Jon Smith Modellbau - Private 4th Battalion Tank Corps 1918

Jon Smith Modellbau

120mm. Resin Cast.

Private, 4th Battalion Tank Corps, France, 1918 The figure depicts a private, 4th Battalion (originally D Company, later A Battalion), Tank Corps, France 1918. A young man, standing relaxed holding his blue painted steel helmet. On his service dress he wears the blue sewn on shoulder tally colours of the 4th Bn. The small-box respirator hangs in the alert position in front of the chest. The Tank Corps formed in May 1916, was designated the Heavy Section, Machine Gun Corps and then in November of the same year became the Heavy Branch. Not until July 1917 did it eventually become the Tank Corps. Formed from volunteers, it had up until 1917 no badge of its own. The white worsted MK1 tank badge (this was a male tank with 57mm cannons - the female tank had only machine guns) issued on the 7th May 1917 was worn on the right upper service sleeve. By the end of the war the Tank Corps had 26 numbered battalions, along with various workshop and support units. Contents: Figure (8 parts) 2nd Head (with Glengarry) Small Box Respirator Bag British Steel Helmet MK1 Figure Base (Model Plaster) The figure depicts a private, 4th Battalion (originally D Company, later A Battalion), Tank Corps, France 1918. A young man, standing relaxed holding his blue painted steel helmet. On his service dress he wears the blue sewn on shoulder tally colours of the 4th Bn. The small-box respirator hangs in the alert position in front of the chest. The Tank Corps formed in May 1916, was designated the Heavy Section, Machine Gun Corps and then in November of the same year became the Heavy Branch. Not until July 1917 did it eventually become the Tank Corps. Formed from volunteers, it had up until 1917 no badge of its own. The white worsted MK1 tank badge (this was a male tank with 57mm cannons - the female tank had only machine guns) issued on the 7th May 1917 was worn on the right upper service sleeve. By the end of the war the Tank Corps had 26 numbered battalions, along with various workshop and support units. Head 1: This is the head of the soldier taken from the original photograph. If one holds the head in front of a light, then it is possible to see where parts of the hair have been modelled thinly - notably the wave of hair hanging down between the left eye and ear and directly above. These thin areas can be removed using a sharp blade giving the hair an extra lightness. Head 2: Here I have tried to acquire a slightly rougher / working-class look on the face of this young Scotsman. He wears the traditional Glengarry of the Scottish infantry regiments. Also known as the Glengarry bonnet or cap this brimless form of headdress was invented by Alasdair Ranaldson MacDonell of Glengarry and made out of a thick-milled woolen material with a bobble, or toorie on top and 2 ribbons hanging from the rear. In 1914 all Scottish infantry regiments, except the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and Scots Guards wore the dark blue Glengarry (on many photographs this dark blue will nearly always appear black). The border or band had a red, black and white dicing with the brass regimental cap badge mounted onto a black silk background or rosette. The toorie (bobble) has a different colour depending on regiment. The cap badge is the Agile and Southern Highlanders. A Stag's Head above the motto CUIDICH'N RIGH (Help the King). The regiment was originally formed by the amalgamation in 1881 of the old 78th or Seaforth's Highlanders, later the 72nd Highlanders (Duke of Albany's Own), and the 78th or Ross-shire Buffs. During World War 1 the regiment was made up of 19 battalions and saw action on the Western Front, Mesopotamia, Macedonia and Palestine. Only the 1st and 2nd battalions were regulars, the others consisted of the Special Reserve, Territorial and War Service battalions. Today apart from Scottish regiments serving with the British Army the Glengarry is also worn by civilian pipe bands and as an appropriate headdress by any male highlander. There is also an Irish Glengarry. The method of wearing the Glengarry during this period was to have it sat at an angle on the head, with the right side nearly touching the ear. Nowadays it is worn more or less squarely on the head. Uniform Service Dress M1902: The standard battle dress of the British Army in World War 1. On each side are the brass support hooks for the belt. Beneath the shoulder straps at the front are the reinforced rifle patches. On his right lower sleeve are two overseas stripes - these would normally be in blue. The buttons were brass (Rifle or Light Regiments in the British Army wore black). The Tank Corps used shoulder tally colours - either sewn on patches (as on the figure) or slip over slides. Colour: khaki - an Urdu word meaning dusty. The dye for the material originally came from India and was made out of tea, or mud. It was said that this colour, a kind of dull brownish- yellow was more suited to the battlefields of France and Belgium than the German blue- grey. Scottish regiments, particularly at the beginning of the war wore a slightly different style service dress - this had the Scots cutaway skirts at the front. Photos show that in the late war period at least some Scottish units wore the more common English version. Service Dress Trousers M1902: It was quite common for tank crews to cut down their trousers into unofficial shorts on account of the extreme heat inside their vehicles - although the British Army did in fact already have official-issue short trousers. The figure can either be painted wearing the brown overalls preferred by many tank crewmembers and worn under the service dress jacket, or all in khaki. On the Service Dress / trousers the structure and fold of the creases follows the standard form copied from various photos of British troops in the field. It is always better when gathering reference material to use original photos of troops who have been actually wearing their uniforms over long periods of time, as most garments (as indeed all types of clothing, depending on the material used) will crease and fold in roughly the same way. Some reference books, especially for collectors of uniforms are helpful for colour-reference and information etc., but will not always portray an accurate picture of how the uniforms appeared after being worn over long periods of time. Puttees: An Indian word meaning bandages. Designed to cover the gap between boot and trousers, keeping the lower leg warm and dry. Colour: khaki. Ammunition Boots: From 1918 a new type of boot was issued with a reinforced sole and toecap. The figure is wearing this type of boot. Colour: black. Equipment British Steel Helmet MK1: Produced from November 1915 onwards. Manufactured from non-magnetic hardened steel and weighing 980 grams, the Brodie resembled much the helmets worn by pikemen during the 14th and 15th centuries. By March 1916 a total of 140,000 had been issued to the Allied troops in France. Colour: the first helmets to be introduced had a shiny blue-grey paint, or even bright green. From March 1916 onwards the helmets received a rough textured paint of matt khaki colour. It has been said and is also in a number of illustrations, that the 4th Battalion painted their helmets blue. The brown card supplied can be used to represent leather or material chin straps etc. Cut the card approx. 1.2mm wide and 22 mm long and flatten or rub down on a hard surface with a blunt tool (handle of a modelling knife is ideal). Bend the strip around a pencil to give a natural curve and glue into position on the underneath of the helmet (the 2 riveted chin-strap fasteners are to be seen on the inside). The colour, thickness and texture achieved from rubbing down the card gives a good reproduction of leather in this scale. Small Box Respirator: First appeared in August 1916, replacing the PH and PHG gas helmets (phenate-hexamine) and was soon to be standard issue (used up until the end of World War II). In the front line area it was generally worn in the alert position, in front of the chest. Alternatively, the straps could be extended and the canvas bag worn under the arm, or on the back. On the model the parts of the respirator are pushing through the canvas holder material giving a rough outline of the box itself. Colour: khaki - but with a lighter shade, more yellow. The Base: The base supplied with the figure depicts a sandy, dry ground, typical of the summer months in France. Tip: when working with modelling plaster it is always advised to file and sand rather than cut or clip away as this could lead to larger part breaking off.