How Poles aren't always Accurate

Following numerous requests, well one actually, to describe the process of producing the Polish Winged Hussars, here is the first of two posts that run through the procedure and highlight where things might have gone better.
First some early retaliation, these models are not entirely accurate, it would take me too long to produce figures that are exact copies of these spectacular troops, so I have aimed at something representational, the look of the thing, as a workable compromise.

On the left is the raw material, a Britains Deetail knight. As an interesting aside I have
 noticed that they all have slightly shrunken left legs. The middle mounted figure is showing the first stages of the conversion work, starting from the top, the head is removed and replaced with an English Civil War type lobster pot helmeted head. In this case made by Maros, sadly no longer available but others are available from Replicants for example. The shield is carved away and a gap opened up between the bent arm and the body. As I wanted the lance to be upright, I cut away the right arm and inserted a bent paperclip and glued in a lance made from metal rod (the material not the singer.) Two pins bent at right angles are pushed into the riders back, these will be used later to hold the wings. Finally the legs are cut off below the knee and replaced but boots cut from a suitable figure, in the case an old CTS Mexican. This is how I first noticed the shrunken left leg syndrome. I have also started work on the horse by extending the saddle cloth and fixing the Koncerz - armour piercing sword from rod and greenstuff.
The right hand figure is ready for painting, with armour and animal skin made from greenstuff.

The view from the other side showing the paperclip arm this a loop at the end to secure the lance. The horse had had a powder flask and bullet bag added for the pistols.

 A couple of variations. the left and right hand figures are based on toys from Russia via Ebay. They are of a slightly earlier period so need some work to bring them into 1683 and the siege of Vienna. This involves new heads, lances and greenstuff armour and clothing. The wings and lance pennants are yet to be added. the one on the right is to be the unit standard bearer, hence the shorter lance. The right hand horse is Italeri, adapted as above, the other one is from Imex with an Ialeri head.
You really don't want to know about the central figre who will be the unit commander, suffice to say it has the body and head of a Replicants horse with the legs and tail from Imex. The officer has head and right arm fro Airfix, cuirass from Historex, lower body by Replicants, greenstuff and Milliput are also involved in some quantity and a whole lot of tears and cursing by me.

View from the other side.
Next time more on the armour and animal skin, plus the wings and lance pennants with the lessons learned.
If you want to stay sane, don't try this at home.................
Eric