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"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967 COMPLETED

JamesOLeary

Master at Arms
This is the first vignette for the project that will consist of several vignettes that will be placed as portions of a patrol onto a map of the patrol route for a larger display.

In this vignette, the Platoon Sergeant is asking the navigationally disoriented Platoon Leader for his map so he can show the LT where he is at. The LT will be pulling his map out of reach. His RTO is bent over taking the opportunity to rest his back from his heavy load while the patrol's location is figured out. I will probably add two figures pulling security in front of and behind the trio.

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The LT is a conversion of two Bravo 6 figures with a Hornet head. I still need to remove the mold seams, add canteens and other equipment, the arms, and cut the top part of his head off so I can place a helmet on his head later. I think his pose captures the effect of him trying to keep the map away from the Platoon Sergeant.

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Some of you may already be familiar with the Platoon Sergeant figure from the post of the Platoon Sergeant on the Radio. Here he is primed for painting.

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I will save the space to post photos of the RTO after I have completed the putty work I need to do on him. There will most likely be two more figures for this vignette as well.

Thanks for looking.



Cheers,
James
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

Looks great, there's a bit of youth about the LT, fitting. :popcorn
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

this cool. the M16 certainly had it's teething problems, but it has evolved into a fine weapon. Looking that one over is really cool
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

Cool Idea!
I'll be watching as the story "unfolds"!
(Sorry James!)
Rock ON!
:drinks
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

Thanks, Guys.

I think this will be a pretty neat diorama when it is done. I have been doing some work on the figures such as looking for arms appropriate for the poses, posing the other figures (I always seem to prepare several more than I will actually end up using), and more planning.

I will take some photos of it a bit later.

Cheers,
James
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

It has been a while since I made progress on this diorama due to working on the WWI figure for the Arlington, TX show last weekend. This past week I have been doing some posing and sculpting in details on some of the other figures for this diorama.

This first one is a conversion of a SEAL figure from Bravo 6. I removed the pouches from the torso and back, sculpted in the slanted top pockets of the jungle fatigue shirt and added a bandoleer of M16 ammo. I still need to fill in some gaps and add the strap to the bandoleer. I may also add a belt of M60 ammo, but I am undecided on that right now. Depending on the arms that I use for him, he might just get an additional bandoleer of M16 ammo or a claymore bag.

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Something I tried differently when making these bandoleers is that I rolled out a strip of putty as it was starting to cure, cut the strip to size for the bandoleer and shaped the pockets, cut the slits in the openings of the pockets, and then allowed to harden a bit more before placing on the figure. I found this to be better than sculpting directly onto the figure when you want to show the outward sag of loosely worn or hanging bandoleers.
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

The next figure is of a Soldier looking back at the interaction between the LT and the NCO who is gesturing something like "What is going on?". He is a conversion of a figure from Bravo 6's Round the Corner series and Black Echo set. I still need to add the right arm which is going to be holding an M16. The indention in the bandoleer is where the arm will be resting against it.

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"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

Here's the progress on the LT. I still have more work to do on him like the back strap of the map case, fill in a few gaps, fix the look of the right forearm with some putty, but he is coming along.

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"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

And the last figure for now is the RTO. I still have a lot to do with this figure, but it is starting to shape up. I filled in the clothing for the torso, made the breast pockets, and added the hanging bandoleer. I still need to add another bandoleer, smoke grenades, the radio and it's accessories, and the arms.

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That's all for now. Thanks for looking.

Cheers,
James
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

Excellent work! I always love looking at these as they come to life. The attention to detail here is exquisite.
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

And the last figure for now is the RTO. I still have a lot to do with this figure, but it is starting to shape up. I filled in the clothing for the torso, made the breast pockets, and added the hanging bandoleer. I still need to add another bandoleer, smoke grenades, the radio and it's accessories, and the arms.

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That's all for now. Thanks for looking.

Cheers,
James

He looks like the way my back feels right now.

You really capture these guys James, outstanding work. :notworthy :notworthy
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

Thanks, Guys. I can't wait to get the construction part done so I can start painting. :)

Cheers,
James
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

Great work, ever think of casting and selling your pieces?

Since these are conversions of manufactured figures, I really can't cast and sell figures like these. Now if I were to sculpt my own, (I have sculpted the bodies fairly well in the past, but have not been able to get the heads to look good), then I would be able to. I have thought about casting copies of the flak jackets that I have made for my various M113 models and selling those as an accessory set. I will work on that after I complete this diorama.

Cheers,
James
 
"Let me see your map, LT!" Vietnam 1967

I got a couple of figures done so they could be primed for painting. The first is the Soldier who is looking back at the interaction between the LT and the squared away NCO.

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