Head Swaps

[martin goddard]

Drill size. I recommend a 1mm or bigger so that the head spigot "falls" into the hole. A small pice of milliput or similar makes a good grounding/fit.

[Leslie BT]

Yes I use imm or a little larger.
By using a slightly larger drill to create an oversized hole it allows the head to sit down and as Martin says allows you to pose the head and get a bit of putty in the hole.

Also use a new bit, if it breaks it means that it is blunt!

These are good value £1.15 for ten. https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Power+Tool+Accessories/d80/HSS+Drill+Bits/sd1250/Draper+HSS+Jobber+Metric+Drill+Bit/p21963

[Radar]

Think I have a slight addiction with headswapping... Currently working on a Scots Covenator cavalry unit. Command made with headswapping, no problem. But then I needed a suitable casualty marker - and the dead harquebusier just wouldn't cut it. So, yes you guessed it - headswap. Here he is in the raw. I must point out that no blood was spilled, and I still have the correct quota of body parts. (It was a little iffy getting the original head off.)

[Leman (Andy)]

That looks like a particularly nifty job. 

[Colonel Kilgore]

That is dedication to the cause!

[martin goddard]

Very difficult getting a head of a dead figure! Bravo, salutations.

[Radar]

Thanks x 3

Not really dedicated, slightly obsessive I'd say.

[NTM (Nigel)]

Thanks all I'll pick a variety up and give it a go.

[Smiley Miley 66]

If your going to do the job right.
Other wise you get people going to say great army ! But why has he used a WW2 German as dead ? For example ! So a simple head change does the job.

[Rakkasan]

I know all you guys have done a thousand and one head swaps, but I still feel compelled to post a photo of my first attempt. Time taken approx 25 minutes. I am sure things will speed up with future attempts.

PP Professional becomes 32 Battalion or Rhodesian.

I did the same head swap for my RLI, although being quite anal I filed down the cap peak to flatten it and filled in the dovetail on the neck flap giving it more of a Rhodesian look and less Portuguese 

[Mike Tanner]

Below are a few of my RLI soldiers. They are still very much a work in progress. I base coated with Vallejo beige. The green is Uniform Green and the brown is English Uniform/Flat Red with a mix of 3/1. Hopefully after I add the Citadel Agrax Earthshade the camouflage pattern will look better.
 
I wanted some guys in shorts hence some non PP figures in the unit. I also have not painted the rifles camo. I am going for an interim period before the RLI were ordered to stop wearing shorts, etc. My Rhodesian African Rifles and any paratroopers will be 100% Peter Pig.

How do you feel about painting the edges of the bases with different colours to help with stick recognition on the battlefield?

I will also have to knock up some stick commanders with radios. I intend using greenstuff for the radios and fuse wire I bought from the UK as antennas. The PP figures will be easier as I can just drill a hole in the backpacks and glue the antenna in.

[Rakkasan]

Looks good, Have you tried the PP professionals in shorts? I did a head swap and they look pretty good. For the stick leaders I just used the professional leaders, since they will be used as both SAS and RLI.

[Leman (Andy)]

They look pretty good to me as is. I know next to nothing about this period. Who were they up against.

[Radar]

For anyone reading this, who is still putting it off: my 12 year old did a headswap for me. ECW officer in helmet (tricky to take his head off as his helmet gives quite a thick 'neck' onto the body), given a helmet with open visor.
He said it was easy.

[Mike Tanner]

They look pretty good to me as is. I know next to nothing about this period. Who were they up against.

The Rhodesians were up against ZANLA and ZIPRA. ZANLA was apparently the least well trained but most active guerrilla force. ZIPRA training was inclined more towards main force conventional operations. Google is your friend in this matter.