To Build, or Not To Build

 A while ago (2018) I picked up an old Hinchcliffe model at a bring and buy show. I may even have posted about it.


As you can see it is an elephant limber and gun team from mid-late 19th century India. As I have a more than passing interest in the Indian Mutiny, I could hardly pass on picking it up. I mean, who wouldn't? It cost me £3. The box says it is "4mm scale", and the code is 20/16 which makes it part of the 20mm equipment range, but the figures are more 25mm.

As I've just done "Indian Mutine-era" I thought I might get it out and finally build it.


As you can see, the kit is complete, even including the instructions.


I mean it is completely complete. The wheels and haulage chains are still in their little cellophane bag. The previous owner has put some grey paint on a couple of the elephant halves, and painted a figure gloss blue, but otherwise as far as I can tell, it is perfect.

It's almost like it should be in a museum, along with an unopened box of 1960s Airfix figures. I don't know how old it is. I'm guessing from the catalogues I can find on line that it is mid 70s, but can't be sure.

Should I build it, or keep it as a piece of history?


Comments

  1. Jonathan Freitag28 September 2020 at 16:51

    Silly question...BUILD IT!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trebian28 September 2020 at 17:11

      Yeah. Course I'm going to build it.

      Delete
    2. Steve-the-Wargamer29 September 2020 at 12:07

      Good - as I was going to say what Jonathan did... all these years those little elephants have been waiting for their moment of glory .. to march their burden across the wargame table.. looking forward to seeing the final item..

      Delete
    3. Trebian29 September 2020 at 13:12

      How much use they'll get is questionable. It's a surprisingly complicated kit, with bits of tube and brass chain. I've glued the elephants but I'm not sure whether I need to paint as I go along or base it up first, all completed. I've spotted that one of the support straps from the saddle is broken, so I need to work out how to fix it.

      Delete
  2. Big Andy28 September 2020 at 16:59

    I used to have2 of those but like a fool..... Anyway they should go well with 20mm . They are definitely too small for 28mm may - just may go with 18mm without looking too oversized

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    Replies
    1. Trebian28 September 2020 at 17:12

      I'll be using g it with 25mm Minifigs, regardless.

      Delete
  3. Fire at Will28 September 2020 at 17:18

    Yep, build it

    BTW 4mm scale is 4mm to the foot an old model railway scale

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    Replies
    1. Trebian28 September 2020 at 17:23

      I saw the 4mm = 1 foot in the only Hinchcliffe catalogue I could find. That makes people about 5ft tall...

      Delete
    2. Big Andy30 September 2020 at 10:37

      It is the old saw - wargamers often don't do scale- they only think they do . "20mm" 258mm and especially 28mm are merely sizes not scales. At 4mm = 1 foot your elephants should go pretty well with minifigs. Mine- if I hadn't sold them- would have been going with 25mm Stadden

      Delete
    3. Trebian30 September 2020 at 11:14

      Quite so. And we can't even agree on what size 25mm or 15mm is anyway.

      Delete
  4. Heisler28 September 2020 at 17:46

    Definitely build it. Until there is a miniature history museum out there no one will ever see it if you leave it in the box.

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    Replies
    1. Trebian28 September 2020 at 17:55

      Good points both. There needs to be a wargaming museum, with the Hinchliffe boxes and those little colour coded boxes you got from Minifigs, with the Imperial Guardsman on the cover.

      Gonna build it.

      Delete
  5. tradgardmastare28 September 2020 at 18:14

    Build it, enjoy it and share the results with us.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Geordie an Exiled FoG28 September 2020 at 21:56

    Build it and let it fulfill its wargaming destiny ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trebian28 September 2020 at 22:34

      Of course. Did you ever see that James May programme when he bought a vintage, mint in box, sealed trainset and opened it up to play with it?

      Delete
  7. Martin Rapier29 September 2020 at 08:22

    It is an elephant gun team. It will be far happier built and painted than rattling around in that old box.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anthony Clipsom29 September 2020 at 11:42

    When confronted with the problem, I've always gone with "What did I buy it for?". Was it as a collectors' item or part of a lead mounted which one day would grace a wargames table?

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    Replies
    1. Trebian29 September 2020 at 11:49

      I bought it because it was £3 and had elephants in it.

      Delete
  9. Jay Stribling30 September 2020 at 00:42

    Many years ago that set was advertised by Hinchliffe as being in 20mm scale.

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    Replies
    1. Trebian30 September 2020 at 09:35

      It's either a big 20mm (that's the range code) or a small 25mm. The gun looks 25mm to me, and the figures are. The elephants are a bit on the small size for 25mm, so are probably 20mm. I shall be using it with my 25mm figures regardless!

      Delete
  10. Tim Gow30 September 2020 at 15:15

    Build it, use it. And enjoy the howls of anguish from collectors....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trebian30 September 2020 at 15:43

      I could build it, fill the box with odds and ends, Sellotape it up and pretend it is mint unopened.

      Delete
  11. Archduke Piccolo1 October 2020 at 21:21

    Hi Trebian -
    I've never understood 'mint in box'. I mean, I got a pack of plastic army men a few years ago 'Good Ol' USA vs Red Commies'. US Company; made in China (and now you know where the US economy went: west). I was tempted (briefly) to keep them 'mint in box' - just for amusement's sake.

    But you can't war game with figures 'mint in box'. Can you?
    Cheers,
    Ion

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trebian1 October 2020 at 22:30

      You surely cannot. It will be a shame when they are all gone, but toys are meant to be played with.

      Delete
  12. Lucky Phill29 May 2021 at 11:35

    Hi Trebian,

    I recently picked up one of these also, but unfortunately mine is started and not in great condition, one elephant is missing it's tail but if I can carefully prise off the tail from the other elephant I should be able to resin up a replacement. The box is full of bits and pieces, some of which clearly are additions and not part of the kit. The one thing that is completely unusable is the instructions. Could I please impose on you for a copy of the instructions.

    Many thanks in anticipation.

    Phill

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trebian29 May 2021 at 13:19

      I've had a look. Still got the box but not the instructions. They're not fulsome anyway. What you see up the top is what you got. It isn't printed on the back.

      Delete
    2. Trebian29 May 2021 at 13:22

      There's another post with pictures of the build a few weeks later, if that helps.

      Delete
    3. Lucky Phill29 May 2021 at 13:25

      Thanks Trebian

      Delete
    4. Trebian29 May 2021 at 13:38

      See 1st October post. I've enlarged the pictures.

      Delete
    5. Lucky Phill29 May 2021 at 13:46

      Thanks Trebian, Super appreciated 👋🤓👍

      Delete
    6. Trebian29 May 2021 at 13:47

      Best of luck. You'll need it.

      Delete
  13. Lucky Phill22 June 2021 at 10:35

    Good’ay Trebian,

    Thanks to you and your kind assistance (the articles were very helpful) I have finished my Hinchcliffe British Elephant Battery. Unfortunately I can post pictures here, but here is a link to a few: -> https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KUmmwQ9lRbUABMImITGELTNWhxmAdX8T

    I used some New Line Design figures for the crew on the limber and raided some CMK figures for the Mahouts, I did have to do some surgery on the Mahouts, broke a couple of legs and refitted them so they would sit “reasonably” on the Elephants.

    Thanks to your articles I think I managed to avoid most of the pitfalls.

    I’m reasonably happy with the final result.

    best wishes

    Phill

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trebian22 June 2021 at 11:37

      Phill

      That looks magnificent. Puts my effort to shame. Well done. Love the rope instead of the chains.

      Trebian

      Delete
    2. Lucky Phill22 June 2021 at 11:54

      Thanks Trebian, You're very kind.

      Delete

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