Model Tommy 1917

[Tim Godden]

Again, not impossible Tim - there's a lovely 1918 photo in the National Army Museum of a group of Royal Artillery soldiers - most are wearing steel helmets and leather jerkins, but two are wearing Gor'blimeys and goatskin vests - if you'd been issued one and been able to hold on to it, you'd have worn it...

Read your post old chap, artillery not infantry.

I can assure you, had I been issued with said headgear, I would have changed it as soon as humanly possible, much like any other infantry soldier.

[alex falbo]

I understand picturing a Gorblimey in the infantry is stretching the term but I didn't think it was impossible for early 1917.

The hat brim will be adjusted as suggested as I too thought it to be a tad long. There's a wonderful picture of a Tommy guarding prisoners near St. Eloi wearing a Gorblimey that I'm using as reference.

[MACRAE]

Good pictures very clear

Dan

[pgardiner1418]

Alex,

I have a copy of a photograph of 2/7th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment taken at Aldershot in January 1917 just before going overseas and one of the men is without doubt wearing a Gorblimey.

All the best,

Paul.

[alex falbo]

Thanks for your comments Dan and Paul. Much appreciated. The fact that the Gorblimey was still seen in limited use by the infantry in 1917 and even 1918 is no surprise. I've modified the brim however as it was notably long. I will post again with the corrections and mods as suggested throughout this topic. What I'd like to see and in all my time researching the WWI British soldier have never seen, is the Gorblimey with flaps down.

For those who wish to comment, nitpick or simply ask a question about the model I urge you to do so. I've made a trench periscope in the time since the posting and will be making a 1/6th scale fire trench within the year as part of my Great War Collection featuring exclusively Tommie's and Fritz's. All the links and kind help has been most useful.

Oh by the by Sgt. Carlysle is also grateful

[I W Rifleman]

Alex,

I've also seen photos of infantrymen wearing "Gore blimeys" and trench caps late War my Father one of them. As to other items on the model .... I thought boots for wear with Service Dress were Brown except for Rifles, bayonet scabards also Brown (changed by Army Order mid '20s), and the enamel cup would more than likely be White not Brown. Still think it is an excellent model no matter what "Red Herrings" (discussions going off on a tangent) it engenders. Looking forward to other models in the series.

Regards,

Chris.

[Andrew Upton]

I've also seen photos of infantrymen wearing "Gore blimeys" and trench caps late War my Father one of them. As to other items on the model .... I thought boots for wear with Service Dress were Brown except for Rifles, bayonet scabards also Brown (changed by Army Order mid '20s), and the enamel cup would more than likely be White not Brown. Still think it is an excellent model no matter what "Red Herrings" (discussions going off on a tangent) it engenders. Looking forward to other models in the series.

Regarding boots - usually, but not always, and for dress purposes they were supposed to be blackened temporarily.

With the scabbard, I know it's officially during the interwar period that they went black, but I've always wondered if it wasn't one of those things that was being unofficialy done in the field much earlier...

As mugs weren't officially issued at this time, any colour is basically acceptable (although the white mugs with the blue rim do seem to be common in WW1 groupings where they are present).

[alex falbo]

The boots will definitely be repainted as will the mug since most of the surviving examples are of the white with blue rim scheme.

I hope this doesn't come off as being thick but, when did the mug become an official piece of equipment?

Thank you for the kind words Chris. Making a WWI Tommy with the given commercial products is virtually impossible.

Here's a look at the base figure issued by the company Sideshow Toys.

Believe it or not, this has been the only serious attempt at Great War figures in 1/6.

The company really did a half arsed job on the British figures since they only released 2 plus an Aussie Light Horseman.

The German figures are much nicer.

[Wardog]

Good work Alex. Have you seen the figures by Tony Barton? Might give you some further ideas. Cheers, Paul. http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...c=67380&hl=

[Andrew Upton]

The boots will definitely be repainted as will the mug since most of the surviving examples are of the white with blue rim scheme.

I hope this doesn't come off as being thick but, when did the mug become an official piece of equipment?

Doesn't exactly answer your question, but there was an excellent thread earlier in the year on WW1 mugs, and even mentions in passing a brown enamel mug hit by a bullet in 1915... link below:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...4430&hl=mug

[alex falbo]

I am familiar with the works of Tony Barton. He wrote the tutorial I used to put the equipment and Gorblimey together. I've naturally experimented and strayed a bit but thats normal in model building. His suggestions and supplying of certain fabrics have made this project much easier. I delightful chap!

The buckles and end tabs were scaled in a CAD program and photo etched by a gentleman in Warwickshire by the name of Richard Elbourne for about 6.50 GBP

Thanks Andrew for the link on the mugs. The thread is greatly interesting!!

[I W Rifleman]

Alex,

Been "out of the loop" for a month back in UK now ... did not know about Sideshow Toys .... how are the other models coming on?

Regards,

Chris

[better ole]

Chris,

Sadly Sideshow have put their 'Bayonets and Barbed Wire' series on hold. They seem to be more concerned with the Star Wars, Buffy, sci fi figures.

An Italian company Twisting Toyz have produced an Italian MP figure but we are not aware of any other Great War figures on the horizon.

http://www.twisting-toyz.com/inglese/news/...g=ENG&id=51

[alex falbo]

As stated before, Sideshow has made their B&B line a sideshow. I would hope the Canadian movie Passchendaele will spark interest in the figure companies. Peter Jackson used his influence wealth of resources to create figures within the B&B line aka the "Peter Jackson Collection."

There's a slight chance that DiD (Dragon in Dreams) will make Tommy since they've ventured into the Napoleonic realm amidst their WWII line.

[alex falbo]

Well lads, its been a bit since I posted last and I've yet to dig the outdoor trench scene, however I thought I'd share the imporvements I made in this photo. Its hard to tell, but the conduct stripe's removed as well as the Mills bomb being clipped to the P08 braces, the Gorblimey peak adjusted, the correct number of overseas cheverons and his regimental badge (Manchesters) added to the cap.

Thanks for looking. Comments welcome.

[squirrel]

Very impresssive - what about the German soldier having a gas mask tin and strap?

Most photos I have seen show them wearing this just in case they were caught out by a gas shell.

[Nachtjager]

Looks fantastic! I think if you add some 1/6th scale fleas and lice you'll have a perfect model indeed! Wish I had the patience for this, great job!

[yellow]

Looks real. I wouldnt do anything to the figures, perhaps add some shell craters and scale equipment thrown over the landscape. The odd shovel, ammunition box, trench works etc.

[alex falbo]

Thanks for the replies lads. Comments and observations are noted. Any more constructive criticism is welcomed.

[john in minnesota]

Hi, Your placement of the brass unit ID disc in the rifle buttstock is a bit off - too low - should be centered in buttstock.

[alex falbo]

I agree it should be moved up a tad but not strictly center. I'll make the disk larger and see if that helps. Thanks for observation!

Any comments are helpful.