"Midnight Raid in Mosul" Dio & Write-up....

Thanks camo. What's the project you are working? Just curious... maybe we can help each other out ... bouncing ideas.

Right now, I've got to finish taking the figures apart, then make casts and molds, and then reconstruct them to look the same and fit the scene. We'll post more when I get things started.

yeah, works for me. i'm working on a dio with a downtown baghdad theme. i've been working on this building for two weeks. was going to be much smaller but then i just wanted to see if i could do it (make the building that is).

there is still alot of work to be done as you can see...

one thing i did figure out is...spackle doesnt work to well on smooth surfaces (like styrene to which the whole thing is build from...i've mudded and sanded and remudded and resanded many many times . guess you have to learn somehow! anyway, i like your idea of the green filter and cant wait to see it when its done.

camo,

WOW! Your building looks spec-tack-ooo-lar!!! You really nailed the building "code" there. I like the garage door action on the first floor and the two different doors on the balconies. You also nailed the wiring on the exterior of the building as well as the bricks showing through. You may have already thought about it, but try using some stiff wire to simulate the low-hanging generator wires you see coming off the buildings. It may help bring some more depth to the project. But the wires wold be terminating out into space toward the viewer and you might not want that. Just a thought ...

I'm going to be working something very similar, but mostly just the first floor. I may go up to the second, but I don't want to the viewers eyes to wonder too much. At least not until after I've focused their view FIRST on looking through the green filter.

Hans has worked very well with me, pitching me ideas and a good general conversation about whether this should be built using a shadow box. I'm going to give it a shot trying it out with what I've got in my head and if that doesn't work out, then I'm going to try the shadow box "theory".

Looks good. keep it comin'. I'm almost doing hacking up my HUMONGOUS McFarlane figures.

** UPDATE **

Here's what I've got thus far.

The McFar. figures are going to work out fine, I think. Just much bigger than I had anticipated. They're actually coming apart pretty easily, at least at their joints. I've begun cutting the feet, legs, etc off IOT cast them and reuse them on other figures. The vinyl pieces will make nice pieces to cast from. The hardest part, I think, is going to be all the filling, sanding, etc. that is going to be needed to make them all fit back together again.

The weapons are half decent, and I do mean half. McFar could have taken a little more time with these. Since I'm going to be running FO through the weapons, I'm going to hack them up as well, cast them, and hopfully use some alum rod to give them a little more strength. The overall paint job on them is horrible. Especially the detail, but I'm sure that can be fixed.

I'm finding that re-detailing the vinyl pieces are a little more difficult. You can slice them off pretty well, but sanding them out smooth is a little harder. I'm almost afraid to say it, but I may have to cast them as is, and them rework the resin casts. Maybe casting them a second time just to get decent copies ... unless I feel like reworking all the castings. Which, may be the case if I'm going to be drilling them out for FOs later on anyway.

I just started out this morning with this project to see what was in store. I'm going to try to take the figures along with my casing materials on my next trip. We'll see what comes of that!?!

Now to "finish up with my OIF figure. (Jump threads....)

cool. sounds like it comming along good. thanks for the complements about mine btw. i'm trying to make signs right now and wondering how much "detail" i should give it. exterior piping etc. been racking my brain trying to make or come up with a type of generator/a.c system...we'll see how that goes.

   anyway, sounds like you have alot going on cutting and casting (better you than me )btw, are the mcfarlane figures more like plastic army men or ? just curious. keep me and everyone else informed!

camo junkie wrote:

are the mcfarlane figures more like plastic army men or ? just curious. keep me and everyone else informed!

The mcfarlane figures are like the old green army men. They are a hard (but not too hard) plastic. Most of their gear is the soft vinyl stuff, so its easy to cut through. I just cut my first figure in half at the waist, and the funny thing is ... they're hollow! Good for me as I needed to drill them anyways for the FOs. I've found though that there is one leg form each figure that has a metal rod all the way through for strength. May have to see if I can pull this out as it will give me a good run up the leg for the FO as well. All in all, I think that I'm going to be able to use most of the original figure pieces w/o too much casting.

But, as psstoff knows me, I'm going to be casting like crazy just to add pieces to my parts bin for future projects. But, that's just me. My parts bin is more like a parts TUB! I keep it hidden from the wifey! HEHE!!!

But, as psstoff knows me, I'm going to be casting like crazy just to add pieces to my parts bin for future projects. But, that's just me. My parts bin is more like a parts TUB! I keep it hidden from the wifey! HEHE!!!

   are you implying that your sorta the "jeffery dahmer" of figures???

Dahmer ... Frankenstein .... whatever!?!

If Todd McFarlane could see my work bench right now, he'd cry. I gaurantee it!!!

 LOL, the wife looks at mine everyday and cries. rather cluttered with everything i've got going right now!!

 so, i have a pretty good idea where you are right now. any more ideas you can give me for mine...specifically should i add exterior pipes or a a/c or generator? i plan on adding more detail to the windows. im also adding signs and of course iraqies (i know that's not spelled right...it cant be) and more soldiers. im going out of town for the weekend so maybe i can rest my brain and come up with ideas then!!!

 let me know how the mutilation goes doc!

I think the window unit a/c is a good idea. Some piping too. But, I'd stay away from the generator. Those are pretty rare ... like 1x per 2-3 blocks as someone runs one BIG one for their nieghborhood and then collects "electricity fees". I think if you wanted to run some stiff wire out, as explained before, I think that would help busy up you dio w/o distracting from it. Plus, if the wires were run from say the second floor out, again terminating into dead space, th viewer would have to look through the wiring to see the figures. Might may for an interesting look. Give it a shot and see what you think. You can alway yank it off if you don't like it.

I'm done with my 120mm OIF figure, so I'm about to start on the base for it. I might use some of your ideas in it if you don't mind.

How did you get the muddy "stuco" finish on your building? Since my dio is in 120mm, the finish is going to be very noticable. The only idea that I've got so far is to either use plaster or real dirt!?!

camo junkie wrote:

But, as psstoff knows me, I'm going to be casting like crazy just to add pieces to my parts bin for future projects. But, that's just me. My parts bin is more like a parts TUB! I keep it hidden from the wifey! HEHE!!!    are you implying that your sorta the "jeffery dahmer" of figures???

hahaha Yes. Yes he is the Jeffery Dahmer of figures

 Camo- your building looks great- I'd just make sure that since you have it so tall, and it looks like most of the action is going to be on the 1st floor, you add a lot of detail/interest to the upper part as well so it doesn't get bottom heavy if you know what I mean? Maybe a scout/sniper team in one of the rooms or (not sure if the figures are going to breach in?-) maybe insurgents on the roof?

Confirm first with modelchasm though- he knows his stuff and could probably tell you more about the way modern figures should be grouped/placed in a tactical sense than I could ever hope to know

But modelchasm- you definitly jumped headlong into this one! I can't wait to see some progress shots- if you even come close to pulling this off it's going to look awesome!

the "stucco" was actually plaster applied with a putty knife...again and again and again....if your going to do something like that try primer first or take a rough grit sandpaper and rub it all over it b4 applying the spackle. assuming you use styrene like i did. i even thought (after the fact...perhaps drywall mud would've been better.) the building is still in its raw form...i havent painted it yet!! you havent even seen what i've got planned with this but it should be good in the end. i really wanted to make it an action scene like a battle going on but they just dont make any reall good plastic "shooting" figures other than a few...and i dont want to use the verlinden ones i've got so...what do i do...? i could cast copies of the verlinden stuff...but that just means more work!!

 as far as using my ideas...knock yourself out. i always believe someone can do something better than myself no matter what it is and if i'm giving you ideas...have at it...just gotta let me see the final result!! i appreciate the advice and i know you want me to put the wires up...i have to decide on that one. i assure you though it's not finished, i have to add the signs, add posters to the walls, add arabic graffetti to the walls, bars across the windows, figures, paint, wash, weather and somehow scratchbuild a descent looking a/c unit!!!

 anyway, try drywall mud if you have some otherwise spackling will work...even at 120mm. just apply then light sand (knock the high spots off then smooth it out). then paint. that's it. my next dio is actually going to be a 120mm project but this time im getting away from armor and doing a sci-fi scene...just to break up the boredom :)

 keep me informed of what's going on and if you want to contact me directly your welcome to at mustangtom70@yahoo.com.

Just b/c camo and psstoff wanted to see pictures....

Here's "dahmer's" workbench ...

Funny thing is ... I don't think that I took pictures before the hacking started ... Was I THAT excited about it!?!

I have a thing for "wires" I guess ... HAHA!

Thanks for the ideas. I DO have some wall spackle around here somewhere. May just give it a shot.

psstoff995 wrote:

camo junkie wrote: But, as psstoff knows me, I'm going to be casting like crazy just to add pieces to my parts bin for future projects. But, that's just me. My parts bin is more like a parts TUB! I keep it hidden from the wifey! HEHE!!!    are you implying that your sorta the "jeffery dahmer" of figures???   hahaha Yes. Yes he is the Jeffery Dahmer of figures  Camo- your building looks great- I'd just make sure that since you have it so tall, and it looks like most of the action is going to be on the 1st floor, you add a lot of detail/interest to the upper part as well so it doesn't get bottom heavy if you know what I mean? Maybe a scout/sniper team in one of the rooms or (not sure if the figures are going to breach in?-) maybe insurgents on the roof? Confirm first with modelchasm though- he knows his stuff and could probably tell you more about the way modern figures should be grouped/placed in a tactical sense than I could ever hope to know But modelchasm- you definitly jumped headlong into this one! I can't wait to see some progress shots- if you even come close to pulling this off it's going to look awesome!

  thanks psstoff995. i appreciate the advice and insight. unfortunately this wasnt really going to be an action scene (see last posting). i'm going to call is "america go home" and what's going on is a routine patroll stumbles across this and they start asking questions. plan on having an iraqi sitting there with his arms in the air as if he "doesnt understand" while he's being questioned by the soldiers. i would love nothing more than to make it an action scene with insurgents, etc. dml,dragon, etc dont really make any good "shooting" figures!!! i'd really like to talk to the guy who sculps them...way too many "talking on radio" and standing around. and i've got plans for the expensive verlinden figs!!! but that's another story!!

Yeah I know what you mean, it is a shame. I've been hunting around for some shooting figs, I think resin is your best bet short of hacking up and rebuilding them. Verlin is the most economical way to go if you want a nice pose straight OOB, sometimes their scale is a little bigger than 1/35 IMO, maybe 1/32 almost? And their weapons are so so in 1/35- but Dragon makes the best as far as plastic. I think if you start redoing poses, I'd go with them and just start off simple like switching arms and stuff, it takes a while before it's second hand just cutting off arms and sawing hands in half etc., I've only just gotten there with some old Tamiya figures.

modelchasm- that's some desk you got going on! haha- hey, I like that set up though, ACU and the Laptop right next to the chopping block, looks productive, and a little cleaner than my bench usually is.

Hey- as far as the walls go, Krylon makes a 3D kind of rattle can paint, some kind of fo-concrete, "make it stone!" or something- you might want to try priming the walls in that to give the spackle something to stick to??

camo junkie wrote:

yep know what ya mean. going thru every box i have to try and make the figs work. ready to break out the putty and start sculpting. but im hoping it doesnt have to come to that!

Magic Sculpt and epoxy putty .... it's "dahmer's" best friend!!! (I've got to quit that ... I'm going to be forced to change screen-names!)

The thing that I've found is that you're building a scene b/c it's something that you thought of. Not something straight OOB. That's what the scuplter thought of. That's what beginners are for ... no offense. We all started somewhere. My point is this; if you're to the point where you're trying to put ideas onto the workbench ... buy yourself a few figure sets and get to hacking. I'm always buy a figure simply b/c he's got a better vest that I'm looking for. Not so that I can chunk the rest of him now, but b/c I know that I'll use his arms later, and so on .... I never buy models b/c I look at the box art and say, "hmm, that's cool". No, I look at it and go, "those arms would be perfect for the idea in my head". So what if I pay $25 for a pair of arms!?! I'm putting tons of parts into my parts ... Mmm ... TUB. Not to mention that after hacking things up, you can always take a day to cast parts.

Parts, parts, parts ..... YEA!!!! PARTS!!!!

Heck, my next build is going to be strictly from the TUB, and I bet you can't even tell.

Don't build something within the constraints of the sculpters. You'll always look back on it while it's sitting on the shelf and think, "what if ..." Might as well not even do it.

When you get to the point where you obviously are, you should be breaking out of the molds. If you want to do a fight scene .... DO IT!!!! Heck, I'll even throw in some 1/35 parts if you need them. Point is don't be a beginner, again no offense, and use the box art to tell you how the model should look. Build it the way you want it to look.

yeah, i hear ya dahm!! and no offense taken (even if i've been modeling for 18 years now!! just never said any of it was good!!) i've been reluctant to hack my figs...mostly because i didnt want to waste the $$ but maybe i'll give it a try.

   btw dahm, (u cant escape your destiny now!!) i meant to tell you yesturday, if you apply the spackle to your build, u need to blow off the dust (i used my airbrush because i figured if i used an air hose it might be too powerful and flake the spackle) then u need to take a damp (not wet...just damp) cloth and lightly wipe the surface(s) to get the dust off b4 u paint. again another lesson learned.

well, im outta here for the weekend but i'll k.i.t. with my mother-in-laws computer.

While this is true, it's very unlikely. Security around a raid team (the stack) is like a wool blanket to say the least. Stacks are tried and true tactical methods. You're not walking in a jungle where you can't see the enemy. In this fight, the enemy chooses not to fight us man to man. This is why he uses booby traps and IEDs. Therefore the threat of someone lobbing a grenade in is very unlikely, although still very real. Ultimately, that's why it's called a fight.

Personally, I never felt safer than when I was in the stack .... even when you could hear the other schmoe on the other side of the wall.

camo junkie wrote:

not to mention like you said they dont fight like us. they're too stupid to think of anything like that.

I've always refraned from calling them stupid. I've seen some stuff that I had to have explained to me .... But, while they're tricky like that .... they are gutless. Hit and run ... and hide.

I'm hoping to have some more updates fo this build as my other is coming to a close. Tried to finish today, but the brain got in the way!?! I'm taking the MCF figures with me on the road to try and resolve some of the fitting/ reconstruction issues. I'm going to try and make myself a "roadmap" so that when I get back I know EXACTLY what I'm casting etc. If I really get spunky, I might try to take my casting stuff with me. Hmmmm...... thinking ..... processing ... DOS dot is blinking .... Hmmm.

Sure, why not .. right!?!

I'm told that I'll have internet there, so I should be able to make some update on the road, but we'll see.

Until then....