Airfix Waterloo Model Sets

Peninsula Barracks, Winchester, formerly The Rifle Depot now redeveloped as private accommodation, is home to The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum.

Opened in 1989, this is one of the best regimental museums in the Country. It is also one of Winchester’s five military museums. The Museum records, visually, graphically and entertainingly, the history of three of the finest and most famous regiments in the British Army, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, The King’s Royal Rifle Corps and The Rifle Brigade. One of it’s most popular attractions is the Waterloo diorama, a 22 square metre model of the battlefield with 22,000 model soldiers and horses, plus a 7 minute sound and light commentary describing what happened on 18 June 1815, the day of the battle. The Royal Green Jackets had strong links with this battle as several of its antecedent regiments – the 43rd, 52nd and 95th of the Peninsular War Light Division were present in that campaign.

In preparation for the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo in 2015 the Museum is intending to clean and, where necessary, refurbish the model as well as install an updated sound and vision display to bring the events of that momentous battle to life. In support of this project Hornby have donated the remaining stock of their very popular Airfix model kits of The Battle of Waterloo to the Museum. Many of the kits will be used to replace damaged figures in the diorama and others will be donated to schools and youth groups in the Winchester area as part of the Museum ‘Outreach Programme’. Money generated from the sale of the remainder of the kits will go towards the restoration of the Waterloo diorama with £2 of each sale donated to the Care for Casualties Appeal.

The Airfix model kit is 1:72 scale and includes landscape and farmhouse, British Artillery, British Cavalry Hussars, British Infantry, French Artillery, French Cavalry, French Imperial Guard, French Infantry, Highland Infantry, Prussian Artillery, and farmyard figures, plus 22 acrylic paints, paint brushes and precision poly cement. They are being sold on line at £37.67p incl p&p within UK (£41.55p 1st Class). Visit the Museum website (www.rgjmuseum.co.uk) and follow the link to SHOP to place an order or, if you decide to go to Winchester and collect one in person it will cost you only £29.99p and you will get complimentary museum admission to view the Waterloo Diorama.

The Trustees of the Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum are very grateful to Hornby for their generous donation of the model sets.

The Waterloo Diorama looking south east from the British line, Hougoumont on the right, La Haye Sainte centre.

The Waterloo diorama, detail of the assault on Hougoumont.