Tamiya 1/16 Figure Vignette

[Deleted member 6559]

Next up will be these two Tamiya figures, mounted as a vignette.

The loader isn't a great figure and will need some changes to push it into shape. I won't have him carrying the tripod, but will set that up with an MG on board. He will probably be carrying ammo boxes.

The officer is a bit better, but will need some substitute parts to improve it.

 

[Deleted member 4539]

Sods law.
I was going to send the Field Commander as your surprise.

 

[Deleted member 4539]

Unless you still want it.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Oh, ain't that just the way Ralph? Probably no point in having another, but thanks anyway.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

OK, this one's ready to roll. First the sprue shots:



The MG tripod is supplied with in a closed position, but a bit of adjustment and a few extra parts can make it stand open and accept a gun.



There was quite a lot of work involved in putting this together - lots of pointlessly separate parts. I've
given him a new right arm so that he can carry a rifle, and added some ammo pouches to the belt. The supplied boots were the wrong shape - too pointed and small - so they were swapped for these Verlinden ones. and the kit heads are awful, so he was given a Reedees character head, with a Dragon helmet. He'll be holding a bundle of grenades over his left shoulder.

So apart from the Tamiya basics, other parts include Verlinden, Dragon, Kirin and Reedees, mostly supplied by Richard and Ralph - thanks chaps.

 

[Deleted member 4539]

Looking forward to the paintwork Peter .

 

[Peter Gillson]

Peter

I hadn't seen those two before, they will compliment each other into a nice little vignette.

Peter

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Ralph - On to the most enjoyable bit!

Peter - The MG Loader was also accompanied by a Machine Gunner, but that kit is very hard to get hold of now:

Built out of the box, they're OK but a little cartoonish, so it's best to make changes. I've built versions of all of these several times.

 

[scottie3158]

Peter,
Work your magic.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Don't know about magic Scottie, but I'll try every trick in the book...

 

[SteveH]

Morning Peter

Looks like another full on gathering of the Wehrmacht's finest for their time.

Your skills are still scalpel sharp, Dr Frankenstein LOL

They should all appreciate your assembly and painting skills.

Looks like its still warm but grey, better for painting?

Its all travel, work and rain here today, hopefully better down South for you and your little rainbow.

Have a good day with the paints

Regards

Steve H

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Morning Steve

This one really needed help - lots of sanding, filling and new parts, but hopefully now he'll make a decent figure. Cooler here, but sunny. Gran's gone to work, so extra granddad duties will curtail the painting activities somewhat.

Hope work goes smoothly.

Peter.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

The head:



A nice head from Reedees, bit tricky around the eyes, but otherwise OK.

 

[SteveH]

Morning Peter
Another great start, on an interesting journey with the trio you have selected.
Your heads are just so good.
I am 1/2 way with my bust head, but seem to be struggling to find a reasonable window to finish the head.
Perhaps this weekend?
I guess as previously, Granddading will bring you back to 1/2 speed progress which is twice + than of the rest of us!
I have several other 2nd hand 1:10 busts being prepared as options for the Figure painting GB, which I didn't realise has already started!
""Perhaps this weekend"" again LOL
Have you any tips for dealing with 1:10 belts of MG ammo?
I was thinking about painting them as is, then cutting them all off and attaching them to tape so it can be hung around the neck?
I have tried bending them in boiling hot water and only broke each piece into 2! Grrr!
Hope your sinuses are OK, the current rain, warmth, pollen and humidity are creating havoc and headaches!
Off to work now.

Have a good day with the paints and grand daughter

Regards

Steve H

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Morning Steve

Hopefully there will be lots of rain at the weekend and an excuse for not gardening. I'm currently exhausted by granddadding, but nicely so. It is slowing me down, but she's worth it.

The only way of doing the ammo is probably to cut them into small sections of three or four and then glue them around the body, as I did with this Verlinden bust. I then painted the sections black then picked out the detail is gunmetal and old gold. Very tricky.



In fact, thinking about it, I'm not sure that these weren't supplied as individual rounds.

Good luck.

 

[SimonT]

If you’re at a loss for something to do you could always wind a lot of very very small springs around a 0.4mm drill bit, separate each cartridge and stick springs to each one to represent the links like I did with that bust I did on the old site.

Looks the part as you can get each round sitting right but is very time consuming

 

[Deleted member 4539]

Very nice start Peter .

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Simon - Good advice, but enough to drive the average figure-builder to Bedlam!

Ralph - Glad you like him.

Cracked on today and got the uniform done (the boots are just blocked in):



I found it quite hard to make the surface interesting.The sculpting of the arms in particular was a bit flat, making it hard to get some good contrasts going. Hopefully the equipment will lift it all a bit.

 

[Deleted member 4539]

Looks great to me Peter .

 

[JR]

I was laughing at your reply to Simon, Peter. you don't want to end up like poor Steve, he's gone completely to the other side , even mounting his builds on glass bases. ------- so you can see underneath.

Love the face, he has a sort of look that says " I've had enough and i'm hungry tired and fed up with this war .