"Jungle Security Patrol", Outside of Bear Cat

[JamesOLeary]

This diorama was built in 2001 or 2002. I donated it to the Vietnam Veteran's Museum that is being built in Mineral Wells, Texas.
This scene depicts a local area security patrol around the Bear Cat basecamp in Vietnam in 1967. The patrol is lightly equipped due to the local nature of the patrol. The figures are conversions of Hobby Fan and Warriors figures. The vegetation is comprised of various dried plants from craft stores. The creek is a resin wargaming piece that I painted various shades of brown and green to give it that muddy water look. Gloss coat was then sprayed along the creek to make it look wet. You really can't see them in these few pictures that I have of this diorama, but there is a frog and a lizard near the Soldier jumping the creek.

 

[moon puppy]

capture the water flow just right! You're going to have to slow down so everyone can ask question, like how did you do that??

 

[JamesOLeary]

I lucked out on the water. I found it at this comic shop in Alaska that had warhammer type wargaming figures and stuff. In their landscaping area, I found this pack of two winding rivers made of resin that looked pretty good. I only had to cut a small part off of the one I used for this diorama. I wasn't too sure if it was going to work out or not, but I figured I'd give it a try. I initially painted the water several different shades of green and brown to get the brownish water color. I then sprayed coat after coat after coat of Testor's gloss coat onto the water area. After I got it all shiney and wet looking, I painted the rocks that are moulded along the sides of the water. Once I mounted the creek to the base, I used celluclay for the groundwork and worked it up to the edges of the rocks. I ended up turning out better than I had expected.