Dragon 1/16 Obersturmer

[Deleted member 6559]

Still hooked on Dragon figures, this will be my next one. I'm not sure if I'll make any changes as there's less opportunity for changing the uniform, but I'll probably make him Heer rather than SS.

The sprues:



Dragon have supplied generic equipment sprues, which means that for two grenades you also get two entrenching tools - useful for the spares box. I've never once managed to get the decals on the panzerfaust, as theyr're rather thin and delicate. We'll see......

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Cleaned up and ready for paint:



I've decided that he's going to be a Heer sniper, armed with a captured Soviet Mosin Nagant rifle, like this bloke:



The reason for the choice of gun is simply that I had one by Verlinden one in the spares box (courtesy Richard Pearce). I've therefore tried to equip him with the sort of stuff a sniper would carry - ammo pouches, binoculars, pistol, sheath knife etc. I'll also use the grenades, as the front of the coat has recesses for them which would be difficult to fill. The Kirin cap is a much better than the kit version, which is oversized and poorly detailed (it also has Heer insignia).

I did stop myself for a while when I realised that the coat would be an off-whitish colour, but then decided that this could be a rural winter scene, so he would be camouflaged - Krycell snow for the base then.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Peter
Sounds like a plan.
Jim

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Hi Jim - Should work. The coat will be a challenge - the most common colouring seemed to be a whitish panelling with a more yellow fur. I'll probably use Vallejo's Stone Gray as a base.

 

[Steve Jones]

Sounds like a very absorbing but challenging build. Looking forward to seeing how this one turns out. Will you be adding some white material camouflage to the rifle?

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Hi Steve

It's more or less out of the box really - just a few equipment changes. Good idea re the rifle.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

This is where he's at:



I painted the head yesterday but couldn't get a decent picture of it.

Today, it was on to the coat. I decided to use Vallejo German Camo Beige as a base. lightening it considerably with Off White. There was way more detail in terms of folds and creases than I remember from the last time I painted one of these, perhaps because nowadays I feel more beholden to pick out the detail - all of those double-seams tested my eyesight for sure.

 

[Mickc1440]

Just thought I'd drop in quickly before it's finished
Great start, I love how you get such a smooth even coat when you paint.

 

[Deleted member 4539]

Looking good Peter .

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Thanks Mick and Ralph.

 

[SteveH]

Morning Peter

Great beard, ginger too, very Prince Harry !

The double seam?

I would have scribed it and used a wash, but well done for painting it in, that was a real challenge, well won too.

The coat is a work of art, and better than the box art too.

Are you going to match the large soup stain on the front, or blend it into the base?

Looks like you should just about slide this under the wire before Thursday.

Grey and wet here with Thunder storms due every where by Thursday too.

Have a good day with the paints

Regards

Steve H

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Morning Steve

Re the detail - a brush is the only way!

Not sure about soup stains, but will try something. More committed weathering is something I need to work on. The problem is that it's very different from weathering vehicles, as dirt tends to hit the prominent areas first and thus destroy the highlights. It ultimately means shading the weathering as well.

Greyish here, but dry so far - no excuses for not walking Joe the Wonder Jack Russell later.

Have a good day at the desk.

 

[Steve Jones]

Nice update Peter. My go to beige white is Vallejo Antique White. Also have you tried Vallejo German Winter Tank Crew White which is in the Panzer Aces range?

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Hi Steve

Those sound like interesting colours and worth checking out. To be honest, I prefer to mess about with a basic palette as it makes me feel more artistic (ha!). Also, I can barely afford the kits, let alone the paint, so a big paint box would be difficult to explain to the wife.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Legs done and some of the equipment added:

 

[Deleted member 4539]

Looking good Peter especially the boots .

 

[SteveH]

Morning Peter

Looks good with the kit and a little weathering.

A basic palette will always get you through, especially when there is such a plethora of paint choices these days

Sometimes too many, can be confusing!

""Feb 1944, Sunday afternoon, mid, light beige grey from the north side of the hill!""

Another grey day here, up't North, but 15 C already!, stormy weather on the horizon.

Time for a sniper rifle and some snow?

Have a good day with the paints

Regards

Steve H

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Ralph - Cheers my man.

Steve - There seems to be a pigment for every conceivable modelling need these days - I've just stretched to Natural Steel, which is confusing me.

Should get him finished today, though diabetes check-up later may curtail activities. The rifle sling will be pretty complicated, as it has two buckled loops that pass through the barrel. Grey here as well, though I think we'll miss the rain - lawns parched and drought threatening as usual this time of year.

Quote/paraphrase has gone over my head I'm afraid.

 

[SteveH]

Just another colour, Peter.
Probably part of a yet to be released 16 pot Mig pack of early spring '44 camo colours to add to the confusion of paints.
All very confusing
Steve H

 

[Richard48]

Hiya Peter.
Late to the parade my friend.So im sure the Ncos will have me on a fizzer.Really stellar job mate,I did have this figure myself and i thought the coat lent itself to maybe slightly converting him to a Soviet tank commander in a winter coat.At the time i didnt fancy making a ww2 Soviet padded tankers tank helmet.
Carry on carruthers pip pip.
Richard.