Hussars

 

When I set off to add some mounted figures to my mid 18th-Century toy soldiers range, the obvious choice fell on hussars, the wild Hungarian horsemen that served as light-cavalry skirmishers for Austria, France, Spain, Prussia, and other German states.

 

In the early-to-mid 18th Century all hussars, regardless of their allegiance, wore very similar uniforms based on the Hungarian national dress and differing only by color scheme and minor details such as the devices on the saddle-cloth and Säbeltasche. 

With this in mind, I sculpted a set of preliminary masters that would serve as a base for all hussars to come. These included parts for a mounted trooper’s mannequin, the saddle-cloth, and a set of  hussar weapons. 

I sculpted the hussar’s preliminary torso, head and arms as separate parts, allowing for simpler mold design. 

Again in order to simplify the design of the two-part rubber molds, I sectioned the saddle-cloth's preliminary master in two parts: right-hand and left-hand side. 

I sculpted the legs of the preliminary mannequin separately, intending  to make the final master’s legs, stirrups, Säbeltasche, and saber scabbard all integral with the corresponding saddle-cloth section. 

On the other hand, I made the carbine integral with the torso, suspended by means of a snap-hook to a bandolier, or broad belt, passing over the trooper's left shoulder. 

In spite of the intricacy of the scabbard and Säbeltasche suspension straps, the whole thing came out reasonably well. At that stage, I choose to characterize my figure as a French hussar, identifiable by the fleur-de-lys device worn on the saddle-cloth and the Säbeltasche.

I have based the general appearance of my hussars on the exceptionally detailed paintings by David Morier, ca. 1748, depicting Hungarian hussars in the Austrian service. These famous paintings, now in the Royal Collection (here) show all hussars wearing the same hairstyle, consisting of two side knots covering the ears, and one at the back of the head. However, other period sources show the hair braided at the sides of the head. Hussar headgear consisted of either a fur hat with colored cloth bag, or a black felt winged cap (Flügelmütze). Fur hats were worn by French hussars throughout the 1740s,  and also prevailed in the Austrian service.

I built the carbine converting a resin casting of the trade gun I had made for my Indians and Canadians. In the 1740s, hussar carbines were not yet standardized, and difference in length and detail were rather the norm than the exception. For this reason, while I based my carbine on surviving French and Prussian specimens from the 1730s and 1740s, I did not care to attempt an exact reproduction of neither of the above. 

Two pistols completed the hussar’s mix of weapons. I based mine on the French M1733 cavalry pistol. The pistols were housed into leather holsters attached to the front bow of the saddle, which are only partially visible under the saddle-cloth.

Later, as my mold making skills improved with time, I re-designed my French hussar's master so as to have it in one piece instead of three (excepting the arms). This new design drastically reduces the need for assembly, and affords much cleaner figures. 

For my first hussar horse, I wanted a rather neutral pose that would fit in most situations, and opted for an ambling one.

I sectioned the mannequin in three parts: right-hand side with head, left-hand side, and forehead with ears. At this stage, I left aside the mane, the tail, and the horse-shoes. 

In the early to mid 18th Century, hussars were employed exclusively as light cavalry skirmishers. Their mounts were small, rugged Eastern European horses, about 1.40 to 1.50m at the withers (13.3 to 14.3 hands). In the 1/32 scale, this converts to about 44 to 47mm.

This done, I made the required rubber molds and produced resin castings of the horse parts, which I assembled and completed with mane, tail, horse-shoes, and distinctive 18th-Century hussar’s tack based on Morier's paintings (omitting of course the parts that will be concealed by the saddle). 

And, finally, here is the complete master of my first mounted French hussar.