. Bugler. Bugle in right hand.

Guidon Bearer. Has a carbine cast to his feet sprue so he can be either a GB or a trooper with carbine in his right hand. Clever stuff!

Other figures:

1. Arm and pistol cast to foot sprue - arm bent. Stick on as you please. Hat E.W. Mustache and beard.

2. Arm and pistol straight - cast on also. Hat E.W. Mustache.

3. Oldster - gaunt, pistol poised, barrel in air. Looking 1/4 left, in campaign hat.

4. Campaign hat, mustache, looking 1/4 right. Pistol poised at regulation angle. Mouth open. He has a very "lived in" face.

5. Hatless, beard and mustache. Dragoon pistol poised, looks 1/4 left.

6. Youngster, right arm out shoulder height to side holding carbine upright. Campaign hat. Looks straight ahead, frown, tense face.

If you get a chance in Britain, go to the Royal Armouries in Leeds and in the Self Defence section on the second floor there's a video display of gun fighting, film and "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). These figures open up a wealth of new scenarios to wargamers. Well worth looking into The Foundry for figures and rule sets. Before drawing some of these excellent figures, not to scale, is time to say that a large range of Renaissance figures is said to be coming from the Foundry in the near future. I can't wait to see them and compare them with the Redoubt and Essex ranges.

More Barnes' Reviews

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© Copyright 1998 Hal Thinglum
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