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I'm going to be making some Shakos (Napoleonic Era head-dress) for an IG Regiment, but before I go out an get some Plasticard and Guardsmen I'd like to put out a call to Dakka for somebody to measure the diameter of a Guardsman's head. I'd prefer to have the Shako's lower rim situated just on top of the Guardsman's inbuilt headphones, but I need the dimensions of the head around this point (In metric and Imperial if possible) so I know what size plasticard tubing I need to get. Any help would be much appreciated.

Cadian head is double realistic size, with enormous helmet triple size, positioned on modern fatigues not fitting Napoleon hats. Does that help ?

Actually yes, I can see you've put great thought and intellectual prowess into that post. [*WARNING, SARCASM ALERT*]

On a more serious note though, I would actually like to know the diameter - I'd rather not buy a load of plasticard tubing that's way too small.

Not what you asked for, but does this link help?
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2004599158/meridian-miniatures-steampunk-army

~Thanks for the thought, but it's not really what I'm wanting. My idea is to make a Napoleonic Era, British Army themed IG Regiment, but it's going to have a more practical 40K aspect to it. So lasguns, body armour, mechanised elements etc. will all be present, but aesthetically they'll be converted/kitbashed/GS'ed to look decidedly Napoleonic. Hence, I'm wanting to do the Shako's myself. That said, I took a look at the link and I can see one variant of head that would work well (Variant '4'), the only problem is that it's based on the earlier 'Stovepipe' Shako, and not the 1815 Belgic/Waterloo Shako that I'm wanting. Nevertheless, it's a back-up I suppose, so it's much appreciated that you pointed me in that direction

So my dad got me a cheap micrometer as a bit of a joke present one year. You, sir, have given me reason to actually use it

Standard Guard unhelmeted head is 4.34mm side to side just in front of the headphones, 6.08mm across the widest part of the headphones and 5.58mm front to back just at the brow ridge.

The helmeted heads are 6.90mm side to side and 7.85mm front to back over the widest part of the aquila. The side to side measurement includes the bulge over the ears.

Of course the 2 decimal places are probably a bit overkill and there is likely to be a bit of variability and error involved

You Sir, are a hero

Cheers for the info Flinty, it looks like I'm going to need something like 7mm tubing for the basic Shako core. Unfortunately, I now have to decide whether or not they'll look comically big if I build them over the helmet (To keep an aura of practicality - i.e. Vox equipment). Of course making a Shako over an un-helmeted head is easier, but it mean I'm gonna have to spend an extra £10 on bare heads for every squad I buy (On top of an extra £7 for kneeling leg bits) - so a grand total of £35 per IG Infantry Squad. Hmmm...

If you get 7mm outer diameter tube and remove the aquila, and the bx at the back og the helmet, you could probably perch a bit of tube and then GS up the gaps. That would also give you opporunity to put a bit of a visor at the front. You might be able to play about a bit with relative lengths fo tube compared to trimming the top off the head.

Hmm, good idea. I'm going for the Belgic/Waterloo style Shako, so I have a bit leeway in that the Shako itself is quite short, but the false front is raised (I'll be making the false fronts out of plasticard). Hence, I can avoid too much modification of the Guardsman's helmet, although, as you say, the protrusions can be cut off. I intended to GS a peak anyway so I'm fine on that score.