I was originally going to sculpt a sleeve onto the left arm of the guy with his shirt open, but it did not turn out quite like how I wanted it to. I scaped it away and decided to sculpt a field dressing instead. It explains why the figure has only one sleeve and I think it adds to the perception that the fighting had been pretty fierce.
I used some AK Interactive Green Putty to fill in some gaps. It is OK, but I don’t like it as much as I liked the old Squadron Green Putty.
I changed heads on the dead VC laying on his back. I carved a star shaped entry wound to his forehead and have an exit wound barely visible in the back of his head. Most entry wounds to human bodies are just a small round circle depending on the caliber. Head wounds are a bit different. Sometimes it will just be a small entry wound depending where it impacts. Other times, such as a shot from close quarters, the impact can cause a shattering effect resulting in a starlike shape. To keep with the theme of this having been a desperate close in fight, I decided to make a star shaped entry wound to indicate a shot from a close distance.
Thank you.
Yes, there will be shell casings, empty magazines, and perhaps a satchel charge strewn about. There will also be a claymore clacker in the bunker opening with wire leading out towards the viewer.
I value your opinion. So since you are good with how this is going, I will continue.
I imagine the platoon sergeant has many thoughts going through his mind - I hope my wounded Soldiers make it. Why did some have to die? It was one heck of a fight. Charlie gave it his all. Look how close they got to possibly overrunning us. Thank God we had so much firepower on our side.
The young Grunt is glad to be alive but is sad for the buddies he lost and those who are wounded worse than him.
even though this isn’t finished it makes me think of the attack on the MACV-SOG in Da Nang which saw the base being partially over run.
i am reading about Ben Het and the battles there and how the NVA again used tanks against US Forces and this vignette is very thought provoking which i feel is something important.
The quiet after the storm; that’s what it reminds me the farther you progress. Though I fully understand why you let the vehicle down, I still hope you will restore the M113 wedge. Nonetheless it’s a great dramatic scene either way it will come out.
Probably the biggest hindrance on this model build was not having an authoritative reference for the Patton tank, this series of battle tank can be perplexing to say the least . . . even within a specific design model the variations can leave you scratching your head, driving light brush guards, tail light guards, track return rollers, muzzle brakes, TC cupola configuration, personel heater vent pipe location, gun mantlet, all these items change from one production model to the next but each upgrade can carry both new and old design features, this what I’ve tried to portray in my version of the M67/M48A2.
I have to give Dragon a thumbs up for this model, its been a fun build, parts fit has been precise, directions easy to follow and casting in some cases ingenious.
Anxious to get some paint on.
Today I sculpted a mostly empty M16 bandoleer across a sandbag on the top of the bunker. Notice how it is flat with the exception of the two pockets containing two magazines.
I also sculpted a satchel charge with an unarmed fuse based on one that we had in the museum’s collection (minus the live explosives). I will add a strap using flattened lead wire once the satchel charge is placed into the vignette.
@agincajun - did you see the drawings showing the whole left side of the turret being occupied by the fuel tank for the flamer? That’s also why this tank only had a crew of three:
@ReconTL6 - some cool sculpting here, James! What material do you use? My biggest problem is always how to prevent the piece I’m sculpting to the “table” or to the tools, what’s your take on that?
I did see this cutaway diagram of the fuel, air and CO2 tanks, how would you like this to be your ride to work every day? The most useful guide for this particular build would have to be Mike Petty’s revue here . . . AMPS Reviews - Dragon - M67A2 Flamethrower Tank - Armor Modeling & Preservation Society, it was like having Cliff notes for the model although I didn’t follow it step by step, there are some differences between our two models.
@Pawel , i use Magic Sculpt for most of my sculpting. I used to use the white or natural color, but switched to their tan color after Vladimir Demchenko of Bravo 6 told me he had tried that color and found that one could see what they are sculpting better using the tan putty rather than the white. I have to agree. The way the light interacts with the color accentuates the folds, seams, and details visually because it creates a contrast with the shadows the light creates.
The putty sticking to tools can be frustrating. To push the putty in place I usually use silicone rubber brushes that have been moistened with water to prevent the putty from sticking to the tool. If I sculpt an object like the satchel charge, I place some putty onto a plastic sandwich ziplock bag and then do my cutting, shaping, and sculpting. Once cured the bag peels away and you have a nice object. Something else that helps to lessen the sticking is to let the putty sit for a few minutes until it starts to become firmer. Does that make sense?
@agincajun - a flametank is many times scarier than a regular tank - both for the bad guys and the crew… I wouldn’t feel comfy next to that big fuel tank knowing tere are guys with rockets around…
@ReconTL6 - thanks a lot for the info, James! That sure makes sense. I have to see if I can comfortably buy any Magic Sculpt in my AO. I’ve been using Miliput until now.
This afternoon’s progress consisted of applying some Magic Sculpt gor the groundwork and texturing it with a toothbrush and adding small stones. I placed the figures in their places to put the impressions of their boots and bodies into the putty and removed them so the putty could cure. I ran a wire from the bunker opening outward to be the wire going from a claymore firing device to a claymore mine that is beyond tge borders of the base. I know that claymore wires are a double, flat wire, but I did not have anything like that and at this scale it woukd be hard to tell anyway. Once this is cured I will start painting it. Normally I keep the figures in place as they are held in place by the putty curing, but it is sometimes hard to get to certain spots fir painting or installing items when the figures are in the way, so I figured I would try getting the groundwork prepared before installing the figures. We will just have to see how that turns out.
Today’s progress on the vignette consisted of priming the base in the morning and painting the sandbags, dirt, bandoleer, and the base color of the PSP holding up the roof. I still need to weather the PSP, add some vegetation, and add some shell casings, empty magazines, and other battle debris.
