• Modelers Alliance has updated the forum software on our website. We have migrated all post, content and user accounts but we could not migrate the passwords.
    This requires that you manually reset your password.
    Please click here, http://modelersalliance.org/forums/login to go to logon page and use the "Forgot your Password" option.

"Not Happy About Getting a Haircut"

J

JamesOLeary

Master at Arms
I have been out of the loop for a while, so I am glad that I did not miss this group build. For my first entry, I want to do a diorama that I started a few days ago that until now I did not have a title for. It will be henceforth be known as, "Not Happy About Getting a Haircut". It will feature two figures that I sculpted, a Royal Models conversion, and 4 Bravo 6 conversions...or at least that is how it will be starting...

The first thing I did was take a piece of wood and cut away some of the block to act as the foundation of a facade of a bunker. I decided to use a bunker that my dad was supposed to use when Bearcat was under mortar or rocket attacks that was near his tent because it was on the large side that would be perfect for a backdrop for these figures. After the rough shape was cut out, I added a door frame with balsa wood. When that was dry, I rolled out some Magic Sculpt putty for the tarp that covered the doorway. I painted this and added the top part of the door frame to create some depth. Then the stacking of the sandbags began. I used Magic Sculpt to form the sandbags and textured them with the grid pattern on the handle of my model knife. After I had made the bunker, I realized that I had forgotten the tarp that was used on the roof after it was realized that the bunker leaked during the monsoon rains. I added that with another strip of thinned out Magic Sculpt. Once that was completed, I used sheet styrene to seal off the back of the base which I will paint black later on.

260151676_538228671056252_972336635107538779_n.jpg
272478693_275972167891139_7707123972240615131_n.jpg
272782095_687752872253964_7338231235306486417_n.jpg
274203226_675005067029810_5416712618122664036_n.jpg
274350070_941875743181850_3691698690206097778_n.jpg
275000250_1380146709101261_8816749488384160555_n.jpg
275241050_4165406796896192_5120146573807271952_n.jpg
 
Next comes the painting of the sandbags and tarp. I won't be adding groundwork until the figures have been painted and the accessories gathered and prepared.

I used acrylics for the sandbags. In order to obtain the various colors of the sandbags as the real bunker had bags that were dark khaki, light khaki, and this weird bluish green color, I drybrushed the colors onto the bags after they had received their base coats, shading, etc.

273882646_492983922330416_4279618716875020769_n.jpg
274000616_662225058378661_6918691924542494743_n.jpg
274645787_932832837435219_854952865062555920_n.jpg
274753699_487831509463510_6390344637053245513_n.jpg
274943303_3184488531797868_8439516418995590080_n.jpg
 
So what figures am I going to use for this diorama? From left to right is a figure I sculpted of a guy popping open a beer, then a Bravo 6 conversion and this guy will be holding a beer, the Royal Model conversion, the second figure I sculpted of a guy holding a canned beverage, a Bravo 6 conversion made to represent the guy getting a haircut (he does not seem very pleased about it), the barber who is a Bravo 6 conversion, and finally, another Bravo 6 conversion of a guy leaning on the sandbag wall. In these photos, I was just getting the figures, poses, and placement figured out. I have since done some additional work on the figures to complete their posing and prepare them for painting. Photos of those will be forthcoming.

275972221_4870602663036603_8330768474085047895_n.jpg
276021703_4870601529703383_3798092448837551181_n.jpg
276078208_4870603106369892_2455824212819659156_n.jpg
276134380_4870603406369862_6794660868153442147_n.jpg
276162137_4870603316369871_6678022324192575968_n.jpg
276223907_4870602089703327_8325883285568111945_n.jpg
276236530_4870599763036893_7981598466968592349_n.jpg
276322069_4870601319703404_6455075710948472668_n.jpg
 
Some progress on the figures. We have the smiling squad leader figure that I added some hair to his head and some patches to his uniform. I still need to come up with a right arm holding a beverage can.

276305412_4883863821710487_937040279975510912_n.jpg
277134491_4883863211710548_5786937667287741842_n.jpg
277443237_4883863481710521_3920316015323124967_n.jpg


This fresh casting of the figure I sculpted of the guy in the doorway will be used for that figure. Note the two puncture spots on the can where the church key can opener was used to open the can.

277105188_4883843801712489_5642573103990641177_n.jpg
277166403_4883843941712475_596231339048946893_n.jpg


Then we have the unhappy Soldier who is being made to get a haircut.

276315967_4883861581710711_8457309204445747729_n.jpg
277159354_4883862745043928_5061514334008694564_n.jpg
277178724_4883862285043974_1896884073600622169_n.jpg


Here is the barber with hair. I have a new right arm for him and put scissors in his hand but hadn't taken a photo of it yet.

276128201_4883864515043751_7323509613239931376_n.jpg
276319195_4883864075043795_6549456499213058388_n.jpg
277007532_4883864858377050_4481484576181974495_n.jpg


And last but not least, we have the Soldier leaning up against the sandbags. I added hair, cut away the shoulder holster, and added breast pockets.

276167450_4883865148377021_7600003836443673891_n.jpg
276304952_4883865451710324_4365539977360063025_n.jpg


I drilled holes into the bottom of each figure's feet so I can mount them onto platforms for painting and hopefully I can get them primed by tomorrow.
 
Thanks, guys. Here is a progress update. I got two more figures painted. The barber and the guy standing and leaning are both underway now (no photos yet).

20220419_220206.jpg
20220419_140519.jpg
20220419_135424.jpg
20220413_141013.jpg
 
Great work so far!!! It's kinda what happened to me. My hair had gotten a little too long and when I got off of the Huey at Phu Loi without my hat on some Col. saw me and called my CO at Lai Kae. So when I got back, my platoon Sargent paid me a visit and chewed me out about my hair and to get a haircut right away. Gary S.
 
centaur567 said:
Great work so far!!! It's kinda what happened to me. My hair had gotten a little too long and when I got off of the Huey at Phu Loi without my hat on some Col. saw me and called my CO at Lai Kae. So when I got back, my platoon Sargent paid me a visit and chewed me out about my hair and to get a haircut right away. Gary S.
Click to expand...

Then you can really identify with and appreciate this diorama, Gary. When I was a Recon Marine, there was a period when my platoon was conducting operations down south and we were temporarily allowed to grow our hair longer than normal so we wouldn't look military. We were preparing to go on another series of missions and were back at our battalion. While we were on the last one, we had gotten a new Sergeant Major who was not from the Reconnaissance community and apparently did not quite grasp what my platoon was involved in and why a non-Marine appearance was critical to our mission. He stopped one of my buddies as he was going to draw some radios from Commo and said something like, "What do you think you are? Some sort of Rock and Roll star or something, Marine?" My buddy replied with some smart ass answer which almost caused a mass haircutting session. Luckily our Platoon Sergeant was within earshot and convinced the Sergeant Major that such an action would jeopardize the lives of our platoon. Then back in our area he smoked the crap out of my buddy for being a smart ass.
 
I knew a guy who got a LOR over a stinkin' hair cut. First shirt told him 3 different times to get it cut, he just didn't want to do it. Dumbass...and no it wasn't me! 🤣
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top