Coming along very nicely Brian. You really thrive on converting figures !
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I’m not sure ”thrive” is the right word Richard - but I now sort of know what I’m doing, or rather, the effect I aim for. This should be relatively simple, even the webbing as I know it so well; mind you, even the use of Magic Sculp may not quite transmute across - we’ll see.
I think I’ll complete the Troop Trials on the netting first, then I can, almost relax a bit while I work up the drills for the figure.
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Well, this is where I’m at with the camouflage net; colour rendition not brilliant in this pic - I might take another shortly:
I’ll need to touch up the brown patches as the tea leaves just soak up the paint which I’ve applied by brush; for the green and the net itself I used a rattle can of Humbrol Light Olive, which gave quite a good finish. The tea leaves’ patches are a bit lumpy in places which I put down to my having diluted the PVA glue too much, but I think I’ve got a half-reasonable result which I can use.
We’ll see!
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A marginally better image perhaps; anyway, progress of a sort:
‘Should be able to trim it tomorrow and possibly install on the base.
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So, the camouflage net is probably just about workable, so I thought I’d move on to a bit of the base and that is where the background tentage appears. I envisage this as the entrance tent which was always a 9’ x 9’ shelter (tent) The rest of the complex consisted of Land Rovers backed up on to such tents, or larger, and the part being composed of a couple of 18’ x 24’ tents. We were a light-roled HQ which meant we were mostly Land Rover and trailer-based with tentage, the fiction being that we were airportable; I mean, we were, but only when something like the mighty Belfast transport aircraft loaded the 4T trucks including the many signals wagons. At least the HQ could break down and move quite rapidly, compared to say, our armoured divisional HQs based in Germany. We actually became quite slick at movement.
Anyway, I had to fashion a portion of the 9 x 9 and used plastic card for this. Getting the angles right was a bit tricky and I may not have it perfect, however, that is where the camouflage net will help. I’ll have to texture the card to try and represent canvas - here’s the real thing:
And just for info, a much later Land Rover showing how the two components could be utilised:
The “windows” are translucent not transparent - although there’s an option to roll them down and let natural light in; obviously, at dusk, we reverted to blackout conditions, and the apertures would be sealed. I’ve prepared a cover - rolled up - from lead foil, and in an attempt to replicate the mesh effect have a small piece of such ready. I shall paint it pale yellow as bizarrely, when in position, there was a yellow tinge to the whole. For the translucent cover, I might experiment with a latex glove; we’ll see.
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Nice progress Brian! I hope you’ve factored in making a tea urn. No Brit HQ functions without tea!
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I’ve been working on the tent – a “window” has now been done using a plastic mesh and a couple of layers of PVC glove; I’ve also fashioned a rolled-up canvas black-out flap from lead foil, though still have to add the securing toggles and loops from stretched sprue and fuse-wire. I’ve also been working on the sentry figure as I suspect he’ll be the most labour intensive, what with uniform mods and webbing. His Self-Loading-Rifle (SLR) has also been modified a little by relocating the carrying handle and adding a cocking lever:
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@BootsDMS
a little off-topic. Fox Hopp has a set of Bundeswehr Panzergrenadiers in 3D print.
https://foxhoppmodels.co.uk/products/1950-1960s-british-afv-crewme?variant=57100616237439
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Thanks Hermann,
I was aware - FoxHopp do some interesting stuff, though their renditions of British AFV crews look very suspicious. I recently bought their Soviet era fuel drums - their advert extolling the fact they were seamless - which at the time I thought was going in the right direction; I now find myself having to add seams(!)
Back to the figures: I could certainly find a use for numbers 4 and 5 - the others less so - but great to see suitable figures for the period; thanks for the reminder!
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They have a set of Wehrmacht Feldgendarmen, with a FEMALE soldier. 
And late WWI infantry with an pointing officer! But I doubt that the machiner gunner can hold his MG 08/15 this way for long.
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Not much to show for a couple of hours’ work!
First, a series of indistinct rectangles and squares from Magic Sculp which I hope to fashion into the pouches required for the Sentry figure:
Then some mods to the figure itself - jacket skirts, and the beginning of the yoke of the ‘58 pattern webbing; also 2 x scrim poles sprayed with some texture paint to help replicate the fir/pine saplings we used:
All reinforces the debate on another thread of how labour-intensive it is to provide figures for the Cold War!
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More work on the Sentry figure - though infuriatingly, I’ve now realised that I’ve made the pouches a little on the small side; ‘not sure whether to rip them off or try and create an optical illusion using Mr Dissolved Putty to bulk them up a bit. Having laboured all bloody afternoon, I think I’ll go with the latter.
Sometimes………!
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Curiously, you are adding untucked shirt tails while others are looking for figures without them.
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Well, not quite a shirt-tail, more the bulk of the camouflage smock, required as the original figure was sporting WW2 Battledress, however, I take your point; the Cold War modeller’s eternal challenge!
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He’s coming along nicely. Another awesome figure conversion.
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For those of an historical bent, the respirator shown on the figure – in its case – is the S6; a very well designed piece of kit. There may be those ex-servicemen viewing this who do not recognise the respirator case/haversack as it was later known. This is because at the time, the first issue was a small canvas pouch, fastened by press-studs with a large canvas loop as the opening tab. There was no room that I recall for an extra canister (though my memory may be faulty here), and it contained just the respirator. It was worn satchel like or slung around the waist, fighting for room with all the other personal equipment. Once an NBC suit had been donned it was planned to wear the case around the neck, secured by a coil of string which was contained in a small pocket, yet fastened around a small reel; not much of a change from WW1!
Here’s a few images:
And the early NBC suit of the time:
Gloves (inners and outers) not shown nor the overboots.
And the respirator itself; in the scheme of things relatively comfortable, and with good vision:
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Another neat little idea mate …. Coming together very nicely . The cam net has a good balance as well … 
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Thanks John - nothing like as magisterial as your Buffs’ carrier though!
I just hope the cam net thing works; I was sort of pleased with the effect/construction, but it’ll be emplacing it that seals the deal.
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