~At this point, I'm developing a few custom figures by way of parts barrowed here & there,and sculpting the needed connecting areas. I need a man at the gunsight, but having him bent down to sight seemed to totaly hide him from view, and maybe even suggest I was trying to hide him, so I'm building a pose where he is watching for the rounds impact over the gunshield, while casually puffing a ciggy, to show him very unaware of the incoming attack of foot-soldiers.
It took some doing to get this position, and it's obvious it isn't done yet. The next steps involve some epoxy-putty to the area below the belt, to re-form the bottom of the tunic entirely,as well as replacing some of the top part of the torso's features, and maybe a change of boots too.
The lower is from a Dragon tankriders set, the legs changed by heat-bend from an even position. The torso & arms from a nice (but boring) Platoon figure, except the whole upper-right arm which I formed from Milliput. The head is Alpine. Probablly with get some boots from Warriors, both to bulk him out a little, and because the ones he's got are a bit puny(DML)and of a type seen more in the ETO.
I'm working on another figure at the gun.This guy is the one holding the follow-up round as is always seen in any in-action shot. I'm trying to model a fieldgun in a loaded & ready-to-fire condition, but maybe not an up-close, fast-fire scene. Given that. the breech is closed, The barrel elevated slightly, and the follow-up-round-guy has taken a knee,and is waiting for word from the targeter. A commander & another crewman(at the front of the blog) stand nearby, both watching down-range. This figure is also from the DML tankrider set, hands removed and sleeves drilled out(still to decide on some new hands for him) the head is Warriors(a bit of wash on it so you can see his sour expression.
Same cummy boots, naturally. ~I took my que for these from some actual action photos, but still adapted what I wanted with artistic licence, as a full-crew won't be seen, Im saying in my story(at this point ,at the end of the campaign) some crewmembers have been killed-off and some replaced by varrious personel. Convienient, I know, but I usually like to take the route of mixing up the uniforms as much as possible for intrest, contrast & variety. Here's a few of those Pak 40 crew shots from history :
This one from Tunisia. See how "hidden' the targeter is in there? Full crew lines-up for fast-reloads--my figure's pose is close to man at front. I'm sure they we're trained to take that knee, and wait behind the relative safety of the gunshield.
These fellows in France. Sherman-hunting in Normandy, no doubt.
I found this dug-out set-up interesting, as Im sure there's no way to get comforable manning one of these, but my gun-position is supposed to be a hasty one, so I couldn't use this set-up. I'd say that gunner on the right better watch his hand, eh? ~Ok, I be back when I get these conversions looking like something. Thanks to ya, if your still there Mateys ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ Indy