I have spent a couple of hours this Sunday morning converting odd figures from various "1/72" sets to represent militia from the Spanish Civil War.

After lunch I sit down to look at the Strelets forum and see this post, so I would be pleased to see figures like these being produced.

Excellent suggestion.

What is needed most is a) regular infantry, b) Maroccan Regulares and c) artillery. The infantry and artillery uniform is particular for granadero trousers similar to breeches and headgear (M1926 helmet or Isabellino caps). Regulares would require hand-to-hand combat poses.

Sets of these could be used together with Strelets' "Rif War" sets.

Militia can be converted from existing figures, as are two thirds of my SCw armies. They started as WW2 Partizans, Chinese, and WW1 Serbians, Doughboys, Germans and French. Maroccan Regulares are represented by WW1 Indians and Strelets Zouaves. Boxer War British Marines double as Guardia Civil after a headswap with carved AWI tricorns. Cavalry is converted from Airfix U. S. cavalry. Italeri will re-issue the Warshaw Pact set, the NVA soldiers' East German steel helmets could double as Spanish M1926.

I have plugged separete metal heads from Minairons (sold in sets of 9) successfully into decapitated plastic figures. They come with a neck, and a drop of white or super glue will fix them in place. At 2.95 € this is less expensive than buying metal figures.

The Bandera (= Dave Allsopp = Hotspur = Rolf Hedges = Historical Products Company) and Minairons metal figures are great and mix perfectly well with plastics. Have not tried Irregular or Panzer Garage.

Be great if someone could re-issue the BUM sets. The Legion and the Republican infantry are good as they are, the Militia set is ok but the National infantry and the security forces would have to be done in a normal plastic, not the breakable BUM material.

Two of the most common artillery pieces have not been done in plastic: the Schneider 75/28 field gun and the Schneider 70/16 mountain gun. http://www.sbhac.net/Republica/Fuerzas/Armas/Artilleria/Artilleria.htm

Thanks for sharing your conversion ideas, some I had not thought of!

To be fair though the Schneider 75/28 field gun was basically just the classic French "75" produced under license at Trubia which is widely available in 1/72. The main difference being a simplified shield. Panzer Garage do a conversion pack with a resin shield alongside the First-to-Fight "75" https://panzergarage.com/epages/d8f270c9-ef7d-4de5-b80c-536906de3d30.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/d8f270c9-ef7d-4de5-b80c-536906de3d30/Products/72029

(A further complication to add to your link is that the standard field gun is designated M1906 under Spanish license with the M1912 being a lighter, stripped-down version for horse artillery)

However would definitely love to see the Schneider 70/16 mountain gun in plastic too, along with the 105mm Schneider M19 Mountain Howitzer. (Perhaps you've already seen some of the suggestions in the following detailed thread? - http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=497348 ) Actually BUM claimed to have made a plastic 70/16 mountain gun but it is one of their very poor later "playset" output that in no way resembles the real thing: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1638

Steve, many thanks for the link, a whole library of information. Must register to TMP one day.

About the field gun, since there is no image I did not order the Panzer Garage set although I bpught a FtF mle 1897 box. Is there just the gun shield to it? I guess it all depends how picky you are in 1/72.

To me, the Skoda sets from another manufacturer are an excellent compromise. This Schneider conversion I found rather inspiring but can't tell how accurate it is for the Spanish version:
http://www.hat72.com/Othr8/Brennan03P.html

Instead, I bought the Bandera version, and also their mountain gun. As all of their guns they are cheap, rather simple but a good starting point for detailing.

I also bought the 105 mm Vickers from Minairons but have not yet built it. Regards, Pa

Thanks, Pa, that's a really great tutorial for that conversion of their "75" to the Schneider-Canet export version you found (I have 3 sets!). Not seen that article before - strange it doesn't seem to be included in the links under the section for their French "75" set where I'd expect to find it http://www.hat.com/currentW.html Perhaps I'm missing some part of their site???

I think if that was the version used in Spain then it becomes an extremely convoluted Schneider-Canet-Trubia (any more to add? ;) ) adaption!

As I understand it the Panzer Garage conversion set includes both the F2F kit plus the PG resin shield but language barriers and a confusing website (for me at least) mean I can't confirm it. All I can say is look at the different photos on that link and it includes pics of the painted gun with the resin shield attached and the 3rd shows the F2F sprue with the light-coloured resin shield to the top left. Their website is SO poor that I can't even send an easy link to the photos I'm talking about and had to take a screenshot for my own use. I'm not their employee to do advertising for them so they will have to get informed if they want to sell more.

Steve, glad you liked the article. The author, Brennan Tate, did about three more including one on improving the Airfix 13pdr, well worth a google search.

I see the image of the Panzer Garage gunshield, looks like an easy conversion. Need to investigate a bit further. Serbia used those guns as well in WW1, and since I am building a Serbian army around Strelets' excellent infantry set, I am tempted to buy further Schneider Canet guns.

What do you think, would the Panzer Garage (or Bandera) guns work for Serbian, Greek, or Bulgarian Schneider Canet guns as well? Regards, Pa

Dear Georges,

we ain't planning to venture into this area yet.
Please, be guided accordingly.

Best regards,

Strelets

So sad !:disappointed:

About another subject : is there any chance to see this year M091 "Caesar in Battle II" and M115 "Napoleonic French Sappers" both "In Preparation" for so long ?

Not in 2019.

Would love to see some and great suggestions from Pa

The upcoming Boer set, just like the WW1 French in summer uniform, could double as SCW troops:

The M138 Boers have a militia flavour. If you cannot find the BUM Milita set, and don't want the male or female militia metals from Minairons, just add some heads with isabellino sidecap (also vailable from Minairons) to the Boers and voila!