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Bill Mauldin WIP *FINITO!*

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  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Bill Mauldin WIP *FINITO!*
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, October 13, 2008 11:50 AM

Still adding details to the Jeep, get it muddied and a bit more beat-up, and a bit more work n the base, but it's about 70% complete..

For those that aren't familiar with Bill Mauldin's cartoons feauring two average GIs named "Willie and Joe" in "Stars & Stripes" during WW2, check here. http://www.stripes.com/02/nov02/mauldin/

"Thanks"

A little explaination is in order in all likelyhood... Although Mauldin and his characters made fun of MPs, same as the rest of the Army (can't spell "WIMP" without M-P), he understood what MPs actually did.  This one takes place near Anzio in the early days after the landing when the Germans held all the high-ground and had every crossroads in the area zeroed-in for artillery and motars.  MPs directing traffic at the crossroads oftentimes found themselves the main point of interest for the Germans, who would sometimes lob a round or two in at the checkpoint just to watch the MPs react, so staying in the hole probably wasn't a bad idea...

 

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Monday, October 13, 2008 12:06 PM
leme get this straight.  The MP is hiding under the sand bags, with a little sign with a finger pointing in the right direction?  (I think studs turkel had an interview with that guy in 'the good war' i love that book)  If so, amazing

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, October 13, 2008 12:27 PM

About the Diorama.  The Jeep is the 1/35th Tamiya kit #219, which is a better kit that the their Tamiya kit that includes the MP and trailer, IMHO...

The base is plastic 5x7 box photo-frame (my prefered type of base) with wood strips built up on the sides to contain the celluclay.  I first cut a hole in the plastic for the foxhole and lined it with cheesecloth, then brushed a heavy mixture of water & white glue onto the cloth and let it dry with a fan blowing on it.  After that, I applied the Celluclay over the entire base, building up the edges of the hole (that dirt has to go somewhere), then started building up the overhead cover of logs and sandbags.  After the overhead was complete and dry, I took it back off, leaving the log impressions in place... This is an important detail, pressing the stuff into the damp ground, in order to make it appear to have weight.    I then trimmed the cheesecloth back under it, to allow room behind the MP figure.

The damp Celluclay was painted with brown Tempera paint, then the Jeep pressed into it several times to leave several sets of vehicle tracks, and then I dried it with a hairdryer...  After the paint flashed, I put the dio base into the microwave to speed up the drying time, pausing it every minute or so to open the door and let the steam out, and to make sure the heat didn't build up to melt the base.  After the base was more or less dry, I built the MP figure in my usual "Frankenstein" manner, the torso and head is from a Tamiya set, the legs from Italeri, and the arms are either German or Russian, I don't remember which, topped off with an Italeri helmet.  The "Fingers" sign is cut from sheet styrene, and the pole is strip. 

 

The "Military Police-Information" sign is a pair of "popsicle" planks with some basswood strip for a post, and the sign is printed from my PC with Stencil script.  I thought about hand-lettering the sign, but figured that MPs would have plenty of stencil kits around since they also have a lot of other signs to make (STOCKADE, POW COLLECTION POINT, CHECKPOINT AHEAD, SPEED LIMIT "XX", and the ever-popular "OFF LIMITS TO ENLISTED PERSONEL" to name a few...

I know I'm not the first to bring Mauldin's drawings to "life" around here, but I've been a fan of his work for about 40 years, and had the pleasure of meeting Sergeant Mauldin about 25 years ago at a 34th Infantry Division NCO Dine-out, where he was our Guest Speaker...  I plan on doing a few more as the mood strikes me, and find some that haven't been done already, lol..

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, October 13, 2008 12:29 PM

The MP is hiding under the sand bags, with a little sign with a finger pointing in the right direction?

Bingo... I explained it farther in the above post.  Sorry, I should have done more in the intial post... 

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Monday, October 13, 2008 12:30 PM
This is a WIP right, the figures faces dont look painted.  Other then that I really like the lay out, its quite comical

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, October 13, 2008 12:45 PM
The faces have their base coat of "flesh" and some eye-work, with a "five o'clock shadow" on the driver, but not on the MP.   The uniforms also are only in their base colors with a dark wash, and the MP still needs a rifle.  Complete & detailed painting of my figures is the last step in my dio construction, except for them getting built into the actual poses, since they can get damaged or "lost" if I do them at any other time.  I don't want a lot of work in them done, only to have them disappear... It's a lot easier on my blood-pressure if I have to make another figure to replace one, provided it's not painted when it comes up missing... Easier on those around me as well... 

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Louisville, KY
Posted by pordoi on Monday, October 13, 2008 3:25 PM

Hans,

I just picked up a book of Mauldin's work; it's a really fun read.  Do a search in this forum on user "senojrn".  If you've not seen them, he constructed a series of vignettes based on Mauldin's works that I think you'll find interesting.

 Don

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, October 13, 2008 3:37 PM

I've seen his (outstanding) work, and that's why I'm tryin' to find something he HASN'T done, lol... I'm also taking a bit more "artistic license" than he does...

I just picked up a book of Mauldin's work; it's a really fun read.

Which one? I've got "This Damn Tree Leaks", "Up Front", "Bill Mauldin's Army" and just ordered the new, "Willie and Joe: The WW2 Years"...  

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Louisville, KY
Posted by pordoi on Monday, October 13, 2008 7:26 PM
 Hans von Hammer wrote:

I've seen his (outstanding) work, and that's why I'm tryin' to find something he HASN'T done, lol... I'm also taking a bit more "artistic license" than he does...

I just picked up a book of Mauldin's work; it's a really fun read.

Which one? I've got "This Damn Tree Leaks", "Up Front", "Bill Mauldin's Army" and just ordered the new, "Willie and Joe: The WW2 Years"...  

 Found "Bill Maudlin's Army" at the local Barnes and Noble.  Was going to do some searches for his other titles; you've just made my task alot easier.  Thanks.  Where did you get "Willie and Joe: The WW2 years"?

 

Also, have to say that I had a chuckle and knew exactly what was coming after your first picture from behind the bunker, with just the sand bags and the finger pointing the direction.  So call this dio a success.

 Don

 

  • Member since
    July 2007
Posted by Moon Puppy on Monday, October 13, 2008 8:16 PM

What a GREAT Idea.

This would be a hoot!

Remember, we are told Post Counts don't matter! (unless it's really high)

Modelers' Alliance

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, October 13, 2008 9:03 PM
 Moon Puppy wrote:

What a GREAT Idea.

This would be a hoot!

Way ahead of ya..Big Smile [:D] Started about an hour ago...

 

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: I am at play in the fields of the Lord. (Texas)
Posted by m60a3 on Monday, October 13, 2008 9:31 PM

 Way to go, Hans. More Mauldins, please...?

                                                       60

"I lay like a small idea in a vacant mind" - Wm. Least Heat Moon "I am at the center of the earth." - Black Elk My FSM friends are the best.
  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Monday, October 13, 2008 11:11 PM

(Chuckle) Hey, these look great, Hans! They;re probably as fun making them as we are having looking at them!

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 12:35 AM

Wow, comin' from you Doog, that's quite a compliment...Bow [bow] Thanks man..

Way to go, Hans. More Mauldins, please...?

Here's the other Mauldin WIP at about 70% ( I gotta LOT of WIPs. I've only been back in the saddle since June, ya know)...

I'm not happy with the figures' poses on this one, and I'm missing a whole BUNCH of parts for the StuG IV... So it's in Limbo right now while I'm figuring out what to do next with it...

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 1:15 AM
 Moon Puppy wrote:

What a GREAT Idea.

This would be a hoot!

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm150/6134rdm/_maul55.jpg

my own favorite.

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Carmel, CA
Posted by bondoman on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 1:16 AM
 Moon Puppy wrote:

What a GREAT Idea.

This would be a hoot!

"This is th' town my Pappy told me about".
  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 1:36 AM
That'd be a job for casting my own figures, for sure, lol....

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 6:28 AM
 Hans von Hammer wrote:

Wow, comin' from you Doog, that's quite a compliment...Bow [bow] Thanks man..

Way to go, Hans. More Mauldins, please...?

Here's the other Mauldin WIP at about 70% ( I gotta LOT of WIPs. I've only been back in the saddle since June, ya know)...

I'm not happy with the figures' poses on this one, and I'm missing a whole BUNCH of parts for the StuG IV... So it's in Limbo right now while I'm figuring out what to do next with it...

That ones funny, but the second I thought about it for a moment I realised how absolutley horrifying that one is, my god.  (It looks good though) 

 

  • Member since
    July 2007
Posted by Moon Puppy on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:45 AM
Outstanding! Bow [bow]

Remember, we are told Post Counts don't matter! (unless it's really high)

Modelers' Alliance

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by senojrn on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:59 AM
 Hans von Hammer wrote:

I've seen his (outstanding) work, and that's why I'm tryin' to find something he HASN'T done, lol... I'm also taking a bit more "artistic license" than he does...

Hans, 

Glad to see someone else enjoys Bill Mauldin's work as much as I do! It's neat to see how similar your "Able Fox" dio and mine are, but with each of our individual touches! 

Great work on the MP ("Thanks") dio--looking forward to seeing it complete!  Also on the Cav dogface putting his jeep out of it's "misery." Laugh [(-D] 

Funny you should mention trying to find ones I haven't done, because I've actually got plans to do both of those sometime in the next year or so.  But, please don't let that make you think twice about your Bill Mauldin build selections--it's all about having fun and (for me) paying tribute to the soldiers who served and sacrificed during WWII as well as to Bill Mauldin's work. 

Great job and keep us posted! 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 10:47 AM

Thanks... I'd hoped once upon a time that the idea to do Mauldin's stuff in 3-D would have mine alone, but who're we kiddin', right?  Mauldin's work is just too good to go without being modeled... I'd be curious as to how many Mauldin tributes are out there... I recall seeing one website that a guy did with all Dragon Action figures acting out the various bits in what is it, 1/6 scale? I'm not sure of the scale, they're all the size of the old GI Joe 12-inch figures though... He used his garden and back yard for France & Italy...

 

 

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: WA
Posted by airtrans Crash on Saturday, October 18, 2008 11:19 AM

those are awesome!

 My favorite of Mauldin's cartoons is the Sgt poking his fingers through holes in his helmet and someone else talking to him saying "nonsense, S-2 reported that machinegun nest silenced days ago... stop wigglin your fingers at me!"

 A man's country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle. ~George William Curtis
  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Saturday, October 18, 2008 1:33 PM

 

 Just cuz ya brought it up....

"Nonsense. S-2 reported that machine gun silenced hours ago. Stop wigglin' your fingers at me."

 

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Spartanburg, SC
Posted by subfixer on Saturday, October 18, 2008 2:21 PM
I remember one with "Uncle" PVT. Willie being enthusiasticaly greeted by his bird colonel nephew in the Air Corps.

I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Saturday, October 18, 2008 5:37 PM

Yeah, that's a classic.  The story behind it, according to Mauldin, was  a comment on the relative youth and rank combinations of the Air Corps vs. Infantry. Willie was about 35 years old according to Mauldin, and Joe was in his late 20's, both Privates (more than once, according to another cartoon in which they were arguing about who was senior in rank-"Hell yes, I'm senior! I got busted th' week before you did!"...).

                    "Uncle Willie!"

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, January 26, 2009 10:54 AM

I'm a-callin' it finished, at any rate... That makes TWO WIPs I've knocked out in 7 months, lol...

Only 12 dios left to go until all my WIPs are complete... 'Course, I keep startin' others...

 

*sigh*

Anyway, here's, "Thanks"...

              "Thanks..."

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Spartanburg, SC
Posted by subfixer on Monday, January 26, 2009 2:53 PM
Love it, Hans.

I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: Portland, Oregon
Posted by RickLawler on Monday, January 26, 2009 3:04 PM

Great subject matter.  Well done, Hv.H!

 

Rick

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Charlottesville Va
Posted by Stern0 on Monday, January 26, 2009 3:07 PM

Had not seen this one yet Col. More outstanding work...Since I have seen a few of your pieces I have paid more attention to Bill Mauldin..Your possibilities are many. Keep em comming!

Always Faithful U.S.M.C
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