Hello all,
I’m looking for some help with a British Para figure I’m painting. I’m trying to find out what insignia would be worn on both shoulders for a Para at Arnhem. Also, would a private be carrying a Sten mk 5??
Are you asking regarding the camouflage Denison smock or the khaki battle dress blouse?
The smock usually would just have the qualification wings and rank insignia as needed. The battle dress blouse would have the Pegasus/Bellophon flash, qualification wings & rank chevrons, along with regimental type tabs, please forgive as I don’t know the proper terminology for those items in the British army.
Thanks Carlos
I was asking about the Denison smock, forgot that my initial post. Would the qualification wings be on the right or left shoulder?
Looks like I’ll be hand painting that as I don’t have any decals lol
Helo there,
you can find images of the insignia on the internet (https://www.google.com/search?q=British+para+shoulder+sleeve+insignia&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjpu-qq_YLyAhVETBoKHRBXBooQ_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1904&bih=884).
Ones you have the picture, is it possible with photo-editing software (even windows-paint goes), to scale the picture to the dimentions you want/need.
Now you can print the picture on virgin decal paper (decal paper for printer - Recherche Google), and there you have your needed decals.
good luck
Put a call out to members who have any of the Bronco Models Para figure sets or vehicles and Gecko Models are coming to mind as well. I am sure those decals are in there.
Thanks to all for the help! I think I have a set of Paras from Bronco, I’ll check my stash. That would be a tremendous help to have decals although painting them would be a challenge it wouldn’t be so bad.
But I also ordered the Archer set for future projects😌
Here is my work in progress of a British Para at Arnhem. It’s an old Verlinden piece but with a Hornet head, and also I swapped out the Sten mk 5 for one from a Dragon allied weapons set because it was a little crisper in detail. Painting was done with Vallejo’s and I’m trying out Reaper paints for the face. I think I put the entrenching tool on wrong…… comments welcome
5 Likes
Looking good so far. But yes, the E-tool pouch was usually worn centered between the rear straps of the suspenders.
A better photo showing front and rear
Thanks Carlos that’s what I thought. Don’t know why I did that
Richard, the enrenching tool/holder could be worn on the left hip albeit a tad lower than you depicted. Whilst the central posiiton may have been more common (and would I believe require a strap/buckle converter) it would have been up to Unit Standing Orders as to how it was to be worn. Admittedly the War Office would not have provided much leeway on how equipment was to be worn but there is evidence of it being worn on the left side fastened to the cross strap ends; the waterbottle being worn on the right suspended by its cross-strap ends. The bayonet was also suspended on the left-hand side.
Thank you Brian, I kinda figured it could be worn on the side but I do see most pics of soldiers seem to have it centered. I don’t think this figure came with the entrenching tool so I used a Tamiya item because he just looked a little to bare on the backside. Thanks for your help guys!
Just a thought; you could always add a respirator case in the central bit ie between the tool and the waterbottle. It could either be slung like a satchel using the strap, or fixed on to the '37 pat web belt horizontally. This is the equipment:
Yes that’s a good option Brian. Didn’t think of that, I’ll have to check my spares and see what I have. I’ve seen the respirator case here and there. I always forget about it because it looks like just another ammo pouch.
I actually found a respirator case- but it’s molded on to another figure. I haven’t checked all my stuff but I’ll see. If not I’ll just move the e- tool to the middle.
To be honest Richard, it’s not too difficult to manufacture - it’s quite small in 1:35 in any case; you might manage to modify an ammo pouch or similar, or reach for the square-section plastic, or even a small bit of Milliput beaten to shape then finished off with a tiny plastic tab for the fastening. This is not to impugn your modelling ability I assure you, or even to teach you to suck eggs, just an idea or two(!)