By Kurt and Becky - https://www.flickr.com/photos/beckyandkurt/8738551754/, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

I am thinking about doing some London area buildings and I am considering including a few Queen's Guard troops. I need them for the period 1890 to about 1990. My guess is that someone does troops that are close enough to the typical look of a guard soldier.

Guarding and combat poses with bolt action rifles would be best, but even flintlocks is acceptable. I am okay with doing head swaps to get the right headgear if I can find reasonable bodies and good bearskin hats.

1/72nd scale plastic is my preference, naturally.

Thanks.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

The Guards with bearskins are regular infantry, the Grenadier guards, Coldstream guards, Scots Guards Irish guards and Welsh Guards , the five senior regiments in the army. The closest to them is 1/72 Strelets Crimean guards.

Agreed the Strelets Crimean War figures are probably the best starting point.

You might need some conversions to get what you want but might I suggest that the last figure in the bottom row is perfect for The Ceremony of the Keys at The Tower of London; "Halt Who Goes There!".

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1723

Also these ones in greatcoats; because there has been the odd rare occasion when it gets a bit cold and wet in Britain.

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1720

There are also the Airfix guards band figures, which can be found on ebay. These were based on the 1960s uniform, but I don't think the uniform changed that much.

...And also the Airfix Guards Colour party, mainly of marching figures but featuring a couple of useful sentry boxes and standing Guardsmen.

This is a very old set so finding one would be a challenge. Plastic 'fatigue' might also be an issue, although some very old Airfix figures do seem resilient to it.

Airfix Guards band, that takes me back , one of the first conversions i ever did was using this set of bandsmen to create with head swops into CSA 1st Virginia bandsmen 1861, another conversion was using a figure from colour party set into Danish Royal Guard, bearskin heads used for Scots Grays, the things we did back in the mists of time
you all stay safe out there
cheers Old John

"...the things we did back in the mists of time.." :smile:

Oh yes...i remember...
In the 80's you only have AIRFIX-material for conversions...
Therefore we have to be very creative..

Airfix "Guards Band" and "Guards Colour Party" may give you all the marching musician and marching figures + 2 Guard Houses in nice Bearskin Hats and removable accessory pieces you'll need. You can find them in deep red colour on eBay.

If you're looking to have some action figures, I liked best the Zulu Wars British Infantry and Officers sets made by another company. Myself not fancying painting, I found them a good colour match for doing "head swops". I think they look nice with the front two ammo pouches on them too plus you get horse officer with arm swops.

The Airfix sets, I think are majorly underrated. Not the best, but certainly look good all set up. I've got both sets in red. You can typically find some reasonably prices "Loose; no box" so don't overpay. And they do look cool with head swops as action figures with other Zulu Wars 24th.

And if you really want to jazz-up your London Diorama, you should add a marching group of Strelets Nappy Highlanders marching. You can swop onto some the big drum. You'll get very close to those favorites that Britains and Crescent made decades ago in 54mm.

You can check out all these figures on Plastic Soldier Review under Manufacturers button/link for great scans (TX PSR)!

Regarless of what figures you use, please tell us when you post your work to your site, Mike! I've always liked your Christmas set-ups.

Hope this helps. :bridge_at_night:

these sets got me hooked on 20mm scale!!! 6 decades later still collecting!! the plastic colour of these Guards sets when i bought them in 1960 (for pennies) was a pink colour!!!! and Airfix magazine and annuals provided great ideas for conversions, there was series on Napoleonics, ACW, and other periods as well as ideas for converting Airfix railway buildings and forts
stay safe out there
cheers Old John