The background: Since returning from my last deployment to Iraq, I haven't been able to shake the need to model things from my memory. I tried to continue working WWII era projects that I started BEFORE deploying again, but they just aren't interesting to me right now. So, I started doing research and I'm sure that most of you already figured out just what I did ... that when kits say modern, they mean 1990'ish. Fortunatly, there are kits that are slowly starting to come out from OIF/ OEF era. However, most of these are 1/35 and I really wanted to work at least at the 120mm scale.
The kit: ... or at least the base for the whole thing, is Verlinden's 101st Airborne Figure.
I also used the head and most of the gear from a few different Airborne Miniature 120mm figures that I've got saved.
On to the build: Upon looking at everything that I had, I figured I had to start somewhere. So, I started with the rebuild of the vest. The Verlinden figure has the older style vest issued around 2001 and before. I wanted my fig to have the OTV vests that we wore in '07. In looking at the picture, on the left side is still pretty much original. On the right, I've sanded down the Camelbak straps and replaced the molle straps on the vest. I've also sanded off the blouse tails from under the vest, as we always tucked in our tails. Surprisingly, there was a lot of putty that had to go into fitting the fig together.
After getting the fit right, I had to turn the DCU uniform into the new ACU's. About the only things that I wasn't able to fix were the slanted thigh pockets and the triple pen pockets on the left sleeve. I guess I could have, but I didn't really want to mess up the deep folds that were in these areas. I added upper arm and calf pockets with sheet styrene and alum from a coke can. The original "jungle" soles on the boots were sanded off and replaced with "ripple" soles using putty. Once the putty was hardened, I gave it a CA glue soak just to keep it from crumbling at the edges. The vest also go a kelvar yoke/ collar, and a kevlar throat protector from sheet styrene.
The M4 had a few pieces that were replaced with better casts from Airborne Miniatures. Most specifically the SureFire and the ACOG, as I had these on my weapon before changing over to the M14 ... (see my other post "M14 dilemma", as I had wanted to use it here instead of the M4). Oh well. The helmet had to be sort-of reconstructed. The Verlinden kit came with a PASGT helmet, so I sanded off the front lip and did a little sanding near the "ears", added some band straps on the back and a couple IR square and we were good to go. However, there was one hurdle left ... the MVG mount. We always kept ours mounted, so I had to figure out how to scratch build one. After much deliberation, I went with small pieces of alum from a can, two short pieces of wire (and a lot of CA glue) and poof and NVG mount. Since the helmet band was in the way, I sanded it down as well, mounted the NVG mount, and then replaced the helmet band used masking tape.
I had thought about leaving all the gear off, painting and then assembling everything, but I hated the thought of having all these little pieces to keep up with ... so I hung the gear ....
A week or two went by, mostly b/c of work, but also b/c I wasn't sure what to do next. So I dove right in to priming and sand
ing ... wash, rinse, repeat.
Which bring me to the present. I had Friday off, so I started in with the face. I love Vallejo acrylics for the skin areas. I think they give the best finish. I'm also using MM acrylics for washes and for the uniform and gear. The face got 2x base coats of light flesh, an overall wash of burnt umber with a touch of warm flesh color, and then the shadows darkened with burnt umber with touch of dark gray. I found the darks to be a little much as the face will be surrounded by a black chin strap, so I gave the highlighting process a little more attention than normal. I still may go back over it again. I just thought I'd leave it along until I heard from the gallery.
Base coats...
Washed ...
Shadowed ....
and highlighted ...
The "shades" will be getting multiple treatments of Future.
I also decided to try and settle my nerves about the ACU pattern by tackling the helmet. I figured it wouldn't take too long .... boy was I wrong!!! I've been following "Maki's" write-up on painting the ACU pattern and it's worked out great. The only difference that I've found is that when I tried to follow the colors he used. I came out with something that looked like multi-cam...
So, I broke out an old pair of ACU's from the deployment ... faded, torn, old ... and began to match colors. Literally painting the ACU's themselves to get the right match. Suprisingly enough, I ended up using NO GREEN AT ALL. The colors matched perfectly using only shades of grey with a deck tan base color. I didn't get it as pixilated at I really wanted, but I think that it comes across ok in the scale.
That's pretty much it for right now. Please be honest and let me know where I can improve on this.
I will be starting in on the rest of the uniform, vest, and gear in the morning .... after my "chores" are done first of course.
Oh yea ... the base/ dio ... haven't even touched it yet. However, the figure will be just outside a doorway preparing to throw in a flash-bang grenade (forgot ... I modified the hand as well.) The original pose was propped up and didn't look all that natural to me. However, when you took the fig off the "rock" and put both feet on flat ground, it looks like he's got forward momentum .... Now we're talkin'!!!
Again, please be honest so I can improve this build. Thanks for letting me rant and thanks to those that have helped me along the way thus far.