Logistics, The Figures Updated Feb 8th, 2021

[bob letterman]

Looks great Bob- I tend to hold my breath when I'm adding fine details like those helmet stars...needless to say I would've passed out after adding all the great detail you did.

I had a great 1/48 figure of Adolf Galland I used that was his spitting image....can't agree more with you.

Thanks,

I gotta admit, it's tedious and especially for my 77 year old eyes! :idonno :idonno

Bob

 

[bob letterman]

Trying to get my head around the fact that this is a figure on a diorama that breaks all the records. I haven't seen too many figures with so much detail even when presented as a figure, let alone in a scene / vignette / dio.

Outstanding job on details, as always, very Lettermanesque


Laurence

Thanks Laurence,

There;s that Lettermanesque again!

Bob

 

[bob letterman]

absalutely mantastic

Thanks Dave!

Bob

Outstanding!

Thanks Terry,

Bob

 

[Duke Maddog]

Wow!

That is some phenomenally outstanding work! You haven't lost anything man, this is just stunning.

I'm glad you're feeling better; I too was 'under the weather' for the last three weeks trying to heal from my side effects. Now that things seem to be improving significantly, I'm hoping that leads to some accelerated progress at my own workbench soon.

I'm watching this closely, it is too amazing to look away! Keep it coming Bob!

 

[bob letterman]

Wow!

That is some phenomenally outstanding work! You haven't lost anything man, this is just stunning.

I'm glad you're feeling better; I too was 'under the weather' for the last three weeks trying to heal from my side effects. Now that things seem to be improving significantly, I'm hoping that leads to some accelerated progress at my own workbench soon.

I'm watching this closely, it is too amazing to look away! Keep it coming Bob!

Thanks Duke,

I appreciate your comment!

Bob

 

[phantom II]

Everything looks good Bob but General Patton is excellent . I could pick him out of a line up any day

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[bob letterman]

Everything looks good Bob but General Patton is excellent . I could pick him out of a line up any day

Cheers, Christian B)

Thanks Christian,

Let's hope you can still do that after I paint him!

Bob

 

[Brokeneagle]

Logistics, The Figures Updated May 7th, 2018

It’s been awhile since I posted any progress. I’ve been a bit under the weather lately, nothing major, and finally back at the bench. I did much of the detailing of Georgie Patton an hour or so at a time. I can’t promise how well he will look when finished, but, I have detailed the hell out of him from head to toe. We’ll see? He is the most important figure of the 435 figures in this diorama, so, I felt he had to look as good, and…. as much like Patton as I could make him.

The figure is a combination of several Patton figures, the face from the old Tamiya Generals set. In my opinion, it’s the best likeness out there so far in 1/35th. I took his arms and hands literally off four other figures that were previously built. That is why the different colors on the arms. I had to carve them smaller to match up with his frame. I’ve always been a big believer that if the face of a figure is not good, the rest doesn’t matter. The face is all-important, at least to me. Likewise, if a figure is a specific personality, it should resemble that personality as closely as possible.

In the diorama, Patton will be standing near the large statue on some crates, directing traffic with the help of several Headquarters MPs. Although the XYZ Express, a much larger freight moving, military conglomeration than the prior and more famous “Red Ball Express” arrived at the intersection first, therefore giving it right of way, Patton reversed that, allowing his tanks, of Combat Command “B” of the Fourth Armored Division, commanded by Colonel Creighton Abrams, to whom Patton is returning a salute, to have priority. Obviously to the consternation of the Convoy commander, who will be yelling at an MP to no avail!. Still, the narrow streets are clogged up ahead and at the moment, nobody is moving!

As he is 90% a plastic figure, I detailed a lot of equipment that wasn't cast sharply. His boots for example. Usually, Patton wore old fashioned Jodhpurs or riding pants with custom made boots. Patton was extremely wealthy, some estimate he was the wealthiest officer in WW II. He never took a salary from the military. Occasionally, he would wear the standard army boots, (Or ones similar that were custom made for him), and most photographs of him in those boots were when other high ranking generals were present. As there are many generals in this diorama, I chose those. I used thin lead foil and PE buckles to make those boots.

In these photos they look wide, but will visually shrink some when painted dark brown.

Now, Patton has stars on his epaulets and helmet as well as tiny ones on his shirt collar. The smallest stars I could find were in the Eduard set below. They are on medals about center on the PE sheet to the left. I cut them off as full medals were not worn in combat normally.

The date of the diorama is shortly before he made full general and is still a three star. He was the commanding general of Third army and wore the patch on his left sleeve and below the stars on his helmet.

I'll use the Archer set below.

I used a punch and die to make lead foil buttons and belt. PE buckles and emblem for the belt. tiny strips of plastic to represent three rows of ribbons, which were in the reference photos I used. Tiny strips to represent the stars on his collar and plastic again for the two US emblems on his jacket. The following are photos taken before I begin painting. Only the face has been base coated with acrylic flesh at this point.

Now comes the paint!

Thanks for looking in!

Bob

Nice details Bob. That is really small stuff to work on - some great detailing insights as well for my next figures.
:coolio
Ian.

 

[bob letterman]

Logistics, The Figures Updated May 7th, 2018

Thanks Ian,

Really small stuff! And especially to 77 year old eyes!

Those microscopic stars I cut off the medals, I had to use Optivisors to even see the damned things! :yipee

Oh well, at least i can still do it! Thank God! Trust me, modeling at this age is a whole new experience! :yipee

Bob

 

[JamesOLeary]

Logistics, The Figures Updated May 7th, 2018

Holy Tiny Insignia Details, Batman!

This is looking really good Bob. I couldn't imagine trying to get those stars to match up correctly. I'm lucky to get things to be close enough and I sure can't make anything in a straight line.

Cheers,
James

 

[bob letterman]

Logistics, The Figures Updated May 7th, 2018

Holy Tiny Insignia Details, Batman!

This is looking really good Bob. I couldn't imagine trying to get those stars to match up correctly. I'm lucky to get things to be close enough and I sure can't make anything in a straight line.

Cheers,
James

Thanks James,

I've been having to jump through some medical hoops lately and they keep me off the Internet for periods of time! Sorry about the delay in responding! Actually, since that post, I decided the stars of the helmet were too far apart, so I redid them and they look much better.

You won't convince me you couldn't do this if you wanted. I've seen your work James! But, we do have to retain our modesty!

Bob

 

[Adam Baker]

Love all the tiny details Bob!

 

[Sherman 18]

 

[bob letterman]

Love all the tiny details Bob!

Hey Adam,

Thanks! Long time since I've seen you post!

Good to hear from you!

Bob

 

[bob letterman]

Thanks Jeff!

Bob

 

[fledermaus]

what can I say, mind blowing job, I hate to work with this small PE parts, they love to jump off the twezers and disappear for ever. :frantic :coolio

 

[bob letterman]

what can I say, mind blowing job, I hate to work with this small PE parts, they love to jump off the twezers and disappear for ever. :frantic :coolio

Thanks Abdin,

I can't argue with your assessment of PE, I've experienced everything you mentioned and more! However, there isn't really any substitute for tiny parts!

Bob

 

[Cheyenne]

Outstanding figure work Bob !!!
Patton looks very cool .
I know what you mean about the eyes , my glasses have always been a catch 22 situation for me , cause I need my glasses to find my glasses !!!

 

[bob letterman]

Outstanding figure work Bob !!!
Patton looks very cool .
I know what you mean about the eyes , my glasses have always been a catch 22 situation for me , cause I need my glasses to find my glasses !!!

Thanks, I hear ya Glenn,

I got my first pair of glasses when i turned 40 in 1981. When I work now, I have to use an Optivisor number #10, they're about as powerful as the Hubble space telescope! But, by God, I can still model!

:yipee

Bob

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Looks great Bob!

I myself have always thought that you have to start with the actual 3D aspects of a figure before doing the paint. If the part underneath isn't right nothing you can do with paint will correct it.