Its a long way down but it only takes a single step is my effort with a 1/16th scale offering I picked up some time ago in a plastic bag and I am sorry but I do not even know the company that makes it.
Well you certainly made me smile looking at this piece Darren! Very dynamic figure and the basing of it just grabs the attention right away- I guess the white snow-smock also helps get the attention too.
Don’t be overly harsh on yourself with regards to the painting- I think you’ve done a fine job. 1/16 is not an easy scale to paint, nor for that matter, are large white areas- the smock looks great, especially with the added dirt/dust on the arms and legs.
The gear looks good too- and you have given him a suitably determined look. And I have to commend the realistic looking rockface!
Great to see a new model from you, very nice scene!
Very nice scene, the pose is great, but you might want to re-position the rope. I am a caver, and I’ve done a lot of rappelling, both with only a single rope and also those utilizing a lot of different types of friction devices, which allow you to descend extremely deep pits (I’ve done over 3 hundred feet in a single drop). The classic method, dating back to the earliest days of rock climbing is called the Dülfersitz, or “Hot Seat” rappel. It is commonly used with a doubled rope to increase the friction. Here is a cartoon, taken from the now ancient book Basic Rockcraft by Royal Robins, the Godfather of modern Yosemite Valley rock climbing.
This technique was used during WW II by the US Army 10th Mountain Infantry. A great deal of heat is generated by the friction of the rope, hence the name “Hot Seat”. Leather pads were commonly sewn into one’s mountaineering clothes to pad the areas of contact. The Army didn’t afford such luxuries. The “Batman” style of rappel, (using only hands for friction), would simply result in one’s death.
A modified form uses a “Diaper Sling” and a carabiner, with a slightly different rope path, as seen here;
You can see John Wayne give himself a fatal hookup in The Green Berets.
I’m not familiar with the scene, but obviously he survives, which is more than I can say for the countless deaths and serious injuries that are recorded in the journal of American Caving Accidents published by the National Speleological Society, of which I’m 50 years ongoing life member. This single bad technique is responsible for the majority of deaths and injuries involving the use of a rope. Fast roping out of a helicopter on a thick rope, using gloves and your boots is one thing, dropping hundreds of feet off a mountain or in a dark, wet, muddy pit in a cave on a 11mm nylon rope is something entirely different. I’m certain that the International Commission for Alpine Rescue maintains a very similar record of horror stories as our organization does. It’s pretty gruesome reading. As SpongeBob would say; “It’s all in the technique”, as we say; “Cavers rescue spelunkers”.
Thank you for the feedback and taking the time to comment
Still Darren a great scene, expertly painted.
Wonderful job Darren.
Nice work. I thought it was a paratrooper trying to rein in his shoot, which would also make a cool diorama. More more more! Great job.
