Saturday 30 December 2017

French Carabiniers - 28mm Perry

Carabiniers - one of my favourite French uniforms with the white, red, and gold/brass helmet and breastplate combination standing out, especially in combination with the large black warhorses they rode. Another ten added bringing the total to two dozen.


This 1810-14 uniform is my favourite variant of the Carabinier uniform. In 1815 they wore blue coats, and pre-1810 they were unarmoured and wearing a blue coat with red facings and a bearskin hat.

 



For reference, here's the pre-1810 uniform.  Napoleon discarded this due to concern about casualties suffered in the 1809 campaign - particularly against Austrian Uhlans at Wagram where the Carabiniers suffered many lance wounds and lack of armour was perceived to be a weakness.

The 1810-1814 Uniform. The 1815 uniform was identical but with a light blue coat.

11 comments:

  1. My favourite Napoleonic unit. Fantastic work Mark!

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  2. Wow! Spectacular Carabiniers, Mark! Looks like you have both regiments there.
    I agree, this is one of the most impressive uniforms of the Napoleonic wars. The earlier uniform looks too much like the grenadiers a Pied. Some plates show trumpeters with a light blue crest instead of the usual white. As the very minor uniform distinctions between the 1st and 2nd regiments are pretty much obscured by the gloves, it might be a thought to give one unit the light blue crest on its trumpeter as a distinction. Either way, they're amazing!

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    1. Thanks Peter, I'll keep that blue crest idea in mind!

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  3. Great work, Mark! Happy New Year!

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  4. Fabulous and impressive! I also like the white coats; if I want a bearskin wearing blue coated heavy cav, there's always Grenadier a Cheval. :)

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  5. I agree with you Mark, this is a great unit and you have done a great job on them. I have rwo regiments in the pipeline, one if them all glued up ready to go.

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    1. Many thanks and good luck with your own regiments Mark!

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