Saturday 23 December 2017

The 22nd Chasseurs á Cheval and Palm Trees

The latest unit to ride onto the parade ground is the 22nd Chasseurs á Cheval, one of two regiments of light cavalry that served with the French in Egypt.



This unit adopted a hussar style uniform of bright green jackets and overalls, with orange facings and white braid. The trumpeter wore the long tailed coat, in reversed colours, and cocked hat.
 


The second light cavalry regiment, the 7th Hussars, is scheduled to pass through the uniform store in early January.

When I came home from work on Thursday there was a parcel on the doorstep from China containing 60 palm trees, with a height varying between 75mm and 150mm. I bought these off eBay for the princely sum of $NZ25.09 including freight so at an average price of 42 cents each they are remarkable value. Ordered on December 11th and delivered on the 21st, I am pretty happy with that service.



I glued a few of them to bases, textured the base, put a brown wash on the trunk and then varnishrf the trunk to protect the wash.  I am pretty pleased with the result.



I now have an urge to make an oasis....

8 comments:

  1. Beautiful work on the 22e CaC, Mark. I enjoy seeing the wrapped flamme and the officer's leopard skin shapbraque.

    Palms look great too.

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    1. In retrospect I should have done the leopard skin differently, with a whiter edge. The hussars will be equally imprssive. The palms came up so well so quickly that I will make up the base for an oasis this aftenoon.

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  2. Great looking chasseurs...and essential palm trees!

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  3. I love the green on the chasseurs, great choice. I can't believe those palm trees. Exceptional value and they really look the part after the application of the brown wash.

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    1. Thanks Lawrence. One of the demi- bridages legére that I will be doing a bit later is also kitted out in the same green coats. I may yet look at painting some of the lower fronds of the trees a lignt tan to indicate dead fronds, but this may prove to be too tedious a task.

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