1/48 Paratroopers???

The originial and reissue of Monograms 1/48 C-47 kit came with a  stick of 7 or 8 jumpers rigged up in about 3 differt poses.

Hey Stik,

Yeah, I've got those. I guess I was just hoping for something a little different/ something with cleaner molding.

How about these ones from CMK in resin?

http://www.cmkkits.com/en/figures/u-s-airborne-d-day-3-fig/

kinda pricey, but they do look good!

Hey, those are nice! .... and pricey! Maybe I'll play around with the ones I've got for now ... HAHA!!!

All I really need is 2-3 good ones anyway ... 1 out the door, 1 in the door, and 1 behind him. All the others will only be seen through the AC's windows. I may have a small green LED in the cabin to show some light ... but I'm not "there" yet. I want most of the attention going to the guy already out the door .... or at least that action.

Thanks, stik, for the link.

The C-47 interiors were lit with red lights (to preserve night vision while doing the equipment check) for night jumps... I'd give it a try with a couple red mini-bulbs (like the Christmas lights) and foil wiring...

The Monogram troopers all will need some "surgery" to pull of a stick about to jump, but the majority will just need an arm to be grabbing the static-line.  It's the first three guys that'll require the most work.  I'd grab the otherwise useless Tamiya 1/48th Infantry for arms...

What was that? ... Useless Infantry!?! HAHAHA! Queens!!!

So, the 47 was lit with red light during flight, but what about DURING the jump? Still red, but with the green jump light? And I might as well, spill the beans about the plan ....

So the C-47 is going to be modeled in flight. One jumper will already be out the door and will be suspended below and behind the AC with the static line still attached (Rrrr... well, it's modeled just before it pulls the chute). Obviously, the others are getting ready to jump. I think that the dio will be viewed with the jump door (the right rear of the AC) toward the front, so that the jumpers are the main focus.

Makes you wonder ... who the very first guy was, out the first door that fateful night just before D-Day ...

The first American to parachute into Normandy was Capt Frank Lillyman, commander of the 101st Airborne's Pathfinder Detachment. Although arguable the first allied troops would have been the British Glider troops on the Caen Canal and Orne River bridges gilder assault.

As a side note, the T3 parachute used by US paratroopers in Normandy deployed differently than today's T10 with the canopy opening first before the suspension lines were fully deployed, causing the beautiful famous opening shock of that night. Not sure if they had a D-bag like the T10 does.

So, the 47 was lit with red light during flight, but what about DURING the jump? Still red, but with the green jump light?

The red & green jump lights are just a couple of lights on a panel for the jumpmaster.  They don't light the interior... The overhead red interior lights would still be on...

stikpusher wrote:

The first American to parachute into Normandy was Capt Frank Lillyman, commander of the 101st Airborne's Pathfinder Detachment. Although arguable the first allied troops would have been the British Glider troops on the Caen Canal and Orne River bridges gilder assault. As a side note, the T3 parachute used by US paratroopers in Normandy deployed differently than today's T10 with the canopy opening first before the suspension lines were fully deployed, causing the beautiful famous opening shock of that night. Not sure if they had a D-bag like the T10 does.

THANKS for that, Stik .... That's good information to know. I'll be sure to take a note of that. Obviously, I like accuracy in my models.

Hans, thanks to you too for the clarification. I knew that the jump lights were for the jumpmaster, but I didn't know that the red lights stayed on during flight. Makes since though. I think that it would be a neat idea to dimmly "red-light" the interior. But I think that I'm going to hold off on the lighting. I don't want to destract from what's going on outside the AC.

Thanks guys for all your help. Stik, if you've got any pictures I'd appreciate it. I'm starting to collect those as well.

Curious as to how you're going to mount all this... Are going to do the "mirror mount" type that OldHooker does?  I know that one of the Monogram Troopers' poses had the figures hands on top of the reserve, so that'll work for your jumper, but you're going to have to get some saw time in on geting the legs together and the head down a bit..

I have to look around for it, but I saw a shadow box once of a stick of Fallschirmjager doing a jump from a Ju-52, that was from the inside... One going out the door, the rest lined up to do so, and the interior of the Tante-Ju was the entire "stage", a scratch0built affair that was beautifully lit as well... You almost felt like you were sitting inside the aircraft on a seat along the right side...  I dig around for it later...

Been googling for paratroopers exiting C-47s for ya, but there aren't any real good ones, so far.. Need to find the right search keywords...

Hey thanks, Hans. I've been doing the same thing ... and I've only found pics from C130s and C17s. I know the shadow box build you're talking about. It's in Shep's Dio book, 2d edition. Same one we were talking about on my "mosul" build thread. I'm not too worried about getting the figures cut and put back together .... that's just part of the "business"! HAHA!!! I just want to make sure I get the jumper that out the door right.

stikpusher said something earlier about the T3 chute opening different than the now used D10 chute. But wouldn't they both be pulled out just the same by the static line? How the cords come out is just a matter of how it's packed right??? (I need to email my jumpmaster buddy...)

stik said he had some pictures from Troopers exiting a C47, so hopefully he's got something that I can use.

Ok, the first one here is the one I was thinking of... it did not scan too well, but it catches what you want I believe. The other two I found on a few web searches.

and a video link to the best jump scene ever put on film by Hollywood... real jumpers, real C-47s... just for fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3mhUKm3JZM

stik ... yep, that nailed it. I didn't even think about "A Bridge Too Far". But btwn the video and the pictures, I got what I need. I must have played/ paused the video 20 times! Appreciate your help. We'll be sure to let you know when this build kicks off!

HAHA .... where there's a question, there a "shep" answer! HAHA ....

Thanks again guys for your help. This one won't be kicking off for awhile, but I'll be sure you let you know when it does.

.... just another opinion poll if you don't mind ....

I'm just trying to think, if I'm going to be modelling a jumper out the door, obviously the AC is going to be in flight. Should I start thinking about wiring the props to actually spin, or do you think that the "spinning" props that you see sometimes in PE look coviencing enough?

Well there is plenty of room in a 48th scale Skytrain for the motors and a power source... c'mon... go for it!

I just did a bit of reading about the chutes. No deployment bag (d-bag). The rear flap of the main chute pack stayed attached to the static line and the static line fed through a hole in its' center to the canopy by a breakaway cord of around 100lb strength. And it was the T5, not the T3 that was the standard chute. Just in case that question pops up for you on a quiz or something somewhere...

Yesssssss...... I'm gonna get that one right!

... and dang it, stik, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you've been talling to camo junkie and psstoff95 .... they know that all they have to do is push me a little bit ...

HHH ... Hhhhhh .... real spinning props it is .... Now I have to start thinking about the wiring diagrams ....

thanks, stik ....

I hate you .....

Actually, I have a nice little "spinning prop" graphic that I made a couple of years ago with photoshop. I used different tools to give the image that blurred look and then just printed it out on clear, thin, sheet styrene .... or laminate sheeting works too. Looks pretty good, and the best thing is .... there's no wiring!

All the way, MC!

I have mixed feelings about motorizing props... Although simple enough to do (I've done several times with various small motors, nuthin' to it) and "looks kewl", it does take away from the "snapshot" effect of the diorama, since nothing else is moving... 

I'd just do the PE props if you're so inclined..

Good point, Hans. I think with that thought, I'll probably stick with the graphic that I have. It's worked for me before and should quite nicely this time too.

Thanks again Hans for the "snap-shot" reminder ....

... two brains are always better than one.

nope ...

no 1/2 HMWWV ..... no spinning props....