Saturday 17 March 2018

From RichardC: The windmills of my mind (30 points)

Now I have to say, I do like a nice windmill. I can even go as far to say that the Long Suffering Briony and I have a house a few hundred yards from a Sussex post windmill.

I bought this model from Grand Manner a number of years ago – intending to populate it with the Foundry set of Napoleon and his staff. It has remained in a cupboard ever since. As Curt has decreed that terrain can be submitted, I decided to dust it off and finish it.


It is a really nice resin kit, apart from the sails. These are only detailed on one side, and needed to be fretted out (thankfully, this counted as preparation, and had been done a long time ago – a bum-numbingly boring task). I did consider using plastic card to create slats in the sails, but after a couple of test pieces, I realised I valued my temper and sanity more than a fully accurate model!!! I did have a mishap, and one of the sail arms broke – however a pin and glue job sufficed to fix it. 


The paint job was straightforward, with lots of washes and dry brushing. The basing is not complete, as I hope to revisit the mill in about 10 months time (Curt’s good offices willing), as part of the 9th Painting Challenge.

I have added a figure of Gaspard Gourgaud the Emperor’s Officier d’Ordonnance as a scale reference (he was 90% already painted before the challenge, but it was nice to finally finish him). As an aside, I once met Baron Gourgaud – a direct descendant - at the Napoleonic Fair in London which my old friend Rod Gander helped organise.



The mill is 9” high + a further 3” for the sails, and is 4” by 4” – I shall leave it to my esteemed minion to work out a suitable points tally when he gets back from watching the rugby in our local pub!!!

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Michael A – my minion, and indeed all the other minions for their hard work and dedication throughout the Challenge. It is not as easy a task as all of them make it look.

Now for the final cavalry charge (well, rather slow amble to be more accurate) to the end of the Challenge and my Curtgeld.

28mm terrain, Grand Manner

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Well I don't know, you wait an age for a post from Richard and then two come along at once!  How splendid is this Richard; what a great model.  Whilst I love my 4Ground windmill, this is rather lovely and you have done a splendid job with it.  Looking at the dimensions, I think that it would fill a terrain cube, but to be on the safe side, I have awarded a cube and a half.  Now I thought you had some bandsmen to paint? 

6 comments:

  1. That’s a wonderful looking bridge!

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    1. Bridge? What was I thinking? Windmill of course! Windmill!

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  2. That's a very nice piece. Would look good on any black powder battlefield.

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  3. Very nice windmill Richard :)

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  4. Great looking windmill!
    Best Iain

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