Finished Alpine SS figure *pics*

Wow, fabulous, Manny!

I like that you can see his "fingernails"!

That's a much overlooked detail!

The camo is, of course, up to your usual superb standard! He looks terrific! 

the doog wrote:

Wow, fabulous, Manny! I like that you can see his "fingernails"! That's a much overlooked detail! The camo is, of course, up to your usual superb standard! He looks terrific!

Excellent work! I'm thinking of branching out from DML figures, and buying something similar. I've really been trying to find a US supplier of Hornet Figures. Where do you get your kits from?

Nate

Thanks, Buddho---coming from a Master figure painter like yourself, your words mean a lot...

...Nachtflieger, this is a resin Alpine figure...I buy almost all of my figures on-line from either Squadron or Great Models...

the_quiet_one wrote:

In the spirit of honest, constructive criticism, I notice a few things... There are some seams visible in a few areas (mostly left hand). Also (and this is a personal taste thing), the colors are a bit too bright. Would not the smock and helmet cover be much more sun faded? Perhaps a unifying wash would tone them down a bit? I think the white piping on the collar is too thick (scale thickness), and in one area you can see where you got off into the collar a bit. Perhaps that can be touched up? It also appears far too "white" (ie: bright) for 1/35 scale. I think an off white would bring down that contrast. Perhaps a wash on just the collar stripe and the "SS" insignia with a light gray might help? Finally, in spots the paint looks caked on (face, and hands, primarily). This is usually caused by "lifting" of the previous layer when it is not fully cured. What happens is the new, wet layer of paint re-activates the layer underneath, which lifts ever so slightly, and this causes the "caked on" or grainy look. Do you have a drying oven? If not, and you are interested, I can send you plans for one which can be built for around $15.00. I paint with oils, and I use it constantly to speed drying time, to fully cure the layers, and to help matte the finish.

I would like to see the plans you have for the curing oven as I paint flash using oils. You can PM them to me if you like.  I appreciate the time you took to look and give feedback.  Thanks.

the_quiet_one wrote:

Those are some great points. Actually, the insignia in real-life was a light grey color but in 35th scale I usually use white so that it can be seen better with the naked eye, keeping in mind that the pics of this fig make it look more like 120mm rather than 35th scale...As for the brightness of the colors, in scale it probably is too bright, but again, for the sake of the naked eye (and artistic license) I usually prefer the colors to "pop" a bit.  Maybe next time I will try to mute them down a bit.  I would like to see the plans you have for the curing oven as I paint flash using oils. You can PM them to me if you like.  I appreciate the time you took to look and give feedback.  Thanks. You are quite welcome, and also quite right about the enlarged photos. I have always thought it takes a brave soul to post enlarged photos like that. You'll have your chance to return the favor soon, as I will post photos of my current project once it is finished. PM sent re: drying oven.

the_quiet_one wrote:

Also (and this is a personal taste thing), the colors are a bit too bright. Would not the smock and helmet cover be much more sun faded?

IMHO, Fading would have to do with the materiel's color-fastness, laundering frequency, and such.  Waffen SS camo fabric was of higher quality than that of Heer units, especially units like the LAH, and the 12th SS Panzer had been refitted after moving to Belgium for rest and refitting, so they got new uniforms.  If memory serves, they were in garrison, rather than the field, until the Allied invasion, and didn't really get into the fight until July of 44 during Operation Goodwood, so life wasn't too hard on uniforms...

I think the white piping on the collar is too thick (scale thickness), and in one area you can see where you got off into the collar a bit. Perhaps that can be touched up? It also appears far too "white" (ie: bright) for 1/35 scale. I think an off white would bring down that contrast.

NCO collar trim was a bright silver metallic bullion 10mm wide, not white piping.  White piping about 1.5 mm wide was used on the Infantry shoulder marks.  A steel color would do the bullion better, I think.  At least that's what my uniform looks like to me in photos  

Hans von Hammer wrote:

the_quiet_one wrote:  Also (and this is a personal taste thing), the colors are a bit too bright. Would not the smock and helmet cover be much more sun faded? IMHO, Fading would have to do with the materiel's color-fastness, laundering frequency, and such.  Waffen SS camo fabric was of higher quality than that of Heer units, especially units like the LAH, and the 12th SS Panzer had been refitted after moving to Belgium for rest and refitting, so they got new uniforms.  If memory serves, they were in garrison, rather than the field, until the Allied invasion, and didn't really get into the fight until July of 44 during Operation Goodwood, so life wasn't too hard on uniforms... I think the white piping on the collar is too thick (scale thickness), and in one area you can see where you got off into the collar a bit. Perhaps that can be touched up? It also appears far too "white" (ie: bright) for 1/35 scale. I think an off white would bring down that contrast. NCO collar trim was a bright silver metallic bullion 10mm wide, not white piping.  White piping about 1.5 mm wide was used on the Infantry shoulder marks.  A steel color would do the bullion better, I think.  At least that's what my uniform looks like to me in photos

But you have to be careful not to use a metallic color (such as silver) as it will look to bright and out of scale.

Actually, the 12th SS got into the fighting on June 7th.  They did the Lion's share of the fighting, IMO, in the area around Caen during the entire campaign thriu Goodwood. In fact, I feel it is one of the greatest defensive efforts in modern warfare...

There's no NCO rank bullion on that guy, Manny... That's the Infantry Waffenfarbe piping on his shoulder marks (Kinda big, too)... But I agree the white is ok for the bullion.  Mine's kinda grey-lookin' because I don't launder the jacket. Snipers pick on NCOs as well, so I'm ok with it being subdued..  (I want it to look like I've been in field for weeks, ya know... If it smells that way, even better..)

LAH shoulder marks for (R) Infanterie Unterscharführer (Heer- Unteroffizier) and (L) Scharführer (Heer- Unterfeldwebel )     

I was going from memory on the 12th SS Panzer, since I knew that they were refitted in Belgium not too long before Overlord, so "new" looking uniforms were pretty common in June of 44... "My" unit, 343. Infanterie was pretty much destroyed at Normandy after about 3 weeks of fighting...

Hans von Hammer wrote:

There's no NCO rank bullion on that guy, Manny... That's the Infantry Waffenfarbe piping on his shoulder marks (Kinda big, too)... But I agree the white is ok for the bullion.  Mine's kinda grey-lookin' because I don't launder the jacket. Snipers pick on NCOs as well, so I'm ok with it being subdued..  (I want it to look like I've been in field for weeks, ya know... If it smells that way, even better..)   LAH shoulder marks for (R) Infanterie Unterscharführer (Heer- Unteroffizier) and (L) Scharführer (Heer- Unterfeldwebel )      I was going from memory on the 12th SS Panzer, since I knew that they were refitted in Belgium not too long before Overlord, so "new" looking uniforms were pretty common in June of 44... "My" unit, 343. Infanterie was pretty much destroyed at Normandy after about 3 weeks of fighting...

I have used a dull aluminum color in the past, washed w/ raw umber and achieved a pretty nice effect...but I sorta like the "pop" you get from white. Might add a dab of grey in the mix for future figgies to see how that looks...343? That was a static Heer infantry division, correct?

Ja, so static it died in place... Garrison duty in Brest, y'know...  Most of the 343 was siphoned off to the 352.  Paper strength was supposed to be about 11,000, but it never approached that number of rifles on the ground, and was subordinate to 5. FJ, I think...  We picked the 343 because it was about the only German Western Front infantry division that was sanctioned in both the 20th Century TSG and the WW2 HRS and didn't have an existing command when I and a few others split from 2.Panzer.  (It was a poltitical/ leadership issue as to the Iowa/Nebraska/Kansas guys breaking off "relations") We teamed up with the Panzergrenadiers from Grossdeutchland and Fallschirmjager 5.FJR as our sponsoring commands so we were able to attend events sponsored by either group.

I realize how small those things are, and you even attempting to add the Waffenfarbe to NCO marks is beyond my hand-eye co-ordination... The Shutze behind the NCO in the pic above, even blurry, it's easy to tell he's a Panzergrenadier...

Hans von Hammer wrote:

Ja, so static it died in place... Garrison duty in Brest, y'know...  Most of the 343 was siphoned off to the 352.  Paper strength was supposed to be about 11,000, but it never approached that number of rifles on the ground, and was subordinate to 5. FJ, I think...  We picked the 343 because it was about the only German Western Front infantry division that was sanctioned in both the 20th Century TSG and the WW2 HRS and didn't have an existing command when I and a few others split from 2.Panzer.  (It was a poltitical/ leadership issue as to the Iowa/Nebraska/Kansas guys breaking off "relations") We teamed up with the Panzergrenadiers from Grossdeutchland and Fallschirmjager 5.FJR as our sponsoring commands so we were able to attend events sponsored by either group. I realize how small those things are, and you even attempting to add the Waffenfarbe to NCO marks is beyond my hand-eye co-ordination... The Shutze behind the NCO in the pic above, even blurry, it's easy to tell he's a Panzergrenadier...

what is 20th Century TSG ???

20th Century Tactical Studies Group.  Made up of Reenactor units from WW1, WW2, Korea, and Vietnam eras. 

were do ya do reenacting hans? im in the 2 kompanie 3 abtielung 2 SS Panzer div Das reich on the east coast. dunno if ya heard of us or not, but were the guys with the toys, we have a fully operational Tiger I

I usually show up at the battles in Ft Snelling, Mn, Ft McCoy, WI, and Camp Ashland, NE... I'm not sure of the SS units that are in my area, but I've heard of the SS guys that had a Tiger... I think they were at a battle in PA somewhere with 2.Panzer, but I missed that one...  Most of the 2.Panzer guys are from Illinois and Indiana, 343 from Iowa, GD and 5. FJR from Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa.  Most of the battles in Ft Snelling are Eastern Front, during the winter months.  There's a Kompanie of 352 HJ around here somewhere as well.

My other unit's impresson is the (notional) 100th BS, 918th BG (H), 8th USAAF.   (Yeah, the 12 O'clock High group.)  The 918th does the airshow circuit during the summer months, and the CAF Airsho in Midland, TX in the fall. We've been extras in a few of the "Roaring Glory" warbird videos from the 90s, and the 343 and 5. FJR also were featured as well in a PBS doc about Iowans in WW2...   Two of our 343 guys were extras in the HBO movie, "When Trumpets Fade" as well...

 I'm gettin' too old for that Infantry sh*t, tho... Think I'll switch to a Feldgendarme impression and stay in the rear with gear and write up Soldaten in sloppy uniforms...

Hans von Hammer wrote:

what is 20th Century TSG ??? 20th Century Tactical Studies Group.  Made up of Reenactor units from WW1, WW2, Korea, and Vietnam eras.  were do ya do reenacting hans? im in the 2 kompanie 3 abtielung 2 SS Panzer div Das reich on the east coast. dunno if ya heard of us or not, but were the guys with the toys, we have a fully operational Tiger I I usually show up at the battles in Ft Snelling, Mn, Ft McCoy, WI, and Camp Ashland, NE... I'm not sure of the SS units that are in my area, but I've heard of the SS guys that had a Tiger... I think they were at a battle in PA somewhere with 2.Panzer, but I missed that one...  Most of the 2.Panzer guys are from Illinois and Indiana, 343 from Iowa, GD and 5. FJR from Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa.  Most of the battles in Ft Snelling are Eastern Front, during the winter months.  There's a Kompanie of 352 HJ around here somewhere as well. My other unit's impresson is the (notional) 100th BS, 918th BG (H), 8th USAAF.   (Yeah, the 12 O'clock High group.)  The 918th does the airshow circuit during the summer months, and the CAF Airsho in Midland, TX in the fall. We've been extras in a few of the "Roaring Glory" warbird videos from the 90s, and the 343 and 5. FJR also were featured as well in a PBS doc about Iowans in WW2...   Two of our 343 guys were extras in the HBO movie, "When Trumpets Fade" as well...  I'm gettin' too old for that Infantry sh*t, tho... Think I'll switch to a Feldgendarme impression and stay in the rear with gear and write up Soldaten in sloppy uniforms...

hah, that the unit im in is mainly east coast, we attend FIG , odessa, newvill pa, some events in maryland as well. 

This is the companion fig that comes in the Alpine set...thinking of painting him in an overall pea-dot camo pattern:

Hans von Hammer wrote:

Two of our 343 guys were extras in the HBO movie, "When Trumpets Fade" as well...

That was a great movie, just rented it off of Netflix a couple weeks ago.

Great figs Manny and I can't wait to see these in the finished dio.  The camo is spectacular. 

the_quiet_one wrote:

...I think the white piping on the collar is too thick (scale thickness)...

I agree.

EasyMike wrote:

the_quiet_one wrote: ...I think the white piping on the collar is too thick (scale thickness)...   I agree.

Wow, that looks amazing. Sorry if these questions have been asked before, but what colors specifically do you use on this type of camo scheme. Also, what kind of brush do you use?

Thanks,

David

ww2modeler wrote:

Wow, that looks amazing. Sorry if these questions have been asked before, but what colors specifically do you use on this type of camo scheme. Also, what kind of brush do you use? Thanks, David

Cool, tahnsk for the info.

David