Monday 28 May 2012

IR52 Bethlen







I had thought that Hungarians had only three colour options - red, dark blue or light blue - but when I came across this Regiment in brown trousers with slate grey turnbacks I knew I had to paint it as it is so unusual. Here is the Kronoskaf link:








But the article presents some problems.


1) Button colour appears to have been both yellow or silver depending on the source and date.


I went with silver.


2) Although yellow waistcoat lace is indicated there is no reference to the barrel sash so I have introduced a third colour (pale blue) and put it both on the barrel sash as well as pompom.


3) It is clear that there was no lutzen lace on the coat but as Crusader/Front Rank have them sculpted I decided to go with yellow for the rankers and silver for the officers.




This is an example of artistic licence and, normally, I'm warry of straying from the references available (which themselves are hugely contradictive) but in this instance I feel the finished result was worth it. I think this is the only line regiment in service during the SYW across all national armies that used brown and slate grey as uniform colours.






6 comments:

  1. What a great looking unit, love the uniform colours too. I never knew there was an Austian/Hungarian unit with brown trousers, it does make them rather unique. Sometimes a little bit of artistic license is needed and it sure works out here!

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  2. These look suberb, but also those flags are impressing!

    Greetings Remco
    sjemco.blogspot.com

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  3. Great stuff. How did you happen across the regiment - just browsing?

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  4. Yes, just chewing the cud!
    thanks for your comments.
    Nigel

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  5. Really impressive! Colours and flags are great!

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  6. Wow! This s a very good looking unit. The colours are great. I like your painting style very much.
    Mike

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