Congrief Rockets

Congreve rockets. What about them boys, then? Every Napoleonic wargamer's favourite gimmick weapon. If you're a similar age to me you probably did that conversion based on Airfix "Waterloo British Artillery" that was in Military Modelling.

You know, you converted one of the guns (or was it the caisson?) with Plastikard into a box like thing, with the lid lifted up. Well I did. Can't think where it has gone to now. And it was definitely one of the guns, because you needed the trail.

As we all know on land the rockets weren't of much use during the Napoleonic period. The Royal Navy probably got more effective use from them as they were good for setting things on fire. Like the White House, for example. Or other ships. And sometimes your own, if you weren't careful. Whatever, most figure manufacturers do one in their Napoleonic range, usually in RHA kit. I don't know if all rocket troops at the time dressed in RHA uniforms. I know the one in the TV programme "Sharpe's Enemy" did, because I watched it recently.

I don't do Napoleonics anymore. Haven't for years. But I've done a bit of colonial stuff as you will know from my publishing of the "Taiping Era" rules a few years back. And it is evident that the British Army did use Congreve Rockets during a number of its colonial campaigns in the middle years of the 19th century, including both of the China Wars. I never did get a rocket troop for my 1860 British China Army at the time, but I think I'm going to revisit the period this year, so it was time to get hold of some.

My figures for these campaigns are from Irregular Miniatures, but surprisingly they don't do a rocket team even in their Napoleonic range. I had a dig around and it seems no one does a post 1815 rocket troop at all. I considered getting one from another manufacturer, but they all come with the RHA Napoleonic uniform, which is useless. The hat is wrong, and the excess frogging on the jacket is a faff to carve off.

In the end I decided it would be less grief all round just to scratch build them. I had a few spare figures that would convert easily enough into passable rocket crew, so away I went. 

I thought I'd just do a simple "A" frame launcher, as I couldn't find any illustrations of the more elaborate carts being used.

The frame I reckoned I could build with some plastic bristles like I use for spears and pikes. The launching trough had me a bit perplexed, until I noticed these on my painting desk.

Yes. The plastic collars you get on paint brushes looked just the ticket. All I had to do was split one of them lengthways and I'd have troughs for two launchers. I say all. It turns out it was easier said than done to do it cleanly and evenly, and after a bit of trimming things still weren't perfect.

Anyway, I had my component parts.

I contemplated drilling holes in the base to hold parts in place, but in the end I went for relying on Superglue. 

Which worked.

Eventually. 

I have separated my fingers now.

The head of the rocket I made from rolling a strip of sticky label around an off cut from the plastic bristle. I made two per weapon, one to go in the launcher, and one to be held by a crew man. I went for the head with the rounded end as I couldn't work out a simple way to do the pointy end.

Here's the crew on the painting stick. The infantry pith helmet isn't quite right for1860  artillery crew, as it should have a higher crown, but it'll do. The crewman without the rocket is holding a round shot head. Honest. It isn't a cut down rifle stock at all.

Here's how it turned out.

It looks okay, I think, and it feels reasonably robust. I have another one on the desk awaiting completion, which should be enough for what I need. Although the French used them too. However, they also wore blue uniforms, so I might be able to get away with it.

This is the first one I made, and the head on the rocket held by the crewman is a bit larger than it should be. The rocket head should hang over the end of the trough, I think, but the evidence is a bit ambiguous.

My provisional/tentative project for this year is to paint the British forces for the 1st China War, who will do double duty fighting Sikhs, and they'll need a rocket troop too, but with crew in bell-top shakos. I have some books on order, and then Mr Irregular can expect a sizeable order. So please buy some of my rule books to fund it. 

Thank you.