~ FIGURES ~ for ~ ! Clash in Tunisia ! ~ COMPLETE ~

 So to get off the figures for a bit, the last few tasks we're done, namely putting the Dunklgelb on these 2  fellas, so you can see how well (or not) it's going to paint-up   Brenman looks pretty smooth
This guy not bad....
Amazingly, I never saw that mould-line on the left-center of his shorts, or the back of his neck, with the professional grey primer that was on him~~in fact I didn't see it when applying the dark yellow or photo'ing him either. It was only when I went to copy the images to post here that I saw the easy-to-sand-off-blunder, but I thought it more usefull to show the pictures as-is, and then fix it with some 600grit paper, then to just show this looking perfect,{This illustrates one of the prime advantages of doing a really thorough build blog here! } I modelled the hobnails with some tiny bits of styrene softened in xtra thin Tamiya glue, and made them a little overscale(the bits we're pretty small!) I thought I'd see what to do better with this colour on there, and did a little careful sanding since.{   These details will be slightly obscured by paint also, as I don't see any reason his bootsole would be clean!}   AND THATS IT FOR BUILDING FIGURES FOR THIS DIO ! I have ideas for 1-3 more, but I already have 7 Germans & 6 Brits (11 is the most I've modelled together before) I think these will do the job. I will see after placement of all the elements happens.   So~!~~~~~In the interests of keeping going, Paint coats are going onto things AS building continues.(hopefully this blog still appears well-built and not a jumble!)

~Thanks for following guys, It will be a little while before painting all these figures happens, but that will be a  mini-blog in itself       Cheers til then!    Indy

OK~~Here's "Follow-up-Shot-guy"...still needing some careful clean-up, but in the interest of keeping this thread updated..... also the round is just set in place(glue needed to seat it to his palm correctly), BUT I think I've got some good balance  with this one.... Another Alpine Head ! That makes 3 of 4 crewmen with them. I like his chisled, gaunt look. The hands are from a top-notch Warriors "Waffen SS Gebirsjager" figure that I happened to have bought 2 of ( I guess for parts) cause it was so cheap. A hair dryer's heat  softened the right hand to get the grip on the warhead. The rest of him is all DML  
One area still to slean-up, that bootsole.The breadbag got straps scratched from some .020 styrene rod.   Heres those 2 gunners together in a near-relation shot. Both got some Dark Yellow "primer'. These we're the 2 most "unfindable" figures I needed. Having them close to ready-for-paint brings me very near done building my figures, but there's a few more tasks to do..............."I shall return!".........................     ~

~~~~~~~~~~I got some more work done to these two   Bipod, sling  (looped over left arm), more detail sanding......
Both of them got thier 'clown-shoes' shaved down.  Pity to lose all that detail but it WAS very over-scale. I did a fair amount of other sanding here and there on both of them...amazing when you really take your time how much you can find needs done !   Still have the bootsoles to work.   ~~~I was also quite busy with my targeter :
Sculpted that missing area of his tunic and pressed in some equipment while at it, Not the most difficult sculpting task, but still not as easy as you think it will be beforehand.   Here some thin slabs of Milliput(fine white) are layed in his lap, ect.
It's pressed & kneaded near flat to meet the belt. Breadbag is a 'painted spare'(DML)the straps of it softened to flush-up to the belt, pressed into putty
Cigarette was added from some .013 brass wire, a drop of thin CA  to the back, then snipped. This let me make sure I had a square-cut to it's front end, and just the right length. You can see the tunic between the legs here too. Not really going to be seen later.
Smoking brass WILL kill you.      More shaping was done after the Milliput cured, with micro-files, dimond-needle-bits in the Dremel, and sandpaper. When somewhat happy with it,  it was surfaced with Tamiya Liquid Putty, thinned with laquer thinner. I thought it might be more interesting to show it here on the gun before I primer, as I will primer in a very close color for this DAK Daddy.    Loads more to do...off to work now!

camo junkie wrote:

~C.J. Mighty nice of ya, though never feel obliged.  no problem indy...i wouldnt of wasted my time or yours if i thought i had to post. kindness begates kindness...or so i've been told!

Words to live by, no doubt. Not sure if it will work with Al Qaeda, or Modelchasm

~C.J. Mighty nice of ya, though never feel obliged. 

no problem indy...i wouldnt of wasted my time or yours if i thought i had to post. kindness begates kindness...or so i've been told!

~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
 

 

 ~C.J. Mighty nice of ya, though never feel obliged.  When I get to the painting it will be basecoats of Tamiya and thinned Vallejo. Most of the main paintwork in built-up layers af the arylics   {including the skin areas}   and some effects with will be done with Floquil. The oils will likely stay in thier box. I use fixitave(flat) during  the process & Testors Dullcoat at finish.

      ~~Ok, so it's back to building up the figures. A few simple conversions, and a couple more advanced ones.    Easy to see the improvement made by the Hornet Replacement Heads(these can never be recommended enough)  

  A HUGE improvement,still had the expression I had in mind too Old DML/Warriors set  

 

 This one was maybe the most improved

  The 1st attempt{back in the spares box!} Rifle sling added. I see now it needs some adjusting.   I'm calling this lad the 'Rookie",as he does'nt seem to know quite what's in store Not much more expression than before, but well suited anyways Helmet is alot better than DML's I'd say   Thinking of leaving this covered MKII for variety, if there's no objections   This guy was always part of the  plan   As usual, most of the equipment additions I will paint seperately, but add to the soldiers after the basic painting is done, but before any part of it is finalized, so I don't knock myself out  detail painting  more than I need to, and in case modifications become nessessary, I won't have wrecked much. ~This concludes this installment ~ Thanks for joining us (me), back soon with details about the heavier converts.                         !   ~  Indy

well, you complimented my figs so...i have to say i like the germans better only in that they seem more detailed. (on purpose??) should be nice when completed. btw, oils or  acrylics?