The McPherson Farm Part 3: The Barn

The final piece for the McPherson farm is the famous bank barn.

The research for this was much simpler than that for the farm house. Since it still stands today there are plenty of images available on the internet and I have found plans of it.

That said, there are differences between the modern day barn and that of 1863. The first is that the lean-to sections on the uphill face were 22 feet deep in 1863, whereas they are 12 feet today - I have modelled it about midway between the two points to provide a better optical impression. There is also evidence of an additional lean-to, or pent roof, extending out from the forebay that I have decided not to make, in part because there is not enough information on it's appearance, but more importantly I spent too damned long making those stable doors to cover them up! It is an interesting model with that mix of field stone and whitewashed wood, but like the Trostle barn I have had to scale it down. It should stand somewhere between 170mm and 190mm tall, but the visual balance would have been wrong so I scaled it back by around 20%.

However, I must admit that I struggled with this model. It is one of the biggest I have made in a long time and in its raw shell looked too big even when scaled back even though when I stood a 28mm figure beside it the scaling was correct. The thought of those two large stone areas was daunting - stone wall construction is quite an intense task and needs to be completed within two hour before the stuff sets and if you do it in stages, it shows. But far more daunting was that HUGE roof area. So I worked this model bit by bit, uncertain how it was going to look at the end. Not until it was grassed did the model look right.

A bank barn is, of course dug into a bank, in this case it was dug into the eastern slope of McPherson's ridge, just past the crest. For a standalone piece like this the bank has to be artificial.

So here it is.

The western face as Archer's, then later Brockenborough's, Confederates would gave seen it as they advanced up the Chambersburg Pike.

The northern face.

The eastern face

The southern face

Finally here is the whole McPherson farm buildings set that will appear on the Buildings for Sale page (LINK) in a day of so.

 

Fourth Duchy of Warsaw Battalion Completed

The second battalion of the 4th Regiment is completed.

And both battalions of the regiment, with skirmishers deployed

This also completes the Duchy of Warsaw infantry, all four battalions.

Then with a bit of AI manipulation...

At some point I will add a gun set and a mounted command set, but that is all for now.

The Last of the Cuirassiers

This is the fourth and final French cuirassier regiment for my Franco-Prussian armies.

These can be arranged in two historical configurations from 6 August 1870:

As Michel's Brigade (8th and 9th Regiments) that charged at Morsbronn, with two squadrons of the 6th Lancers attached (to the rear in the image).

And as Bonnemain's Division (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Regiments) that charged at Froeschwiller, an hour or so later and three kilometres to the north, formed here in double columns of squadrons with their commanders to the fore.

Then there are a few images looking down the line of massed cuirassiers.

The only other French cavalry needed are the two regiments of dragoons to complete the Second Corps cavalry division, but the Perrys haven't made them yet...although the Chasseures d'Afrique are tempting. 

First Battalion, 4th Regiment Duchy of Warsaw Infantry

This battalion starts the second of the two Duchy of Warsaw Infantry regiments that I am doing. This time I have opted to do the 4th Regiment in the traditional dark blue uniform rather than the white of the 13th Regiment.

The reason for the choice is simple. This regiment, along with the 17th, had drummers with the French style uniform and the Perry sprue provides both types and by using spare drums I have from other sets I can make use of them and build two full battalions (with two skirmish stands) from one box and one command frame, avoiding left overs...something that drives me to distraction! 

The second battalion is well under way and should be completed by the end of next week.

More Cuirassiers

I have no evidence that any of the French cuirassier squadrons in 1870 were mounted in specific horse colours, but this 1887 Morot painting La Bataille de Reichshoffen, 6 aôut 1870 shows what appears to be two, maybe three, squadrons mounted predominantly on greys charging at Froeschwiller. 

So for this, the third cuirassier regiment in my French FPW army, I have done with nine greys and three bays.

The fourth and final French cuirassier regiment has passed through the uniform store and is forming up ready to enter the parade ground.

Back Down South Again

This weekend we celebrated a significant birthday for her indoors. I offered a party as a celebration, but she objected saying that..."it's an unnecessary expense..." So instead we headed south for an epicurean extended weekend in Queenstown.

For those that have never flown into Queenstown, it is a difficult approach, descending through a number narrow valleys in the Southern Alps on a computer guided path that passes as close as 0.3 Nautical Miles (1800 feet) to terrain that rises as high as 6000 feet above the airfield.

Anyone familiar with aviation will appreciate the difficulty from this approach plate... 

But the view was spectacular on this fabulously sunny morning (but chilly at -1C). 

On arrival we picked up our rental car and drove directly to Wanaka, where we had a generous lunch before driving back to Queenstown, our home for the next three nights. 

A view of the steamer wharf in the late in the day

A pleasant Thai dinner and a bottle of Otago Pinot Noir rounded out the day.

At latitude of 45°2'1" South sunrise on Sunday was at 0754 and it was a cool -2 degrees C. Again it was a gorgeously sunny day and that weather promised to continue for the rest of our visit. We started the day with a walk around the promontory on which the Queenstown Gardens stand, followed by coffee and cake in a spot in "Restaurant Row".

A bit of retail therapy was followed by a drive to Arrowtown where a walk along the banks of the Arrow River was taken in considerably cooler temperatures, with a heavy frost.

"I'm sure that looks like gold,” she said. But alas it was not!

A delicious lunch in a warm restaurant kept the cold at bay.  A return to Queenstown and aVietnamese dinner finished the special day.

Monday had a slightly cooler start and light breeze dropped the perceived temperature to -6C. A little bit of low cloud shrouded the lake. We decided to drive over to Wanaka again intending to have lunch at another of our haunts. To avoid any possible frost on the Crown Range Road we took the longer route through the gorge so we didn't arrive until just before 11:00. Low cloud kept the temperature low and made it seem a little gloomy, but coffee and cake soon warmed us up and we went for a walk along the lake front.

We changed our minds about lunching in Wanaka and headed instead for the Cardrona Hotel where we had a couple of excellent burgers and spent a couple of hours before returning to Queenstown.

By the time we made it back to Queenstown the clouds were gone, the skies were clear and the sun was illuminating the Remarkables to the southeast.

A few "Happy Hour" drinks and a Thai dinner closed out the day and a fabulous break.

Our departure tomorrow is early and we expect to be turning the key in the door at home by 10:00.