This is the painting guide I gave to Nigel Fun-nell who painted by kit for the New Zealand Wars.
Imperial Infantry 1840’s
Includes:
- 58th Rutlandshire “The Black Cuffs”
- 96th “The bendovers”
- 99th Lanarkshire Volunteers “The Queens Pets”
Centre Company from 58th Rutlandshire The Black Cuffs”. Not surprisingly they have black cuffs. Notice the white over red of pompom.
Back
Flank companies of 58th Rutlandshire. Grenadiers in front – with white pompoms – and Light Company behind – green pompoms.
Grenadier company of 99th Lanarkshire Volunteers “The Queen’s Pets”. Notice yellow cuffs. 96th “The bendovers” had the same cuff colour.
Men
Forage Cap
Base material: Dark Blue
Band: Black
Regimental Numerals: Brass
Pompom: Company Colours
Battalion coy: White over Red
Light coy: Green
Grenadier coy: White
Shell Jacket
Base material: Red
Collar & cuffs: Regimental colours
58th = Black
96th = Yellow
99th = Yellow
Buttons: Brass
Trousers
Base material:
Winter: Dark grey (use this)
Summer: White
Welt down outer seam: Red
Shoulder & waist belts
Base material: White
Fittings: Brass
Ammunition box
Base material: Black
Regimental Numerial (painted on): White
Bayonent & Scabbard
Base material: Black
Fittings: Brass (?)
Canvas haversack
White
Canteen
Light blue or blue-grey
Great Coat (Oftened rolled over shoulder)
Dark grey
Shoes
Black (?)
Gun
Barrel: Browned (dull red-brown)
Officers
As the men except:
Sword
Hilt: Gilt
Scabbard: Brass
Naval brigade 1840’s (including artillery)
Men
As men of Imperial Infantry 1840’s except:
Brimmed Hat
Base material: Black
Jacket
Base material: Dark Blue
Collar: White
Buttons: Brass
Trousers
Base material: White or Dark Blue
Shirt
White
Tie
Black
Belts
Base material: Black (?)
Fittings: Brass
Officers
As the men except:
Top Hat
Base material: Black
Peaked Cap
Base material: Blue
Band: Gold
Peak: Black
Sword
Hilt: Gilt
Scabbard: Brass
Frock coat
Base material: Dark Blue
Epaulettes: gold
Imperial Infantry and Artillery 1860’s
Includes:
- Line Regiments: 12th, 14th, 18th, 40th, 50th, 57th, 65th, 70th
- Light Infantry: 43rd, 68th
Artillery, in same uniform as Centre Companies. Meant to have white over red pompom but pretty hard to achieve on these figures.
Light Company with green pompom.
Grenadiers with while pompom.
Men
Forage Cap
Base material: Line regiments: Dark Blue
Light regiments: Dark Green
Band: Black
Regimental Numerals: Brass
Pompom/Tuft: Company Colours
Battalion coy: White over Red
Light coy: Green
Grenadier coy: White
Shell Jacket
Base material inc. collar & cuffs: Dark Blue (lighter than trousers)
Buttons: Brass
Trousers
Base material: Navy Blue (darker than Jacket)
Welt down outer seam: Red
Shoulder & waist belts
Base material: White
Fittings: Brass
Ammunition box
Base material: Black
Regimental Numerial (painted on): White
Bayonent & Scabbard
Base material: Black
Fittings: Brass (?)
Canvas haversack
White
Canteen
Light blue or blue-grey
Great Coat (Often rolled over shoulder)
Dark grey
Shoes
Black (?)
Gun
Barrel: Blued (dark metalic blue/grey)
Officers
As the men except:
Peaked Cap
Base material:
Dark Blue
Band: Black
Regimental Numerals: Brass
Pompom/Tuft: Company Colours
Battalion coy: Red
Light coy: Green
Grenadier coy: White
Peak: Black
Sword
Hilt: Gilt
Scabbard: Brass
Armed Constabulary 1860-70’s (including Arawa flying column)
Men
Arawa flying column had Maori troopers. Other troopers were European.
Peaked Cap (or replace with civilian brimmed hat)
Base material: Dark Blue
Band: Black
Badge: White metal (?)
Pompom/Tuft: Red (?)
Peak: Black
Patrol Jacket
Base material: Dark Blue (lighter than trousers)
Buttons: White metal
Shirt (if seen)
Strips/check or plain white.
Trousers (if worn)
Base material: Navy Blue
Kilt/Shawl dress/Rapaki (if worn)
Base material: A variety of blanket colours and patterns (kind of a grid pattern over a base colour)
Shoulder belt
Base material: White (?)
Fittings: White metal (?)
Waist belt
Base material: Brown (?)
Fittings: White metal (?)
Ammunition box
Base material: Black(?)
Canvas haversack
White (?)
Canteen
Light blue or blue-grey (?)
Great Coat (Oftened rolled over shoulder)
Dark grey (?)
Leggings
Brown
Shoes
Black (?)
Gun
Barrel: Blued (dark metalic blue/grey)
Officers
All officers were European, including those in the Arawa flying column. As the men except:
Peaked Cap
Base material: Dark Blue
Band: Silver oak leaf
Button/Badge: Silver
Pompom/Tuft: Red (?)
Peak: Black
Patrol Jacket
Base material: Dark Blue (lighter than trousers)
Shoulder cords: Silver
Buttons: Silver (?)
Trousers (if worn)
Base material: Navy Blue
Welt down outer seam: Black
Sword
Hilt: Gilt
Scabbard: Brass
Artillery pieces
Cannon
Carriage: Grey
Barrel: Brass (?)
Volunteers 1840’s and 1860’s (including rangers)
As Imperial troops of the same period except: Forage Cap
Base material: Dark Blue
Band: Black or none
Regimental Numerals: None
Pompom: White (?)
Shirt (often no jacket)
Base material: Grey or blue
1840s Auckland Volunteers. If you’re wondering where their Red Coats are, well, they don’t have any – they’re wearing shirts.
Back
1860s Forest Rangers
Militia 1840’s and 1860’s
Colours for Militia of both the 1840’s and 1860’s are as the Imperial troops of 1860’s. Note that some wore:
Shirts instead of jackets, still dark blue.
A Balmoral cap instead of the normal forage caps. This had no band.
Settlers
Clothes
Men: Dark and drab colours; khaki popular for pants/jacket. Shirts usually had stripes or check shirts, or plain white. Caps were always blue. Hats – don’t know.
Women: Dark colours including black. Less drab than the men. Some reds, blue, greens, etc. White blouses common.
Gun
Barrel: Steel or blued or browned
Armed men.
Unarmed men, women and children.
Maori
Hone Heke wore a European peaked cap. I guess this was Military gear, so blue cap with black peak. See illustration for the cloak. Kawiti was about 70 years old, so white hair.
Clothes (see illustrations)
Kilt/Shawl dress/Rapaki made from a blanket: A variety of blanket colours and patterns (kind of a grid pattern over a base colour)
Flax clothes (for instance Rapaki): Variety of off-whites and brown, often patterned (strips and zig-zags)
Skins (for instance cloaks): Dog skin, so a variety of patterns and colours.
Feathers: Used in the hair, but also for cloaks. Often drab with white tips, or white with dark tips.
European clothes: Civilian: White shirts. Drab colours for cloth. Dark leather.
Military: as period (use 1860’s)
Tattoos
On face, thighs and buttocks of some warriors: Bluish spiral patterns.
Native weapons
Wooden bits: Wood or whale bone (off white to brown)
Gun
Barrel: Steel or blued or browned