How to Build Perry Miniatures Plastic British Light Dragoons
I thought I'd post this short guide for anyone having difficulty interpreting what can generously be described as 'instructions' on the Perry Miniatures box for their British Light Dragoons. To be blunt, they are next to useless.
I would recommend going to the Perry Miniatures website and pulling up their images for the British Light Dragoons - they are more instructive that the kit instructions in many ways.
First of all, you are going to need to know what specific period your unit intends to represent. On this occasion I am aiming to represent the 12th Light Dragoons for the 100 days campaign of 1815. As such, this tells me that I will be selecting the plastron fronted torsos (as opposed to the heavily braided torso) and the trousers (overalls) instead of the breeches with Hessian boots.
To match your selection, you need to pay attention to the cuffs on the torso rein-holding hand and be sure it matches your selection of sword arm which can be either shouldering the sword or raised. As I'm opting for the late war variant, I also select the shako head option. Furthermore, the British Light Dragoons didn't adopt the sabretache until around 1812 which is what I need - the sabretache and the scabbard come as a combined part. There is also a simpler scabbard for early war options.
The 'Paget' carbine comes in one option - with the trigger and lock wrapped and the carbine stowed in it's saddle cup. You need to scrutinize the horse part so figure how it attaches. For some time I didn't even look at it properly and was trying to figure out how to attach the carbine piece to the carbine sling!
There is a recess (carbine shaped) to the front of the right side of the sheepskin molding. The carbine piece comes with an extended strap which needs to be down or on the inside when you glue your carbine onto the model. Be sure to fix glue to the end of that strap extension together with a spot of glue into the recess when affixing the carbine piece to ensure a good bond at two points.
When building the models, I highly recommend starting with the two horse halves (your choice) first. I then build the model up from there. I lightly sand the joins before gluing. Be sure to spot glue the base of any hoof which contacts the base for additional stability.
I build four models at a time. Whilst the glue for the horses sets, I glue the sabretache/scabbard part to the legs of the trooper. you will observe from the leg part of the riders that there are two holes (rings) on their waist strap. Just beneath those holes is where the ends of the sabretache/scabbard part needs to be glued. I recommend only gluing at the ends of the part when fixing them as they are going to need to be able to flex when you glue the legs onto the horse (saddle).
When gluing the legs/sabretache/scabbard assembly to the horse, the horse furniture (more precisely the valise) is going to elevate (force upwards) the sabretache. Dry fit this section first each time to see where the sabretache/scabbard straps make contact - generally it will be the rear strap. When you glue this on, be sure to glue the arse of your rider as far down as behind the knee and be sure to put a spot of glue on that sabretache/scabbard rear strap. Press home and hold it down 20 seconds or so to be sure the legs are properly seated and be sure that it sits square on - not leaning too far to either side unless it's what you want.
Once set, I glue to torso next at whatever attitude you prefer and to what degree the model allows. Once the torso is well set, glue the carbine into the recess as previous described. Next comes the sword arm and be warned that the carbine butt may get in your way depending on what sword arm you have opted for. The last fixture is the head and you are done.
I hope this helps someone. It comes after some pictorial research and much observation of the model and artistic representations of British Light Dragoons. On the other hand, you may find it blindingly obvious in which case, please excuse me as I can be quite dim at times.
Perry’s “Napoleonic British Light Dragoons 1808-1815” box has another advantage.
ReplyDeleteWhen you have assembled and painted your British 1812-1815 Light Dragoons, you will have as many torsos, arms legs and scabbards left as you have Light Dragoons.
If you have kept French heads wearing a shako and colback, you will be able to assemble as many French chasseurs à cheval 1800-1807. For the boots you will have to use a scalpel to give the cuffed boots the shape of Suvarov boots, but it is not very difficult.
Perry sells French light cavalry horses separately, so you can give these riders mounts. For officers' horses you will find horses at Front Rank sold individually with either a cloth saddle or a panther skin.
When French troops entered Spain in 1807, two regiments of horse hunters still had these old outfits. They will keep them until 1813. These are the 5th and 27th regiment de chasseurs à cheval, formerly the Duke of Arenberg's Belgian Chevau-légers Regiment.
Some very good points and information FF. With four more sprues of Perry Light Cavalry horses I can indeed make 12 more early war troopers from each box.
DeleteUseful post, like FF I appreciate the adaptability of these plastic kits, I bought two boxes to give me two units of 1809 Austrian Uhlans ( with czapas from Victrix plastic Polish lancers) and two and a bit units of Austrian hussars without pelisses mounted on home cast 25mm horses, not bad for light horse, the plastic horses were given over to spare Austrian dragoon torsos/heads etc which with the addition of French hussar legs gives me six units from two two boxes plus leftovers!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Many thanks - glad you thought it is useful. There certainly are a stack of options when it comes to plastics. I was thinking of converting Perry ACW cavalry (union) to PFW French Chasseurs d' Afrique.
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