Monday 27 August 2012

Herd of Flunks?

Hi, All!

Bull Flunk. A rare and unusual sight...

This week, I 'ave been mostly meddlin' with evolution...

Mutilated plastic heffalumps. Well, a man's got to have a hobby...

Some years ago, I had the tremendously brilliant idea of cutting off an elephant's head, turning it upside down and sticking it back on again... The results were questionable.

HOWEVER...

I remained convinced that my theory was sound...

Heffalump head, plus sketch. The Flunk starts to evolve...

Well, let's face it folks. We all love war elephants, but since Peter Jackson brought Tolkein's Oliphaunts to our screens in such brilliant glory, any attempts at amazing pachydermic weapons of mass stampedation are doomed to look a little bit puny. Innit?

Brass wire is added to the neck to form the basis of the 'fan'.

So, I figure it's a good idea to mutilate the buggers. Or something like that...

The head (or most of it) is reattached...

My heffalumps have been heavily remodelled with the use of a hacksaw, some brass rod and a lot of Miliput. They will eventually become the mighty war beasts of the Wutha F'Kahwi tribe, complete with howdahs, mahmuts, etc... I have ordered the miniatures I intend to use for the tribesmen, so keep watching...

The Flunk starts to take shape. A redcoat is shown for size comparison.

I ran out of greenstuff some time ago, so I had to make do with white Miliput for this project. It's not bad, but I think I prefer greenstuff. I'm keeping an open mind for now.

Cow and calf flunks in the early stages of construction. Even the calf is big enough to carry a fair amount of baggage.

I'm actually quite fond of these creatures. I admit that right now, they look a little thrown together, but I have high hopes. A little paint... A bit of furniture...

A new piece of old wall... Off-cuts from previous pieces, put to good use...

Meanwhile, The Lost City of Ah-Pul-Sh'Napps continues to grow. This week, a small piece of city wall has been added, making good use of some godawful dvd...

The walls of Ah-Pul-Sh'Napps...

"My Goodness!" I hear you cry, "Whatever next, Colonel? You have been a busy bunny, haven't you?"

Well... yes. Thank you for noticing...

I was in the local crap shop yesterday (you may remember that my last foray into said establishment resulted in the Bazalgette Light Armoured Perambulatory Contrivance) when I spotted some of those pull-a-string-and-watch-them-go helicopter thingies. "Hmmm..." thunk I, "I bet they'd put the fear of God into the Hun..."

Cheap toys with devastating potential...

So I bought two.

One of the 'copters, ripped apart. And wouldn't you know it, it has cogs and stuff inside! Fantastic!

The stripped 'copters, ready for conversion...

It didn't take long to gut them and I now have some pretty good ideas for turning these into steam-powered gyrocopters (Or should that be hydrothermicopters?) to give Her Majesty's troops air superiority. More soon...

Hmmm... Let me think... I have Navy, Army, Artillery, Airforce... What's missing? Oh, yes! Cavalry!

British lancers... Looking a little pale right now...

Last week I received from Empress Miniatures their British Lancers, and I've made a start on colouring these with inks. These are truly lovely miniatures and I have resisted the temptation to modify them in any way. I had various thoughts, but they were so nice, well...

Lord Blandford-Fly, almost dressed for battle...

I have coloured all of the horses with a basic chestnut colour and will vary their manes, tails, socks, etc. with shades of brown, black and white. Inks are ideal for horses, I find. It's easy to get a really nice, smooth colour with highlights and shades in all the right places.

Lord Blandford-Fly's horse is almost finished. Just a bit of brass here and there on the tack... I must say, I'm very pleased with this one.

It won't be long before these splendid fellows are charging across the battlefield, driving the enemies of Empire before them...

And, speaking of enemies of Empire...

Professor Shandy Tanglefoot... Big ideas, despite his shortcomings...

I also received a few rather nice characters form Reaper Miniatures. The first of these to be completed is the nefarious, insane and ridiculously short Professor Shandy Tanglefoot, creator of hideous abominations and joke of the academic world...

The keen-eyed amongst you will note that he is still wearing the prank 'undies' apron given to him by the lads in chemistry class. Poor boy must have thought they meant it as a sign of affection...

Tanglefoot and trooper - size comparison. Napoleon complex, perhaps..?

Professor Tanglefoot was also coloured with inks. I like this technique because it is a quick way to get really nice results.

So: a lot still to finish, but not a bad few days. I hope to be able to show you the finished lancers very soon, as well as continuing with Flunks and Hydrothermicopters... And of course, I have a REALLY BIG PROJECT to begin... Watch this Space!

Professor Shandy Tanglefoot with one of his hideous creations...

All the Best!

10 comments:

  1. Blandford-Fly? Hints at a Dorsetshire connection to know of that rare tropical beast, scourge of the county!

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    1. Ah! Dorsetshire...

      Never been there, Mr Anonymous, Old Chap! I don't speak Southern.

      But I do know me booze...

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  2. Oh my! You 'ave been busy, sir! Great work on the Flunks - looks like the offspring of an elephant and a triceratops (What a night that was!). I hear nothing but good re. Empress Miniatures, and Will get some of those delightful lancers myself one day. As for the Hydrothermicopters, a lucky find indeed, and plenty of scope for conversion. I'm looking forward to seeing the final result. I'm sure they'll create alarm and despondency amongst the Dastardly Hun. And you have a REALLY BIG project in the works too? Phew! It's all go in O'Truth Towers!

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    1. 'Ello, A J! (Or should that be LOAJ ?)

      Yes, I've been so bloomin' busy I've got neck cramp from all the sittin' 'unched over me desk. I think it's 'ad an effect on me dialect...

      I'm really enjoying these bits, mainly becase I've done nothing but terrain for the last few weeks.

      REALLY BIG project, Sir? Me, Sir? Oh, yes, Sir!

      All the Best!

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  3. Gott im Himmel, mein Herr!!!
    Vot an amazing creature you are conkokting at ze zoo-ological dept of curiosities. Thankfully zey vill be a large target and easy hit , no?
    As for zat dampfhelicocontrivance, pah! Just vait till ze pride of ze aeronefwaffe takes to ze skies. Zen you vill feel ze pain, ha!
    It is alzo gut to see our diminutive spy has been velcomed with open arms. He vill soon put his dastardly plan into action! Nice apron by ze vay! ;-)

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    1. I say! Steady on with the guttural kraut-talk, my good man! I'm quite dizzy with reading all your bombastic nonsense!

      Aeronefwaffe? We shall see, Fritzy! My boys'll blow you out of your jackboots whether on land or sea, or in the air!

      Huzzah!

      Glad you like the apron. It rather reminds one of the Kaizer's sister...

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  4. Well...you've got the only Flunks in the universe! Cool work.

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    1. Thanks, Jay. And have no fear - they may be the only flunks in the universe right now, but they breed like ten-ton rabbits! Quite a sight to behold, I am told...

      We could all be in a lot of trouble when the flunks get frisky...

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  5. I dont know what those Flunks will do to the Hun but by God they scare the bejeebers out of me, although I'm not sure which is the front bit and which is the arsey bit.
    I hope they know which direction to charge old thing.

    Spiffing Lancers BTW

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    1. Hello again, Old Bean!

      The front bit is the ugly end. Can't you tell? Being quite obviously closely related to swallows, they do not so much charge as migrate quickly towards the enemy. For this reason, warfare on the Lost Continent is rather seasonal, and tends to shift in direction depending on summer or winter.

      Nesting time is particularly interesting.

      Thanks, BTW - I like the lancers too!

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