"Flash Out!" - 120mm OIF figure ( COMPLETE!!! )

I've never made water before either. I was going to try some with a two part clear resin but never got around to it. I'm not sure about the RR water? I think if you were going to color it a dark brown or something it'd work fine, but I think if it's poured clear you run the risk of it yellowing over time? Not sure I might be making that up, I'd just post a quick one in the dio section, or do a search for like "favorite water effects" or something along those lines, try and get some oppinions for the guys that know what their doing.

 Yeah I know what your talking about, this is again, where you run into realistic messy torn up street vs. the art of the vignette and the figure as the center piece.

I think the puddle is a good idea, as it almost is groundwork, but at the same time it breaks up the street. So maybe not the trash- I think that would look good on the large raid with the 4 firgures as that ground/wall is really going to have to try hard to compete with the 4 big guys for balance.

The old newpaper is a good idea. I'm also thinking about trying to add in a crushed up empty water bottle, but I'm not sure where to get one or how to make one.

As far as the water goes. I've never done it, but I'm thinking of using the "heat and pour" stuff from the model RR section at my LHS. Ever used any of the stuff? I'm definately going to be trying it out first before I apply it to the model.

I've got lots of great "ideas" that I can add in, but I've got to be careful not to make it too busy. My "raid" dio is a little bigger, so I may save a few of those ideas for it.

 haha sorry!!! I don't think it'd be worth the hair pulling at this scale

But yeah- that's about the only progress on builds I ever make!

Sounds good- what are you planning on using for water? You could also add some newspaper old trash stuff in the gutters of the road/edge of wall

Will stay tuned!!

Don't tempt me! (.... you're an instigater ....)

Nothing to really update on this one yet as I didn't bring it with me on my trip. However, I've been doing some brain-storming... that's considered working on it, right!?!

I've decided to add a little .... wee bit ... smiggin' of water to the scene as most places in Iraq have some small puddle of "poop" water around. I think I might be putting a bit of it into the corner that I'm concerned out. I don't think that I'm going to go with any posters or graffiti as I don't want to make the walls with "heavier" than they already are.

I'm planning on finishing up this one either Sunday evening or on Monday to give me a break from my "raid" build.

Stay tuned for the updated pics if I get some in before its done.

One funny thing about the shells that I forgot to mention was that in trying to get the right size down, I think I nailed the scale perfectly .... How often does that happen!?!

I figured the 1/1 shells were 3". Scaling that down to 1/16 ... I came up with 3/16" in length. Easy enough for me.

Although after looking at the pictures of the shells a little more, I think that I'm going to drill out the ends a little more so that the blown out ends look a little thinner. Not that you'll be able to tell, but it's a shot ...

Sounds like a lathe-ish technique at least

You get your hands on one of those you'd have the ultimate sratchbuilding set up haha

A lathe is the one thing that I don't have in my arsonal .... but I would like to have one! More toys, more toys!!! hehe! IOT get the little groove that you see, I just used a #11 blade ... laid the rod down flat and rolled it under the blade.

Oh ok, well that sounds far less crazy! I had figured you workin with some magnifying glass and a little blade spinning the shells around while you carved the flange out

Hammer idea might work depending on how soft the rod is, I guess seeing that it's alum, it might be fine

Actually, the alum rod was already drilled. I snipped a small piece of copper wire and glued it insde. Then I took a small loop of the copper wire and stuck it in the other end, using only a SMALL dot of glue just to hold it for painting. After painting the loop should be easy to pull out leaving only one end capped by the copper wire. The only thing that I could figure out is ow to make a small flange on one end of the shell. Although, during my trip, I thought about tapping on one end of the alum lightly w/ a hammer. Maybe that would make the flage for me. Then I could just flie off the end I hammered on with a file if it became damaged as well.

Hmm .... just might have to try that when I get back.

That looks nice! Like the title, short and simple

The handel is awesome, I really like the ornate spiaral additions to the door, even if they're not glued down in the picture.

The shells look real though! Based on your set up I can only think you glued the copper wire to the inside, and then... "laythe" the metal to make indentations in the alum rod? Turned out very cool, knew you'd figure out a nice way to make them

*** UPDATE *** 

So I'm pretty much back on track, thanks to psstoff. I wish that I hadn't lost today to the thinking process, but I guess it happens. I should have had this thing wrapped up today, but it'll have to wait a few more days. Good thing is, there shouldn't be anymore fabricating left. All I've got left now if painting .... and of course everything that goes along with that. I'm going to have to wait until I get back for that, and to find a place to make me a "name" plate to go with it. I think I'm just going to simply call it "Flash Out!"

Here's the last update pics until I get back.

Since psstoff suggested the spent shotgun shells, I figured that I needed at least two shots. So, I went back to the door and made another hole .... easy enough. I also added a torn up handle and a little more "carnage" to the inside of the door (Psst, those are the metal pieces you were asking about ... just door "in-ards".)

Here I added a little bit of ornament to the door. It just looked too plain, and you just don't see plain doors there. (The spirl pieces are now glued down so it's better than it looks.)

And lastly ... just for psstoff ... here's two SG shells ready for paint.

I'll get back to this one as soon as I get back. Thanks again for all the help.

Hey not at all! Least I could do- glad to hear you liked the idea!

Hmm... so the buckshot tore through that wall?! Wow... Don't mess with the breaching crew- haha I'd love to see a door post-C4. How often is there even a padlock on these things? I was thinking about a real messed up padlock... but I wasn't sure if it would have blown off backwards into the street or just shot through the hole into the room!

And hey what's the lead foil/tin can looking stuff you spread around on the inner door jam, and looks like a piece on the ground? Is that part of the locking mechanism or left over door parts or..??

Which ever project you decide to work on, have fun with it and enjoy the trip!

Dead bolt!?! No, no, my friend. No dead-bolts here ... or there. Iraqi typically have very simple locks if at best. Most of the time, they have one of those slide lock things you see in a bathroom stall. Usually just used to keep the door closed during the cold months. In the cities, they usually have some type of simple lock, but its still no match for buck shot .... or my favorite ... C4 door charges .... 0.5s of instant fun!

And once again, THANK YOU!!! I hadn't even thought about a SG shell. That's PERFECT! I agree .... after letting the dio sit for the better part of today. I think that the blue tint door, with a little rubble/ rocks in the corner, and NOW a SG shell or two will really help offset the figure.

I may have to wait until after I return to paint the base up, as I'm packing for my trip. However, I'm planning on working on my "midnight raid" dio ... or at least trying to get the figures .... Rrrr .... figured out.

Thanks again psst, for your help. You've once again saved my arse!

My artistic eye thinks you nailed it as far as the base set up goes- I think the way you balance this out is in the finishing.

I think if you make the walls and ground all gray/tan Iraq blah, then paint up the door a vibrant color (like blue) and mix some real vibrant rust- that will offset the soldier nice, I'd say then, on the ground, maybe around where you were experimenting with that rubble chunck- take a single shotgun round (little brass tube? Styrene? whatever's in scale- I'm sure you coulf figure it out), paint it up all red (or whatever other color you guys used??) and that will be small enough/natural enough to blend into the groundwork to not distract, but just the right splash of color against the gray and tan to stand out along with the door to really stand up on its own against the soldier, not to mention adding some level of interest- plus it would tie in with that SWEET SHOTGUN BLAST!! It would just tie it in and solidify the weapon that had been used.

Your scratch building never ceases to amaze. So did the whole dead bold get blown out of the wall? Very very cool

*** NEEDING SERIOUS HELP ***

Psst ... Funny, I was actually thinking about a blue door!?! Guess that one's taken care of!

Now for the serious biz-nazz .... I'm now all dressed up with no where to go! The scene is looking all kinds of crappy. I even slept on it, and it still looks strange to me this morning. It just looks off-balance, and I have no ideas ... none. I'd go for a completely different scene set-up, but there's really no other way, I see, to place the figure. PLEASE HELP ME!!!

Here's what I've got to work with. Some shots of the door. Pleasesd w/ it. Decided to show some shotgun damage to livin' things up a bit. (Later you'll see some SG damage to the wall inside the door if you look close.)

The figure w/ the base ...

Added the channel up at th top to help give some spacial "awareness". Just thought the top was an "open top".

I just think that the space opposite the figure is so empty. I've got some plaster chunks that I've been playing with, but everything I put there distracts from the scene. It just seems to block the viewers eye as they try to "come up on the scene". I'm also planning on a little larger wooden base to help the scene breathe a little ... letting some of the plaster "rocks" to fall of the scene a little onto the wooden base.

I need some help here guys. I feel stuck and this is keeping me from the paint booth this morning. Anything will be appreciated.

Thanks again.

haha hey I wouldn't be upset, again, maybe next time don't run at soldiers with a gun?

The plaster makes sense. As far as rust goes- I'd use a combo of pastel powder (before or after? Durring? I'm thinking after...) some thin to thick style build up of washes in a streaking pattern. The pastel- put on thick so it gives it some nice rusty texture.

I'd say for the door color- paint a bright color over top the metal. Like a blue or a blue green maybe? Kind of like the door on the cover of the book "My Men Are My Heros" if you're familiar with it?

Anyway- something like that'd break up the monotony, and look real cool with the rust on it for some harsh contrast

psstoff995 wrote:

...serious burns to both hands is actually concidered "critical" transport simply due to the level of pain. How'd your guys treat for it? Just flushed it with water and bandaged him up?

Mmm... I'd say flex-cuffs, but that might upset you, so yeah, we flushed them and wrapped them up.

But seriously. Yeah, Doc took care fo them. That's one thing I can say that we do well. If we don't kill'em first, we definately get'em to the CASH.

So, I'm still working on the base for the OIF figure. The wife's on call, so there's nothing better for me to do. I've decided to go with a plaster base and wall. That'll give any texturing I do, something to stick to. I'm finishing up a styrene door that should be ready for paint tomorrow.

But, here's a new one for me. I've never done anything with rust on it. Most, if not all, doors over there are metal. For the life of me, I can't remember them having rust on them, but it would make for a nice color "splash" on an otherwise BLAH dio. Hmmm, dust, dirt, tan, brown, grey .... why not throw some vomit in the mix!?!

Anyone got some advice for this one?

hahaha I can imagine! That's pretty ridiculous, that's some pretty serious trauma though, probably more state side than in country I'm sure, but serious burns to both hands is actually concidered "critical" transport simply due to the level of pain.

How'd your guys treat for it? Just flushed it with water and bandaged him up?

Reminded me of one build that I did bring to school, all the paint is just craft acrylic so I wasn't afraid to start on that, most of what I've done has just been construction and modification, you can check it out here if you want

Actually, this is similar to this OIF guy in that- the standing figure is me and the two other EMTs are friends of mine, the Ford is our Rescue 9 etc.

psstoff995 wrote:

Glad it was training, it wasnt a stand in simulation for a Frag was it? That would have messed with me for a while... hahaha that's such a cool story though thanks for sharing- but so I gotta ask- did he catch it?! haha I'm sure his face was priceless. Lesson learned, dont run at the Army with a weapon in hand.

I can't remember ... I was already on the ground laughing at him when it went off. We treated him for burns to the hands, so I guess he did. I'm surprised he didn't loose one! But, yeah ... I was crying so hard I couldn't even call it in on the radio. I still laugh my arse off everytime I think about it!

Thanks for the comments lil' bro.

Glad it was training, it wasnt a stand in simulation for a Frag was it? That would have messed with me for a while...

hahaha that's such a cool story though thanks for sharing- but so I gotta ask- did he catch it?! haha I'm sure his face was priceless. Lesson learned, dont run at the Army with a weapon in hand.

As a matter of fact .... some real world experience did play a part in the hand placement.

During a training exercise, thank goodness, one of my Soldiers went to throw in the FB into a shoot-house that we build on our small base ... for training btwn missions. His FB hit the frame of the door and landed at my feet. Needless to say, we scrubbed the mission for that night. I finally got the ringing out of my ears the next day.

After that, we tossed them in under-hand. Typically, with a "slam dunk" motion with your hand hitting the door frame. Porbably not necessary, but an inside joke within the PLT none-the-less. The only time after that, that I threw one like a baseball was when a guy was coming out of the house with a weapon. I tossed it at him, just soft enough for him to try and catch it. SUCKER!!!

Just a fun-fact for ya...

Oh no no not at all!! haha that looks awesome as is! I was just wondering if there were green looking ones, I have no idea what makes scopes reflect the way they do... same with tanks and their crazy multicolored viewports, I kinda tweak everything to fit my preference... my M1 Abrams just has a blueish black under a coat of clear gloss

I'm a little surprised that you went for a 2mm circle cut from your film, any reason you didn't just stick some green paint on a brush and put future over that? Just curious, I did that with red paint on mine and... I don't know, even with the gloss it still looked a little "painted on" so I think your film meathod worked out much better- it looks like green glass.

Anyway, I think you should definitly blur out the face on this guy before you give away his identy and post it all across the internet. He looks way too real!!

I really love the way you went about wiring him up with the radio and the strap already on the gun etc.

I also like the positon of the hand with the FB, whenever I think grenades I always think overhand hurl, but I like how it almost looks like hes just gunna give it a little underhand roll into the room. As I'm thinking of being a Tactical Medic SWAT, I end up watching a lot of cop shows, and I feel like this is a more controlled, natural and realistic kind of technique that you depicted with the grenade and something I probably wouldn't have even thought about. I'm glad you're such an amazing modeler because you're real world experience totally shows through on your pieces. Can not WAIT for the base!

psstoff995 wrote:

... Easily the most BA figure I've ever seen... Did you even sneek on a rank patch? Very well done- I really love the flag and the 1st Cav. Very nice.   Hmm... always thought the ACOG looked red, is there an IR version that looks green or... are the Comp M2s the only red ones?

Didn't have any red film ..... and NO, I wasn't going to wait on a 2mm size dot if it!!!

...but now that you've brought it up ... I guess I can change it out ...

*** FINISHED FIGURE ****

Well, allthough I'm not done yet, by far, I feel that I should say some "thank you's".

Thanks to all of you that helped along the way with comments, compliments, and complaints. All helped in their own way.

A special thank you to psstoff ... thanks for staying along for the ride. You've help drive me to get this one done. You have no idea how long this one sat waiting on me. Thank you for helping me get this one done. This one means more than you know. Thank you.

Here "she" is ....

And my favorite ... model? .... or real person? ....

Thanks again everyone. PLS stay tuned for updates on the base....

...

Easily the most BA figure I've ever seen... Did you even sneek on a rank patch? Very well done- I really love the flag and the 1st Cav. Very nice.

Hmm... always thought the ACOG looked red, is there an IR version that looks green or... are the Comp M2s the only red ones?

** UPDATE **

I'm almost done with the figure, and I don't even really want to think about start the base, but I know that it's coming. But, here's what I've got thus far.

Test fitting the head ... again ....

Test fitting the helmet ...

Finishing touches on the M4, including a small dot from the green film to be used in a future dio, spots of future for the ACOG and the flashlight ...

Adding some home-made "decals" ... actually I just printed them on regular paper, and colored them with a pencil....

Stay tuned ... cause here it comes ......