1/72 Fast Roping Diorama Done 9 May 2010

psstoff995 wrote:

That ammo feed looks amazing.... Nice work on the crew chief

Completely agree with psstoff995!

The ammo chute looks great!

Two things. One, I've always been impressed with helicopter dioramas, because of the additional planning and work involved, and because generally speaking, -Hawks and other military helicopters are such dramatic dio subjects. I spent a considerable amount of time standing there in Iraq and staring up at Blackhawks (etc) in action. Powerful imagery. And Two, I've also always been impressed by people who can pull off really good figures in 1/72.

From what I can see so far, you've nailed it on both counts. Really looking forward to seeing this one in its completion.

~Jerry

Thanks guys! I'm glad its really starting to develop into something bigger now...

Well, whoops. I forgot to tell you guys, this is really 1/35 .  All of these "props" to show the size are really just photoshopped in . lol

I also forgot to update the title of the thread... I'm taking a break from the helicopter and started a little work on the building.  I want to get it all cut out and taped together before leaving for school in a week.  I am glad to go back to school and ROTC, but I'm kinda sad that I have to leave all of this progress behind me.  But oh well, it'll be here when I come back...

For the building, I got the main parts cut out, and am starting on some interior.  I'm not 100% on how I will do it, but I'm fairly sure it will look good regardless.  I plan on finishing it the same way as the garage, with the Mr. Surfacer 500 for the stucco.  I cut out the "block" where the arched porch should be as the arches will be cut out of styrofoam and then covered with Mr. Surfacer...

It's starting to get BIG.  I like the size/shape of the building.  The top of the roof is 8" x 6".  I'm not sure how I'm going to base this.  After all, this is my first diorama...

Take care,

Austin

Aight, well I need to give the ACU's a little bit of a wash, but for right now, they are done...

Here's the FE & gunner, again you won't see anything from the knees down, so it looks a little more "rough" than say the arms...

Then a little added bonus.  It's a 1/35th head that I painted (first one with Vallejo).  I used Buddho's tutorial, and decided to give it a shot...

Take care,

Austin

Ark,

Your stuff is really coming along nicely. Don't get bummed about getting back to studies and getting back to the field. Modeling will ALWAYS be there for you. That's the nice thing about little plastic people .... they can't run very far. HAHA!

But seriously, a little advice before you pack things up .... take notes, notes, and more notes. Take note as to where you are and what you're working on. What changes you need to complete and ideas that you have NOW. That way you won't forget them later.

As for your base. I think that you've already got it. The building itself will make you a fine base. Besides the action is happening on top, right!?! In thinking about the base, here's what I do .... I let the model/ dio define the base type. Don't try and restrict the model by sticking it to a base .... let the action define everything that you do in the project. Check out the last few posts on my Mog build ... talking about my "building" base. I think that idea would work well for you as well.

This open/ flexible thinking will also take you a long way in your future military career as well.

Those tiny "Tie-fighter-pilots" look great!

Now you have to tell us how you painted the ACU-pattern in 1/72!!
(I missed it if you already did.)

Klaus,

I thought I replied, but I guess I didn't.  I use Vallejo paints, as they are amazing, but I can't remember if I used green grey or grey green for the basecoat.  I have it written down at home, but I don't have it at school with me.  I use the smallest brush that I have (not sure of what kind it is, as I don't have it infront of me) to do the Stone Grey and then the Deck Tan.  I will do a dots/blots however you want to call it...

MC,

I guess the base I was thinking of a little stained wooden base that doesn't extend past the building, just so all of the arches don't snap off...

Here's a couple pics before I moved back into Dayton:

Take care,

Austin

arkhunter2002 wrote:

OOoooo .... that's a good one! Me likely!!!

Glad to hear !

Was hoping I could get your advice. Have been looking for some 1:72 or 1:48 scale troops in fast rope positions but cant find any. I know u guys re-model other figures but does anyone sell them in fast roping positions already ? Theres no way I could make those tiny figures like you did to such great scale.

 any advice ??

Im not looking to build a super scale realistic one like yours, just want a good idea to suspend my blackhawk with something other than a clear plastic stand.

Thanks, Wade

I am actually suspending it by the fast ropes themselves.  It's a bit tricky to figure out at first, but then it works pretty well.  For the figures, I sculpted most of them using a two part epoxy putty, and the fast roper was no exception.  I only added the gloves because hands in 1/72 aren't my specialty...lol

The gloves are from Fujimi's Navy Flight Crew Set.  But I'd look around for the hasegawa ground crews and stuff, you can probably find something suitable.

HTH,

Austin

Wade - I'm planning/ thinking about this same thing but in 1/35. Austin and I started talking about this build I think almost a year ago! .... Wow, has it been that long!?!

Anyway, across all my researching, I haven't found any figures that are actually molded into the "fast rope" position. The best thing to do it to craft something out of putty, like Austin said, and then cast spares of it as you need it.

While I'm thinking about this one for a future build, I know that I will not be starting it anytime soon .... maybe in 2011 if I'm lucky ....

Lastly, don't be too quick to say that you can't do something. The only thing that you can't do is the one thing that you never try. Give it a shot ... you can only succeed .... or learn trying.

Im just not really a dedicated model builder. Just have an interest in helicopters (black hawks in particular). Maybe 1:35 might be a bit easier to make figures but 1:72 is just too small ! I take my hat off to those tiny little figures that were made for this project.

 Still trying to think of what I can use for a fast roing position rather than making my own. 

Wade ... the other idea I had for this type of "fast rope" idea, was to have the Troopers already on the deck pulling security. Then having the helo suspended by one rope and the other has already been released and is dropping to the deck in mid-air.

Just a thought, as this would allow you use figures straight from the box and you would have to scratch build hardly anything.

bondoman wrote:

That sounds unusual, so it'll be challenging and rewarding. What are your thoughts about the big rotor? I was thinking motorized, but it'll wobble around too much on top of the ropes. Hold on guys!

Somehow I can't imagine how actually swirling rotors would match with an otherwise static scene. Somebody posted a picture of an actual operation, where the individual rotorblades of the chopper were visible. Photographically correct, consistent with everything else being static, but...

What about using a clear'ish circular disc to emulate the visual impression of the swirling rotors?

I understand there are practical limitations because of weight, balance and what not, but how would such an idea work out from a mere 'artistic' point of view? What is common in helicopter dioramas?

DoC

Actually, per the US Army, when a photo is taken of a helo/ prop plane in flight, the blades/ rotors should be blurred to show that the A/C is in flight .... and not just falling from the sky.

Now, w/ the idea of modeling .... as the topic has been bounced around quite a bit .... it all up to personal opinion/ preference. Me personally, I've added the blurred disc like you suggested to a UAV I recently did and it looks fine. However, it does look a little funny since the A/C just sits there. I am more of the frame of mind, as it was brought to my attention soon after joining the forum, that a model is simply a 3D photograph ... a 3D still image if you will. So having blurred props/ rotors looks more at home than say an actual motorized, spinning prop.

Just my 2 cents.

Pretty much the only thing I got done over fall break was backing up my laptop, and ordering a new one, which got delayed, so I bought a monitor and now i finally have time to update when I said I would when I was home a month ago...

All I did was glue in the IP, and start painting another figure.  The interior is almost complete, and I will be closing up the fuselages halves hopefully over Thanksgiving...

Take care,

Austin

Thanks guys!

Camo, I used Vallejo acrylics.  I wrote down the colors at home, but I think that they are green-grey, stone-grey, and deck tan.

Arty, I'm basing that off of what is found in the Cobra Company 1/48th MH-60K detail set. I posed the question earlier and someone said that they were still in there, located behind the pilot seats, however there really isn't any accessible photo evidence past a picture that "looks like it could possibly be the box"...

The boxes are in the top left. (taken from the cobra company website)

Take care,

Austin

Maybe the boxes are specific to the MH-60K for some reason.  I have never seen them in standard UH-60Ls, MH-60Ls, HH/MH-60Gs, or any other H-60 version.  A standard MH set-up looks like below with a couple panels for the FEs to control flare and chaffe along with IC and radio controls.

This is the penny he's using...

Haha you wish

But yeah.  I'm pretty excited about going home to work on this so I decided to start sculpting a new figure today.  I'm a bit rusty, and macro doesn't seem to like me too much, so it looks kind of crappy, but oh well, such is the college life, gotta get by with what I have...

Then it turned into this:

Not sure if I'll put him in the diorama or not, but either way, its getting me back in the groove.  I'll finish him up when I go home in case I want to put him in the back of the helo or not...

Take care,

Austin

Here's an update on two figures...

The first figure's small start...






The second figure is the middle figure:

And then the overview of how this diorama looks now (a hasty picture when I got home, sorry bout the background/lack of backdrop):

Take care,

Austin

Looking great, nice update, your 1/72 figure sckills are insane.

Hope you're enjoying your Thanksgiving everyone

Hows college going btw?