Monday, June 22, 2015

Roll out the Barrel(s)


I got a pack of these Renedra assorted barrels at Historicon back about 3 years ago, and finally got around to painting them up this week...


The set has 5 large and 5 medium barrels - they were dark brown plastic, so after gluing the halves together. I just dry brushed then with a light tan color., painted the hoops black, and applied a generous coat of "magic wash" all over. 


This Silesian infantry men seems to making a beeline for the barrels, doubtless hoping at least one of them is full of some good beer!  Well, actually, a lot of beer, if still full  - 117+ liters per barrel! For comparison a full size keg of beer is only 50 liters!



The motivation for painting them now is to use some of them as props on the bases of the windmills I'm building, which are nearing completion.


The Beer Barrel Polka
The music was written by the Czech musician Jaromir Vejvoda 1927, and later arranged by Eduard Ingris. The English Lyrics were written 1939. It became popular with soldiers of many nations during World War 2, with varied lyrics (and titles) existing in many languages. The Andrews sisters recorded a version in 1939, and it was a staple (played with amazing dramatic flair and energy) of Liberace. Elton John was even said to play it in his pub. Perhaps the best known version in the US is this recording by Bobby Vinton, a.k.a. "The Polish Prince", from 1975. It is also an unofficial theme song of my sister's alma mater, The University of Wisconsin, and almost a mandatory song at a Polish-American wedding reception.  Finally, it became a standard item in the repertoire of our drinking songs when I was playing in the Band in college. I don't think it is possible to listen to this song without smiling... and I don't even particularly care for beer myself. The only problem is that after listening to several versions last night, I have the darned thing stuck in my head!

11 comments:

  1. Now's the time to roll the barrel, 'cause the gang's all here!
    (Sorry, I can only resist so much.)

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    1. Watch the video and you'll have the song in your brain for the rest of the day at least! :-)

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  2. Always useful...and they are very nice!

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    1. I agree with their utility, which I why I picked them up when I saw them a few years back.

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  3. These will look great next to those windmills you have put together. I dare not watch the video as I have a five-hour flight ahead of me tomorrow, and that's the last thing I want stuck in my head!

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    1. Thanks, Lawrence. I could think of woirst things for a 5 hour flight, LOL!

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  4. I don't need to watch the video to have the song stuck in my head the remainder of the day!
    Are the Prussians all finished?

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    1. I finished the basing on the six new Prussian Artillery batteries this weekend, which will appear here shortly. I have 2 regts of Prussian Hussars left. The Horses are 75% done, and I have to do the riders. I hit a snag when the bag of "Prussian Hussar Command" turned out to contain rather Prusssian Dragoons charging! No problem, they will become a Landwehr Cavalry regiment eventually. First time I've had such a mistake with OG in almost 20 years. I sent in my OG Historicon order Friday and re ordered the Hussars (at OG's prices, I wasn't going to quibble about the mistake, and as I said, I will use the figures anyway) asked that they send me the Hussar Command ASAP. Got them yesterday! SInce the horses are the same for all of the sets, I started painting the horses from the Dragoon Bag along with those of the Hussar bag so it really didn't slow things up at all. So bar the unexpected, I expect to have the Hussars done in about 2 weeks, leaving me the weekend before Historicon to organize and pack it all up!

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  5. A nice addition and a fun watch Peter!

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