Buffalo Bill's Stagecoach by JohnReid - FINISHED

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

This is Buffalo Bill's stage as it was returned to the factory where it was built in 1895.This stage has a long and storied history having begun its life as a regular stage on the Deadwood City run.It fought in the Indian Wars out west .Buffalo Bill discovered it rotting away in a river, rescued it and used it in his Wild West shows throughout Europe and North America.Unfortunately, the Smithsonian rebuilt what was left of it, basically some of the undercarriage,and discarded the rest.I guess that at the time they thought it was the right thing to do, they then put it on display.The consequence of all this is that now it is just another re-built stage with nothing left of its former glory.Imagine today if it was sitting in a museum somewhere with just the sign on it and how much interest its story would generate especially for the kids. The model is 1/16th scale and is a highly modified Model Trailways kit.I built this model using only four old photographs.

Edited October 30, 2017 by JohnReid
added text

[Papa]

Amazing model. I thought it was the real thing.

[coxswain]

Fantastic work - as ragove said, I kept checking the table there, 'cause I thought it was real, too - the wood has just the right tone to it, and the lettering to the sign is just right in form and shade...thanks for sharing this!!  Steve M

[JohnReid]

Thanks, guys! The wood tone is my standard nimbus grey and raw umber.the sign is actually a copy of what was on the real thing.

 

[b dylan]

John

 

What a fantastic looking model.

Could you please comment on the specifics of how you achieved the weathered look? Thanks

[JohnReid]

Hi Dylan. I have the technique written out somewhere on my computer now it is just a matter of finding it.

 

[JohnReid]

Dylan please see a topic that I have started in the Painting and Weathering section of this site. It is basically the technique that I used for the stagecoach.Cheers! John.