Horse Soldiers

The US Army officially used horse mounted cavalry until about 1944.

They did not ship any overseas during WWII.

They did form ad hoc units during the war, in both the Pacific, and European theaters of war.

In the 1930's the US Army troops often wore a flat hat, like an officers dress hat, or bus driver hat.

Nobody makes those cavalry figures in 1/72nd scale, so I decided to make my own.

These troops are mostly Airfix American Civil War horse cavalry.

With the heads from the Airfix World War One British Infantry.

Horses are from Eagle Games.  They sell boxes of just horses, and they are all the same pose, but have a sturdy one piece horse and base that makes them great for wargaming.

Troops here face a common problem in the American Southwest in the 1930's.

Giant horned toads were a real problem.

The only solution to the problem is the mounted charge!

Welcome readers from Argentina, especially doctors!

In the Weeds

The generals confer on the deployment.

The artillerymen bring the guns into position.

It takes a little time in this forest.

Join the Army and ride motorcycles they said, not in this jungle.

The generals are pleased with the troops.

Motorcycles and Jeeps

 The government has been worried about the potential for rebel forces to operate in the bush.

 They have asked for Americans to patrol the area as their own forces are stretched so thin already.

It's just a patrol, just a reconnaissance.

 Simply drive around and look for anything unusual.

 Jeeps, light artillery and a few scouting motorcycles.

 The grass is very high.

So every now and then they dismount and check the area on foot.

Storm Troopers vs Dinosaurs

 The herd of animals surge forward.
 

The puny guns of the humans seemly have no effect on the monsters.

They undulate as giant walruses. 

The great bull of the herd moves in first for the kill.

He gets close enough for a grenade!

 The explosion stuns the great beast.

All the men open up on his head, and he turns away, taking the herd with him, and all the evidence of their existence goes with them.

Storm Troopers

WWI Germans from Airfix and some metal figures.

1/72nd scale, some of the few painted figures in my collection.

My WWI German collection is primarily to use against the Americans.

So they are painted and equipped as 1917-18 Germans.

Here they are along the north German coast and are attacked by finned dinosaurs.

They are large and have big teeth, could be a real problem for the Kaiser's men.

GI Joe Action Sailor

GI Joe Action Sailor sitting on the breakwater at high tide.

He has a bit of down time.

Take off your boots and relax.

Gather a few starfish.

And soak up the sun.

US Army Horse Cavalry in World War Two

My WWII US Army horse cavalry started life mostly as Airfix American Civil War troops.

They also came from Hasagawa with the Stuart light tank kit that came with an American Civil War figure and horse in the kit.

Some of these troops have been cut in half and the lower half of the Hasagawa figure was glued to the top half of an number of hard plastic and soft plastic WWII American troops.

Several of the carbine armed troops lost their barrels, so I will have to replace them with a bit of wire.

Captain America assists the horse cavalry on a scouting mission.

I am thinking of making at least a platoon of them, maybe even a troop.

US Army Horse Cavalry

My 1/72nd scale figure collection is primarily the US Army and enemies.

Here is American Army horse cavalry for World War Two.

 The horse cavalry was in use officially until near the end of World War Two.
 

Horse mounted troops were used in both ad hoc units and several official units in combat until the end of World War Two.

The main weapons would have been pistols and other standard weapons for dismounted use.

Of course, not all of cavalry work was exciting charges.